Our Team

Meet the Experts Behind Our Mission

Meet the people who make it all happen. We see big potential in every moment, and care deeply about what we do every day. Our unique development ensures that we have the very best staff all over the world, and at every level of operation. Our leadership team reflects a group of diverse individuals with breadth and depth of experience across the company.

Dr. Valerie Karr

Founding Partner & President

Anne Hayes

Founding Partner & Executive Director

Hayley Niad

Program Director and Technical Advisor

Emily Kochetkova

Senior Program Manager

Nicholas Hoekstra

Program Manager

Dr. Brent Elder

Technical Expert

Lamayae Khomsi, woman with shoulder-length black hair and a black shirt

Lamyae Khomsi

Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Coordinator, Bridge to Middle School, Morocco

Katherine Aronson-Ensign

Research Assistant

Ashley Stone

Program Manager

Headshot for Augustine Kanyendula. A man with a very short Afro wearing glasses, suit jacket, and white shirt.

Augustine Kanyendula

Senior All Children Learning Specialist

Angela Affran

Technical Expert

Dr. Ann Turnbull

Technical Expert & Board Member

Picture of Allison Shefcyk

Allison Shefcyk

Research Assistant

A woman with short hair and glasses smiles at the camera.

Andrea Shettle

Program Coordinator

Judy Heumann

in Memoriam

Zarina Kurbanbekova

Technical Expert

Shahrzad Sajadi

Research Assistant

Cat Jones. Woman with shoulder-length hair and glasses.

Cat Jones

Program Coordinator

Padam Bahadur Pariyar

Nepal Country Coordinator

Dr. Callie Brusegaard

Technical Expert

Sophak Kanika Nguon

Cambodia Country Coordinator