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
CEOKarina Kidder
Vice President of Program OperationsJessica Lazzara
Vice President of Education & ResearchJamella Lee
Vice President of People & CultureMark Reilly
Vice President of Policy & Government RelationsSharon Reilly
Chief Development and Marketing OfficerJennifer Templeman
President & Chief Operating OfficerDiversity, 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
- Joery Francois, Volunteer Manager, New York
- 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, Co-Chair
Vice President, Program Development & Operations, NPowerChris Stadler, Co-Chair
Managing Partner, CVC Capital PartnersMilena Alberti-Perez
Chief Financial Officer, Getty ImagesLorie E. Almon
Co-Managing Partner, Seyfarth Shaw Attorneys, LLPDelia Arellano-Weddleton, MSW
Director of Engagement and Partnerships, Nellie Mae Education FoundationNigel Barker
Fashion Photographer, Author, FilmmakerJames Cole, Jr.
Chairman and CEO, Jasco Group, LLCThomas G. Connolly
Managing Director and Partner, Goldman SachsKimberlynn B. Davis, PhD
Partner, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLPJosh Duhamel
ActorTamara Jones Dunn, MD
Physician, Stanford Hospital & Palo Alto Veterans HospitalDavid Humphrey
Managing Director, Bain CapitalJackie Jenkins-Scott
Founder & President JJS Advising, President Emeritus Wheelock CollegeGreg Johnson
Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board, Franklin Resources, Inc.Olana Khan
Assistant Head of School for Advancement and Strategy, Phillips Brooks SchoolMichael H. Levine, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President, Learning and Impact | Noggin at NickelodeonDavid Lissy
Executive Chairman, Bright Horizons Family SolutionsElizabeth Marcellino
Freelance Writer & Reporter, City News ServiceJennifer K. Marrus
Board Member and AdvisorDaryl Mintz
Chief Financial Officer, Sesame WorkshopMark Pinho
Managing Partner, St. Victor GroupMark Polebaum
General Counsel, MFS Investment Management (retired)Linda K. Smith
Director, Early Childhood Policy at Bipartisan Policy CenterNational 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, Office of Early Childhood Initiatives and Executive Director, New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute at City University of New YorkDouglas Clements, PhD
Kennedy Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Learning & Professor, University of DenverMolly F. Collins, EdD
Department of Teaching and Learning, Vanderbilt UniversityLinda M. Espinosa, PhD
Author and Consultant; Professor Emeritus, University of Missouri-ColumbiaWalter S. Gilliam, PhD
Professor of Child Psychiatry and Psychology Director, Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy, Yale University Child Study CenterRoberta 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, FPG Child Development Institute; Director, Early Childhood Health and Racial Equity Program at 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
President & CEO, Service Year AllianceJudith A. Schickedanz, PhD
Professor Emerita, School of Education, Boston UniversityMarlene Zepeda
Professor Emeritus of Child and Family Studies at California State University, Los AngelesLocal 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
Nakia Maddox-Eubanks | Senior Wealth Manager, BNY Mellon Wealth Management
Hiren V. Mankodi | Managing Director, Charlesbank Capital Partners
Kelsey Nason | Partner, Baretz+Brunelle
Joseph Robbins | Managing Director of Private Equity, Bain Capital
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, MediaMath
Mark Pinho, Co-Chair | Managing Director, St. Victor Group
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
Yolanda Adrean| District 8 Member, Atlanta City Council (Retired)
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 | Equity Compliance Investigator, Board of Regents, University System of Georgia
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
Gordy Holterman | Managing Member, BrightForge Technology Holdings
Emily Lopez | Community Volunteer
Jed Plafker | President, Franklin Templeton Investments International
Matthew Pielert | Managing Director, Wells Fargo
Thomas W. Pulley | Managing Director, Fortress
Witek Sobanski | Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Southern California Advisory Board
Elizabeth Marcellino, Chair | Writer & Journalist, City News Service
Neda Bamdad | Senior Business Intelligence Analyst, Capital Group
Larissa Fleming | Senior Customer Engagement Executive, SAP SuccessFactors
Sue Gaon | Vice President of Customized Learning Solutions, Lakeshore Learning Systems
Amanda Groves | Partner, PLUS Capital
Whit Hayslip | Consultant, The David & Lucile Packard Foundation
Cassandra Jolton | Property Manager, Caruso
Elizabeth Nguyen | SVP, EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants
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.