Leadership

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

CEO

Naila Bolus is the Chief Executive Officer of Jumpstart, a national early education organization that.

Sharon Reilly

Chief Development and Marketing Officer

Seven years after she served as Tri-State Region Executive Director for Jumpstart, Sharon Reilly returned.

Jennifer Templeman

President & Chief Operating Officer

Jennifer Templeman, President & Chief Operating Officer, joined Jumpstart in 2010 and brought 20 years.

Zuhirah Khaldun-Diarra

Vice President, Marketing, Communications & Brand

Zuhirah is a strategic communications leader with experience at national and international nonprofit and mission-driven.

Denise Nelson

Vice President, Development

Denise worked at Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF) a nonprofit and microlender working to create an.

Karina Kidder

Vice President of Operations

Karina Kidder, Vice President of Program Operations, joined Jumpstart in 2003 and has over 18.

Jessica Lazzara

Vice President of Education & Research

Jess joined the staff at Jumpstart in 2000, but her Jumpstart journey began prior to.

Jamella Lee

Chief People Officer

Jamella deeply believes in Jumpstart’s vision that “every child in America enters kindergarten prepared to.

Alexandria “Alex” Mauristhene

Vice President, People & Culture

Alexandria “Alex” Mauristhene is a New England transplant, where she has lived for the last.

Mark Reilly

Vice President of Policy & Government Relations

Mark Reilly joined Jumpstart in 2013 and leads its policy advocacy initiatives as Vice President.

Ashley C. Williams

Vice President of Programs

Ashley C. Williams, Ed.D. is the Vice President of Programs where she leads the organization’s.

DEI Council

Diversity, 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, NPower

Kim Mitchell, VP of Program Development and Operations is responsible for leading NPower’s programmatic direction.

Lorie E. Almon

Co-Managing Partner, Seyfarth Shaw Attorneys, LLP

Lorie Almon is a recognized leader in the field of complex employment litigation. Both Chambers.

Milena Alberti-Perez

Independent Board Director and CFO

Milena Alberti-Perez is a seasoned financial, media and technology executive with over 20 years of.

Delia Arellano-Weddleton, MSW

Director of Engagement and Partnerships, Nellie Mae Education Foundation

As Director of Engagement and Partnerships at the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Delia is a.

Nigel Barker

Fashion Photographer, Author, Filmmaker

Nigel Barker is an internationally renowned photographer who opened his New York studio in 1996. He.

James Cole, Jr.

Chairman and CEO, Jasco Group, LLC

James Cole, Jr. is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Jasco Group, a.

Thomas G. Connolly

Managing Director and Partner, Goldman Sachs

Tom is the global head of the Principal Debt Group within the Merchant Banking Division..

Tamara Jones Dunn, MD

Physician, Stanford Hospital & Palo Alto Veterans Hospital

Tamara's involvement in early childhood education feels like a continuation of her late mother's work.

David Humphrey

Managing Director, Bain Capital

Mr. Humphrey is a Managing Director, Private Equity at Bain Capital in Boston, Massachusetts, focusing.

Jackie Jenkins-Scott

Founder & President JJS Advising, President Emeritus Wheelock College

Jackie Jenkins-Scott, Founder and President of JJS Advising, is a nationally recognized leader with more.

Greg Johnson

Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board, Franklin Resources, Inc.

Greg Johnson is chairman of the board and director of Franklin Resources, Inc., and serves.

Olana Khan

Assistant Head of School for Advancement and Strategy, Phillips Brooks School

Olana Khan is currently the Assistant Head of School for Advancement and Strategy at Phillips.

Michael H. Levine, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President, Learning and Impact | Noggin at Nickelodeon

Michael H. Levine, Ph.D. is Senior Vice President, Learning and Impact, for Noggin, Nickelodeon’s online.

Elizabeth Marcellino

Freelance Writer & Reporter, City News Service

Elizabeth Marcellino works as a Los Angeles-based journalist, reporting on a wide range of policy.

Jennifer K. Marrus

Board Member and Advisor

Jennifer Marrus has a wealth of experience in marketing and strategic problem solving in the.

Jordan Meranus

CEO and Co-Founder of Ellevation

Jordan Meranus is an entrepreneur who has helped start and lead a number of high-impact.

Arthur Mills IV

Chief Operating Officer, New Teacher Center

Arthur Mills IV joined the national not-for-profit New Teacher Center in 2019 as Chief Operations.

Daryl Mintz

Chief Financial & Administrative Officer, Robin Hood Foundation

As Robin Hood’s CFAO, Daryl is responsible for the day-to-day strategic and managerial leadership of.

Dr. Thomas A. Parham

President, California State University, Dominguez Hills

Thomas A. Parham, Ph.D. is a family man who resides in the Southern California area.

Mark Pinho

Partner, Oak Hill Capital

Mark Pinho is a partner at Oak Hill Capital, where he leads the firm’s Consumer.

Mark Polebaum

General Counsel, MFS Investment Management (retired)

Mark Polebaum recently retired from MFS Investment Management, a global asset manager, where he served.

Chris Stadler

Managing Partner, CVC Capital Partners

Christopher Stadler joined CVC Capital Partners as a Managing Partner in 2007, based in New.

National 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 Psychologist

Dale V. Atkins, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist who has more than forty years of.

W. Steven Barnett, PhD

Board of Governors Professor and Director of the National Institute for Early Education Research, Rutgers University

W. Steven Barnett is a Board of Governors Professor and Director of the National Institute.

Sherry 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 Institute

Sherry M. Cleary is the University Dean of Early Childhood Initiatives at the City University.

Douglas Clements, PhD

Kennedy Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Learning & Professor, University of Denver

Douglas Clements is the Kennedy Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Learning and a Professor at.

Molly F. Collins, EdD

Department of Teaching and Learning, Vanderbilt University

Molly F. Collins is a faculty member in the Department of Teaching and Learning at.

Stephanie M. Curenton, PhD

Tenured Associate Professor at BU Wheelock College of Education & Human Development; Director of the Center for the Ecology of Early Childhood Development

Stephanie M. Curenton, PhD, is a tenured associate professor at BU Wheelock College of Education &.

Linda M. Espinosa, PhD

Author and Consultant; Professor Emeritus, University of Missouri-Columbia

Dr. Linda M. Espinosa is currently Co-PI for the Center for Early Care and Evaluation.

Walter S. Gilliam, PhD

Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Child Psychiatry and Psychology & Director, Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy, Yale University Child Study Center

Walter S. Gilliam is Director of The Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social.

Roberta Golinkoff, PhD

H. Rodney Sharp Professor, School of Education, University of Delaware

Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, Ph.D., Unidel H. Rodney Sharp Professor of Education, Psychology, and Linguistics and.

Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, PhD

Stanley and Debra Lefkowitz Faculty Fellow, Department of Psychology, Temple University

Kathryn Hirsh-Pasek is the Stanley and Debra Lefkowitz Faculty Fellow in the Department of Psychology.

Iheoma 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 Hill

Iheoma U. Iruka, Ph.D., is a Research Professor in the Department of Public Policy, a.

Sharon 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 University

Sharon Lynn Kagan is the Virginia and Leonard Marx Professor of Early Childhood and Family.

Christopher J. Lonigan, PhD

Distinguished Research Professor, Department of Psychology, Florida State University; Associate Director, Florida Center for Reading Research

Christopher J. Lonigan is a Distinguished Research Professor of Psychology and an associate director of.

Mariela M. Páez, EdD

Associate Professor, The Carolyn A. and Peter S. Lynch School of Education, Boston College

Dr. Mariela Paez is Associate Professor of Early Childhood. She has a doctorate in Human.

Robert C. Pianta, PhD

Dean, Curry School of Education, University of Virginia

Robert Pianta, PhD, is Dean of the Curry School of Education, Novartis US Foundation Professor.

Arthur J. Rolnick, PhD

Senior Fellow and Co-Director, Human Capital Research Collaborative; Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota

Arthur J. Rolnick is a Senior Fellow and Co-Director of the Human Capital Research Collaborative.

Shirley Sagawa

AmeriCorps Board of Directors

Shirley Sagawa was nominated to the AmeriCorps Board of Directors by President Biden in January.

Local 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.