“What began as theoretical discussions in coffee shops with my partners Diana Eisenstat and Brad Holmes has now turned into a mission-driven reality, fueled by the time, energy and imagination of so many of our partners and supporters. We are passionate about delivering an innovative program that provides opportunity and critical support for young people with learning disabilities, while also inspiring a more diverse and inclusive workplace.” – Carolyn Jeppsen, CEO
Paid employment is one of the best predictors of a positive future.
BroadFutures was founded by Carolyn Jeppsen, Diana Eisenstat and Brad Holmes, who first came together as Board members of The Kingsbury Center, a 75-year-old educational institution serving students with learning disabilities and their families. They are passionately committed to broadening options and ensuring pathways for success for this promising group of young people. All of the founders are also proud parents of children with learning and other disabilities.
Our Mission is to celebrate neurodiversity by creating access, cultivating skills and revolutionizing the workplace for all.
Our Vision is an inclusive workplace where all people have an equal opportunity to thrive.
Neurodivergent people make up 20% of the population yet often face significant challenges in securing stable, fulfilling employment and completing their education. BroadFutures is dedicated to changing that by removing employment barriers and providing comprehensive support to both neurodivergent young people and employers. We empower our participants to thrive while also guiding employers in creating accessible and inclusive workplaces.
Early paid work experiences are the single greatest predictor of future success for young people with disabilities. Our unique program prepares young people for these experiences.
Accessible Approach for Diverse Learners
Accessible Approach for Diverse Learners
Our programs build workplace readiness skills in unique ways. We foster peer-to-peer learning to ensure our interns benefit from each other’s experiences. In our DC Internship Program, we integrate the arts through role play, improvisation, and games, allowing our interns to fully engage with the curriculum. This approach provides a risk-free environment to make mistakes, practice work situations, receive feedback, and enter the workplace with greater comfort and confidence.
Diversity of Internships to Match Diversity of Interests
Diversity of Internships to Match Diversity of Interests
We are committed to offering a wide range of internships that align with the interests, skills, and passions of our interns. Our partnerships with employers span various fields, including Policy & Politics, Marketing and Communications, STEM, and Hospitality.
Unlocking Potential
Unlocking Potential
Our curriculum and support services are focused on helping each individual intern achieve their full potential. We tailor our programming and support to meet the unique talents, skills, motivations, and passions of each intern. Our goal is not merely to fulfill the requirement of completing an internship; we aim to create a transformative experience that changes the lives of our participants and sets them up for future success. By helping interns reach their potential, we are also supporting employers in creating inclusive and accessible workplaces.
Carolyn is passionate about creating innovative solutions to empower young people with disabilities to succeed in education and the workforce. Carolyn co-founded BroadFutures in 2013 and has served as its CEO and President since that time. She oversees the creation, planning and implementation of BroadFutures’ strategic direction, as well as the overall administration, program development and fiscal health. She has grown the organization from serving 5 people in 2014 and partnering with 3 employers to serving close to 300 people directly, hundreds more through outreach efforts and partnering with over 60 employers.
Carolyn speaks nationally on the benefits of a diverse workforce that is inclusive of disability, as well as the value proposition of internships and work based learning for neurodivergent talent. Carolyn has devoted over 20 years serving on Nonprofit Boards and Advisory Boards that are committed to enriching the lives of disabled people, including: Lesley University, The Arc of D.C., Disability:In (DC chapter) Camp Launcher, The River School, The Massachusetts General Hospital Aspire Program, and The Kingsbury Center. Carolyn is also an experienced litigator with a career focused in the areas of insurance defense, medical malpractice, professional liability and financial institutions. She has authored several articles and publications within diversified areas of expertise including legal, workforce equity and neurodiversity.
Carolyn received her B.A. with honors from Colby College, in Philosophy and French, her J.D. from George Washington University National Law Center, and her Certificate of Non-Profit Executive Management from Georgetown University.
Carolyn resides in the District of Columbia with her husband and is the proud parent of three young adult daughters, two of whom identify as having disabilities.
Caroline Brachman serves as our Director of Operations. She is responsible for managing the day-to-day functions of the organization and overseeing our financial activities, HR, facilities and data systems. Caroline specializes in building and improving internal systems and processes that enable nonprofits to realize their missions most effectively. She is passionate about connecting young people with the resources they need to thrive. Prior to joining BroadFutures, Caroline served in operations consulting roles at DC’s Levine School of Music, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/
Caitlin Garman serves as our Director of Admissions and Outreach, working to lead outreach efforts to recruit prospective interns and manage the admissions process for our programs. Before coming to BroadFutures, Caitlin served as a clinical manager in a school based mental health program. She has extensive experience in schools as a teacher, social worker, and transition coordinator, and in particular with KIPP Charter Schools. Caitlin is committed to supporting young neurodivergent people to attain choice filled lives. Caitlin received her B.A. in Communications and Psychology from the George Washington University and her Masters in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She is originally from Baltimore and currently resides in Northern Virginia with her husband and two children.
Jordan Miller serves as our Advancement Director, leading our advancement and communications strategy. Jordan is a nonprofit professional with a background in fundraising and development, having worked in a variety of education-focused organizations in the Greater Washington, DC area. Jordan has developed a personal and professional interest in supporting initiatives that provide young people with workforce readiness and educational opportunities. She is excited and honored to be continuing her involvement in this space at BroadFutures. Prior to joining BroadFutures, Jordan served as the Senior Manager of Development at Junior Achievement of Greater Washington, where she oversaw a corporate partnerships program of over 200 organizations, led grant writing, and supported marketing and communications efforts. Before that, Jordan worked in the Advancement Department at NAFSA: Association of International Educators, where she supported a sponsorship and partnership program of over 100 association members.
Jordan received her B.A. in International Relations from American University and her M.S. in Interdisciplinary Business Studies from the George Washington University School of Business. Jordan has also operated her own personal chef business, serving the Greater DC area. Jordan is originally from the North Shore of Massachusetts and currently resides in Washington, DC.
Shannon Bockmiller serves as our Program Manager and Employer Specialist, working to ensure successful outcomes for interns during the program. She also supports our existing employer partners and helps to develop new employer partnerships to expand internship placements. Before coming to BroadFutures, Shannon served as a school leader implementing a full day experiential learning model at a Washington, DC Public Charter School. Shannon also has extensive experience as an educator in the public and charter schools systems in Washington, D.C. and St. Louis, Missouri. She is committed to disrupting traditional learning systems to increase equity and inclusivity and intends to continue this work in BroadFutures. Shannon received her B.A. in Public Health from the University of South Carolina and her M.Ed from the University of Missouri- St. Louis. Shannon is originally from Baltimore, MD and currently resides in Washington, DC with her dog Piper.
Shaynie serves as the Program Coordinator at BroadFutures and comes to us as a Teach for America Alumni corps, having served as a teacher at Link Community Charter School in Newark NJ., where she was committed to closing the achievement gap amongst students in low income areas who battle educational inequity. Shaynie is incredibly passionate about the uplift of people from diverse backgrounds and works as a changemaker to make spaces more inclusive and equitable. Shaynie's background has equipped her with the ability to build agency within the populations she has worked with and is translating that experience to our mission here at BroadFutures. Shaynie received her B.A. from Muhlenberg College in Sociology and her Masters of Arts in Education from Relay Graduate School of Education. Shaynie is originally from East Orange, New Jersey and currently resides in Washington, D.C.
Raymond delivers the applied theater portion of our curriculum, using role-play, improvisation, and other drama techniques and games to reinforce our curriculum and create community. In addition to his work with BroadFutures, Raymond is the Artistic Director of Theater Alliance. Raymond has toured nationally and internationally and worked with playwrights and artists from around the world including Ntozake Shange, Edward Albee, Tarell Alvin McCraney, and Sally Oswald. Raymond received the Allen Lee Hughes Fellowship in Community Engagement in 2009 and the following season joined the Arena Stage staff where he worked for 6 years as both an administrator and artist. As an artist/director/divisor he has developed work with various schools & organizations throughout the US and internationally. He has traveled to India several times to create devised theater with diverse groups in Kolkata, Patna, New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Hyderabad. He has also developed work in Ukraine, Greece, Germany, and the UK. Raymond holds an MFA in acting with a focus in community outreach and developing new work from The Ohio State University and a BFA in acting from the University of Florida.
Ron Sokolov serves as the Head of Partnerships and Strategy for our National Program, spearheading the growth of partnerships with Fortune 1000 companies nationwide. He also serves as the founder and President of Falcon Strategies LLC, a firm that blends an understanding of mission complexity with the rigor of commercial analysis to help nonprofits amplify mission success. He challenges nonprofit leaders who are eager to step outside of a "status quo" mindset and grow their organizations revenue and mission impact. Prior to that this he spent the better part of two decades in the commercial arena in leadership roles in Fortune 500 companies including Amazon Web Services, Booz Allen, Corporate Executive Board (now Gartner). He was also a founding employee at the Transportation Security Administration following 9/11 where he worked in policy, customer service, and front office roles. Ron is driven by a personal passion for mission inspired both by his upbringing and his middle child who has intellectual disabilities and an unbreakable passion for fun and adventure. Ron holds a Masters in Public Policy from Columbia University and a BA in Political Economy from UC Berkeley.
Welcome to our new Advancement and Communications Intern, Jeremy Forbes! Jeremy will be supporting our advancement and marketing/communication efforts. Jeremy is a recent communications graduate from Westfield State University, where he also served as a Residential Life Assistant. Before joining BroadFutures, Jeremy served as a Data Evaluations and Communications Intern for New Futures here in Washington, DC, a Marketing and Communications Assistant for SPL Systems, as well as a restaurant server! Jeremy’s hobbies include music, hiking, museums, traveling, video games, and spending time with his loved ones and two dogs.
When asked what he is most excited about with joining the BroadFutures team, Jeremy shared: “I am so excited to get started with an organization like BroadFutures that plays such a massive role in helping others and making dreams come true. I am so happy that BroadFutures is allowing me the opportunity to showcase my skill sets and help the organization in any way I can.”
Carolyn oversees the creation, planning and implementation of BroadFutures’ strategic direction, as well as our overall administration program development and fiscal health. She is passionate about creating innovative solutions to empower young people with disabilities to succeed in education and the workforce and ensuring that a diverse workplace is inclusive of disability. Carolyn has over 20 years experience serving on nonprofit boards and in leadership capacities of institutions that serve individuals with disabilities. She is a frequent speaker on the value of internships and work based learning, as well as a diverse workforce that is inclusive of disabilities.
Carolyn is also an experienced litigator with a career focused in the areas of insurance defense, medical malpractice, professional liability and financial institutions. She has authored two articles: RTC and FDIC Administrative Subpoenas, The Review of Banking & Financial Services, Vol. 11, No. 21, Dec. 13, 1995; The Use of Administrative Subpoenas, Lecturer: Practicing Law Institute: “Defending Bank Directors” October 1995.
Carolyn received her B.A. with honors from Colby College, in Philosophy and French, her J.D. from George Washington University National Law Center, and her Certificate of Non-Profit Executive Management from Georgetown University.
Diana has been actively engaged with nonprofit organizations serving individuals with learning disabilities and mental health challenges for close to 20 years. In addition to helping co-found BroadFutures and serving on the BroadFutures Board, she previously served as an officer on the Boards of The Reginald Lourie Center for Infants and Children in Rockville, Maryland and The Kingsbury Center in Washington, D.C. She currently serves as the Executive Director at Affordable Housing Conference of Montgomery County.
Diana spent her 15-year career with the federal government employed by the General Accounting Office (now the Government Accountability Office). She was the Director of Income Security Issues with responsibility for program evaluation reviews and audits of social security and child welfare programs conducted by staff in Washington, D.C. and regional offices. Diana also delivered testimony before both House and Senate Committees in the U.S. Congress and advised the Comptroller General and other senior executives responsible for the agency’s human resources management policies and programs.
Diana received her B.A. from Mary Washington College with honors in Economics and Political Science and her MBA from George Washington University.
Amy Naoum serves as our Treasurer. Amy is a licensed and practicing CPA. For 15+ years, Amy has helped corporate and non-profit clients with their overall finance and accounting needs.
Amy started her career at Ernst & Young, LLP and later moved on to a small tax firm located in Washington, DC. The experiences at both firms were invaluable and led to the eventual start of her own firm, serving clients as a virtual CFO. Amy’s work with disability-focused nonprofits began in 2012 and has remained at the center of her career. This work led Amy to Disability:IN in 2015 and she ultimately became their full-time CFO in 2020.
Amy is a graduate of Emory University with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and a focus in CPA accounting. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband and son.
Sam is a proud parent of a BroadFutures alumnus as well as an employer partner. Sam is a strong supporter of the BroadFutures mission and is dedicated to providing opportunities for individuals who learn and think differently.
Sam serves as the Executive Producer and President of Production at NBC Sports and oversees all aspects of sports production for NBC. As executive producer, Flood oversees production for NBC Sports’ coverage of the NHL, Premier League, NASCAR, INDYCAR, horse racing, Tour de France, and French Open, among many others. He also oversees production of Football Night in America, the most-watched weekly studio show in sports for 15 years running, and contributes to NBC Olympics’ production of the Summer and Winter Games. Sam is a 29-time Emmy Award winner and three-time Eclipse Award winner. Additionally, in 2016, Sporting News named Sam No. 39 in its list of the top 50 most influential people in sports. That same year, USA Today named Sam No. 15 on its list of the most important people in hockey.
Sam received his B.A. from Williams College in history. A native of Dedham, Massachusetts, Sam currently resides in Ridgewood, New Jersey.
Victoria brings a business background in executive recruitment, consulting, and human capital management to our Board. She has worked in diverse industries from agbiotech and professional services to specialized education and social and behavioral research. Her passion has, and continues to be her work in diversity and inclusion; in particular, the self-fulfillment of those who learn differently, the neurodiverse. It was her work with The Auburn Schools as a human capital consultant recruiting the leadership and gifted teachers. She also worked in Admissions and Outreach where she found her calling, supporting children with social, communication and learning differences and guiding parents in their educational and experiential choices.
Victoria continues her commitment and is currently in Human Capital management with one of our valued employer partners, the American Institutes for Research, where she also serves as a Diversity & Inclusion Council member and Vice Chair of the Access Employee Resource Group. Victoria has been a WISER (Washington Independent Services for Educational Resources) Board member for over eight years and currently as its President. Victoria holds a degree in Dramatic Arts from Mary Washington College.
Earle Jones is Associate Vice President, Federal Government Affairs at Comcast Corporation. With a background as an attorney, Earle has more than thirty years of experience in the cable telecommunications industry.
With Comcast, Earle has been involved in Legislative and Public Affairs, working with Members of Congress on Legislative matters. He has been active in matters of Diversity and Inclusion. In 2014 and in 2018 he was recognized by Lawyers of Color as one of the Nation’s 50 Top Lobbyists and Influencers. In 2018 he received the Reginald “Reg” Gilliam Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Washington Government Relations Group.
A native of Washington, D.C. Earle received his undergraduate degree from The American University and his Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. Earle has a strong commitment to service and improving the lives of youth. Earle served on the Board of Directors of The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the Greater Washington Urban League, and Smart Activities for Fitness and Education (“S.A.F.E.”). Earle resides in Vienna, Virginia.
Anne Abramson is a retired consultant who has worked with public and private arts organizations as well as community colleges in strategic planning, marketing and outreach. She served as Director, Cultural outreach for OVATION-The Arts Network; Publisher/Owner, Museum and Arts Washington Magazine. She has served on the Boards of the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, (New York), The National Foundation for Jewish Culture,(New York, no longer operating), Brandeis University National Women’s Committee and The James Renwick Alliance. Anne graduated from New York University with a BA in Sociology and received a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, with a concentration in Literature and Society, from Georgetown University. Currently, Anne serves as Co-Trustee of the Galena-Yorktown Foundation. Anne has been a strong supporter of BroadFutures for many years and serves as both a major donor, connector, and an advisor.
Anne is married to Ronald Abramson who is currently the Chairman of the Board of the National Symphony Orchestra, and has served as Chair of the Corcoran Gallery of Art and the Sixth and I Congregation.
Lauren Focarazzo is highly committed to the BroadFutures mission and is passionate about cultivating inclusive workplaces where all people have an equal opportunity to thrive. She is the Vice President of Business Development at AIR, where she oversees business development operations, market and competitive intelligence, proposal management, pricing, and pre-award functions. Lauren is responsible for ensuring collaboration between programmatic and operational leadership. Throughout her 18 years of experience in business development, Lauren has worked with hundreds of funders, including Federal agencies, state and local governments; and foundations such as the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Lauren has served as treasurer of a co-operative school, and is currently on the PTA board at her children's elementary school. She earned her M.A.in applied sociology, a graduate certificate in the nonprofit sector from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and her B.A. in English from the University of Delaware. A native of New York, Lauren lives in Silver Spring, MD with her wife, two children, and their dog.
Mignon Smith has a breadth of experience as an entrepreneur and educator which underscores her passion for BroadFutures’ mission and values. She has supported systems of curriculum, instruction and assessment, improvement and content development in secondary public and private schools across the country. Mignon was a founding math teacher at Texas Kipp Charter school, as well as a department chair, curriculum specialist and assistant principal She is also an advocate of school choice in underrepresented and underserved communities. In 2019, Mignon and her husband opened a restaurant in her hometown in Georgia to inspire social change one meal at a time. She oversees the growth strategy, product development, and operations and manages the branding and marketing strategy to transform the historic restaurant, which denied African Americans entry for more than 40 years, into a modern gathering hub for all to enjoy. Prior to her career in education, Mignon worked as an analyst and industrial engineer at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, during which time she volunteered at the local elementary school, where she developed a passion for educating young people in STEM.
Mignon is an active member in several professional and philanthropic organizations. She was a member of the founding cohort of the Young Patron Board at Arena Stage, a member of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) and National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM).
Mignon received B.A. in Mathematics from Tuskegee University, her M.Ed. from USC Rossier School of Education and her MPM from the Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University. Mignon was born and raised in Georgia and lives in the District of Columbia with her husband.
Brad is devoted to improving the lives of persons with disabilities. In addition to helping to Co-Found BroadFutures and sitting on our board, for 10 years he served on the Board of the Kingsbury Center and for four years as its Chair. He was instrumental in leading the institution through a change of leadership and a strategic planning process. Brad has also served on the Boards of the American Association of Persons with Disabilities and Global Rights.
Brad is a telecommunications policy advocate with extensive experience both in government and private industry. He was appointed Ambassador by former President George H.W. Bush to serve as U.S. Coordinator and Director for International Communications and Information Policy. He has worked in several key policy positions at the Federal Communications Commission, at Coopers & Lybrand, as managing director of the company’s Global Telecom Group, as President of Project OXYGEN Network Ltd., as Senior Vice President of Regulatory and Government Affairs at ArrayComm, Inc., and as Chief Operating Officer of NY3G Partnership.
Brad received his B.A., from Dartmouth College with honors in Economics and English, and his J.D. from Georgetown University.
Christine is a professional career and life coaching consultant with almost 20 years of experience through her own business, FlexCareers Consulting. Christine has also worked as a career consultant and instructor of a Career Management Strategy course at George Washington University, and most recently at Georgetown University. As a professional career consultant focused on helping young adults start their careers and a parent of children who are neurodivergent, Christine is passionate about BroadFutures’ mission from both a personal and professional perspective.
Christine has developed an expertise in helping young people obtain internships and full time positions in the financial services industry. Early in her career, Christine spent a decade focused on consumer and investment banking, working for major financial institutions including Bank of America, Capital One and Wells Fargo. Her last few years in the industry were spent at Lending Tree on the senior leadership team.
Christine earned her Bachelor of Science in Business from Villanova University and an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. She also serves as a board member of Cornerstone Montgomery. Christine lives in Potomac, MD and is the mother of three adult children.
Dr. Deschamps currently serves as a senior research associate at TransCen, Inc. a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to improving educational and employment outcomes for people with disabilities. She provides technical assistance to staff of Maryland PROMISE, a five-year initiative addressing the needs of youth, ages 14-16 receiving Supplemental Security Income and their families. She also coordinates the Mid-Atlantic ADA (American with Disabilities Act) Leadership Network, providing professional development to ADA trainers in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Previously, Dr. Deschamps provided support to Maryland counties through the Maryland Seamless Transition Collaborative (MSTC), which provides youth with disabilities the opportunity to participate in enhanced career assessments, paid job experiences, support services, and leadership activities. Dr. Deschamps also collaborates with other TransCen team members to design relevant online training opportunities for transition practitioners.
Dr. Deschamps previously served as Director of Training and Evaluation for TransCen’s ADA Information Center for the Mid-Atlantic Region before becoming a Transition Specialist with the Fairfax County Public School system in Northern Virginia for nine years where she provided consultation, training, and technical support to special education personnel in Career and Transition Services. She also served as a consultant to the Johnson Scholarship Foundation in Florida where she advised the Board of Directors on disability programming specifically related to the transition from school to life after school and career development for college students with disabilities. Dr. Deschamps has also taught children with learning and emotional disabilities.Dr. Deschamps received her B.A from and her doctorate in Special Education from The George Washington University specializing in disability policy and transition from school to work for students with disabilities. She lives in Northern Virginia and has two adult children.
Rick Fiery is the co-founder of InventiveLabs which is located in Amesbury, Massachusetts. InventiveLabs is a research lab and business incubator that helps people with learning differences find their passions and take a gap year, explore careers or create a new business in an all-accepting environment. Rick has a passion for helping young adults with learning differences find alternative paths to success and believes with the right environment and supports, people with learning differences can achieve substantial success. Prior to InventiveLabs, Rick was the CEO of several startup companies that he created and grew before selling them to strategic buyers. One of his software companies grew to where it had subsidiaries in 6 countries and products sold in over 60 countries. He also ran the finance department for a large multinational software company generating over $330 million before departing to do another startup. Rick has a Bachelors and Masters in civil engineering from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business.
Dr. Horowitz, Ed.D., is the former director of LD resources and essential information at the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD). Prior to his arrival at NCLD in 1996, he served as the associate director of the Learning Diagnostic Center at Schneider Children’s Hospital, Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJMC) in New Hyde Park, NY. He also held the position of assistant unit chief, educational supervisor, and grand rounds chairperson of the Center for Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry at Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY.
Dr. Horowitz has taught at primary, secondary, and college levels, and worked as a consultant to school districts throughout the New York City metropolitan region. His interests include: neurobiology of learning, educational assessment, fetal alcohol effects in children, language-based learning disabilities, disorders of hyperactivity and attention, and learning disabilities in adolescents.Dr. Horowitz is a regular presenter at professional conferences in the field of special education, and is frequently cited in the popular press on topics including parenting children with special needs, LD and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, assessment and evaluation, and LD throughout the lifespan. He has provided leadership on many of NCLD’s key projects and programs, including national summits, Every Child is Learning, Get Ready to Read!, Living with LD, Recognition & Response, LD Talks, LD News, LD Insights, Research Roundup, Transitioning to Kindergarten Toolkit, and the Early Learning Observation & Rating Scales. He is also a co-author of the recently released NCLD’s 2014 State of Learning Disabilities report.Dr. Horowitz completed his master’s degree at Peabody College, Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, and received his doctorate in learning disabilities from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York, NY, with a specialization in learning disabilities and neurosciences in education.
Dr. Horowitz lives in Hempstead and Woodstock NY with his wife. They have four young adult children.
Chris is the Founder and CEO of Rosemark Capital Group and the Founder of Rosetta. Chris founded Rosetta in 1998 and was its Chairman & CEO until May 2013 and Non-Executive Chairman from May 2013 until his departure from the company in December 2013. Throughout Chris’ 28-year management career, he has been focused on developing and deploying breakthrough marketing and operational solutions based on intellectual property scaled through technology. This fascination motivated him to found Rosetta and pilot its aggressive growth trajectory, and now forms the basis for Rosemark Capital Group.
In 2010, Rosetta became the largest independent digital agency in the world and was named the #1 agency to watch by Advertising Age. In 2011 Rosetta was sold to the Publicis Groupe. Prior to founding Rosetta, Chris co-led the retail marketing practice at First Manhattan Consulting Group and prior to that, spent 10 years in marketing management at Johnson & Johnson, leading the Band Aid and Tylenol Brand franchises.
Chris is a lecturer at Princeton University in Technology & Entrepreneurship and a guest lecturer at New York University. He is a Board Member of Princeton Day School, The New School University, and the James and Diane Burke Foundation. He has written numerous articles, addressed industry conferences and served many Fortune 500 CEOs in the pharmaceutical, financial services, and consumer packaged goods industries.
Chris received his B.A. from Princeton University and his M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School with Honors. He lives in Princeton, NJ and Shelburne, VT with his wife and their three sons.
Alyssa is an experienced business executive with a career spanning the financial services, strategy consulting, consumer retailing and non-profit sectors in the US and UK. Alyssa is the Associate Director of the Entrepreneurship Initiative at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and an Adjunct Professor and Entrepreneur-in-Residence. She also works extensively with the local business leaders and entrepreneurs to ensure a close connection between the activities on campus and the needs of the broader professional community.
Alyssa began her career on Wall Street as a commercial lender for Bankers Trust Company (now Deutsche Bank), and later joined management consultants McKinsey & Company as a specialist in the financial services sector. Alyssa moved to McKinsey’s London office and remained with the firm until leaving to launch her own entrepreneurial venture, the Great Little Trading Company (GLTC Ltd). GLTC became a brand leader in children’s products; in addition to receiving various industry awards and recognition as one of the UK’s 100 fastest growing mid-market companies. After stepping down from day-to-day management of the company, Alyssa became an advisor to entrepreneurial start-ups throughout the UK and an active member of the London Business Angels network.
Upon returning to the US in 2007, Alyssa expanded her interest in entrepreneurship and began advising non-profit organizations. She also launched New Venture Mentors, a platform to support aspiring entrepreneurs from underserved communities.
An active member of the local community, Alyssa’s other interests include the education, opportunities for the intellectually disabled, and the advancement of underprivileged women and girls. She has served on the boards of the National Children’s Museum, Compass DC, ProInspire, and Working Families (UK), and on the Maryland advisory board of Best Buddies International. She is also an active supporter of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, Teach for America DC, NFTE (the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship), and BUILD.
Alyssa received her B.A. from Harvard University in Government and her MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband and four children.
Dr. McLeod is the Executive Director of the Aspire Program of Massachusetts General Hospital (“MGH”), a program serving individuals with the autism spectrum disorder. He is also a clinical instructor in psychology at Harvard University, in addition to being engaged in private practice, Dr. McLeod has served as the Executive Director of the MGH Aspire program since 1991. He was previously employed jointly as the Chief Psychologist at the MGH Charlestown HealthCare Center until 2013. However, since August 2013, Dr. McLeod has devoted himself full time to the Aspire Program. Dr. McLeod was also employed form 1995 to 2006 as the Clinical Supervisor at Harvard University’s “Inventing the Future” Program where he supervised students in the “Risk and Prevention Program” of the Graduate School of Education. Prior to serving in these capacities, Dr. McLeod was a staff psychologist at Dana Group Associates, serving individuals with ADHD and The Germaine Lawrence Diagnostic Center where he performed psychological testing.
Dr. McLeod has been awarded the Emerson Award for excellence in research amongst fellows at the Massachusetts General Hospital as well as the Judge Ruffin Award for excellence in youth work given by the Charlestown District Court.Dr. McLeod completed his master’s and doctorate degrees in Clinical Psychology from Boston University and received his bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University.
Dr. McLeod lives in Medway, Massachusetts with his wife, Jeanne, a clinical social worker. He has one child, two cats and a newfound interest in curling.
William R. Stixrud, Ph.D., is a clinical neuropsychologist who has been in private practice since 1985. He is also a member of the Adjunct Faculty of the Children’s National Medical Center, and he holds a faculty appointment as Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the George Washington School of Medicine. He has previously held an appointment at the Georgetown University Medical School, and he has served as a consultant to the Division of Neuropsychology at the National Institutes of Health.
For the past 20 years, Dr. Stixrud has been extensively involved in the training and supervision of psychologists and learning specialists. He is also a frequent lecturer on topics related to neuropsychological assessment, learning, and executive disorders, brain development, brain-based learning, motivation, and the effects of stress and sleep deprivation on the brain. He is the author of a book, Plain Talk About Early Education and Development, and he has authored book chapters and/or articles on children with epilepsy, adolescent brain development, self-esteem, homework, and the effects of Transcendental Meditation on students with ADHD.
Dr. Stixrud has been quoted often in publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Washingtonian, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Barron’s and Vogue. He is also a rock and roll musician and plays in the band, Larry 2.0.Dr. Stixrud received his doctorate degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota. He did his pre-doctoral internship in Pediatric and Clinical Psychology at the Children’s Hospital of Boston, as a fellow of the Harvard Medical School, and he received his post-doctoral training in Clinical Neuropsychology at the Tufts-New England Medical Center. Prior to entering private practice, Dr. Stixrud worked as a staff neuropsychologist at the Children’s National Medical Center and the Georgetown University Medical School.
Dr. Stixrud lives in Silver Spring, Maryland with his wife. They have two adult children and one grandchild.
Jennifer is a Senior Vice President at Booz Allen Hamilton, leading the Firm’s Navy and Marine Corps Headquarters & Operations subaccount. Her team supports clients around the world, with concentrations in the Pentagon, Quantico, and Norfolk; and across the Pacific including San Diego, Hawaii, and Okinawa. Jennifer also drives significant change through the Firm’s Diversity and Inclusion initiatives as senior advisor for the DiverseABILITY Forum and Disability Agenda.
Jennifer joined Booz Allen in 2000 as an Associate in the Honolulu office. Recognized as a “Booz Allen Woman of Distinction” in 2003, she developed the Firm’s Defense Pacific Strategy and helped expand the Firm’s business into Guam and Japan. Before joining Booz Allen, Jennifer led an e-commerce project for American Management Systems (AMS); helped standardize processes across the largest and fastest growing Ski Resort management firm in the US, and served as Special Projects director establishing an oil refinery in Thailand.
Prior to entering the private sector, Jennifer served as a Special Operations Officer in the United States Navy. She is a qualified Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Officer, Diving Officer, Naval Parachutist, and Surface Warfare Officer. Jennifer Graduated “With Distinction” from the Naval Surface Warfare Officer School and was a Distinguished Naval Graduate from Naval Officer Candidate School.
A National Merit Scholar, Jennifer graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Wesleyan University. She earned an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, completing her studies at the Sasin Business School at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand.
John Sheffield is a technology entrepreneur focused on early-stage and growth startups. John co-founded and served as president of Seven Bridges Genomics (SBG), which develops and operates an informatics platform for biotechnology and healthcare research with high-throughput DNA sequencing data. He is now a partner at Linnaean Company, which operates a portfolio of web businesses and provides operational and strategic consulting services for entrepreneurial companies.
John received his BA in Social Studies from Harvard College, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude. He also earned an MSc in Applied Statistics from Oxford University, where he was a Marshall Scholar. John resides in Cambridge, MA.
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