Leadership Team
People will always be our greatest asset at Jumpstart. With the passion, dedication and experience of our Leadership Team, we’ve got what it takes to prepare every child to succeed. Read on to learn more about the outstanding individuals leading the way at Jumpstart.
Naila Bolus
CEOJennifer Templeman
President & Chief Operating OfficerZuhirah Khaldun-Diarra
Vice President, Marketing, Communications & BrandDenise Nelson
Vice President, DevelopmentKarina Kidder
Vice President of OperationsJessica Lazzara
Vice President of Education & ResearchJamella Lee
Chief People OfficerKate Warren Barnes
Vice President of Policy and Government RelationsAshley C. Williams
Vice President of ProgramsDiversity, Equity, & Inclusion Council
Jumpstart is committed to creating an environment that nurtures unique perspectives, facilitates authentic dialogue and honors the identities of its community members to enhance our ability to close the kindergarten readiness gap. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council brings together members from across the network for reflection, learning, and project planning. Learn more about our DEI work here.
- Beth Bauman, Director, National Program
- Keuna Cho, Senior Manager, Research and Evaluation
- Eshe Collins, Director of Affiliate Programming
- Semaj Garbutt, Site Manager, California State University – Los Angeles
- Christopher Hernandez, Director of Corporate Programming (Council Co-Lead)
- Candice Jordan, Director of Development
- Jamella Lee, VP of People and Culture, (Council Co-Lead and Leadership Team DEI Workgroup member)
- Jessie Levit-Shore, Senior Development Writer
- Maria Monarrez, Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships and Programming
- Meghan Robinson, Site Manager, University of Washington
- Brandon Rothschild, Strategy Manager, CT and RI
- Jennifer Templeman, Chief Operating Officer
National Board of Directors
Jumpstart’s National Board of Directors is comprised of individuals from many backgrounds with one thing in common: a desire for every child to enter kindergarten prepared to succeed. Their passion leads strategy, guides governance, and galvanizes support for our organization.
Kim L. Mitchell, Chair
Vice President, Program Development & Operations, NPowerLorie E. Almon
Co-Managing Partner, Seyfarth Shaw Attorneys, LLPMilena Alberti-Perez
Independent Board Director and CFODelia Arellano-Weddleton, MSW
Director of Engagement and Partnerships, Nellie Mae Education FoundationNigel Barker
Fashion Photographer, Author, FilmmakerIan Blasco
Two Sigma Impact, PartnerJames Cole, Jr.
Chairman and CEO, Jasco Group, LLCThomas G. Connolly
Managing Director and Partner, Goldman SachsTamara Jones Dunn, MD
Physician, Stanford Hospital & Palo Alto Veterans HospitalDavid Humphrey
Managing Director, Bain CapitalGreg Johnson
Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board, Franklin Resources, Inc.Olana Khan
Assistant Head of School for Advancement and Strategy, Phillips Brooks SchoolPriya Krishnan
Chief Digital and Transformation Officer at Bright HorizonsMichael H. Levine, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President, Learning and Impact | Noggin at NickelodeonJordan Meranus
CEO and Co-Founder of EllevationJennifer K. Marrus
Board Member and AdvisorArthur Mills IV
Chief Operating Officer, New Teacher CenterDaryl Mintz
Chief Financial & Administrative Officer, Robin Hood FoundationDr. Thomas A. Parham
President, California State University, Dominguez HillsMark Pinho
Partner, Oak Hill CapitalMark Polebaum
General Counsel, MFS Investment Management (retired)Chris Stadler
Managing Partner, CVC Capital PartnersNational Early Education Council
Our National Early Education Council (NEEC) is a select group of scholars, leaders, and change-makers who inform the development of our programs to create real and lasting change in children’s lives.
Dale Atkins, PhD
Author and PsychologistW. Steven Barnett, PhD
Board of Governors Professor and Director of the National Institute for Early Education Research, Rutgers UniversitySherry M. Cleary
University Dean of Early Childhood Initiatives at the City University of New York & Executive Director of the New York Early Childhood Professional Development InstituteDouglas Clements, PhD
Kennedy Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Learning & Professor, University of DenverMolly F. Collins, EdD
Department of Teaching and Learning, Vanderbilt UniversityStephanie M. Curenton, PhD
Tenured Associate Professor at BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development; Director of the Center for the Ecology of Early Childhood DevelopmentLinda M. Espinosa, PhD
Author and Consultant; Professor Emeritus, University of Missouri-ColumbiaWalter S. Gilliam, PhD
Executive Director, Buffett Early Childhood InstituteRoberta Golinkoff, PhD
H. Rodney Sharp Professor, School of Education, University of DelawareKathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD
Stanley and Debra Lefkowitz Faculty Fellow, Department of Psychology, Temple UniversityIheoma U. Iruka, PhD
Research Professor, Department of Public Policy Fellow, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) Founding Director, Equity Research Action Coalition at FPG (the Coalition) The University of North Carolina at Chapel HillSharon Lynn Kagan, EdD
Virginia and Leonard Marx Professor of Early Childhood Education and Family Policy; Co-Director, National Center for Children & Families, Teachers College, Columbia UniversityChristopher J. Lonigan, PhD
Distinguished Research Professor, Department of Psychology, Florida State University; Associate Director, Florida Center for Reading ResearchMariela M. Páez, EdD
Associate Professor, The Carolyn A. and Peter S. Lynch School of Education, Boston CollegeRobert C. Pianta, PhD
Dean, Curry School of Education, University of VirginiaArthur J. Rolnick, PhD
Senior Fellow and Co-Director, Human Capital Research Collaborative; Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of MinnesotaShirley Sagawa
AmeriCorps Board of DirectorsLocal Advisory Boards
Across the country, we rely on the support of local board members who are fierce advocates for Jumpstart, passionate about early education, and who live in the areas where Jumpstart’s program is implemented. Our local boards help us spread the word about the work we’re doing by encouraging local companies to get involved, inviting friends and families to join our mission, and much more.
New England Advisory Board
Ian Blasco, Co-Chair | Partner, Two Sigma Impact
Mark Polebaum, Co-Chair | General Counsel, MFS Investment Management (Retired)
Jesse DePatsy | Assistant Vice President, Human Resources, The TJX Companies, Inc.
Grier Tumas Dienstag | Associate Partner, McKinsey & Company
Eric Greenberg | Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Hiren V. Mankodi | Managing Director, Charlesbank Capital Partners
Kelsey Dellovo | Partner, Baretz+Brunelle
Vikram Savkar | Vice President & General Manager, Medicine Segment; Health Learning, Research & Practice, Wolters Kluwer
Rebecca Schechter | CEO, Optum Behavioral Health
Tri-State Advisory Board
Milena Alberti-Perez, Co-Chair | CFO, Getty Images
Mark Pinho, Co-Chair | Partner, Oak Hill Capital
Lorie Almon | Co-Managing Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Sharyar Aziz | Managing Director, UBS
April Whatley Bedford | Dean, School of Education, Brooklyn College
Mark Flannery | Sector Executive, Point72
Alice Kim | Managing Partner, DigiConsult
Kellie Lerner | Partner, Robins, Kaplan LLP
Jennifer K. Marrus | Fundraising and Board Development Consultant
Cynthia Mitchell | Partner, Seyfarth Shaw
Kim Mitchell | Vice President, Program Development & Operations, NPower
Alan Riffkin
Brian Rivel | President, Rivel Research Group
Megan Sheetz
Erica Swainson | Corporate Counsel, Salesforce
Atlanta Advisory Board
Kimberlynn B. Davis, PhD, Co-Chair | Partner, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
Aimee Turner, Co-Chair | Project Engineer, Croy Engineering, LLC
Gerard J. Dash | Global Technology Market / Board & CEO Services, Korn Ferry
Emily Estes | Development Associate, Integral Group
Marsha Francis, PhD | Program Manager, First STEP, Fulton Country School District
Megan Maxwell | Senior Associate, Korn Ferry
Arthur Mills | Chief Operating Officer, New Teacher Center
Nina Schwartz | Founder, Student Leadership Development Program
Na’Tasha Webb-Prather | Assistant Dean for Student Affairs and Community Engagement, University of Cincinnati, College of Law
Northern California Local Advisory Board
Tamara Dunn, MD, Chair | Physician, Stanford Hospital and Palo Alto Veterans Hospital
Ryan Buckham | Managing Director, Morgan Stanley
Kevin Colombo | Senior Vice President, Colliers
Emily Lopez | Community Volunteer
Matthew Pielert | Managing Director, Wells Fargo
Thomas W. Pulley | Managing Director, Fortress
Witek Sobanski | Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Southern California Advisory Board
Elizabeth Marcellino, Co-Chair | Writer & Journalist, City News Service
Elizabeth Nguyen, Co-Chair | SVP, EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants
Larissa Fleming | Senior Customer Engagement Executive, SAP SuccessFactors
Amanda Groves | Partner, PLUS Capital
Whit Hayslip | Consultant, The David & Lucile Packard Foundation
Cassandra Jolton
Gerard Padilla | CPA, Investment Research, Capital Group
Becca Patton | Director Early Care and Education, First 5 LA
For additional information relevant to local Jumpstart geographies, please visit the following pages: Georgia, Massachusetts, New York, Northern California and Southern California.