Staff Listing

Jacqueline Adams is guided by a desire to solve problems with kindness and a service‑oriented mindset; empowering teams and amplifying expertise to improve performance and outcomes. She been of service to the UMass Donahue Institute since 1997. As Director of Financial Strategy and Compliance, Ms. Adams is the lead on the organization's financial operations and compliance, ensuring strong fiscal stewardship and adherence to regulatory standards. Throughout her tenure, Ms. Adams has been instrumental in driving financial integrity and operational excellence, supporting the Institute’s mission to deliver impactful services to a wide variety of clients. Her deep institutional knowledge and strategic insight empower informed decision-making and sustainable growth, reinforcing the institute’s reputation for excellence within the campus and beyond.

Committed to fostering transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement, Ms. Adams plays a key role in aligning financial practices with organizational goals and compliance frameworks, safeguarding the Institute’s resources, and enabling successful program outcomes.

Ms. Adams received her degree in economics from the College of the Holy Cross and utilizes her facilitation, strategic planning and change leadership management certifications in all aspects of her work.

Fernanda Arrantes has worked in the early childhood field for over 25+ years. Fernanda started as a home-based family childcare provider with the goal of providing an inspiring, cheerful, safe and adaptive environment for each child’s needs. More recently, Fernanda has coached fellow providers in Portuguese to improve their programs, personal skills and business. Fernanda has also been a supplemental instructor for Cape Cod Community College.

Mary Watson Avery’s career has focused on work with children birth to 8 years, building nurturing environments in family services and early childhood practitioner professional development. Her special interests include the support of very young children at risk; the development of trauma-sensitive learning environments; effective parent engagement; best practice in coaching across settings; and the mentoring of early childhood trainers.

With substantial experience in developing curriculum, planning professional development, as well as coaching and mentoring groups and individuals, Mary is a well-respected educator across the Commonwealth and the region. In addition to training on a wide variety of topics related to the social-emotional well-being of very young children and their families, Mary is a master trainer in all aspects of Pyramid Model implementation, including Train-the-Trainer, Train-the-Coach, Program-Wide Implementation and the Pyramid Model Family Modules. In addition to her many years as an early childhood educator, Mary has taught at Harvard University Graduate School of Education and Wheelock College. She also served as the Director of Family Connections, a community mental health outreach program targeting parental depression, based at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Mary earned a master's in infant & toddler studies from Wheelock College with additional training in trauma-informed practices at Harvard University Graduate School of Education. Mary also earned a BFA in studio art from Manhattanville College.

Deb Bankauskas’s experience includes training and technical assistance for Rhode Island’s Center for Early Learning Professionals where she provided training and technical assistance to early care and education programs including Head Start, child care, family child care and public school pre-K programs. For over 20 years, she served as the administrator of Crayons Early Care and Education Center, a nationally accredited, fully inclusive early care and education program serving children ages six weeks through five years. Deb has also served as an early childhood adjunct instructor at community colleges in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Ms. Bankauskas received a bachelor's in early childhood education from Rhode Island College and a master's education in early childhood administration and leadership from Johnson & Wales University.

Carrie Bernstein, M.P.P.A., leads and collaborates on innovative projects in economic inequality, labor markets, housing affordability, economic impact, businesses and economic development at national, state and local levels. She also manages the Massachusetts State Data Center. Ms. Bernstein's research encompasses both quantitative analysis and qualitative methodologies. She specializes in data analysis, writing and synthesis of complex information. She has decades of experience in policy research, survey methods, data management and research design at institutions including Harvard, the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, and two organizations she co-founded.

Ms. Bernstein received her master’s of public policy and administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst studying policy and economics, with a capstone on Community Development Block Grants, and her bachelor’s from Hampshire College in inequality studies, with an undergraduate thesis on housing.

Since 2002, Jeanette Boom has experience in developing custom leadership and management training programs designed to strengthen the managerial capacity of non-profit executives whose agencies provide health and human services and early childhood education to low-income children and families nationally and internationally. These programs include the UCLA Head Start Management Fellows Program, the UCLA-PMFO New Directors Mentor Initiative, the UCLA Health Care Institute, the UCLA/Johnson & Johnson Health Care Executive Program, the UCLA/Johnson & Johnson Management Development Institute for Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Management Development Program for Early Childhood Educators. Jeanette is also a coach for NIKE Starting Block for Head Start, a management program for Head Start leaders.

Ms. Boom earned a bachelor's of science degree in biology from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Sonia Bouvier, M.P.H. has over 25 years of experience working with federal, state and local public health programs and coalitions in the areas of planning, community engagement, program implementation, and evaluation. Prior to joining the Institute, she was the founding director of a nationally-recognized health-access program for uninsured individuals. She has also served in the roles of evaluator, educator, consultant and non-profit board member with programs addressing school health and safety, maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, and child sexual abuse prevention.

Ms. Bouvier earned a master's in public health with a concentration in community health education from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor's of arts from Vassar College.

Kassie Breest, M.S., specializes in data analysis and public policy research featuring both qualitative and quantitative data. An organizer at heart, she sorts data, behaviors, and ideas to create knowledge and provide data-driven answers to public policy questions. Kassie studies economic and demographic trends and uses statistical analysis, writing, and design to understand, describe, and draw conclusions about these phenomena. Prior to joining the institute, Kassie worked at the UMass Writing Center, where she helped writers of all types meet their communicative purposes. She is driven by her desire to reconsider academic writing and make data accessible to all readers, which she hopes to achieve through report writing, synthesizing complex concepts, and data visualizations.

Kassie received her bachelor of arts degree in economics with a minor in statistics as well as a master of science degree in data analytics and computational social science, both from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Logan Brown is a seasoned accounting professional with a wealth of experience navigating complex financial landscapes. With a certification in accounting and over 15 years of experience in the field, Logan demonstrates adeptness in strategic financial planning. Before joining the institute, Logan spearheaded operations at a North Carolina-based accounting firm catering to small businesses, showcasing a commitment to fostering financial health at every level.

Jill Capitani has more than 20 years of experience providing program evaluation services, strategic planning, and technical assistance to clients in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Throughout her career, Ms. Capitani has worked across a broad range of subject areas including public health, human services, youth development, education, and violence prevention. Her current portfolio includes work with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on their first extensive study supporting Massachusetts students and their families experiencing homelessness. In addition, Ms. Capitani serves as an evaluator for multiple Determination of Need, Community Health Initiatives with Newton Wellesley Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital focused on advancing health equity for children, youth, and families in metro south west communities. Prior to joining the Institute, Ms. Capitani worked for both Caliber Associates (now part of ICF Consulting) and the Urban Institute in Washington, DC.

She has an undergraduate degree from Colgate University and a master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University.

Christina Citino has more than 30 years of experience providing program development, needs assessment, and program evaluation services to state agencies, hospitals and health systems, and community-based organizations. Her professional experience includes work in mental and behavioral health, housing and homelessness, economic mobility, food security, community violence, and primary prevention focused on high-risk behaviors. Ms. Citino also has a deep understanding of the unique needs facing the human services workforce, having authored seven reports on the Massachusetts human services industry and its workforce since 2006. Findings from her human services workforce reports have been used to increase awareness of the social and economic impact of the human services industry, advocate for pay equity, and develop strategies to improve workforce recruitment and retention.

Throughout her career, she has provided training and technical assistance related to the development of logic models and outcomes measurement systems and has supported numerous agencies in the implementation of systems to document program outcomes. Ms. Citino’s experience with community-level process and outcome evaluations in the health and human services field is extensive and includes numerous projects focused on eliminating health inequities. Since 2016, Ms. Citino has been involved in seven Determination of Need Community Health Initiatives, including three initiatives with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, three initiatives with Newton Wellesley Hospital, and is currently leading work with Boston Children’s Hospital on their Metro South West Community Health Initiative.

Ms. Citino has a bachelor’s in sociology from Temple University.

Nena Cunningham’s professional experience spans more than 20 years in Head Start programs and state government. She has served in various roles including classroom teacher, family services staff, supervisor, master teacher, and most recently as Maine’s Head Start state collaboration director. Her work has been in direct care, programming, public policy, quality improvement and data analysis focused in the areas of infant toddler programming, parent, family and community engagement and public-school collaboration.

Dr. Cunningham received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in early childhood education from the University of Maine at Farmington and her doctorate in educational leadership from the University of New England.

Yasmine Daniel Vargas previously worked for FHI 360 managing the Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Center for American Indian and Alaska Native programs. With a rich career in early childhood, she also worked with Marion Wright Edelman for the National Children’s Defense Fund as director of the Early Childhood Development Division.

Ms. Vargas received a master’s of public administration from Drake University and a bachelor’s of arts from Rutgers University.

For over 20 years, Liz Daniels has been dedicated to advancing the field of early childhood education, with a focus on promoting social-emotional development and effectively addressing challenging behaviors in infants, toddlers, and young children. In her role as co-director of the Pyramid Plus project, she leads statewide training and group coaching initiatives to support Pyramid Model implementation in both group and family childcare settings. She has partnered extensively with Head Start and Early Head Start programs across the country to support positive outcomes for young children and their families. Ms. Daniels is also committed to supporting families directly, having facilitated numerous parent support groups focused on building parenting skills, confidence, and community. She maintains a private clinical practice in Massachusetts, providing therapy to children, adolescents, and adults.

Ms. Daniels has a master’s degree from Framingham State University in counseling psychology and a bachelor’s degree from the University of New York - Cortland in psychology.

Michael Davis joins the RPFI team with experience in accounting and project delivery. While working in the project delivery program for transportation projects, Michael assisted in appraising and acquiring interest in commercial, industrial, and residential properties. Prior to this, Mr. Davis worked within the accounting department, managing contracts and purchase orders, submitting claims and conducting account reconciliations and adjustments to financial records.

Mr. Davis earned his bachelor's of science in business administration with a concentration in finance from California State University, Fresno.

Pamela Dion is experienced in the areas of finance, accounting, auditing, payroll while working in such varying industries as non-profit, retail, and construction. Her professional career has included seven years at each at The American Red Cross as the Director of Finance and Conservation Services Group as an Internal Auditor and Accountant.

Ms. Dion has a bachelor’s of science in business administration from Nichols College.

Rosario Dominguez, MPA has Head Start experience at the national, regional, and local levels, as well as other diverse human services experience. Ms. Dominguez was previously a grantee specialist manager for Head Start’s American Indian and Alaska Native Region. Prior to that, she served on the staff of the National Head Start Center on Program Management and Fiscal Operations and also worked for Head Start grantees in Massachusetts.

Ms. Dominguez received her master’s in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and a bachelor’s in political science with a specialization in education from Carleton College. Additionally, she has received graduate credit from Wheelock College in early childhood education and program management.

Elena Engle's experience spans more than 20 years across government and non-profit organizations in Florida, New York City and New Hampshire. Her work has been in direct care as well as programming, policies, quality improvement and data analysis and focused in the areas of foster care, preventative services, and early childhood education. Prior to joining the institute, Ms. Engle was the child and family services director for a community action agency in New Hampshire where she oversaw Head Start, home visiting, child care and food and nutrition programs.

Ms. Engle received a bachelor's of arts in sociology from the University of Central Florida and her master's degree in public administration from Troy University.

Kevin Fagundo-Ojeda specializes in mixed-methods research, focusing on social determinants of health, disaster mitigation, multimodal transportation planning, housing, and economic development. He is skilled in designing and administering surveys, conducting interviews and focus groups, performing geospatial analysis, and analyzing demographic data using tools like R and Stata. His work has been supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Science Foundation.

Kevin received a bachelor of arts in sociology from the University of Puerto Rico, a master’s of arts in community development and planning from Clark University, and a master’s of arts in city and metropolitan planning from the University of Utah.

As a training specialist, Dr. Jody Figuerido supports fellow team members, focuses on community collaborations, and develops and offers training across the region. She previously served as the director of an early childhood education and care program, taught early childhood college courses, and served as the statewide training coordinator for the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. Dr. Figuerido also developed the training division of Child Development Education (which would later become The Institute for Education and Professional Development). In this role, she oversaw the development of over seventy-five courses (many translated into multiple languages), received multiple grants, and developed a team of master instructors.

Dr. Figuerido earned a bachelor’s in elementary education from Stonehill College, a master’s in early childhood education and a doctorate in adult learning with a focus on culturally responsive professional development, both from Leslie University.

Meghan Flanagan’s work focuses on geographic and population data analysis. Ms. Flanagan was an environmental engineer supporting municipal and university infrastructure planning efforts and conducted spatial studies on watershed issues. Previously, she was an engineering student in Tufts University’s interdisciplinary Water Diplomacy IGERT Program where she studied water scarcity and allocation and environmental policy.

Meghan received her masters of science in civil and environmental engineering from the University of Minnesota and her bachelor's of science in engineering science from the Picker Engineering Program at Smith College.

Alyssa Flemati, MBA has several years of experience in higher education administration and finance. Prior to the institute, she was an administrative and fiscal support specialist for the UMass Center at Springfield. Ms. Flemati brings over ten years of customer service background to better assist all clients. In her current position, she focuses on procurement, creating and maintaining budgets, financial reporting and personnel management.

Ms. Flemati earned her master's of business administration from American International College, her bachelor's in business administration from Westfield State University and an associate’s in business administration from Springfield Technical Community College.

McMillan has worked in Head Start systems at the regional and national levels, as well as in family services and community engagement settings at local and state levels. McMillan was previously on the content development team with the Office of Head Start National Center on Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE). Prior to that, they were a coordinator with the Research & Evaluation unit at the Brazelton Touchpoints Center and a data analyst with the OHS Region 1 Office.

McMillan is a passionate advocate for the well-being of all families, both professionally and in their personal communities. This lifelong mission includes past volunteer work as a Playspace Activity Leader at a local shelter with families experiencing homelessness.

McMillan received a Master of Social Work from Salem State University, with a graduate certificate in public policy and administration and a certification in adult learning design, development, and delivery.

Linh Garza joins the RPFI team with over 12 years of experience working with Head Start grants and grantees. She has extensive experience in providing technical assistance to grantees in the areas of financial management system and real property activities. Prior to joining RPFI, Linh worked in the Region VI Training and Technical Assistance Network as a Grantee Specialist Manager. Additionally, she has conducted monitoring reviews and provided support to grantees as an independent consultant.

Ms. Garza holds a master's in accounting from The University of Texas at Dallas, a bachelor's in finance from The University of Texas at Austin and a certified public accountant license.

Jan Gilpin’s professional focus has always been on ensuring that all families have equitable access to quality early childhood education. Jan has an in-depth understanding of early childhood systems in New England with experience drafting legislation, administering state child care subsidies, writing on research and policy and analyzing legal and policy questions. She has managed provider trainings and conferences and worked in the classrooms serving children. For the past seven years, Jan has worked at the Office of Head Start New England office as part of the support contract team. She has held multiple, and at times dual, roles as a program specialist, collaboration office liaison, data specialist and interim project manager. Jan is also a lawyer and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar.

She received her bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College and her juris doctor from Boston University. In 2022, Jan was selected as an Early Educator Leadership Fellow as part of the Post Master’s Certificate Program in Early Education Research, Policy, and Practice at UMass Boston.

Jennifer Gordon is a growth-oriented public service professional committed to collaborative approaches and building effective partnerships. She joined UMDI in 1998 as an applied researcher leading a portfolio of program evaluation projects with a strong focus on K-12 education reform and improvement initiatives. She served as UMDI’s Director of Applied Research and Program Evaluation for seven years prior to joining the Executive Team. In her current role as Deputy Director, Ms. Gordon serves as second in command to the Executive Director. Her work is focused on driving strategic alignment and execution across UMDI, overseeing sustainability operations, marketing and communications functions, and leading business development efforts that support both growth of existing work and development of emerging initiatives.

Ms. Gordon earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and holds a master’s degree in Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Vanessa has more than 20 years of experience in the early childhood education field.

Winique Alexandre Green has over 12 years of experience working with Head Start/Early Head Start in varying management roles in the areas of ERSEA, family engagement, quality, compliance & operations. Most recently, she served as the director of quality, compliance & operations for a Head Start Program in Massachusetts.

Ms. Green earned her bachelor’s in finance from Bentley College and her master’s in organizational leadership from Southern New Hampshire University.

Prior to joining PMFO as an interim editorial manager, Arielle Greenleaf was the principal of a consulting firm specializing in sleep management for new parents. In this role, she trained and supported approximately 30 coaches who worked with families both nationally and globally. Additionally, Arielle has extensive experience directing and leading marketing and brand management campaigns for educational institutions.

She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Boston University.

Caroline Gurek is driven by her interests in public health and policy, as well as community engagement and empowerment. She brings valuable experience from her role at Broadsight, a women-owned consulting firm based in Amherst. Her professional journey has seen her evaluating programs across various sectors, including education, higher education, public health, and the arts, showcasing her versatility and commitment to social impact.

Caroline earned her undergraduate degree in International and Global Studies from Sewanee: The University of the South. Her studies were focused on European and African economic and political landscapes, as well as proficiency in French.

Jacob Harrington specializes in transportation and urban studies and has a background with mixed methods research. Prior to joining the institute, he worked at Boston University and took coursework in statistical analysis and geographic information systems.

Jacob earned a bachelor’s of arts in economics, a master’s of arts in economics, and a master’s of urban affairs, all from Boston University.

Lily Harris focuses on quantitative and qualitative data analysis with a background in applied microeconomic theory. She has experience with a variety of research methodologies, including survey design and implementation, and has expertise in statistical analysis in R and STATA. Ms. Harris previously worked as a research and teaching assistant at UMass Amherst and the University of New Hampshire for a wide variety of projects and classes in resource economics. Her previous research includes studying the New England local agriculture market and various topics in healthcare and public health.

Ms. Harris received her master's of science in resource economics with a focus in econometrics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and her bachelor’s degree in environmental and resource economics with a minor in chemistry from the University of New Hampshire.

Elsa M. Hernández has served Head Start and Early Head Start since 2003. She began as an assistant center director and later the executive director responsible for 1,600 children. As an Office of Head Start Monitoring Team Lead, she organized and led all phases of the monitoring review process for four years according to the OHS monitoring system and Head Start Program Performance Standards. She has been sharing her knowledge with the grantees and federal staff at Head Start regional level providing training and technical assistance as a grantee specialist for the past five years. In her new role, she will provide expertise in the areas of governance and program management.

Ms. Hernández possesses a bachelor's degree from CUNY-College of Staten Island and a master's of business administration from American Intercontinental University.

Michelle Hulbert has over twelve years of experience in Head Start administration. She served as the director of operations with a $16 million budget that included three state-of-the-art early childhood facilities and administrative oversight. She was responsible for extensive remodel projects, facility contracts, procurement & purchasing, technology oversight, building & playground maintenance, and safety. Michelle oversaw the design and construction of a fourth facility, which opened in August of 2020. Most recently, Michelle was a center director at a for-profit child care center chain where she supervised 18-20 employees.

She has an associate's degree in early child development from Conner’s State College, a bachelor's of business administration from Northeastern Oklahoma State University and a master's of science in management from St. Gregory's University.

Kiam Jamrog-McQuaid, MPPA, specializes in data analysis and mixed-methods public policy research focusing on housing, economics, and workforce issues. Before joining the institute, Kiam supported policy research and program implementation at Springfield WORKS, helping to drive initiatives addressing the benefits cliff, occupational segregation, and systemic inequality. He also has prior experience as a freelance communications and marketing consultant.

Kiam earned a master of public policy and administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a bachelor of science in integrative studies from the University of North Texas, with concentrations in sociology and anthropology, and a minor in jazz studies.

Carrie Jiang has over a decade of experience in the early childhood field. She has worked as an infant and toddler teacher, lead teacher, and coach in both center-based schools and family childcare settings. After taking on a role as a family child care coach at a school agency, Carrie developed a strong passion for supporting family child care providers. As an educator, she focuses her research and practice on the birth-to-three age group and advocates for their needs.

Carrie Received a master’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Jeremiah Johnson has more than 15 years of experience evaluating K–12 and post-secondary programs and policies. He enjoys using data to generate insights that directly impact and improve student experience and success.

Dr. Johnson has managed several large-scale evaluations of educational interventions, assessments, and policies. His projects have centered on topics such as student performance, equity, transitions to postsecondary education, and workforce development. A focus of his work has been assessing the efficacy of interventions designed to improve the STEM pipeline, with a particular emphasis on programs that serve populations traditionally underrepresented in STEM. A mixed-methods researcher, Dr. Johnson has led randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, and field-based research.

Dr. Johnson earned his bachelor's degree in mathematics from Whitworth University. He earned his master’s degree and doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Illinois, specializing in evaluation and statistics.

Natasha Jones joins the Real Property Facilities Initiative as a vigorous contract and fiscal management professional with twenty years of contract, grant and fiscal management experience in higher education, federal, state, and local government. For the past four years, Ms. Jones has served as a senior grants management specialist/fiscal specialist for the Office of Head Start in Region IV. She also has over five years of experience in real estate. As a senior grant management specialist/fiscal specialist, she is experienced in facility acquisition, disposition and federal property management.

Natasha holds a bachelor's of arts in business administration with a concentration in finance from Xavier University of Louisiana.

Ember Skye Kane-Lee has expertise in qualitative methodological research consulting and project management. She has previously focused on issues related to inequality within organizations and also has expertise in facilitating workshops and training organizations in a range of methodological data collection approaches including NVivo coding software, data analysis and Focus group interview. Previously, they were a researcher for the National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE Institutional Transformation project at UMass Amherst, a multi-million dollar grant which implemented collaborative, mixed methods research to inform interventions aimed at improving the retention, diversity, equity and inclusion of faculty members across campus. In addition, she has worked for the Institute for Social Science Research as a qualitative methods consultant where she taught methodologically focused workshops and consulted with research groups.

She is a doctoral candidate (ABD) in the sociology department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she also earned her master's degree. They also hold a bachelor degree from Brooklyn College.

Craig Kennedy, M.P.A. has experience with a range of fiscal, operations, and administrative issues as well as more than 15 years of experience working in workforce development. Prior to MassHire Greater Brockton Career Center, he worked for MY TURN, a private-nonprofit workforce development agency where he worked in several positions including COO and interim CEO. Mr. Kennedy also worked for the Boston College City Connects program as implementation director and was a surface warfare officer in the United States Navy.

He has a master's of public administration from Bridgewater State University and a bachelor's degree in political science from Boston University.

Mariam Khan Cunningham has extensive experience in the education and nonprofit sectors. She has worked in early literacy and education in Pakistan and in Amherst, MA. Most recently, she was employed at a community development organization as a housing counselor, where she supported first-time homebuyers and lower-income housing initiatives. Mariam excels at building relationships, leading collaborative projects, and applying her educational expertise to support community-focused initiatives.

She holds a master's degree in international education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and earned her undergraduate degree in cultural studies from Lahore, Pakistan.

Andrea Kingman, SPHR, connects businesses with resources and services available to them through local, state, and federal programs. Ms. Kingman is the co-chair of the Massachusetts Employer Relations Learning Opportunities Team (MERLOT) and the Massachusetts BIZWORKS staff training and development team. She has developed and conducted training statewide for workforce development professionals. She is an active participant on the statewide Business Engagement Committee (BEC) under the governor’s taskforce, through which she leads MassHire Greater Brockton Career Center’s efforts around Demand Driven 2.0.

She has been at CareerWorks since 2001. Prior to MassHire Greater Brockton Career Center she worked in human resources at local companies including Jordan’s Furniture & Acushnet Company. She received a Bachelor’s in Arts in Psychology with a minor in sociology from Framingham State University and a Human Resources Certificate from Stonehill College.

Linda Kocibelli joins the RPFI team with experience in project coordination and stakeholder communication, she ensures smooth operations and timely project delivery.

Linda Kocibelli holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and psychology from Worcester State University.

Ken LeBlond is the marketing communications manager for the UMass Donahue Institute.

Kara Lehane has worked in the field of early childhood as a director since 1999, is an early childhood trainer and was a curriculum coordinator for 2 years. Educators enjoy Kara’s style of teaching – bringing knowledge and joy to her training presentations.

She holds a bachelor's of science in education and social service.

Carl Leiter brings almost forty years of real estate experience to RPFI and was most recently a senior real estate analyst with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and prior to that with BP Oil. His background also includes being general counsel for a builder/developer, co-owner of a title insurance agency with prior experience as a title examination attorney, a site selection specialist for telecomm companies such as AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint and a partner in a downtown Chicago law firm. Mr. Leiter also taught paralegal real estate courses at Roosevelt University and Chicago City Wide Colleges and owned a masonry contracting company erecting residential and commercial structures. For nineteen years, Mr. Leiter served as president and then board chairman of the North Center for the Handicapped located in Chicago for developmentally disabled individuals and assisted in grant applications from community and governmental agencies. He also served on the board of the Child Advocacy Center for Northwest Suburban Cook County and the Northbrook Community Relations Commission.

Mr. Leiter holds a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Illinois, attended Northwestern University and graduated with a law degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago Kent College of Law.

Rebecca Loveland leads industry, economic development and workforce studies, utilizing a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methods. Her expertise includes analysis of industries and industry clusters; economic development policy research including workforce analysis and the study of economic disparities across regions; industrial redevelopment and inner-city economic development; and business survey research and design. She collaborates with other staff on economic impact studies. While in graduate school she was employed by and managed projects for the Center for Economic Development (CED) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

She received a master's degree in regional planning from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a concentration in economic and community development planning and a bachelor's of arts from Smith College.

John Mathews, P.E., has over 45 years of experience managing and directing over $5 billion in project development, design and construction management of capital projects for both public and private sectors for architectural engineering and consulting firms, a large regulated utility company, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Naval Facilities Engineering Command. He managed project management professionals, architects and engineers, planners, and contractors/construction managers in the planning, design, estimating, construction, start-up and commissioning of significant private and public sector projects, most recently in Education.

He earned a bachelor’s of science degree in civil engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and a master’s in public administration at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is also a registered professional engineer in Massachusetts.

Mark Mazon has over 30 years of experience serving in various leadership positions in local government and the nonprofit sector. His city management experience included oversight in the areas of court administration, human services administration, human resources, budget, finance and audit. Mark also served as president & CEO of one of the longest-standing nonprofit organizations in Arizona offering services in charter school education and workforce development. As an executive coach, Mark worked with nonprofits on leadership development, board governance and fiscal management oversight.

Mark holds a master’s degree in public administration and bachelor’s degree in business administration, both from Arizona State University.

Denis McAuliffe specializes in geographic and population data analysis. He began his career with the institute as an undergraduate research assistant working on projects related to housing, population estimates, and regional economic development. In addition, Mr. McAuliffe worked as a departmental assistant focusing on demographic analysis and visualization related to the 2020 decennial census.

Mr. McAuliffe received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a certificate in international relations and his master’s in business and analytics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Carol Anne McGowan, M.A., M.B.A. works closely with the executive leadership team to provide guidance and advice on developing and implementing management strategies, systems, and practices across the Institute. Ms. McGowan, most recently, was the Associate Director of the Institute and was directly responsible for overseeing all fiscal management and human resource functions.

Ms. McGowan received her master's of arts in human resources and organizational development from Webster University and a master's in business administration from UMass Isenberg School of Management.

Abby McGuigan joined the institute in 2019 and is in charge of all administrative and financial support services for EPPR, including contracting, schedules, and general office management. Ms. McGuigan’s prior experience in the private and non-profit sectors includes management, human resources, administration and finance.

Ms. McGuigan has a bachelor’s in English literature from the University of Washington, Seattle.

Rye McKenzie, MPP, specializes in economic development and has a background in mixed methods research. Prior to joining the institute, Mr. McKenzie’s professional experience included working as a housing specialist at the New York Emergency Rental Assistance Program, as well as working as a research assistant for Refugee Council USA. Mr. McKenzie is particularly interested in economic and social equity issues, especially regarding affordable housing and immigration.

Rye earned a master’s of public policy and a bachelor’s of arts in economics, both from the University of Maryland.

Michael McNally focuses on qualitative economic research with strong quantitative underpinnings. Mr. McNally has extensive experience gathering panel data from different public and private data sources. He has also gathered data first-hand through survey administration and worked directly with employers and community leaders as part of public policy research. His main research interest is in economic inequality and he has approached this subject through the study of topic areas ranging from education, immigration, and pay equity.

Michael McNally received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont. There he also studied computer science and has used that knowledge to support his economic and social science research.

Charles McQuillen began his career in education teaching in a Yupik village on Alaska’s Yukon Delta. For over 20 years Mr. McQuillen has worked in the educational publishing industry developing and promoting a range of literacy curricula that make best practices accessible and scalable.<br /> <br /> Dr. McQuillen earned a doctorate in education at Boston College and a master’s in fine arts from the Museum School of Fine Arts.

Robin Meade is a highly experienced professional in the field of early education and child development, with over 25 years of experience. She has held various roles during this time, including teaching in prekindergarten and kindergarten classrooms, working as a mentor/coach, and serving as a Head Start early childhood education coordinator. Robin is a practitioner of reflective practice and has provided training and coaching for preschool, infant and toddler, and home-based teachers who worked in a range of settings, including childcare, Head Start, Migrant Head Start, and public schools.

Dr. Mark Melnik specializes in demographic, socio-economic, and labor market issues. He leads a 20-plus-person team working on a variety of economic and public policy research projects that inform clients in government, private industry, and the non-profit sector. In his time at the Institute, Dr. Melnik has served as the principal-in-charge on projects with such clients as the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, the Boston Foundation, the City of Boston, the City of Cambridge, MassDOT, MassDevelopment, the Executive Offices of Housing and Livable Communities, Economic Development, and Labor and Workforce Development, the North Central Chamber of Commerce, the South Shore Chamber of Commerce, the JP Morgan Chase Foundation, and many others. In addition, Dr. Melnik serves as the senior managing editor of MassBenchmarks, the journal of the Massachusetts economy published by the institute in cooperation with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

As a leading expert in demographic and socioeconomic issues in the Commonwealth, Dr. Melnik is a widely sought-after public speaker, typically delivering a dozen or more keynote speeches and panel discussions a year. Dr. Melnik is also quoted extensively in local and national media on issues related to economics, demographics, and labor market issues. Before joining the Institute, Dr. Melnik worked as deputy director for research at the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) and was a research associate at the Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy at Northeastern University.

Dr. Melnik has participated in numerous state commissions, advisory boards, and working groups over the last 10 years. In 2018, Dr. Melnik served on Governor Charlie Baker’s Future of Transportation Commission. In 2023, he provided data analysis and advisory support to the State’s most recent Economic Development Plan. In 2024-2025, he was a member of Governor Maura Healey's Cultural Economy Advisory Council and the Commission on the Fossil Fuel Workforce. In addition, in 2023-2024 he served on Chancellor Javier Reyes’ Economic Development Task Force for the University of Massachusetts Amherst and currently sits on the university’s new Economic Development Initiative, bringing together various experts across the campus to help enhance the economic development impact of UMass Amherst. Dr. Melnik also participates on the advisory board for the MetroWest Economic Research Center at Framingham State University.

He holds a doctorate in sociology from Northeastern University. His dissertation explored skill and credential mismatches in the greater Boston labor market. He received his master of arts from Northeastern University and his bachelor of arts from Youngstown State University, both in sociology.

Annabel Mendum specializes in data analysis with a focus on geographic and population-related trends. She has a background in mixed-methods sociological research on topics including family structure, criminal justice, and mental health. She has also completed projects analyzing transportation data, and she has a passion for public transportation due to her previous experience as a bus driver.

Annabel received her master’s of science in data analytics and computational social science and her bachelor’s of arts in sociology, both from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Rod Motamedi primarily focuses on economic and policy impact analysis, economic development and regional competitiveness, and industry footprint studies. Prior to joining the Donahue Institute, Mr. Motamedi was a senior economic associate at Regional Economic Models, Inc. where, for over seven years, he led client training and support, business development, and consulting efforts. Examples of his previous work include the economic impact of casinos, immigration, energy and environmental policy, and fiscal policy. Rod is the current president-elect of the Association for University Business and Economic Research.

Mr. Motamedi received a master’s of business administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a focus in business analytics and a bachelor's of arts in economics also from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

John Murray, M.Ed. has over 25 years of experience in the workforce development field having served as a vocational counselor, program manager, and regional coordinator for adult and dislocated worker programs. Mr. Murray has also coordinated with a variety of state and local economic development agencies to assist employers with their workforce needs. Over the course of his career, he has also served as a member of several Workforce Investment Boards in Southeastern Massachusetts.

Mr. Murray holds a master's in education (with a specialization in instructional design) from the University of Massachusetts Boston. He earned his bachelor's of arts in psychology from Saint Anselm College.

Jennifer Oglesby has over 20 years of experience in the early education field, including classroom teaching, center management and over 11 years of professional experience with Head Start in various leadership and supervisory roles. Jen has served as a professional development specialist with the Council for Professional Recognition and has taught college-level early childhood courses in health, safety & nutrition and child growth & development.

She received her undergraduate degree in childhood studies from Plymouth State University and her master’s degree in early childhood administration, management and leadership from Walden University.

Melissa Oliver has worked in the nursing and health field for 20 years. She has over 17 years of Head Start experience, most recently as the health manager for a program in Rhode Island. During that time, she worked with state and local partners advocating for health equity and access for young children and families, particularly in the area of oral health.

Ms. Oliver received a bachelor’s of science in nursing from the University of Rhode Island and a master’s of science in public health from Walden University.

Mary Osorio assists customers in finding employment who are also receiving benefits from the Department of Transitional Assistance. She has worked in the Brockton community for over twenty years. With significant experience in workforce development, she has managed programs from Department of Labor and Department of Public Health. She also has participated on various field projects with the U.S. Census Bureau. Her earlier experience includes educating teens on substance abuse, violence, and other at-risk behaviors. Ms. Osorio was also a liaison for the Brockton Public Schools, where she translated and collaborate with teachers, administrators, and parents to help students succeed.

She earned her associate of science in business administration from Massasoit Community College.

Marcela Osorio Herrera’s previous academic experience in quantitative research methods and data analysis, along with her passion for education issues, motivated her to pursue a professional career as a research analyst in education. She joined the institute in June 2022 and has collaborated on multiple projects assessing initiatives in K-12 and higher education.

Marcela earned a bachelor's degree in quantitative economics with a minor in statistical and data science from Smith College.

Adam Parmenter has nearly a decade of experience analyzing and directing over 80 Head Start programs across the country during critical transition phases, including changing of grantee, implementing budget reductions, creating effective management systems, designing integrated services and overseeing facility operations. Prior to this, Adam did extensive research and development with the Child and Adult Food Care Program (CACFP) and was part of a team that developed processes and tools to improve clients’ operational efficiency related to CACFP, work which was implemented nationwide by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Long interested in property development, Adam also held an Arizona real estate license for several years.

Adam earned a bachelor's in business administration from Arizona State University.

Vanessa has more than 20 years of experience in the early childhood education field. This includes professional roles in classroom teaching, educational administration, practice-based coaching, professional development training, and higher education instruction.

Thomas Peake specializes in economic impact modeling and data analysis. Prior to joining EPPR, Mr. Peake’s professional experience included working as an assistant economist for an economic modeling firm, as well as providing advisory services to the federal government for a large consulting company. Some of Mr. Peake’s interests include housing and labor markets, regional development, and industrial organization and concentration.

Mr. Peake received his bachelor's of arts in economics with a minor in mathematics and statistics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Aliza Porth, M.P.H. is a Research Manager with nearly 20 years of experience providing program evaluation and grant management services. Throughout her career, Ms. Porth has worked across a variety of public health, human service, and education sectors including the areas of substance use prevention, housing, mental and behavioral health, youth development, student education retention, economic mobility, violence prevention, and workforce development. Her current portfolio includes work with World Education Services, evaluating one of their initiatives that supports immigrant and refugee workforce inclusion in communities across the U.S. In addition, she leads evaluation projects focused on housing and economic mobility, the retention of underrepresented students in STEM, and leadership and community engagement opportunities for justice-involved youth and adults.

Prior to joining the Institute, Ms. Porth worked for the Town of Enfield, Connecticut where she managed several public health prevention grants. She has an undergraduate degree from Ithaca College and a master’s in public health degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Candis J. Pressley has spent her professional career in the real estate industry. She has expertise in site selection, contract negotiations, financial analysis, coordination of tenant fit-out and lease development as well as property and construction management. She has worked with buyers, sellers and investors in both commercial and residential real estate. Ms. Pressley is a member of several real estate organizations including the Certified Commercial Investment Member Institute.

She has a bachelor’s in business administration from Temple University and a master’s in commercial real estate from the University of Florida.

Cristian L. Quiñones Figueroa has over 10 years of experience in Head Start & Early Head Start and Child Care Partnerships. During this time, he has been in the roles of director, Fiscal officer, health & safety, and facilities coordinator at the recipient level in Region II. Mr. Quiñones Figueroa is also a former program director with interim management CDI Head Start in Region VI. He was recently a grantee specialist for the Region IX Head Start Training and Technical Assistance network. In this role, Cristian has supported multiple recipients in areas including, but not limited to, fiscal, facilities, governance, human resources, ERSEA and others.

Mr. Quiñones Figueroa holds an MBA in management from Universidad Metropolitana and a bachelor's in Commercial Advertising from the Universidad de Puerto Rico Carolina. Currently, he is pursuing his Ed.D. in educational leadership at Ana G. Mendez University Online.

Arnold Ramirez has over 37 years of Head Start experience at the local, state, regional, and national levels in grants management/administration, contract negotiations, community partnerships, governance, fiscal management, program planning/development, and human resource management. Mr. Ramirez has worked with Head Start Program Performance Standards from a service delivery standpoint, as a technical assistance provider, and an advocate for change. He has directly operated programs and assisted agencies in meeting both program and fiscal compliance standard requirements.

Mr. Ramirez received a master's of public administration and a bachelor's of arts, both from Arizona State University.

Ametta L. Reaves has over 30 years of experience working with Head Start and Early Start programs. She has extensive knowledge in the areas program governance, leadership, data management, human resources, and fiscal management. Ametta is a former Head Start director and most recently a lead grantee specialist in Region V Head Training and Technical Assistance Network. In this role, Ametta was a coach for other grantee specialists, and supported recipients to develop continuous improvement and corrective action plans.

Ametta earned a bachelor's degree in social work from the University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS.

Dana Remian assists in the design and development of instructional content, including eLearning, video, and printed materials. A recent addition to the team, Mr. Remian brings several years of experience as a corporate trainer and a wealth of experience working for both public sector and non-profit entities. He applies a creative and critical eye to designing attractive and evidence-based approaches to learning. His broad interests and knowledge make him well suited for consulting with subject-matter experts to capture and share their expertise with others.

Mr. Remian received his bachelor's of arts in English literature from Worcester State University and a master's of education in instructional design from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Melissa Repko, M.S. has served as the education manager for a Head Start/Early Head Start program, as well as a special needs coordinator and teacher. She is also a nationally-trained regional facilitator for I Am Moving I Am Learning, Head Start’s national obesity prevention program.

Ms. Repko received a bachelor's of arts in sociology from Roanoke College and master's in early childhood special education from Bank Street College of Education in New York.

Debbie Rice has over 30 years of office management experience in the private & public sectors. She has specific expertise in the administration and management of financials and grants and contracts as well in analyzing processes and recommending improvements to ensure compliance and reflect best practice.

Ms. Rice has a bachelor's degree in business administration from Western New England University.

Britta has over a decade of early childhood education experience from both the public and private sectors of education and a background in marketing and management consulting. She believes there is a teachable opportunity in the everyday moments of our lives as long as we stay open to the magic of creativity, possibility, and change. Guided through the lens of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion she knows that the field of early childhood holds the hope for a better world.

Britta has a bachelor's degree in early childhood education and a certificate in early education leadership from Harvard University.

Gladys Rivera has over 17 years of experience working with Head Start/Early Head Start and Migrant Head Start in varying management roles. Most recently, she served as director of education, program development and migrant programming for a Head Start Program in Massachusetts. Her training and expertise are in the areas of program management systems and early childhood education.

Ms. Rivera earned her bachelor’s in social science from American International College and her master’s in educational studies from Springfield College.

Shannon Shaw is experienced in the field of early childhood education, specifically as a teacher, supervisor, manager, and director. Ms. Shaw has also provided training and technical assistance to both child care and Head Start programs. Shannon is also a nationally-trained regional facilitator for I Am Moving I Am Learning, Head Start’s national obesity prevention program, as well as a certified trainer in classroom assessment scoring systems.

Ms. Shaw received her bachelor's of science in early childhood education from Westfield State College.

For the past three decades, Maria Sierra has worked at the local, state, national and international level to advance equity for young children and their families. Her work experience includes bilingual teaching, home visiting for migrant children, coaching and supervising and managing Head Start and school readiness programs. She directed a dual language School Readiness program housed within a nationally recognized 2Gen approach Family Center. Her most recent position was working with immigration lawyers to keep families and children from being separated while gaining lawful permanent resident status.

Maria holds an associate degree in early childhood education, a bachelor's degree in child studies from Charter Oak State College and is pursuing a master’s degree in child law and policy at Loyola University Chicago.

Kelley Smith supports the finance and administrative functions for the Connected Beginnings, Civic Initiative, and Organizational and Community Solutions groups. She also works closely with the central administrative services unit. She brings a wealth of accounting and business administration knowledge from her many years of experience in both the public and private sectors. Her areas of expertise include budgeting, contracts, financial reporting, payroll and human resources.

She received her bachelor’s in accounting from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Cameron Spiller most recently served two years in Costa Rica as a community economic development volunteer. Mr. Spiller has capitalized on his expertise in community development and now applies the successful practices learned to his role as Real Property Facilities Analyst. Cameron’s desired outcome is to accumulate and distribute wealth and add value to communities.

Cameron is currently pursuing a master's in real estate development at New York University's Schack Institute. Mr. Spiller has a bachelor's in economics from Pennsylvania State University with a focus in Quantitative Analysis and Game Theory.

Dr. Kerry Spitzer is a mixed-methods researcher with expertise in both qualitative and quantitative methods. She focuses on issues related to economic inequality and public policy including, housing and homelessness, incarceration, and military veterans. She also has expertise in healthcare delivery and implementation science research. Previously, she was a senior clinical research coordinator at UMass-Baystate’s Institute for Healthcare Delivery and Population Science. In addition, she has worked for New York City government as a budget and policy analyst at the Independent Budget Office and as a project manager at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. She has taught at UMass Amherst in the department of landscape architecture and regional planning.

She holds a doctorate in urban policy and planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master’s in public administration from New York University Wagner. She also holds a bachelor's of arts in government from Cornell University.

Camille Stanford has over 20 years of experience in human services and early childhood programming as a teacher, mentor coach, manager, deputy director and assistant director. She served as an adjunct instructor at Youngstown State University where she taught an early childhood assessment class for eight years. Previously, Camille served as a grantee specialist for the Rregion V Head Start Training and Technical Assistance network. In this role, Camille led the Management and Leadership Regional Implementation Team, New Directors Institute, was a representative for the Office of Head Start training and technical assistance regional professional development meeting and led other initiatives to support grant recipients. Camille is also a UCLA Anderson School of Management Fellow.

Camille earned a bachelor’s degree of applied science in education, a master’s of science in education in elementary early childhood and a master’s degree in special education, all from Youngstown State University.

Britainy Stephens joins RPFI with over 10 years in real estate and social advocacy. Drawing on her background in real estate development and facilities management, she brings expertise in project oversight, budgeting, and resource optimization to ensure efficient operations and long-term asset performance.

Ms. Stephens received her bachelor of arts in Afro-American Studies and her master of social work from the University of Pennsylvania.

Branner Stewart, AICP specializes in regional economic analysis, transportation planning, economic impact analysis, and strategic planning for economic development. Before joining the Institute, Mr. Stewart was employed by Cambridge Systematics, Inc, where he led economic and demographic work on state and regional projects, including assignments in California, New York, Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Colorado, and New England. Prior to this, Mr. Stewart served as the economic research manager for the Texas Department of Economic Development where his work focused on strengthening the state’s international linkages and improving its manufacturing capacity.

Mr. Stewart received his masters of science in community and regional planning from the University of Texas at Austin and his bachelor's of arts in Spanish from Colby College. He also has a professional certification, AICP, from the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Susan Strate specializes in demographic analysis and population estimates and projections modeling. She has served as the Massachusetts liaison to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Federal-State Cooperative for Population Estimates since 2008 and has worked on a number of Census preparation and review activities, including the development and practice of geospatial and statistical analysis methods. Prior to joining the Institute, Ms. Strate worked for 11 years in program development, contract management, and developing systems for data collection and reporting in anti-poverty agencies in western Massachusetts, including health care and housing programs.

Ms. Strate received her master’s of science in data analytics and computational social science and her bachelor’s of arts in comparative literature with a concentration in Spanish literature and a minor in philosophy, both from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Ezell Stubbs joins RPFI with more than 16 years of experience in the direct oversight and management of federal, state, and local contracts and property programs across the continental United States and abroad. Having previously served as a primary consultant and external spokesperson, he is experienced in a variety of consulting areas including, contract management, federal property management, training/education, and earned value management.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration and master's in business administration, both from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

Julie Sullivan is an architect and construction management professional with thirty years of capital project experience. She served public and private clients in Boston, New York City, Miami Beach, Denver and abroad in Kingston, Jamaica on their urban redevelopment, multifamily, transit, urgent care, child care, and corporate real estate projects. As an owners representative, Ms. Jones has been responsible for $1.5 billion of construction value in planning, design, risk management, monitoring and financial reporting roles.

Ms. Sullivan holds a master's in architecture from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, a bachelor's in architectural history from Smith College, and a certificate in construction management from the Columbia University School of Engineering. She is a registered architect in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Kathryn Swaim, M.S. manages the Institute's rapidly developing expertise in online learning solutions and virtual collaboration. She brings expertise in positive organizational communication and collaborative program development along with an entrepreneurial spirit. Ms. Swaim creates affordable, cutting-edge and impactful technological solutions for clients and programs ranging across all sectors: state, non-profit, and corporate.

Ms. Swaim received her master's of science in organizational management from Antioch University New England and bachelor's of arts from the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s University Without Walls.

Suzanne Tanty has been with the institute since 1997, serving in numerous human resources, finance, and administrative capacities in various business units. She is currently serving as the institute’s senior human resource & personnel manager. Ms. Tanty oversees all HR and personnel matters for the institute’s approximately 165 employees, ensuring compliance with university and governmental regulations. Suzanne serves as the primary advisor at the executive level on all HR/personnel-related issues and acts as the primary HR liaison between the institute and various UMass Amherst departments. In addition, Ms. Tanty manages recruitment and staffing actions, provides training on HR and labor allocation topics, and has represented the institute in union contract negotiations. Her leadership extends to supervising staff, developing HR process improvements, and supporting performance management and audit activities.

Hanni has over ten years of experience in the higher education sector, with a strong background in qualitative research methodologies. Her previous publications have included research on international education, internationalization, and more recently inclusive education and the experiences of students and faculty with disabilities. Prior to joining ARPE, Hanni supported numerous local, state, and international education-based grants serving all ages from early childhood through post-secondary. She is a former Fulbright grantee and has previously taught at the high school and college levels in France and Hungary.

Hanni is a doctoral candidate in higher education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She received her master’s in bilingual/ESL/multicultural education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and her bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College.

Shakesha Thompson has a passion for education and has worked in the early childhood field for over 15 years. In that time, she worked as a center director, school-age program administrator, coach, trainer and much more. Ms. Thompson is fluent in Portuguese.

She received her bachelors degree in early education from Fitchburg State University. She earned her master's in educational leadership and management, also from Fitchburg State University.

From 2017 to 2020 Dr. Johan Uvin was president of the Institute for Educational Leadership in Washington, DC. where he facilitated and implemented the institute’s five-year strategic plan. He also founded Strategy Advising, a consulting practice that provides strategic advising services to senior leaders in education, workforce development, educational technology start-ups, and non-profit organizations.

Dr. Uvin served at the U.S. Department of Education from 2009-2017. He coordinated all strategy development for the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) with a staff of 80 and over $1.7 billion in resources. He also led policy development and implementation for adult education, career and technical education, community colleges, national and international efforts focused on youth not in education, training, or employment, and market-based outcome-driven alternative funding models for education and workforce development.

Dr. Uvin earlier held various leadership positions with the Rhode Island Department of Education and with the Commonwealth Corporation in Boston. He has also managed projects and programs in the Massachusetts Department of Education and a number of non-profit organizations in Boston.

Dr. Uvin received 2020 Harvard Alumni Council Award for outstanding contributions to education in the U.S.

He received his master’s of education in international education and doctor of education in administration, planning, and social policy from Harvard University.

City Year Podcast: On this episode of "Why We Matter", Dr. Uvin discusses his path to leadership and the importance of cultivating young people's skills and providing opportunities for success.

Sharon Vardatira brings more than four decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, organizational capacity building, sustainability, fund development, and community engagement. As a Senior Advisor, she provides strategic guidance and project support in business development, nonprofit sustainability, organizational capacity building, and selected client initiatives.

Catherine Wakely's expertise includes Salesforce, website administration, and data management. She has also worked as an operations coordinator at Sun Life Financial and an IT support consultant at the University of Maine.

Ms. Wakely earned a bachelor's in animal science from the University of Maine.

Barbara Walters manages the RESEA program for job seekers, a gateway program for job seekers who have recently filed a claim with the Department of Unemployment. She has over ten years of experience in that program, and possesses deep programmatic knowledge of RESEA and Unemployment. Ms. Walters is also a fully qualified MOSES Workforce Development database instructor and has advanced skills in accessing and documenting job seeker information in that system. Prior to working in the RESEA program she coordinated the Career Center’s MCAS outreach program where she provided services for high school students and previous to that was a Pregnant and Parenting Teen program manager at Self-Help of Brockton. She is a member of the National Association of Workforce Professionals and a Certified Young Worker Health and Safety trainer.

Ms. Walters earned her associate of science degree in human services from Massasoit Community College.

Abigail Wendell was previously a graphic designer for the Office of Head Start (OHS) National Center for Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness. She also previously served as a consultant for the Open Society Foundation designing curriculum manuals for Liberia and Bangladesh. Ms. Wendell has worked for numerous educational and non-profit organizations as a designer including Bank Street College, Dartmouth Medical School, American Breast Cancer Society, and the University of Pennsylvania.<br /> <br /> She earned her bachelor's in political science and international studies from Wheaton College and completed further coursework in design and early childhood studies at Keene State College, NH, University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, and Bank Street College graduate school.

Jaclyn Wise, M.P.A. focuses on business development, opportunity vetting, prospect research, coordination of the Institute's response processes, grant writing, oversight of subcontracted writers, attending expos and other special projects.

Theresa Wodecki supports the fiscal and administrative functions of the Civic Initiative, including personnel effort allocation, travel administration, and speakers’ contracts. Prior to joining the Civic Initiative, Ms. Wodecki previously owned and operated a family day care business for 21 years. In that role, she maintained financial and administrative records and oversaw the educational needs of the children she served. Ms. Wodecki also works with the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Holyoke, managing the summer curriculum and supervising personnel.

Ms. Wodecki holds an associate’s degree and is currently attending the UMass University Without Walls to obtain her bachelor’s degree in business.

Brittany Wolcott was previously the finance and program manager for the institute's Nonprofit Funding and Fiscal Solutions where she managed the business unit’s finances as well as worked for the Head Start National Center for Program Management and Fiscal Operations. Ms. Wolcott has over 10 years in finance management and five years in project management. Before coming to the institute, she also worked for several years at the UMass Library as the library business manager where she developed a working knowledge of UMass practices and systems. Outside of her work with the Institute, Mrs. Wolcott also volunteers as regional director for SheJumps, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing female participation in the outdoors.

Mrs. Wolcott earned a master’s in resource administration and management from the University of New Hampshire and a bachelor’s in business from Champlain College.

Susan Wydra has over 20 years of experience in Head Start in a variety of roles. She started as a home visitor, then taking on leadership roles as a mental health and disabilities manager, and an Early Head Start and Head Start home-based manager. She has presented trainings on the impacts of substance use on children and families at the state and regional level, and a leader for the implementation of the Pyramid Model in Home Visiting.

Ms. Wydra received her bachelor’s of science in educational psychology from Keene State College.

Ms. Young is experienced in the mixed-method evaluation of public health and human services initiatives. With a commitment to fostering equity and addressing the social determinants of health, she partners with community-based organizations to gather process and outcome data to meet reporting requirements and ensure program impact. Sarah has worked extensively with community- and hospital-based programs running prevention and intervention programming and providing mental health services and has contributed to work highlighting the critical needs of the human services workforce. She also has experience in evaluating educational initiatives.

Ms. Young is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in applied psychology and prevention science at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. She received a master's in applied psychology with a concentration in community psychology from Sacred Heart University. She also received a bachelor's in psychology and literatures in English from Connecticut College.

Erin Zapata-Christie previously worked for the Tennessee Department of Education in project management and content development. She also has experience working with early childhood programs through New York City’s Pre-K for All initiative, the National Institute for Early Education Research, and Hunter College.

She holds a master’s in child development from Tufts University and a bachelor’s in anthropology from Mount Holyoke College.

Ivana Zuliani, M.A. is a Research Manager with nearly 25 years of experience providing program evaluation services in the field of K-12 education. Ms. Zuliani has extensive experience managing and conducting evaluation projects using a mixed-methods approach. Her portfolio consists of evaluations of community-based initiatives as well as state-level, regional, and national education programs. The areas of focus are wide-ranging and include school and district-level reform programs, professional development initiatives, personalized learning environments for students, adolescent literacy, as well as STEM education in K-12 and post-secondary settings. Currently, she is working on the evaluation of the Department of Higher Education’s STEM Starter Academy and the Office of Head Start’s National Center on Program Management and Fiscal Operations. Prior to joining the institute, Ms. Zuliani served as a senior research associate with The Education Alliance at Brown University.

She received her M.A. in Sociology from Brown University and also holds a graduate diploma in Institutional Administration from Concordia University, where she received her bachelor's of arts.