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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RAFET ABDELJABBAR
Senior Director of People & Culture
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ARIEL AMAYA
Director of Career Growth and Retention
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KESHIA BISHOP
Director of Market Development, Baton Rouge
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ALEXA BONILLA
Vice President of Workforce Solutions
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REBECCA BROWN
Externship & Employment Coach
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SETH CALHOUN
Talent Acquisition Specialist
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SYDNEY CANFIELD
Portfolio Manager
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JOHN CHILDERS
VP of Technology
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NATHANIEL COOKE
Director of Market Development, Newark
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TAYLOR CROMWELL
Portfolio Manager
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JESSE DIAZ
Director of Market Development, Los Angeles
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TRACIE HENDERSON
Senior Director of Workforce Partnerships
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JULIA HORN
Vice President of Market Growth & Strategy
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PAYAL KAPADIA
Senior Director of Program Delivery
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DENALI LANDER
Senior Director of Development
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MAHASIN MCKENDRICK
Admissions Specialist
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EMILY MENDEZ
Case Manager
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NANCY MORENO
Director of Talent Acquisition
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HASSAN MUNFORD
Hire Ready Coach
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AVERY NEWTON
Senior Director of Learning & Evaluation
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BRITTANY OLOOTU
Hire Ready Coach
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STELLA PASCUAL
Hire Ready Coach
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ROBERT RAMIREZ
Talent Acquisition Specialist
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KRISHONDA RUSSELL
Manager of Talent Acquisition
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RACHEL SADLER
Director of Learning Design
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CARESSA SANFORD
Hire Ready Coach
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ALIA SUTTON-BEY
Employability Skills Instructor
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JOE TOLLEFSON
Senior Director of Workforce Partnerships
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JERMICA WALLACE
Salesforce Administrator
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MAURICE WHITE
Director of Market Development, Philadelphia and Camden
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DEE WILLIAMS
Junior Product Developer
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ASHANTI YOUNG
Director 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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DANIELLE BURKHALTER
BOARD MEMBER
Chief Human Resources Officer, Surgery Partners
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WENDY HAINES
BOARD MEMBER
Partner, New Profit
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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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CHAD ROUNTREE
BOARD MEMBER
Chief Executive Officer, Propel America
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."
