Finance, IBT, and Procurement
Abigail Senior Manager, Business Relations
Abigail, our Senior Business Relations Manager, builds and maintains productive relationships with our Vendor Community. Prior to joining the team, she completed Macy’s Executive Development Program for buying and worked in account management in the outdoor amusement industry. Motivated by the incredible variety of projects on the site, she’s excited to be working with a team dedicated to connecting teachers with their requested resources.
She is a first-generation college grad with a B.S. in marketing and minor in entrepreneurship from the University of Florida. In her spare time, she’s often exploring New York City, spending time in Central Park, or catching a concert.
AmySenior Director, Business Relations
Amy is responsible for managing relationships with current and potential suppliers, as well as our e-procurement providers.
Before joining DonorsChoose, Amy worked in the advertising world developing media strategies. Amy gained first-hand experience in the NYC public school system as a Learning Leaders' volunteer working with students in Kindergarten through 3rd Grade. As a lifelong media enthusiast, Amy continues to love music, movies, magazines and the simple joys of several fully-loaded TiVos.
AnjaliPurchasing Operations Assistant
Anjali supports the Procurement Team striving to enable teachers to bring their projects to life through reviewing and purchasing project requests. With a B.A in Communications from Florida International University , and professional experience working with nonprofit and social impact organizations , her passion for social impact and dedication to supporting communities is what brought her to DonorsChoose. She’s excited to contribute to teachers having the supplies they need to create inspiring learning environments.
Outside of work she enjoys embracing the Florida sun through walks, gardening or lounging by the pool, and listening to music.
BibiPurchasing Operations Clerk
Bibi supports the Fulfillment Operations & Strategy team by purchasing resources and experiences for students as well as communicating with teachers and vendors to ensure that purchased materials arrive at schools seamlessly.
After completing her Masters in Public Administration from LIU Brooklyn, Bibi joined the DonorsChoose Fellowship Program. She then ventured out to the Bronx and became a business manager for a NYC DOE public school where she gained a greater appreciation for public school staff members and the mission of DonorsChoose.
Bibi now lives in Florida and still feels a sense of New York pride when ""Empire State of Mind"" is playing. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her husband and dog, Milo.
BrucePurchasing Operations Analyst
Bruce enjoys making sure the experience teachers and students have when a project is fully funded is as joyful as possible - whether it's cool new electronics, books to discover new worlds or new experiences on awesome class trips.
As a professional Actor, Director, and Choreographer, Bruce has entertained audiences across North America in numerous theatrical productions. He serves on the faculty of Jen Waldman Studio and holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from Ithaca College.
In his free time, Bruce enjoys reading fantasy/science fiction novels, attending performances by fellow theatre-makers, and gaming on his PS4 with his awesome family!
CeliaFinancial Operations Associate
Celia collaborates with multiple teams across the organization to process financial transactions in support of our donors, partners and teachers alike. Her previous work experience includes athletic coaching, college campus store management and operations for a local startup nonprofit that supported teachers as well. When not working, you'll find her reading, hiking, or in the kitchen making a delicious salad or soup.
ChristopherSenior Director of IT and Business Systems
Christopher leads Information Technology at DonorsChoose, working to ensure that our staff members have the technology they need to best support our teachers and students. A product of NYC public schools, Christopher fell in love with technology while volunteering at an after school homework help program in The Bronx.
Since then, he's earned a Bachelor of Technology degree at the New York City College of Technology and spent the majority of his career helping organizations to use IT to drive business decisions while streamlining their processes.
After eight years of IT consulting, Christopher joined our team to combine his passion for technology with his deep commitments to helping public school students recognize their potential and honoring our teachers as heroes.
DanaFinance Data Analyst
Dana coordinates matching gifts and helps manage DonorsChoose's financial data. She has worked across multiple teams since joining DonorsChoose in 2012 and uses that experience to track and analyze the flow of funds from initial donations through to the purchasing of resources for students.
A fancier of words as well as numbers, Dana is a New York native with a BA in English from Stony Brook University and an MLS from Queens College. In her free time, she enjoys reading, listening to many, many podcasts, and playing the occasional game of Scrabble.
DevyaniSenior Manager, Purchasing Operations
Devyani manages and supports the health of the Purchasing Operations team so teachers can see their classroom project requests come alive! Prior to joining DonorsChoose, Devyani worked in healthcare and graduated from James Madison University.
Outside of the office, you can find her roaming around in a bookstore, listening to a Hans Zimmer soundtrack, or binge-watching a true-crime documentary.
DotSenior Manager, Project Management & Analytics
Dot leads Project Management & Analytics, the team that manages inter-team projects for Procurement and provides fulfillment-related support and guidance for the impactful campaigns and partnerships led by our colleagues.
Dot is a native New Yorker and a proud product of the NYC public school system, graduating from CUNY Queens College with a B.A. degree in Accounting. Outside of bringing classroom dreams to life with her #workfam she enjoys being a New York Rangers superfan, an exhausted doggo and hooman mom, weightlifting, and reading
ElysePurchasing Operations Assistant
I support the Fulfillment Operations & Strategy team. Working with both teachers and vendors, I assist in bringing classroom projects to life!
For the last decade I've worked in education, both in student facing and administrative roles. My experience in education has motivated me to seek out opportunities to make education more equitable, which has led me here to DonorsChoose!
I'm a lifelong New Yorker and in my free time I enjoy exploring the city, walking around my neighborhood with my dog, working on crossword puzzles with my partner, binge watching a variety of tv series- from the great to the terrible, or slowly making my way through a novel.
ErinPurchasing Operations Manager
Erin helps to ensure all resources and experiences teachers request for their students come to fruition. She fosters continuous improvement and works to identify learning opportunities for her team. As a child of former public school teachers, she knows how impactful having the right resources can be to both students and teachers.
Prior to DonorsChoose, you could’ve found her performing in numerous shows across the US and NYC. Now you can find her at the latest horror film, a local piano bar, or singing musicals to her son, Parker.
GeoffChief Financial Officer and EVP, Fulfillment
Geoff leads the Finance and Fulfillment team at DonorsChoose. He spent his career prior to DonorsChoose working in the Media, Entertainment and Technology industries.
His prior experience includes a mix of corporate and operational finance roles at Lionsgate, IAC/Interactive, Warner Music Group and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Geoff is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), author, entrepreneur, and a graduate of Morehouse College, where he earned a BA in Business Administration.
HemaAssociate, Business Relations
Hema collaborates with our integrated vendors to create incredible teacher and student experiences.
Hearing stories of her parents’ childhood in Guyana and seeing how they overcame their obstacles with the limited resources they had is a constant motivation for her to help bring DonorsChoose’s mission to life.
Prior to joining the team, Hema worked as a Relationship Associate for a financial software company in NYC. She's a graduate of Pace University with a B.A. in Biology. In her free time, she enjoys attempting to keep her plants alive, cooking for friends and family, reading in her hammock, playing board games she can win and walking her two enormous dogs."
JacqulinePurchasing Operations Assistant
I help support teachers at DonorsChoose by reviewing and purchasing materials needed to successfully fulfill their projects. My favorite part of the role is reading through the essays that teachers write for their projects and seeing all the interesting materials they order to ensure their students are getting the best learning experience. I am a first generation college graduate from Dakota State University with a degree in business administration. If I’m not working during my free time I’m taking scenery photos of the city or reading historical books.
JaylinVendor Management Associate
Jaylin helps the Vendor Management & Strategy team maintain vendor relationships and improve vendor performance to ensure the best experience for teachers, students, and vendors alike.
Born and raised in California, Jaylin previously served as a board member for the nonprofit Faith in the Valley passionately working to promote racial equity in her community. Additionally, Jaylin held the role of Youth Commissioner for the City of Fresno via the Youth Leadership Institute, where she offered invaluable insights to the City Council on creating equal opportunities for underrepresented youth. Prior to joining DonorsChoose, Jaylin supported the growth of small business owners at Wells Fargo.
In her free time, Jaylin enjoys writing poetry, trying new foods, playing video games, and watching all things Star Wars.
JharlineSenior IT Associate
Jharline received her BBA from Baruch College and majored in Computer Information Systems. In order to continue learning more about technology she joined NPower where she attained a tech fundamentals training and certification. As the IT Specialist she will incorporate all her education in order to ensure all staff have amazing IT support.
Having been a part of the public-school system herself, she saw how impactful it would be to join DonorsChoose, which makes projects in classrooms come to life for teachers and students who may not otherwise have those experiences.
In her spare time she loves to read, travel to new places and spend time with family.
JimVP, Finance & Accounting
im leads the Finance & Accounting team at DonorsChoose and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Prior to joining DonorsChoose, Jim held management positions in audit/accounting at PwC and Oscar Health.
Outside the office, Jim enjoys scouting out new restaurants, planning for future trips, and pretending to be like Mike.
JoannAccounting Manager
Joann manages the proper accounting of business activities and leads the month-end financial close process. Prior to this role, she worked in the defense industry and in public accounting. Joann earned her MBA from Colorado State University.
In her free time, Joann likes to collect plants, discover a new favorite restaurant, and daydream about her next travel destination.
KarenManager, Purchasing Operations Systems
Karen supports the Finance & Fulfillment team to ensure materials successfully arrive for teachers and students when their projects are fully funded. You can find her analyzing and monitoring the data for the thousands of items we order a week to make improvements to our fulfillment processes.
Karen is a proud graduate of New York public schools and was inspired to join the DonorsChoose team while volunteering to send student thank you letters to donors. She holds a B.B.A. degree in Business Management from Baruch College, and an A.S. in Industrial Design from City Tech. Outside of the office, Karen enjoys trying new things like painting, volunteering, and spending time with family and friends.
KellyPurchasing Operations Assistant
Kelly supports the Fulfillment Operations Team in helping bring teachers’ dreams to life. She was a classroom teacher before moving to the business world and understands how vital the DonorsChoose mission is, especially in schools with few resources.
Born and raised in the Bronx, she’s a mandatory Yankee fan. She loves reading, writing, crocheting, and video chatting with the niblings!
MargaretPurchasing Operations Assistant
Margaret supports the Fulfillment Operations & Strategy team by purchasing and tracking materials and experiences for students and teachers. As a long-time volunteer at local public schools, she knows first-hand how having quality resources can help engage and encourage learning in students!
In her spare time, she enjoys doing volunteer work and learning new languages. She is naturally inquisitive and is always looking for answers to things she does not know!
MawusiPurchasing Operations Assistant
Mawusi supports DonorsChoose fulfillment processes to ensure that teacher projects are successfully executed. Prior to joining DonorsChoose, Mawusi worked in public health and non-profit operations while earning her B.A. in Healthcare Administration at the University of Denver. With an appreciation for equitable support pathways, she is thrilled to have the opportunity to help teachers fulfill their projects and further support students! Outside of work, she enjoys discovering new music and exploring her home state of Colorado with loved ones.
MichellePurchasing Operations Assistant
Michelle enjoys supporting the Fulfillment Operations & Strategy team by seeing that each teacher's project is successfully fulfilled, including calling vendors for shipping details or diligently monitoring the status of a payment. Purchasing materials for Special Request projects is one of her favorite areas, where she happily connects teachers with needed resources and dives into finding ways to solve any teacher's question.
During her free time, she enjoys day trips with a family that includes 4 daughters--including identical twins, co-managing an online T-shirt business, and when she can find it, relaxing with some much needed downtime.
MollySenior Manager, Business Relations
Molly builds and grows relationships within our incredible DonorsChoose Vendor Community, and helps the Business Relations team drive improvements and innovations to create the best experience for teachers and vendors. She has a B.S. from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service and an M.A. in Human Rights from Columbia. She loves travel, food and culture, and spends her time outside of work trying to keep up with 2 very sweet & feisty toddlers.
RisaFinancial Planning & Analysis Manager
Risa reaches across the organization, helping to manage the annual budget and reforecasting process and build financial models for sound decision support. Prior to this role, she spent her career in the CPG and Pharmaceutical industries working alongside Sales, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams as a trusted finance partner. She earned her B.A. and MBA from Rutgers University.
Outside of work, Risa is a passionate advocate for trails and open spaces. She also enjoys travel, music, and word puzzles and practices yoga and meditation on her journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth.
SamPurchasing Operations Assistant
Sam works in the Procurement team, helping educators’ classroom project requests come to life. Having previously been a music teacher in the public school system, she’s excited to be supporting educators in this capacity.
Sam loves musical theater, traveling, and exploring the outdoors with her four-legged hiking buddy, Hank.
TanishaSenior Associate, Business Relations
Tanisha helps the Business Relations team develop and support relationships with current and potential vendors. As a first generation college student and someone who has benefited from the support of exceptional teachers, she is energized by the DonorsChoose mission each day.
She's previously worked with Project Fulfillment as a Fulfilment Experience Agent to ensure seamless communication between our teachers and vendors whenever they had a question about classroom resources.
Tanisha is a graduate of Barnard College where she earned her B.A. in Political Science. In her spare time she enjoys going to the movies, amusement parks, visiting new places, and spending time with family & friends.
TanishaAccounting Associate
I work with many teams across DonorsChoose processing and reconciling accounting transactions. Prior to DonorsChoose I worked for a commercial bank. In my free time you can find me having movie nights with my daughter, planning my next international trip, or sewing a fabulous wardrobe.
TaraPurchasing Operations Assistant
Tara supports the Fulfillment Operations & Strategy team by purchasing and tracking materials and experiences for students and teachers. Her favorite part of her role is letting the teachers know that their materials are on the way.
When she's not helping teachers, Tara is traveling and living RV life to its fullest. Her days off are spent kayaking, mountain biking, boogie boarding, and sometimes roasting vegan marshmallows over the campfire.
ValPurchasing Operations Analyst
Val helps teachers and vendors bring trips, visitors, and all types of classroom project requests to life!
Benefiting from wonderful teachers throughout her education (and from birth, thanks mom!) she's passionate about getting teachers and their students the tools and experiences they need for an outstanding education.
Hailing from Alaska, she's especially familiar with the joy of the delivery a long-awaited package brings. Her current obsessions are homemade popsicles, astronomy, and all the littles who call her Auntie.
VincentBusiness Relations Assistant
Vincent currently works with our 20+ integrated vendors to ensure resources are shipped to the classroom as efficiently as possible. As a proud graduate of the NYC Public School System, Vincent is excited to bring much needed resources to teachers across the country so they can support their students.
Prior to joining the team, Vincent was an intern at CLEAR M&C Saatchi where he analyzed consumer experience to explore opportunities for growth. Vincent is currently finishing up his B.A. in Economics at Queens College. As a student, he has served as the President of the Queens College Student Chapter of Ascend where he hosted networking and career development workshops to focus on professional growth.
In his free time, Vincent is typically out exploring the city’s food scene, trying out new recipes, or binge-watching the latest Netflix series.
WillAssociate, Fulfillment System Operations
Will supports the Finance & Fulfillment team to ensure materials successfully arrive for teachers and students when their projects are fully funded. He joined the DonorsChoose team in 2015, supporting teachers and donors with any questions they may have.
WillAssociate, Project Management & Analytics
Will is an associate on the Project Management & Analytics team, building and analyzing Procurement focused data and serving as a team representative on the many campaigns and partnerships that DonorsChoose supports each year.
Born and raised in North Carolina, Will graduated from NYU with a BFA in Drama. Outside of work, you can find him taking in a Broadway play, trying a new restaurant, or planning his next trip.
Community Growth & Impact
Alisa Vice President, Partnership Activation
Alisa helps partnerships come to life by managing projects to develop new features, tools, and processes. She joined DonorsChoose in 2006, originally helping to scale and streamline work on our Operations team.
Alisa graduated from the University of Northern Colorado with a B.A. in Political Science and Theatre. As a K-12 public school alum, Alisa relishes having a job where she can help give other students access to essential and enrichment opportunities.
AbbyEVP, Marketing & Growth
Abby leads Marketing & Growth, responsible for inspiring public school teachers to seek support for their students on DonorsChoose and individuals to give through our marketplace. As head of new revenue streams, Abby also identifies and helps the organization identify new scaled sources of funding for classrooms.
Prior to this role, Abby led seller retention and community at Etsy, earned her MBA at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and got her BA in Psychology at Harvard. She is also a founder of CMOs for Good, a 2020 92Y WomenInPower Leadership Fellow and taught a course on Social Entrepreneurship at NYU.
Abby is an avid-yogi and dog lover. She's inspired every day by the above and beyond teachers who use DonorsChoose.
AlexSenior Partnerships Manager
Alex works with corporate and foundation partners and individual philanthropists, to ensure that every student has access to the tools and experiences they need to succeed. Prior to joining DonorsChoose, Alex managed individual and institutional giving at LEAP, one of NYC's largest creative youth development organizations. Outside of the office, you can find Alex watching movies, spending time with friends and family, and working on renter-friendly home improvement projects in her apartment in Brooklyn.
AlexPartnership Activation Associate
Alex works with the Partnership Activation team to bring our corporate and foundation partnerships to life. Prior to DonorsChoose, Alex helped fine art institutions streamline, grow, and execute large-scale operational projects while also volunteering for various education nonprofits in California. Her experience as a K-12 public school alum and commitment to equity in public education is what drew her to DonorChoose.
Alex holds a B.A. in Art History from Chapman University. Outside of work, you can find her buried in a good book, enjoying live music, or planning her next international adventure.
AliVice President, Business Development
Ali works with foundations and individual philanthropists interested in supporting students and teachers.
Prior to joining DonorsChoose in 2013, Ali was a teacher in San Pablo, California. She used DonorsChoose to secure tablets, copies of The Giving Tree, and more for students who were, in her totally unbiased opinion, the world's smartest preschoolers.
An alumna of Teach for America (Bay Area Corps ‘11), Ali graduated summa cum laude from Cornell University and holds an M.A. in Urban Education from Loyola Marymount University.
AlizaManager, Corporate & Foundation Giving
Aliza works with corporate and foundation partners interested in supporting students and teachers. Previously, Aliza led the Internship and Fellowship programs and supported the Diversity & Inclusion strategy and employee experience on the People Operations team at DonorsChoose. She has her M.S. in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania, where she also earned her B.A.
A public school graduate and the granddaughter of classroom teachers, Aliza is motivated to address racial and socioeconomic inequity for America’s students. Aliza enjoys library books, decaf coffee, and summertime strolls.
AmericaManager, Corporate & Foundation Giving
America works with corporate and foundation partners interested in supporting students and teachers. Prior to joining DonorsChoose, America worked at a legal tech nonprofit, where she helped partners and users adopt digital tools and case management systems.
Outside of work, you’ll find her sharing playlists with friends, visiting her local farmers market, and attempting to perfect her flan recipe. America is a Wesleyan University alumna and graduated with a B.A. in Psychology.
AnnalissaAssociate, Partnership Activation
Annalissa works directly with the Partnership Activation team to bring corporate and foundation giving to life. Prior to DonorsChoose, Annalissa used her degrees in Education from the University of Oregon and Teachers College, Columbia University to become an elementary school teacher. As a former teacher, Annalissa is elated to be continuing to make an impact on public school education through her work with DonorsChoose.
Outside of work, Annalissa enjoys binging reality TV, playing Animal Crossing, painting, and enjoying the outdoors on trips back home to Oregon.
ArianaSenior Business Development Associate
Ariana builds new partnerships with foundations and corporations eager to support teachers and students.
An alumna of both NYC public and private schools, Ariana saw firsthand the difference that a well-resourced classroom made in her education. She’s grateful for the chance to help teachers provide their students with the tools they need to thrive.
Ariana graduated cum laude from Barnard College with a B.A. in Urban Studies. When she’s not in the office, you can find her making a mess in her kitchen trying new recipes and spending time with her family.
AshtonSenior Associate, Partnership Activation
Ashton works alongside the Partnership Activation team to power the success of partnerships and campaigns, consult Partnership colleagues, and scale processes. With multiple teachers in her family, she understands their inspirational impact within communities and couldn’t be happier to help supply needed resources, so that students can thrive.
Born and raised in Florida, she studied Theater and Costume Design at Santa Fe College. Prior to joining the DonorsChoose team, she led the operations of an event production company while working closely with corporate clients, schools, and non-profits to achieve their large-scale event goals.
Outside of work, you can find her in the park with her husband Ethan and their dog Moonie, learning keyboard, dancing around in her living room, or hosting weekly movie nights (with 70s crime/thriller being her favorite genre).
CaelanMarketing Campaigns Manager
As the Marketing Campaigns Manager, Caelan raises funds for public school classrooms by leading the organization's one-day big giving events.
Prior to DonorsChoose, she worked across several non-profit development teams and most recently supported independent bookstores at HarperCollins. Caelan was born in Queens, New York but is a product of Virginia Beach City Public Schools, which led her to get her B.A. at the University of Virginia. She's grateful for these amazing VBCPS teachers who let her use their classrooms as an after-school homework hub and led by example to show students how to "leave it better than you found it."
ChristinaPartnership Operations Associate
Christina supports the Partnership Activation team in bringing corporate and foundation partnerships to life. Prior to DonorsChoose, she was an elementary school teacher who utilized the DonorsChoose platform to get her classroom projects funded.
Born and raised in New York City, she experienced the disparities in the public education system firsthand in her elementary years, and later drew on her fond memories of amazing teachers and learning experiences when deciding to step into education. She’s excited to be able to continue supporting the progress of education through her work with DonorsChoose.
Outside of work, Christina winds down by tending to her plant babies, reading books, watching Disney and Pixar movies, playing GTA, and relaxing with her toy poodle, Choco.
ChristineCustomer Support Specialist
When I joined the team in Summer 2021 I was eager to jump right in to help teachers. My background is in the world of retail, but I was looking for something that felt more fulfilling. Supporting teachers in their quest to better their classrooms definitely fits that criteria!
I’m an Orange County, CA girl (born and raised) and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. I have a dog named Winnie and two cats: Smokey and Cookie. They take up a lot of my time! When I’m not working or doting on my pets, you can usually find me brainstorming my next writing project. Some of my favorite things to do are: binge watch youtube, go to concerts, contemplate my next tattoo, collect too many things and never finish tv shows.
CristinPartnership Marketing Coordinator
Our partnership team works with generous companies and foundations to help grow the impact DonorsChoose can have on the needs of teachers in the classroom. Cristin supports the marketing arm of these efforts helping to raise awareness of the ways teachers can access these funds to enrich learning experiences in their classrooms and get the most out of every funding opportunity available to them.
Cristin graduated from the University of Florida in 2004 with degrees in Journalism and Psychology. She worked for many years across academic and professional publishing. Cristin then spent the bulk of her career as a marketing leader in Fintech specializing in marketing automation, content and product marketing. When not at work, Cristin is passionate about volunteering at her children’s school, youth voting, voting rights, DIY projects, and youth baseball, soccer and basketball.
DanielleSenior Partnerships Manager
Danielle manages partnerships with companies and foundations to support teachers and students across the country. Prior to joining DonorsChoose, Danielle managed client relationships at the advertising agency, ARGONAUT, leading integrated advertising campaigns across broadcast, digital, social and print media.
She holds a B.A. in psychology from Georgetown University, with minors in English and Justice & Peace Studies. Outside the office, Danielle can be found hiking north of San Francisco, reading outdoors, or eating green curry.
DaniellePartnership Manager
Danielle manages corporate and foundation partnerships to ensure every student has what they need to succeed. As a former teacher, she's passionate about educational equity and ensuring all students have a quality education.
Previously, she managed district partnerships at DonorsChoose and Discovery Education, helping education associations, and district and state leaders drive additional support for teachers and students across the country.
Danielle is an AmeriCorps alumna and holds a BA from Fordham University in History and African American Studies. When not at work, Danielle can be found art gallery hopping throughout New York City, attending concerts, and gardening.
DavidSenior Partnerships Manager
David manages corporate and foundation partnerships, with the goal of ensuring that every student has access to the tools and experiences they need to succeed. Prior to joining DonorsChoose, David led government partnerships and market research at ioby, a nonprofit crowdfunding platform for neighborhood projects.
He holds an MS in City and Regional Planning from Pratt Institute and a BA in Political Science from Macaulay Honors College at CUNY, Hunter College. When he’s not thinking about new and exciting ways to deliver resources to classrooms, David can be found charting out new adventures and places to explore with his husband and twins.
DevinSenior Manager, Partnership Product Operations
Devin develops processes and shares partnerships insights across the DonorsChoose team to ensure that each partnership successfully enables teachers to get the resources they need.
Prior to this role, Devin led a global education program at Technovation. She has a Master’s degree in Education from Johns Hopkins University, where she specialized in working with students who have learning disabilities. DonorsChoose has been special to her for a long time; she used the site when she was a teacher in Baltimore to get a projector for her 7th grade classroom.
DortheaSenior Manager, Partnership Activation
Dorthea supports the Partnerships & Business Development team by executing partnerships with companies and foundations. Her commitment to positive societal change, specifically involving gender and racial inequality and education inequity, drew her to the non-profit sector.
Dorthea holds a B.A. in Sociology and Spanish Language & Literature from Wellesley College and is proud to be working in her home state of New York.
DrewTeacher Outreach Associate
Drew works on the Marketing & Community team building relationships with teachers across the nation so that they can maximize all that DonorsChoose has to offer. He encourages teachers to request the resources their students need, with particular focus in supporting teachers of color, teachers working in low-income communities, and teachers fighting inequity in their schools. Drew formed his love of all things education working as a high school theatre and English teacher for the first four and a half years of his career, frequently using DonorsChoose to get his students everything from novels to power tools.
Outside of work, you can find Drew taking in a musical or college football game, listening to a pop culture podcast, or finding the strangest potato chip flavors out there.
EileenSenior Digital Marketing Associate
Eileen is a member of the Digital & Growth Marketing team, where they help grow and retain our donor and teacher communities. They’re thrilled to have the opportunity to help teachers create engaging and empowering environments for their students. Before joining the team Eileen held roles at Prudential Financial and Audible.com, where they managed and executed large-scale digital campaigns.
Away from work, you'll find Eileen hanging out with their husband and two cats, catching up with their ever expanding book collection, rooting for the Knicks and Mets, and watching/discussing Stranger Things with their favorite (only!) niece.
JanelleSenior Vice President, Business Development
Janelle works with corporations and foundations across the country to build partnerships to support local public schools. She first developed her passion for education when she managed mentoring programs for middle school youth in Los Angeles Unified School District. Prior to DonorsChoose, Janelle served as Regional Vice President, Sales for PlumDistrict.com, Managing Director of Step Up Women's Network, and Director of LA's BEST afterschool enrichment program. Janelle graduated from Pomona College with a B.A. in Studio Art and received her MBA from Harvard Business School. She was awarded the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs, the Harvard Business School Leaders Fellowship, the Pomona College Inspirational Young Alumna Award, and the NAWBO Rising Star Award. Janelle serves on the Board of Directors for Cookies For Kids' Cancer.
JasmineSenior Lifecycle Marketing Manager
Jasmine oversees email & SMS marketing at DonorsChoose, encouraging teachers in their work to support their students and inspiring donors to support those efforts. Before joining the Marketing & Community team, Jasmine worked part-time at DonorsChoose as a Donor Experience Agent. She holds a BA in English from the University of New Haven. In her spare time, Jasmine enjoys consuming ensemble comedies, writing poetry, and trying new restaurants.
JillDonor Relationships
Jill is a member of the Donor Relationships Team. With a passion for building relationships and creating delightful experiences, Jill assists our most engaged donors invest in education, connecting them with classrooms that need their support.
Prior to joining the team at DonorsChoose, Jill worked in data collection for a non-profit research institute and also has a hospitality sales background - in addition to spending lots of volunteer time in local classrooms. A proud graduate of public schools, Jill has a B.S. in Psychology and a M.A. in Digital Audience Strategy.
Outside of work you might find Jill looking forward to that perfect first sip of hot morning coffee, hanging out with her family and her three dogs, planning her next vacation, or for one glorious day a year attending the Indy 500.
JinanVice President, Advocacy & Public Partnerships
Jinan builds relationships with school districts, states and education associations around the country to support their educational priorities and make it easy for anyone to help a classroom in need.
Prior to DonorsChoose, Jinan worked as Vice President, Implementation and Professional Learning and as the Executive Director, Northeast at Turnaround for Children; Northeast States Director for AVID; and a School Improvement Consultant for Southern Regional Education Board. Jinan began her educational career as an elementary Special Education teacher after graduating from Spelman College. She also holds an ED.M. from Harvard Graduate School of Education and is a member of several women’s leadership councils.
JoSenior Digital Marketing Associate
Jo (she/her/hers), a born and raised New Yorker who grew up attending the city’s public schools, cultivated her passions advocating for equitable education during her college career, working with educational non-profit organizations such as The Opportunity Network and The Boys’ Club of New York. Jo first joined DonorsChoose as a Fellow, where she worked on Marketing + Community and Content & Volunteer Operations. She is excited to be on the Community Growth & Impact team as the Senior Digital Marketing Associate, supporting our email marketing channels and projects to support campaigns, promotions and other goals.
Jo graduated from Gettysburg College with a B.A. in Sociology and minors in Educational Studies and Peace & Justice Studies. In her spare time, you can find her playing with her dog Roxie, enjoying a Broadway show, or catching up with pop culture!
JoeDirector, Digital & Growth Marketing
Joe (he/him) leads Digital & Growth Marketing, the team responsible for scaling and maintaining our marketing systems, and for growing and retaining our community of teachers and donors through digital channels. His team specializes in leveraging email, sms, and paid media to drive meaningful engagement across the full spectrum of DonorsChoose supporters.
Prior to joining, Joe was directing digital campaigns for the ACLU on the most pressing civil liberties issues, and has spent over 20 years leading digital and direct marketing programs in the nonprofit space for a range of missions. Outside of work, Joe's in the streets skateboarding, at the record store digging for jazz and hip hop vinyl, traveling whenever possible, and taking time to rest.
JuanPublic Relations Manager
Juan works to amplify DonorsChoose and its platform for teachers’ projects to the media. His mission is to garner awareness of our campaigns across print, digital, and broadcast outlets. In addition to his role as media liaison, Juan coordinates planning for the organization’s annual Partner Summit.
Prior to joining DonorsChoose, Juan worked at a national PR agency where he represented clients in the industries of travel, food and beverage, fitness, and architecture. He has also represented personal clients within the visual arts, book publishing, and museum sectors. Juan earned both his M.S. in Mass Communications and B.A. in English from Florida International University.
KatelynFellow
Katelyn is part of the FY24 Fellowship cohort supporting the Equity & Impact team.
She holds a B.A. in Public Policy and Hispanic Studies with a minor in Sociology from Hamilton College. Before joining DonorsChoose, Katelyn worked as a writing intern for United 4 Social Change, a teaching assistant for the Hispanic Studies department at Hamilton, and a research assistant for the Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center. She also wrote one of her senior theses on the ethics behind the public policy of ESOL.
In her free time, Katelyn can be found trying new restaurants for her food blog, listening to reggaetón, or watching jeopardy.
KatieChief Revenue & Marketing Officer
Katie leads the marketing and partnership team, engaging 2.5 million citizen donors and 500 corporate and foundation partners in supporting public school classrooms.
Prior to joining DonorsChoose, Katie launched a customer acquisition business at Red Ventures, a company ranked on the Inc. 500 list as one of the nation’s top 20 fastest growing companies. She also conducted market research and political polling for corporate and media clients.
Katie earned her M.B.A. from the Darden School at the University of Virginia, where the faculty awarded her the Hyde Fellowship for her contributions to the school. In 2016, she was named to Direct Marketing News’ “Marketing Hall of Femme”.
KatieMarketing Director, Teacher & Donor Marketing
Katie leads Teacher & Donor Marketing, the team responsible for growing and engaging our community of teachers and donors using DonorsChoose through community programs, partnerships, and campaigns. Her team builds programs like our teacher ambassador program, launches marketing efforts around major corporate and foundation giving moments, and guides the organization to make the most of big moments like Back-to-School, Teacher Appreciation Week, and beyond.
Prior to joining the team, Katie taught history in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where DonorsChoose's generous army of supporters always made sure her junior high students had notebooks, pencils, and books. As a former teacher herself, Katie ensures our team is listening deeply to our teachers and supporters, and we're always leading with their needs and voices.
KellySenior Salesforce Administrator
Kelly designs and maintains innovative business solutions in Salesforce to support the Community Growth & Impact team and beyond as the organization’s Senior Salesforce Administrator.
As a former public school teacher and a mom to two young boys, Kelly believes in the power of education to transform a student’s life. She has been inspired by the incredible work happening in classrooms in her previous roles as a researcher, College of Education instructor, and as a Salesforce administrator and consultant serving education-focused nonprofits and school districts.
Outside of work, Kelly can usually be found with her family on the soccer field or at a theme park, or if given the chance to steal a quiet moment away, curled up with a book or word puzzle.
KevinCommunity Moderator
Kevin supports the Teacher & Donor Marketing team, engaging with teachers to build community and represent their voices. Outside of work, you can find him taking a long walk and looking for the cheapest eats.
KirkManaging Director, Advocacy and Public Partnerships
Kirk leads our work with school districts, state leaders, and education associations, helping them leverage our platform to serve their educational priorities and bring the most support to their teachers and students. He's presented on crowdfunding best practices and policies to thousands of district administrators, including at national and state-level AASA, ASBO, NSBA, NAESP, NSFA, and ISTE conferences. He previously spent 10 years managing our corporate and foundation partnerships after joining DonorsChoose back in 2007, originally directing our Indiana statewide expansion.
Kirk graduated with honors from Purdue with a B.S. in Management, B.A. degrees in English Literature and Religious Studies, and an MBA from the Krannert School of Management. Coming from a long lineage of public school educators, he is honored to be helping thousands of teachers and students through DonorsChoose.
KristinaVice President, Equity & Impact
Steen leads our organization’s efforts to incorporate a race equity-forward lens in supporting students and teachers across the country. Steen led the creation of #ISeeMe, a DonorsChoose initiative ensuring that students see themselves reflected in their teachers and in their learning environments.
Steen collaborates with companies and foundations committed to racial equity in public schools. Steen is also passionate about growing relationships with philanthropists of color hoping to make an impact for students and teachers.
Prior to joining the DonorsChoose team, Steen practiced corporate law, focusing on merger and acquisition transactions for private equity clients. Before that she taught Street Law to high school students in the D.C. public school system. Steen graduated from Spelman College and Georgetown Law and loves all things related to cheerleading, dance, Atlanta, and coffee. Steen is a proud mama of two little humans and a pup.
KyMarketing Manager, Teacher Equity & Success
Ky works on the Marketing & Community team to raise awareness in classrooms around the country about our site's funding from companies and foundations, helping more teachers get what they need to create meaningful learning experiences for their students. As a former teacher and local organizer, she’s seen first-hand what it’s like when communities and schools have big ideas to boost student achievement, but need more resources to make those ideas a reality. That experience motivates Ky every day in her work to help more teachers see their dreams come to life.
Ky graduated from Wake Forest University in 2017 with a degree in English Literature. Outside of work, her favorite pastimes include attending art exhibitions and concerts, searching for new music and podcasts, and scrolling @catsofinstagram.
LilyExternal Relationships Manager, Advocacy and Public Partnership
Lilibeth works with school districts, state leaders, and education associations, helping them leverage our platform to serve their educational priorities and support teachers and students.
Prior to joining DonorsChoose, Lilibeth worked at various education-based organizations like Galileo Learning & Girl Scouts, San Diego . Most recently she worked with MAAC Child Development as their Family & Community Engagement Coordinator, where she built collaborative relationships with public and private organizations to meet Head Start families’ early childhood education, health and well-being, nutrition and social services needs.
She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of California, Davis and is working towards her Masters in Public Administration at Cal State Northridge.
LinaDonor Relationships
Hi! I'm Lina and I am a member of the Donor Relationships team. I am excited to be a part of DonorsChoose, supporting teachers and students. I am a graduate student at Brooklyn College, majoring in Childhood Education. I have been a teacher for a few years prior to joining DonorsChoose.
When I am not working, I enjoy spending time with my family, friends, and my dog. I love watching baseball, going on hikes/walks, and cooking! I am always looking forward to exploring new places and hope to experience van life in the years to come!
LindsayMarketing Lead, DonorsChoose Bookshop
Lindsay is the Marketing Lead for the DonorsChoose Bookshop team, which aims to bring more representative resources to America’s homes and classrooms. Coming from a family of teachers, she is thrilled to be supporting educators and students throughout the country with this impactful work.
Prior to joining DonorsChoose, Lindsay worked in Online and Omnichannel strategy roles with The Estée Lauder Companies and wrote the first cosmetics marketing textbook (Bloomsbury 2023 release). She holds a BA from New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study with a concentration in Marketing and Cultural Analysis, and prior to this was a professional ballet dancer in the U.S. and Germany.
Outside of the office, Lindsay can be found reading in parks and gardens, on set as a makeup artist, and befriending dogs throughout New York City.
MarhoFellow
Marho is a fellow with a passion for marketing and an eagerness to learn new things. She graduated from Fordham University with a BS in Business Administration and a concentration in Marketing. Throughout her internship, entrepreneurial, and volunteer experiences, she seeks to leave a positive impact on everything she does. In her free time, she loves all things music and spending quality time with family and friends.
MarissaDonor Relationships
Hello! I’m Marissa and I am so lucky to be a member of the Donor Relationships team at DonorsChoose. My main goals are to help forge meaningful connections with our most engaged donors and teachers and to make their experiences with DonorsChoose as supportive and positive as possible.
After earning my Bachelors degree in Sociology and Political Science from Bucknell University and law degree from Pace University, I worked for several years as an attorney. While I gained valuable experience and learned a lot, it became very clear that I was more dedicated to learning and helping people than the actual practice of law. And who better to help than school children like the most important people in my life (my kids!) and the teachers who make their lives infinitely more enriched. I have found exactly that opportunity here at DonorsChoose.
When not working, you can find me running around after my kids, listening to an ever growing list of podcasts, and squeezing in some yoga to balance things out.
MeganManager, Corporate and Foundation Giving
Megan develops and manages corporate and foundation partnerships. Prior to joining the DonorsChoose team, Megan worked as a fundraiser for a coral reef conservation nonprofit, and before that, worked for the U.S. House of Representatives.
A k-12 public school alum, Megan is proud to help activate community generosity and investment in public education. In her free time, she enjoys playing guitar, reading science fiction novels, and knitting.
MikelisonFellow
Hello team! I'm Mikelison, thrilled to be a part of DonorsChoose. I recently graduated from Bard College in May and I'm currently pursuing my graduate studies at Columbia University. Based in the vibrant heart of Manhattan, New York, I originally am from Atlanta, Georgia. During my undergraduate years, I initiated a non-profit organization that focuses on K-12 environmental education and sustainable fashion. Together, we aim to foster positive change and empower the next generation of leaders to create a healthier Earth.
In my free time, you'll often find me savoring delectable cuisine at my favorite eatery. Additionally, I derive great joy from creating trendy looks by designing and sewing clothes using second-hand materials. Another passion of mine lies in photography, particularly in the realms of portraiture and fashion, where I excel at capturing captivating moments and breathing life into my artistic visions through the creation of unique sets.
NoellePortfolio Manager, Equity & Impact
Noelle joins the Equity & Impact team’s efforts to grow and align partnerships with an equity focus, intentionally incorporating an equity-forward lens in all aspects of collaboration. Before DonorsChoose, Noelle served nonprofits focusing on leadership and community development, partnership-building, and DEI programs. Noelle also has extensive experience in sales management and operations, having studied Business Management at D’Youville University.
Noelle is committed to the meaningful work of connecting educators and students to opportunities. She understands the difference that it makes, coming from a family of public school teachers. Noelle lives in Buffalo, NY (Go Bills!), and she is happiest when exploring new places, cultures and restaurants with friends, or spending time with her nieces.
ReynaSenior Director, Partnership Operations
As our Salesforce administrator, Reyna works with team members to build our fundraising pipeline, forecast against our annual goals, and create streamlined internal processes for managing corporate and foundation partnerships.
Reyna received a B.A. in Communications and Advertising from Loyola University Maryland and an M.F.A. in Fiction from New York University’s Creative Writing Program.
RianneSenior Partnerships Manager
Rianne develops and executes corporate and foundation partnerships with the ultimate goal of putting invaluable resources into the hands of teachers and students across the country. Before joining the Partnerships Team at DonorsChoose in 2016, she taught at an alternative urban high school in San Diego, California, where many of her students were refugees, recent immigrants or former gang members. She saw first hand the impact that education and access to the tools necessary to learn could have on students’ lives and futures. In addition to teaching, Rianne also owned a floral design and event styling business where she designed the aesthetic details for countless weddings. Rianne is thrilled to be at DonorsChoose where every day she has the joy of contributing to the mission of changing the world, one classroom at a time.
RyanSenior Manager, Advocacy and Public Partnerships
Ryan works with school districts, state leaders, and education associations, helping them leverage our platform to serve their educational priorities and bring the most support to their teachers and students.
Prior to DonorsChoose, Ryan was the Senior Partnership Strategist and Communications Manager at Kindred Communities where he supported school communities by providing subject matter expertise on issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and organizational dynamics while delivering workshops for staff, leaders, and parents. Before that he worked to promote educational equity and DEI efforts in the philanthropic sector as the Associate, Communications and Partnerships at Education Forward DC and the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Regional Business Council.
Ryan began his career as a high school English teacher in St. Louis, Missouri, after which he served as the founding Blended Learning Instructor at KIPP Inspire Academy. He graduated from DePauw University with a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology and a minor in English Literature and received his Master’s in Secondary Education from the University of Missouri.
RynBrand & Partnerships Editor
Ryn supports the Marketing & Partnerships team by ensuring quality writing with a unified voice. They previously supported the West coast team as the San Francisco Office Manager. Prior to joining DonorsChoose, they worked with education companies and non-profits around New York. They hold a BFA in Acting from NYU, where they focused on the arts as a tool for social change. Outside the office, Ryn can usually be found knitting socks or reading outdoors.
StacyManager, Donor Relationships
Hello, it’s lovely to meet you! I am Stacy and I’m honored to lead the Donor Relationships team at DonorsChoose. My goal is to build relationships with our most engaged supporters and help these individual donors invest in education and see their deep impact in the most meaningful ways.
Coming from a long lineage of educators, I’m inspired daily to bring my best to our work and am energized by connecting generous people to the worthy cause of education and showing them the incredible stories happening every day in the classroom thanks to teachers and students.
Outside of work, you can find me daydreaming about our next great adventure in the Pacific Northwest whether out camping, exploring on a hike, drinking great coffee, or soaking up all there is to see and do with my family of five.
SylvanaFellow
Sylvana (she/her) is a FY24 Fellow supporting the Strategic Growth Initiatives team. Raised in Washington Heights, NYC, Sylvana has always had a keen interest in identifying issues affecting her community, and being a part of the solution. As a Fellow, she is excited to amplify projects that create and offer students an equitable learning experience. Sylvana is a recent Stony Brook SUNY graduate with a B.A. in Political Science.
Outside of work, she enjoys discovering new food spots in NYC and being surrounded by nature!
TimManaging Director, Business Development
Tim works with corporations to forge new partnerships with DonorsChoose and bring their giving to life in classrooms across the country. As a dad to two young kids, he's a firm believer that every child should have access to a solid education, no matter what zip code they live in.
Outside of DonorsChoose you're likely to find Tim cheering on the Oakland A's (where he spent the first seven years of his career), on the golf course, or playing pub trivia a little too competitively.
TitoProgram Director, Equity & Impact
Roberto (Tito) (he/him/él) serves as “collaborator-in-chief” for DonorsChoose efforts to center a racial equity lens in supporting students and teachers across the country. Tito is a key contributor in elevating DonorsChoose data and stories to create pathways for change and actionable opportunities that move us towards justice. He collaborates within the impact team to curate training, learning, connection, and development specific to key issues focused on racial equity in education.
Prior to joining DonorsChoose, Tito partnered with equity-centered leaders, organizations, and networks as an educator, facilitator, strategist, researcher, and coach. He previously held director roles at The Center for Racial Justice in Education and The International Youth Leadership Institute. He is also a previous Restorative Justice Coordinator for Make the Road New York. Most recently, Tito served as an Equity Transformation Specialist with Courageous Conversation. Tito holds degrees from Wesleyan University, The University of Chicago, and Brandeis University. Tito is a proud native New Yorker and a die-hard New York Knicks fan. He is most happy by the ocean and you can often catch him on the beach with his dog Kiko.
TonishaVice President, Partnerships
Tonisha leads the Partnerships management team and is responsible for developing strategies to grow and retain donations from corporate and philanthropic partners. She has a background in sales, marketing, strategy and leadership and received her M.B.A. from Rutgers University.
Prior to DonorsChoose, Tonisha led business transformation at a hospital. She also built a healthcare vertical for media brands HOT 97 and WBLS and was an Americorps team leader assigned to the American Red Cross and Jumpstart.
Tonisha cares deeply about racial equity and has first-hand experience with public school teachers going above and beyond to support her in the classroom. She loves cracking corny jokes and is energized by the thought of supporting teachers as they develop the next generation of leaders.
ToriSenior Associate, Business Development
Tori helps corporations and foundations support local public schools, so kids in every community will have the tools and experiences they need for a great education. She first discovered her passion for helping kids learn as a tutor with the Children’s Aid Society. Prior to DonorsChoose, Tori helped a small nonprofit provide job training and tutoring to families living in New York City homeless shelters. Tori graduated from Union College with a B.A. in Economics. After work, you can usually find Tori on her back porch picking bluegrass tunes.
Operations
AlisonDirector, Program Management
Alison leads the Program Management team to improve DonorsChoose's operational efficiency and effectiveness.
Alison is motivated by helping great organizations get better. She has worked for social business start-ups, global research and policy initiatives, and served as an AIF Clinton Fellow in rural India. She is a graduate of George Washington University and the London School of Economics.
AmberCustomer Support Manager
Amber is part of the Operations team as a Customer Support Manager. She leads a team of senior specialists by driving success through the customer experience. She comes from a customer support background, taking on multiple roles, and working for leading companies in tech and online streaming. She helped launch as well as manage a team in multiple lines of business, domestically and internationally. Amber’s passions are people development, building relationships, and customer experience. When she’s not working, she enjoys travel, good food, and everything outdoors.
BrittOperations Specialist
Britt joined the Operations team at DonorsChoose in 2019 and loves having the opportunity to connect with teachers and help bring their classroom dreams to life.
Outside of work, you can find her listening to good music, spending time with her friends and family, or at a coffee shop trying a new drink.
CooperSenior Customer Support Specialist
I joined DonorsChoose in early 2016 for what I thought would be a temporary part-time job and ended up really enjoying the work and the folks I work with. When I'm not at work I'm most likely spending all of my time with my daughter and wife. There's a chance you'll find me at the gym, playing music, cooking, or reading if time permits.
CoreyContent & Volunteer Operations Specialist
DeeTrust & Safety Specialist
Dee works on our Trust and Safety team to ensure the integrity of our school funding operation. Her favorite things about DonorsChoose is our initiative to combat racial and social inequity in our public school systems.
Outside of work, she can be found being a “beach bum” in sunny San Diego.
DianaCustomer Support Manager
Diana is part of the Operations team as a Customer Support Manager, leading a team of Specialists that work to support teachers and donors daily to exemplify the DonorsChoose mission!
Diana has experience serving customers in the sky as a flight attendant, to most recently, treating patients in the frontlines. A native from upstate New York, she has developed great technical skill shoveling snow from a young age. You may also find her indulging in a new drama, or running in the park to reward herself with a hefty meal.
DrewTrust & Safety Assistant
Drew works on the Trust & Safety team, helping to support and maintain the integrity of user systems. He grew up in northern California and was educated at the University of California, Davis and the American Conservatory Theater. Drew is also an actor and an arts educator.
InaOperations Coordinator
After many years of diverse experience as a visual artist, arts educator and graphic designer, I am honored and excited to join DonorChoose! Born and raised in New York City, I spent 20 odd years as an artist with a career in advertising and design before discovering my passion for working with children, and becoming a teacher in the Bronx. Being at DonorsChoose feels like an amazing opportunity to continue supporting classrooms during these unprecedented times. I am inspired by the joy my students and colleagues felt upon finding out a DonorsChoose project was fully funded and the packages were in the lobby!
Outside of work I can be found drawing, reading, watching old movies, baking and laughing with friends.
JenniferDirector, Content & Volunteer Operations
Jennifer oversees engagement and operations strategy for our DonorsChoose volunteer communities who annually review thousands of project submissions and student thank-you notes that forge meaningful connections between donors and classrooms across the country.
Prior to joining the team, Jen led community engagement efforts for Reading Partners, where she managed strategic partnerships and volunteer recruitment to support San Francisco Bay Area students. She graduated from the University of Washington, with dual degrees in Psychology and Photography. When not at work, you will likely find her at a used bookstore, getting lost on the subway, and/or on the hunt for NYC's best bagel.
JeremyProgram Management Associate
Before joining the Program Management team, I worked for three years on the Customer Support team. I'm an Operations person through and through and spend time crafting spreadsheets, troubleshooting bugs, and supporting colleagues. I like to bike when it's warm and make as much noodle soup as possible when it's cold. I have a standing desk that I rarely use and have been known to organize the odd social event.
JuliaChief Operating & People Officer
Julia ensures that both our one million active customers and our mission-driven 160-person staff enjoy a best-in-class DonorsChoose experience.
As COO she leads strategy to deliver a secure and scalable customer experience that supports DonorsChoose's unique philanthropic marketplace – including Customer Support, and Trust & Safety for the site’s one million active users. Here’s a
peek behind the scenes at one of the biggest days in our 20-year history.
As head of the People Team, she leads a team that cultivates a diverse, inclusive, and mission-driven organization that the NonProfit Times ranked as a 2020 Top 10 Best Nonprofits to Work For and that ranks among Fast Company’s list of the
world’s most innovative organizations. Direct reporting areas include Talent, Learning & Development, Compensation, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Human Resources, and Facilities/Administration.
Before joining the organization, Julia managed digital programs for the 2012 Obama campaign and oversaw digital engagement at the Robin Hood Foundation. She is a graduate of Williams College and earned a M.A. from the New School for Public Engagement. She lives in Fort Greene and can be found cheering on the U.S. Soccer National Team in her free time.
KadyeCustomer Support Specialist
Hi y'all! My name is Kadye and I am thrilled to be joining the team! Prior to this journey, I was a kindergarten teacher for 5 years. That being said, I am extremely excited to help other teachers get awesome projects going for their students. I still remember that feeling of PURE AMAZEMENT when I got word that my DonorsChoose project was funded. Being able to be a part of giving that feeling to other teachers and groups of students is simply.... incredible.
When I am not at work, I love to chase my three boys around their sports, bake yummy sweets, and learn all of the cleaning and organizational hacks.
KassandraSenior Customer Support Specialist
Kassandra joined DonorsChoose in 2016 after graduating with a BA from the University at Albany, where she majored in Economics and minored in Business Administration. She loves helping others, and being on the Customer Support team helps her provide direct support to teachers and donors daily!
When she's not supporting our wonderful teachers and donors, she loves exploring NYC, hanging with friends, watching reruns of 90's sitcoms, trying to get a workout in, but more importantly searching for a great slice of pizza!
KelseyManager, Trust & Safety
Kelsey and the Trust & Safety teamwork to build and maintain trust with our community and take daily action to ensure the integrity of the DonorsChoose mission. Prior to DonorsChoose, Kelsey worked in e-commerce and fintech risk management where she worked on high-impact escalations and fraud.
Outside of the workplace, she enjoys searching for the perfect plate of vegan nachos, participating in the theatre arts, and volunteering in her community. She is a midwestern native (ope!) and holds a BFA from Illinois Wesleyan University.
KrystleSenior Customer Support Specialist
Hola! Fellow New Yorker here! Before Donors Choose, I was a public school teacher to my adorable 3rd-grade class. Working in this setting really drove my passion in helping teachers get the materials they need simply because I've been in their shoes before!
When I'm not working, you can find me looking for artsy pop-up shops to take selfies, scrambling to find a good brunch spot or at home re-watching the Harry Potter movies a gazillion of times.
LaurenSenior Customer Support Specialist
Lauren is a Customer Service Pro, dedicated to improving both the teacher and donor experience on our site. As a graduate of Howard University with a degree in Economics and a Masters degree in Arts Administration from Savannah College of Art & Design, Lauren has a background in non-profit operations & experience working with museums, theatres, & a symphony!
In her spare time, you’ll catch Lauren visiting her local Sephora or reading up on skin-care tips. She also spends time doing freelance web design and development. When she's not glued to her computer screen, she's spending time with her family and friends trying new food, pushing each other in group workouts, or ordering craft cocktails on rooftops.
MadelynCustomer Support Specialist
MalihaCustomer Support Specialist
Maliha sees her role as giving teachers and students the tools they need to succeed and be happy in the classroom. How does she do that, you might ask: by providing our teachers and donors with as much support as they need to use our site. Since joining the Customer Support team in 2018, Maliha has done it all, from helping a teacher-turned-bride with her wedding registry to tracking down materials so that a Science Olympiad team would have the kits they needed for their competition, and every other situation in between.
When not answering tickets, she enjoys film photography, painting, looking for the best brand of instant noodles, and listening to all sorts of music (side note: check out the K-pop group, BTS!).
MaryContent & Volunteer Operations Specialist
Mary supports the Operations team by screening projects for special campaigns and handling trickier project requests!
She is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and Birkbeck University. While not helping teachers bring their projects to life, she can be found writing plays, performing, or going for a swim!
MayaSenior Vice President, Operations
Maya heads the Operations team, which efficiently brings classroom ideas to life through a successful and trusted end-to-end experience for teachers and donors. The team includes Customer Experience, Customer Support, Trust & Safety, and Volunteer Operations.
Before joining DonorsChoose, Maya co-founded 100Kin10, a STEM teacher-focused non-profit applauded by Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. She has extensive K-12 education reform experience at institutions including Carnegie Corporation of New York/Institute for Advanced Study and NYC Department of Education, and she served in the Peace Corps in Honduras as a water/sanitation engineer. She lives with her family on a wonderfully Sesame-Street-esque block in Brooklyn.
MiaSenior Manager, Customer Analytics and Experience
Mia and her teammates ensure that teachers and donors can seamlessly engage with partner initiatives and campaigns on DonorsChoose, like match offers and classroom rewards. She's a proud graduate of NY public schools and holds a B.A. from Vassar College in Religion and French. Outside her amazing job helping teachers bring even more joy to classrooms, Mia loves hiking, finding four leaf clovers, and spoiling her feline friends.
MichelleSenior Customer Support Specialist
Things to know about me, I am absolutely obsessed with providing world-class customer service! I have mastered my craft by assisting all types of customers in a variety of settings over the last twenty years.
I am personally drawn to the mission of DonorsChoose because I have three children who attend public school in a fiscally stressed school system and am excited to be apart of something that helps innovative teachers with great ideas get funding to engage their students in interesting new ways!
In my free time, you will most likely find me outdoors walking my dogs, perusing garage sales and flea markets, or cheering on one of my kids at their sporting events.
MichelleRemote Volunteer Operations Manager
Michelle leads the Remote Volunteer Operations team at DonorsChoose, overseeing the teacher volunteer community that screens all of the projects submitted to DonorsChoose and digital gratitude sent from classrooms to donors.
Prior to joining DonorsChoose, Michelle was a Career Program Manager at The Posse Foundation, a college access nonprofit. She is a former Fulbright Scholar and Teach for America New York City Corps member. Michelle is a proud Rutgers University alum, with dual degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Women’s & Gender Studies. When not at work, she is finding ways to keep her toddler entertained, baking sourdough bread, and attending Yelp Elite events with her husband.
PaulCustomer Support Specialist
Paul has been providing customer service in one form or another his entire working life, but it really made itself known as a passion when he did so at Zappos, eventually becoming a trainer before spending several years as an organizational development and employee experience consultant. He's extremely excited to have joined DonorsChoose, where he feels he can truly make a difference for so many.
When he's not working, he's spending time with his partner, playing video games, or adventuring in his second life known as Dungeons & Dragons.
SelenaProgram Management Associate
After joining the Customer Support team in the summer of 2018 and proudly repping the first remote cohort since, you can now find me working from Los Angeles, where I struggled to maintain an appropriate cat-work balance.
Prior to DonorsChoose, I worked as a homeschool teacher and assistant in film and TV. When I'm not working, I have a love-hate relationship with long-distance running and a love-love relationship with cocktails and reading.
BUT enough about me-- as previously alluded, I have two sibling cats, Boot and Ting, who may have once emailed a coworker the thoughtful and provocative message, "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeejkl."
ShannonDirector of Trust & Safety
Shannon leads the Trust & Safety team focused on building a foundation of trust for our community and ensuring end-to-end integrity of projects on our site. A customer-focused operations leader and marketplace industry veteran, Shannon sits on the advisory board of Marketplace Risk, where she has been involved since the organization’s early days. She has two decades of experience from Fortune 500 companies to venture-backed startups.
Shannon earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Central Missouri State University. She lives in Austin, TX, and spends her free time traveling, enjoying nature, listening to live music and soaking up all that life has to offer.
TakishaAssociate, Trust & Safety
Takisha focuses on the Trust & Safety team’s incident response efforts and is the first person to act when there's a report of site misuse. Having raised a child in the NYC public school system, Takisha witnessed firsthand how difficult it can be for teachers to provide their students with the materials and experiences they need to be successful in the future. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading horror and mystery novels, watching true crime shows and listening to 80’s and 90’s music.
TienDirector, Customer Support
Tien leads the Customer Support team to optimize support channels to best serve our teachers and donors. She strives to bring the voice of the customer to everything that we do.
Prior to joining DonorsChoose, Tien worked at start-ups to help develop and streamline customer support and experience. Outside of the office, you can find her traveling to new places in search of the best bite or drink. Closer to home, she can be spotted shopping for unique cocktail glasses or making the rounds at local coffee shops.
YvonneCustomer Support Specialist
Yvonne joined the DonorsChoose Customer Support Specialist team in July 2019 and enjoys seeing the impact of DonorsChoose on teachers, their students, and their classrooms every day!
When she isn't helping teachers and donors, Yvonne loves camping, road tripping, watching movies and binge-watching TV shows, canoeing, kayaking, reading, and sleeping. She owns two cats and a dog, who regularly make appearances in video meetings. She graduated with a BFA in Film from CU Boulder in 2011 and is a Colorado native! Yvonne joined the DonorsChoose organization as a remote employee and her newest dream is to travel in a van with her pets and work from all over the continental US.
People Operations
AuroraRecruiter
As the Recruiter on the People Operations team, Aurora helps bring talented candidates to open roles at DonorsChoose, and works to create a positive hiring experience for candidates, hiring managers, and interviewers alike.
Aurora is a graduate of New York University, where she completed both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in History. Prior to joining DonorsChoose, she worked in museum education and executive search consulting. In her spare time, she loves to bake, watch old movies, and crochet teeny-tiny sweaters for her friends' kids.
AustinSenior Talent Manager
Austin is a graduate of New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study where he concentrated in media, public policy, and social impact. He is excited to work at an organization dedicated to improving the educational system in the country.
As a People & Talent Manager, he works alongside the Talent, Diversity, & Inclusion team to create and execute hiring processes aimed at building a staff that is reflective of the teachers and students that DonorsChoose serves. In his spare time, Austin can be found watching theatre, discussing pop culture, and admiring the dogs of New York City.
BrianSenior Manager, Facilities & Workplace Experience
Brian’s focus is assisting and overseeing the NY office operations to ensure that all DonorsChoose staff members can perform in the best environment possible. To ensure that his colleagues can continue to forge their relationships and execute their work for our teachers, students, partners, and donors in a high quality and safe environment is his everyday goal.
Prior to joining the team, Brian led the Facilities and Purchasing team at an International Baccalaureate campus, and a Montessori school campus in Downtown Manhattan. Outside of work, you’ll likely find him hiking up a mountain, kayaking, or cooking way too much because his visualization of portions needs some improving!
BrianaPeople & Talent Associate
Briana was a member of the FY21 Fellowship cohort. As a participant in the rotational fellowship program, she spent 6 months on the People Operations and Partnership Activation teams respectively. Over the course of her year here, she helped to upgrade the employee handbook, created a system to more easily manage passive candidates, streamlined internal help desk communications for the Partnership Activation team, supported ERG initiatives, and worked to activate a variety standard partnership deliverables.
Previously, Briana also completed an AmeriCorps VISTA service year with New York Cares, a volunteer mobilization organization. There she worked as part of their School Success Initiative to bring educational and recreational programming to public school students at the elementary and middle school level. Most recently, Briana has worked as a Talent Coordinator at Jane.HR, a company that provides hiring support across a variety of industries including start-ups, nonprofits, governments organizations, and commercial pharmaceutical companies.
She is also a proud alumni of and volunteer for Bottom Line, a nonprofit organization that supports first generation college students from the classroom into the early years of their career.
CristinaSenior Manager, People Operations
Cristina focuses on behind-the-scenes people operations that support DonorsChoose and its employees, including benefits strategy and administration, payroll processing, compliance, and people-systems.
She graduated from Rhodes College with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Prior to joining DonorsChoose, she worked on the people teams at Teach For America, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Levain Bakery.
Outside of the office, Cristina can be found working through her large stack of library books, catching a Broadway musical, or chatting about pop culture
DanielleSenior Manager, Employee Experience and Hybrid Workplace
Danielle champions community building and creating a best-in-class employee experience for our DonorsChoose staff. She also develops our hybrid workplace and serves as a People team leader to guide our team into a new way of working.
Danielle enjoys Jeopardy, Formula 1 (#McLaren #TeamLH), and listening to the same playlists over and over again. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2015 with a Bachelor’s degree in Health and Societies and a Master’s degree in Non-Profit Leadership.
DianaPeople & Recruiting Coordinator
Diana is part of DonorsChoose's FY22 Fellows cohort! Starting in July 2021, her first rotation included executing the funding components and reporting needs on the Partnership Activation team. Currently in her second placement, Diana is diving into special projects and will support the key metrics and daily fulfillment operations of the Finance & Fulfillment team. Diana is always enthusiastic to learn new things to build her knowledge and skillset!
Diana holds a B.A. in Psychology and minor in Statistics from Hunter College. Aside from Statistics, her two other favorite courses where learning about Industrial & Organization Psychology and Gender & Sexuality.
When she is not remotely working, Diana can be found exploring different cuisines in NYC or in different grocery stories looking for different instant ramens! Diana loves taking her dog Appa on walks!
EmilyFellow
Emily is a part of DonorsChoose’ FY24 Fellow cohort! She has previously interned across a variety of industries and is excited about the opportunity to start her career at a tech-based nonprofit.
In her free time Emily enjoys playing PC games, trying new restaurants, and watching movies!
JuliaChief Operating & People Officer
Julia ensures that both our one million active customers and our mission-driven 160-person staff enjoy a best-in-class DonorsChoose experience.
As COO she leads strategy to deliver a secure and scalable customer experience that supports DonorsChoose's unique philanthropic marketplace – including Customer Support, and Trust & Safety for the site’s one million active users. Here’s a
peek behind the scenes at one of the biggest days in our 20-year history.
As the head of the People team, she leads a team that cultivates a diverse, inclusive, and mission-driven organization that the NonProfit Times ranked as a 2020 Top 10 Best Nonprofits to Work For and that ranks among Fast Company’s list of the
world’s most innovative organizations. Direct reporting areas include Talent, Learning & Development, Compensation, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Human Resources, and Facilities/Administration.
Before joining the organization, Julia managed digital programs for the 2012 Obama campaign and oversaw digital engagement at the Robin Hood Foundation. She is a graduate of Williams College and earned a M.A. from the New School for Public Engagement. She lives in Fort Greene and can be found cheering on the U.S. Soccer National Team in her free time.
MahoganyManager, Equity and Experience
Mahogany works with the Equity and Experience team to scale org-wide initiatives that support our internal equity strategy and mission — including partnering closely with our ERGs, supporting our trainings and learning opportunities, and managing our Fellowship program.
Mahogany lives in Washington, DC, where she worked within and alongside students and community members for 7+ years. Before joining DonorsChoose, Mahogany worked for a start-up DEI firm where she designed and facilitated DEI and Inclusive Management trainings for schools and nonprofits across the country. She has also worked for school district serving 50k students in the community engagement division, planning and executing district-level engagements. Mahogany holds a B.A. in Spanish Linguistics from the UC Riverside, an M.A. in Bilingual Education from American University and a certification in Non-Profit Management from Georgetown University.
When not at work, you can find her running or biking on a paved trail followed by consuming a meat lovers pizza and an iced coffee, showing folks how to “round kick” as a 9Round instructor or snowboarding down some slopes in Tahoe or Vermont.
SamSenior Associate, People
After working with teams across DonorsChoose during her time as an intern and fellow, Sam rejoined the People Operations team where she now supports benefits administration and leads projects around staff development.
Sam is a proud graduate of the NYC public school system where she discovered her love of reading and numbers before going on to study Psychology, Biology, and Classical Studies at Macaulay Honors-Hunter College. She enjoys spending her time reading anything set in a magical land, learning a new skill, and eating foods that come in pockets.
ScarlettOffice Assistant
Scarlett is the office assistant who supports the People Ops team and the day-to-day operations of the NYC HQ office. With over 5 years of being an administrative assistant, she is excited to bring her skills to the team.
On her free time, she enjoys watching sitcoms and discovering new coffee shops.
SteveSenior Director, Equity & Experience
Steve leads the Equity & Experience team, where he is responsible for the organization's efforts in building, maintaining, and delivering an equitable and inclusive employee experience. This includes developing and executing a strategy for ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion learning, education, and org-wide initiatives. He also oversees org-wide programming that brings the staff community and mission to life, amplifying employee engagement, satisfaction, and overall retention efforts.
Outside of work, he can be found catching a Broadway show, drinking boba, finding the best places to eat, and spending quality time with good company.
TekiaVice President, People and Talent
Tekia leads the People and Talent team, where she is responsible for the development and implementation of the organization’s people strategy.
Tekia brings to DonorsChoose a breadth of experience that includes work leading human resources and talent management programs in nonprofits, government, and school districts. She is a SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) and has a master’s degree in Human Resources Management.
Product, Engineering & Data
AlexisAssociate Product Manager
Alexis is a Product Manager at DonorsChoose, working with teams across the organization to build new features and improve existing ones. She loves the process of turning ideas into products that people love. As a former 1st and 2nd grade teacher, Alexis is passionate about serving the education world.
In her free time, Alexis enjoys trying new workout classes, baking, or sending snail-mail to her friends and family.
AndrewSenior Engineer
Andrew is a full stack engineer who has previously worked at an advertising firm, a finance company, a start up, an ecommerce shop, and for exactly one day on an ice cream truck.
Andrew graduated from Stony Brook University with a Master in Computer Science and an dual BS in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics. During his time in university, Andrew worked as a teaching and research assistant and was acknowledged in a popular algorithm textbook.
AuroraUser Experience Research Operations Specialist
Aurora works with teams across the org to ensure that teachers and donors have a positive experience while using DonorsChoose. She organizes research that drives our decisions about the website. Her favorite office supply is the incomparable 0.7 gel pen.
Before DonorsChoose, Aurora worked in User Experience Research Operations at Facebook. She studied European History (B.A.) and Cognitive Science with a focus in Human-Computer Interaction (B.S.) from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
DanVice President, Product & Design
Dan leads the mighty product team, whose job is to help DonorsChoose deliver on its mission by creating a frictionless, enjoyable experience for everyone involved. That means empowering teachers to tell their stories in a compelling way and making it easy and gratifying for donors to find projects to support.
Dan comes to DonorsChoose from the startup world, where he spent the last several years at Etsy and Seamless (née SeamlessWeb). When not designing or spending time with his family, Dan can usually be found lifting heavyweights in his garage.
DavidSenior Staff Engineer
David has 19 years experience building distributed systems and internet services. He has deep expertise in object-oriented languages, relational databases and middleware technologies, as well as a healthy respect for software engineering discipline. David has built software systems for financial service companies including NASD, Thomson Financial, Salomon Brothers, and Knight-Ridder Financial. Most recently, David served as Director of Front-End System Development at CheckFree. He was also responsible for capacity planning for the CheckFree Investment Services platform, which processes portfolios with assets under management totaling more than $1.8 trillion.
Prior to his career in financial information systems, David earned his M.S. degree from NYU's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences and worked at Los Alamos National Laboratories.
JacksonSenior Engineer
Jackson is a newly-minted software engineer. Before joining DonorsChoose, he learned to build Rails apps at App Academy. He graduated from Princeton University in 2013 with a B.A. in East Asian Studies.
JimSenior Staff Engineer
Hailing from southeast Michigan, Jim gained substantive experience in all aspects of web development while
leading a team at Dynamic Edge, Inc. Armed with a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science from the University
of Michigan - Ann Arbor, he seeks to bridge the common problems and solutions of academia and industry.
Jim is also a strong advocate for developers in general, and the open source community in particular, and
strives to make software development more efficient, enjoyable, and cost-effective for everyone involved.
JohnLooker Analyst
John helps ensure his colleagues have the data they need to make business decisions and to deliver for our teachers and donors. Before becoming a Looker Analyst, John hopped around from Operations, Partnerships, and even a short stint as the Data Science & Analytics Assistant to the Data team.
His interests include testing his limits with spicy food, being mildly traumatized by an occasional horror movie, and being prepared to make a SpongeBob reference whenever possible.
JoshLead User Experience Researcher
Josh works with our Product and Engineering team to make our website intuitive and easy to use. On a typical day at the office, you'll find him interviewing teachers and donors or conducting a survey. His favorite office supply is the humble sticky note.
Josh holds a B.A. in Psychology from The New School and an M.S. in Human Factors from Bentley University.
KimberlyAnalytics Engineer
Kimberly works as an analytics engineer on the Data team at DonorsChoose. Before joining the org, she graduated from Cornell with a degree in Operations Research and a minor in Computer Science. She went on to work as a software engineer in the financial industry before making the switch to data-focused work at DonorsChoose. When not working, she spends her time playing ultimate frisbee, baking cookies or traveling around the world.
LisaSenior Engineer
Lisa is a software engineer who is proud to be doing work that is making a difference for students and teachers across the nation. She graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Computer Science. When she's not at her computer, she enjoys trying new fitness classes, traveling, and playing the piano.
MelSenior Product Designer
Mel has a diverse background working for startups, agencies, and media companies. And with those experiences, he's excited to apply those learnings to help make a difference in the educational gaps of the public school system.
Mel graduated from CUNY Queens College with a degree in Graphic Design. In his spare time, he loves watching horror and sci-fi films, talking to his cats (yes, talking), and spending time with his friends and family.
MichaelDirector, Data Science and Analytics
Michael leads the Data Science and Analytics team at DonorsChoose. He loves using data science and business intelligence to help make a better world.
Michael started his career as a software engineer, but he's always been drawn to working with data since the first day he learned SQL. That passion spilled over to him pivoting to data-focused work in the last 8 years. Prior to joining DonorsChoose he lead the Data Team at Buffer Inc.
Michael was born in South Africa and lived most of his life there. In 2015, his family moved to the US and they've been happily living in Santa Cruz, CA since then.
In his free time, he tries to surf as often as he can. He also enjoys open water swimming and spending time on the beach or in the forest. He tries to read a lot, enjoys cooking and good coffee.
MichaelVice President, Engineering
Tommy joined Donorschoose in 2009, after stints as a QA manager and test automation engineer. Before his adventures in software engineering began, Tommy could be found working knee deep in databases as an archivist at Pixar.
His favorite things to work on are: infrastructure & platform architecture, scaling capacity and performance of the site, and designing common sense, low ceremony processes that allow the team to maintain operational integrity while achieving maximum forward velocity.
Tommy has also been a truck driver, a piano mover, a vegan cook, a hospice volunteer and a kitten-foster-dad. He lives with his almost-teen-aged daughter in Brooklyn.
MohammadData Scientist
Mohammad loves telling impactful stories with data, and is happy to be able to use his data science & machine learning experience to support DonorsChoose on its mission. After graduating with a B.S. in chemical engineering from Cornell and doing management consulting primarily in the media & entertainment industry, he decided to pursue graduate studies in data science at Columbia University. An internship at Knewton during his M.S. program sparked Mohammad’s curiosity for how data science interfaces with the education space, and that curiosity and passion naturally led him to DonorsChoose.
In his free time, Mohammad loves to play ultimate frisbee & soccer, go swimming at his local YMCA, try out new board games, and travel. He’s always up for a challenge in his favorite video game, Super Smash Brothers Melee for the Nintendo Gamecube.
NancyVice President, Engineering
Before joining, Nancy designed and built applications and websites at Rutgers University and Telcordia Technologies (formerly Bell Communications Research).
She was also a principal contributor to the open source project OpenRegistry. Nancy has a BS in Computer
Science and Applied Math at SUNY Albany and an MS in Computer Science from Brown University.
OliverChief Technology Officer and Head of Product
Oliver is responsible for the technology and user experience that power DonorsChoose's unique philanthropic marketplace.
Prior to joining the team in 2006, Oliver managed product engineering projects for Microsoft's new search engine, now called Bing. He also helped start Microsoft Live Labs, an applied research laboratory for Internet technologies, and is the co-inventor of 22 issued U.S. patents related to Internet search technologies. Oliver joined Microsoft when the Windows division acquired EQuill, a venture-backed startup that he co-founded and led for three years as CEO.
In 2011, the Microsoft Alumni Foundation honored Oliver with the
Integral Fellows Award. He is the Chair of
CTOs For Good and on the Advisory Council on Computing & Information Technology for Brown University. Oliver has a Computer Science degree from Brown and spent the first 13 years of his academic career attending New York City public schools.
PJProduct Designer
PaulSenior Engineer
Paul is a 2015 graduate of Rutgers University, where he earned a B.S. in Computer Science. His favorite classes included algorithms and artificial intelligence. Beyond his coursework, Paul attended numerous student hackathons and contributed to a variety of hackathon projects. A long-time fan of games and game-design, Paul assisted in founding the Rutgers Creation of Game Society, a student organization focused on game development.
SebastianStaff Engineer
Prior to joining DonorsChoose, Sebastian, as an independent software developer, helped build web applications for several industry-leading companies. He also gained valuable experience assisting in high-profile academic research projects, as well as completing a variety of projects to improve the technical capabilities of non-profit organizations. He graduated from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at NYU with concentrations in cognitive science and music, and studied piano and composition at a music conservatory.
StephenProduct Manager
Stephen is a Product Manager at DonorsChoose, working with colleagues from across the organization to make sure teachers, donors, and partners all have a great experience using the site. Before joining the Product team he led our Digital Marketing team, and before that followed he managed our organic social channels and blog. In his pre-DonorsChoose life he worked for a few other nonprofits, building better cities with the Project for Public Spaces and advancing STEM education with the Ocean Exploration Trust.
The proud son and grandson of public school teachers, he graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Television/Radio Production. When he’s not in the office, you can find him running or lifting (depending on the season), reading in the sun, and baking mostly successful loaves of bread.
TahaSenior Staff Engineer
A Senior Staff engineer at Donorschoose who focuses on reducing the operational overhead by automating Infrastructure and Platform builds. Prior to joining Donorschoose, he has worked as backend Java developer and a DevOps engineer in different industries. He graduated from Auburn University with an M.S. in Computer Science. In his free time, he loves to play tennis, try new restaurants or travel the world.
ValerieSenior Engineer
Valerie is a full-stack engineer, proud to be working toward a better world where education is more equitable. They previously worked at TripAdvisor, and have a B.S. in Computer Science from Rice University. Outside of work, you’ll find Valerie playing board games with friends or lost in a book.
