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We are pleased to note that for the 2011-2012 school year, College Forward filled 100% of our open program management positions (three High School Program Managers and one College Persistence Program Manager) with former AmeriCorps State members who have previously worked one-on-one with our students as College Coaches and College Persistence Coaches. College Forward has been a beneficiary of AmeriCorps support through the Corporation for National and Community Service and OneStar Foundation for eight years, and our organization has been shaped and improved by the intelligent, enthusiastic, and committed members who have served here. In 2011-2012, we are honored to sponsor 52 AmeriCorps State members, without whose dedication we would not be able to serve our students with our trademark quality and cost-effectiveness.
Lisa Fielder, Executive Director and Co-Founder, B.A. Trinity University, M.Arch Rice University.
Lisa has a lifelong commitment to education and a genuine affection for teenagers. A member of the Greater Austin Chamber’s Matriculation Task Force, Lisa has impacted hundreds of college-bound students in Central Texas and was named a “Local Hero” in 2006 by the Bank of America Foundation for innovations in education access. Lisa is past board chair of the Texas Center for the Missing and a founding member of a college access task force facilitated by E3 Alliance. As Executive Director of College Forward, Lisa provides vision and leadership to support the design, implementation, and management of all programs that support our mission. Lisa also serves as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors.
Erica Gordon, , Program Director, B.A. Sam Houston State University, M.S. Texas Christian University.
After six years as a successful software consultant, Erica decided to follow her passion for working with underserved communities by becoming an AmeriCorps member at College Forward. She served as a College Coach in 2008-2009, initiating several new projects and forming close relationships with her students at Del Valle High School, before joining the permanent staff as a High School Program Manager. After two years in this role, Erica was asked to manage special initiatives for the organization and more recently was promoted to Program Director. Erica enjoys volunteering in the community and has been involved with Special Olympics and the Boys and Girls Club.
Kathy Rose, Houston Director, B.A. Texas A&M University, M.B.A. University of St. Thomas
Kathy joined College Forward in January 2011 to lead the College Forward office in Houston, which is the organization’s first location outside of Austin. Kathy had been a longtime member of the Houston community and brings more than 20 years of experience in education to the organization. She started her career as a secondary mathematics teacher and most recently served as the Director of Development for the University of Houston System at Sugar Land. Having numerous volunteer positions throughout her life with a variety of non-profit originations, Rose is dedicated to helping underserved students attain a higher education. She oversees the College Coaches and AmeriCorps*VISTA’s in the Greater Houston area.
Carl Searles, Controller, B.B.A. University of Texas at Austin.
Carl has over twenty years of accounting experience within nonprofit and for-profit organizations, including seven years owning his own firm. He serves as Vice-President of Corporate Relations for the National Association of Black Accountants and is involved with the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Austin Chapter of Certified Public Accountants. His proudest endeavor, however, has been that of father and husband. He joined us in 2009 as College Forward’s first Controller, overseeing the financial and operational management and internal controls of the organization through effective and efficient system design, development, maintenance, and reporting.
Betty Harrison, School Partner & Grant Advisor, B.S. McMurry University, M.A. University of Tulsa, Ph.D. University of Texas-Austin.
As a former high school English teacher, middle school administrator, and central office curriculum director for Hays CISD, Betty brings substantial expertise to College Forward’s partnerships with high schools and school districts. While working in Hays CISD in 2003, Betty was one of the first to take a chance on Lisa Fielder’s fledgling college access program, then called Admission Control, paving the way for the growth and success of College Forward. Betty has worked as an adjunct professor at Texas State University teaching graduate classes in Curriculum and Instruction. She is a member of the Hays County Historical Commission and a past member of the ESC Region XIII Curriculum Council and the Texas Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. As School Partner & Grant Advisor, she serves as a liaison to local school districts, community partners, and college admission offices.
Kristen Braitkrus, Grant Manager, BA University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Kristen joined College Forward in 2008, and after two and a half years as a High School Program Manager, she now serves as Grant Manager, managing partnerships with College Forward funders. Kristen joined the College Forward team after four and a half years at P.S. ARTS, a nonprofit organization in Los Angeles, California, where she led a team of professional teaching artists in bringing arts education programs to students in Title I elementary and middle schools. Kristen’s extensive nonprofit management experience includes grant writing, budgeting, strategic planning, program planning and execution, and program evaluation.
Austin Buchan, Manager, College Success Initiatives, B.A. Trinity University.
Austin joined College Forward in April 2010 after serving as Program Manager and Community Organizer for the Solentiname Solidarity Alliance, a non-profit organization in rural Nicaragua. While in Nicaragua, Austin helped develop and implement a college preparation and persistence program for highly motivated, low income students. Apart from his non-profit work, Austin has experience in managing and organizing national political campaigns in Boston, MA and Boulder, CO. Austin served as College Persistence Program Manager from 2010-2011, and recently joined College Forward’s new special initiatives team.
Lauren Contreras, High School Program Manager, B.A., Southwestern University, M.Ed., Harvard Graduate School of Education
After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Southwestern University in 2007, Lauren served with College Forward as a College Persistence Coach for two AmeriCorps State terms from 2007 to 2009. In 2010, she earned her master’s degree from the prestigious Higher Education Master’s Program at Harvard University and then served as Project Specialist at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, Texas, during the 2010-2011 academic year. Lauren gained valuable experience working on the opposite end of the higher education spectrum, but was excited to return to College Forward to once again serve our Central Texas students.
Jessica DeGrado, College Persistence Program Manager, B.A., Florida Atlantic University
Jessica came to College Forward after a year in retail management, and spent two years as an AmeriCorps College Persistence Coach, spearheading efforts to create a Campus Mentor Program at 10 universities with large populations of College Forward students. In summer 2011, at the end of her second AmeriCorps term, Jessica accepted a staff position managing the College Persistence Program, leading a team that supports 1,200 students as they work toward earning their college degrees.
Scott Del Rossi, Sustainability Manager, Bachelor of Architecture, Philadelphia University
Scott was a two-term AmeriCorps member at College Forward, serving from 2009 to 2011 as a College Persistence Coach, before joining the staff in summer 2011 as Sustainability and Process Manager. Prior to coming to College Forward, from 2007 to 2009, he worked for two different architectural firms as an intern architect. An active soccer player, Scott helps coach a number of youth soccer teams in the community.
Becky Fowler, High School Program Manager, B.A. University of Texas at Austin
Originally from Austin, Becky studied government and Middle Eastern studies at the University of Texas at Austin, but moved to Houston in 2010 when she joined College Forward as an AmeriCorps*VISTA for College Forward’s inaugural year in Houston. Prior to joining College Forward, Becky was the Café and Coffee Bar Assistant Manager at Central Market where she learned management skills in a fast-paced environment. Becky is fluent in Spanish as a result of completing a study abroad program at the Spanish Institute of Puebla in Mexico. Becky oversees the high school program and College Coaches in the Greater Houston area.
Monica Glasgow, Human Resources Generalist, B.A. Texas A&M University at College Station.
Monica joined College Forward after working for five years with at-risk youth in the Job Corps Program. While there, she served on the Risk Management and Outreach/Admissions Committees. As a first generation college graduate, Monica has extensive knowledge and understanding of the obstacles many of College Forward’s students face. Monica has a Professional of Human Resources (PHR) certification and is a member of the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM). As the Human Resources Generalist, Monica works with other departments at College Forward to ensure the smooth functioning of the central office.
Sara McCabe, Director of External Relations, B.S.C., Santa Clara University, MSLE, St. Edward’s University.
Sara has managed nonprofit and corporate communications for more than 20 years and recently received her master’s degree in organizational leadership and ethics at St. Edward’s University. Prior to joining College Forward in 2009, she spent eight years at Texas Monthly magazine as director of the custom publishing department, and six years with Bat Conservation International creating and producing the organization’s member magazine, workbooks, annual reports, and other communications pieces. As Director of External Relations, Sara oversees the organization’s donor development and stewardship, special events, grant management, and marketing and public relations.
Martisha Smith, High School Program Manager, B.S.W., University of Texas at Arlington
With a degree in social work and nearly five years as Youth Services Coordinator with Communities in Schools in Tyler, Tish came to College Forward as an AmeriCorps College Coach in the 2009-2010 school year. After her AmeriCorps term, she became a Family Case Manager with the Salvation Army, working with homeless parents and their children. In summer 2011, Tish returned to College Forward to lead a team of AmeriCorps College Coaches as a High School Program Manager.
Eva Jane Watkins, Office and Events Manager, B.A. Hollins University
Eva joined College Forward in 2009 as an AmeriCorps*VISTA member, specializing in event management. When her year of service was complete, she was asked to join the staff to continue to manage College Forward’s many program events and outreach efforts, as well as administrative and IT functions for the office. Additionally, Eva serves as volunteer coordinator, captain of the office Fun Team, and a trainer for the organization’s semi-annual AmeriCorps training. Fluent in Spanish, Eva also helps manage bilingual sessions at the organization’s College/Universidad 101 and 201 parent workshops.
Tom Young, High School Program Manager, B.A. Brevard College
As an AmeriCorps State member, Tom served with College Forward for two terms as a College Coach at Del Valle High School from 2009-2011. Prior to joining College Forward, Tom studied business and organizational leadership with an emphasis on management and entrepreneurship at Brevard College in North Carolina and also played on Brevard’s men’s basketball team. As a College Coach, Tom initiated a student athlete advising project for College Forward students who wanted to play sports at multiple NCAA division levels. In his third year at College Forward, Tom has joined the staff to continue serving College Forward’s Central Texas high school students as a High School Program Manager.
Andy Bedard, Technology Coordinator, B.A. University of Maine
Andy first joined College Forward in 2009 as an AmeriCorps*VISTA member, performing IT functions during his year of service. After leaving, he attended law school at Western New England School of Law for a year, then moved back to Austin and rejoined College Forward’s staff as the Technology Coordinator. Andy studied Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Maine. His heroes include Tom Brady and Angus King, former governor of Maine.
College Forward has been a beneficiary of AmeriCorps support through the Corporation for National and Community Service since 2003; we are, in fact, an organization that has largely been created by the intelligent, enthusiastic, and committed members who have served here. To learn more, visit our AmeriCorps page.
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In addition to AmeriCorps positions, College Forward occasionally offers college work-study opportunities. If you are interested in a work-study position with College Forward, please contact us at info@collegeforward.org |
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