Staff and Advisory Board

Andy is the Executive Director of the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund. Prior to taking this position, he spent the majority of his professional career as an attorney, practicing commercial litigation.  Andy made the transition into the field of education after serving on the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Fund’s Board of Directors. The opportunity arose to take on the role of Executive Director and Andy’s dedication to the work of educational access led to his significant career change. Andy resides in suburban Chicago, is married and has two children.

Cammy is co-founder of The Aspire Program at Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights, Ohio and has been Director for the past seven years. Previously, Cammy gained ten years of science teaching experience in independent schools in New York, Delaware, and Ohio. Her undergraduate degree, from Colby College, is in biology and environmental science. She received a Master’s degree in education from Harvard University, where she researched single-sex education, learned cutting edge educational practices, and studied public school reform. In the summer of 1999, she worked at The Steppingstone Foundation’s Magnet Program in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

Prior to her position as the Director of NPEA, Karin was the Executive Director of Summerbridge Cambridge, A Breakthrough Program. Prior to Summerbridge, Karin was the Director of Training and Technical Assistance at Horizons for Homeless Children, where she traveled across the country speaking about child and family homelessness. Karin also spent five years working for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services on Head Start, education, and human service issues. Karin has a M. Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a M.S.W. from Boston College.

Steve has been a teacher and administrator in independent schools for nearly 20 years. He currently is the Director of Prep@Pingree, an academic enrichment program for middle school students from Lawrence and Lynn, and he teaches Advanced Placement Statistics at Pingree School. Steve has extensive experience with educational programs designed for inner city students through his work with Prep@Pingree, Project RISE, Project DEEP and Squashbusters. Steve received his B.S. in mathematics from Tufts University and his J.D. from Suffolk University Law School. He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association. Steve lives in Ipswich with his wife Tracy and three young children Lucas, Jackson and Colby.

Tasha is an accomplished leader who has worked in the public and private sectors in the education, business and health industries for more than twenty years. She enlisted six active duty years in the United States Navy where she received several awards and medals for exemplary service. Before joining High Jump, Tasha worked at Chicago Public Schools where she initiated, designed and implemented a preparation program for high schools students interested in becoming teachers called "Grow Our Own Program" and managed the Summer Fellows program, that is designed to attract and recruit highly qualified teachers to Chicago Public Schools. Tasha received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Brooklyn College and Master’s degree in Leadership and Education Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Tasha is a state council member for Illinois Main Street and currently sits on the board for several organizations and volunteers for many community organizations.

Natalie joins REACH Prep most recently from one of REACH Prep's member schools, Hackley School in Tarrytown, NY where she was Dean of Enrollment Management and Diversity Hiring Coordinator.  Ms. Herring began her career in college administration at her alma mater, Dartmouth College, as Black Student recruitment coordinator, Assistant Director of Admission and finally, Director of Minority Recruitment. She played a leadership role in achieving double-digit percentage increases in Black, Latino and Native American enrollment. Natalie is an Associate member of the Association of Black Admission and Financial Aid Officers of the Ivy League and Sister Schools and was a panelist at the Urban League of Southern Connecticut's Education Summit and recently joined their Guild and Board of Directors.

Scott is the former Vice President of National Expansion at The Steppingstone Foundation. Prior to this role, Scott directed the 14-month academic preparatory component of the Steppingstone Academy in Boston.  Before joining Steppingstone, Scott was National Director of New Site Development for Jumpstart, and taught high school English in New Orleans. Scott serves on the board of Outdoor Explorations and also works with the Massachusetts Department of Education on charter school accountability.  Scott received his B.A. from Boston College and his certification from Massachusetts Institute for New Teachers (MINT).

Gina graduated from Trinity College with honors in 1991 and earned a Master's degree in Public Administration from Seton Hall University in 1999. She previously worked at Prep for Prep overseeing public policy projects and at the Association for Children of New Jersey, a statewide advocacy organization where she focused on issues and policies affecting Newark's children. Gina also worked in New Jersey at the Victoria Foundation and the READY Foundation. Gina joined The TEAK Fellowship in September 2003 and is the Director of Post-Placement.

Marcia has been the Executive Director of Buffalo Prep, at the University at Buffalo, since 2003. She is responsible for directing programs for gifted disadvantaged minority students and overseeing board, development, and financial components of the organization. Prior to Buffalo Prep, Marcia has held many other administrator and head of school positions in public, private, and independent schools, and has teaching experience at the elementary, high school, and college levels.

Jacqui has been Executive Director of Early Steps for the past 20 years. Additionally, she has over 20 years of classroom and administrative experience in public and independent school settings including a rural six-room schoolhouse in Vermont, suburban open-space classrooms in Maryland and inner city schools in Philadelphia. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) where she serves as Secretary and as a member of the Equity and Justice Committee which she formerly chaired. She is a Trustee at Little Red School House & Elisabeth Irwin High School, Trevor Day School and The Town School. Mrs. Pelzer has a B.S. in Elementary Education from Cheyney State Teachers College and has done extensive graduate study.  She is actively sought as a speaker at national conferences and seminars and writes from her experience on diversity issues. She and her husband live in New York City.  Her adult son is an independent school graduate.

Content coming soon.

Chantal Stevens joined A Better Chance in 2006 as the Director of the College Preparatory Schools Program.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Masters of Science in Higher Education Administration from Bernard M. Baruch College. Prior to joining A Better Chance, she worked in several roles at the City University of New York including working as a Special Project Coordinator at the Research Foundation of the University and as the Assistant Director for Recruitment and Admission Counseling at The City College of New York.  Chantal is responsible for the management and growth of A Better Chance's signature admissions and placement program nationally. At present, she also sits on the Advisory Board of St. Mark the Evangelist School in Harlem.

Involved in education for the past 32 years and in independent schools in California for the past 28 years, Manasa’s work includes supporting diversity, equity and justice, and inclusiveness.  In addition to serving as the Executive Director of the Independent School Alliance for Minority Affairs since its inception in 1984, she has been invited to give workshops at a variety of state and national conferences. Manasa conducts faculty development workshops and parent workshops at individual schools, and serves on the Executive Committee of the Call to Action of NAIS, and on the boards of Marymount High School and the Southern California People of Color in Independent Schools organization. Manasa currently lives in Gardena, California, where she enjoys her two grown daughters and two grandchildren (both in independent schools) who live nearby.

Jacquie’s professional career spans 3 decades.  As a former math and science educator, she taught students in preschool through college.  She has worked in parochial schools, independent schools, public schools, and universities.  In addition to teaching, she served as a Dean of Students and an Assistant Principal, directed a community service program, coached basketball and football, and managed a financial aid program.  In addition to her work in schools, she has also worked in the for profit industry as the Executive Director of Sylvan Learning Center.  She is currently the Executive Director of the Black Student Fund and serves on the School Financial Aid Services Task Force, an advisory group for the National Association of Independent Schools.

Amy holds a B.A. from Colgate University and a Masters in American Studies from Drew University. Amy joined New Jersey SEEDS in 1995, and since then has quadrupled the SEEDS annual operating budget, overseen the launch of two new initiatives - the Young Scholars Program and the College Preparatory Program, and has expanded the Alumni programming.  Amy has written about the need for educational opportunities for disadvantaged students in the New York Times and has appeared on CNN and other news programs. In 2003, she was the recipient of the Althea Gibson Award for Excellence in Public Service and was named a Woman of Influence by NJ BIZ.