Meet our team
Propel America’s staff and board members, while spread out across the country, are unified in our commitment to educational equity. We are building a jobs-first higher education model for young people, together. We all live the Propel values of courage, innovation, impact, joy, team, and equity. And we’d love to connect!
MEET OUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM
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Chad Rountree
Chief Executive Officer
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Patty Diaz-Andrade
Chief Program Officer
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Claire Dennison
Chief External Affairs Officer
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Debra Kurshan
Chief Operating Officer
MEET OUR STAFF
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ALEXA BONILLA
Senior Director of PreFellowship Programs
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SYDNEY CANFIELD
Portfolio Manager
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JOHN CHILDERS
VP of Technology
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ERICA COLLINS
Director of Curriculum and Design
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NATHANIEL COOKE
Recruitment Manager, Newark
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JESSE DIAZ
Partnerships and Recruitment Manager, Los Angeles
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JAY GILES
Program Coordinator
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JULIA HORN
Senior Director of Sourcing and Growth Strategy
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DENALI LANDER
Senior Director of Development
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JAMIE MCCLUNG
Director of Growth Strategy and Recruitment, Louisiana
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HEIDI MENDEZ
Hire Ready Coach
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NANCY MORENO
Admissions Specialist
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KELLY BOUCHER MORRIS
VP of Client Services
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HASSAN MUNFORD
Hire Ready Coach
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AVERY NEWTON
Senior Director of Learning & Evaluation
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TIERRA RICH
Director of Externships and Employment
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KRISHONDA RUSSELL
Admissions Specialist
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MARIANA SAUCEDO
Senior Director of Program Innovation & Design
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JOE TOLLEFSON
Senior Director of Client Services
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JERMICA WALLACE
Salesforce Administrator
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MICAELA WHALEN
Director of Marketing and Communications
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MAURICE WHITE
Partnerships and Recruitment Manager, Philadelphia and Camden
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DEE WILLIAMS
Junior Product Developer
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ASHANTI YOUNG
Manager of Grants and Finance
MEET OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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PAYMON ROUHANIFARD
CO-FOUNDER AND CHAIR OF THE BOARD
Co-Founder and Founding CEO, Timely
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John White
CO-FOUNDER AND BOARD MEMBER
Chief Success Officer, Great Minds
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John Cozzi
FOUNDING BOARD MEMBER
Partner, AEA Investors LP
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Casey Leonetti
BOARD MEMBER
Managing Director, Bain Capital Private Equity, Healthcare
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Jeff Nelson
BOARD MEMBER
Entrepreneur-in-Residence, New Profit
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Lisette Nieves
BOARD MEMBER
President, Fund for the City of New York
PROPEL’S VOICES
Alexa Bonilla, Senior Director of Admissions
"I love my work. I love what I do every single day. Because just as much as the fellows are inspired to move forward, they inspire me to continue to be so committed to this work. That mission is really aligned completely with not only my career, with my upbringing, with my passion and my beliefs about an equitable system where people can have career and economic mobility that will fulfill their aspirations, and then they can turn around and give back to the community."
