Karen Pittman

Karen has made a career of starting organizations and initiatives that promote youth development – including the Forum for Youth Investment.

Seghen Abebe

Seghen provides the backbone of support to the Forum’s co-founder and CEO, Karen Pittman, as well as other members of the senior staff.

Elly Belle

Elly produces and curates content for the SparkAction site, social media and newsletter, and coordinates outreach to partners and young advocates.

Thaddeus Ferber

Thaddeus works to promote evidence-based policies that help communities achieve equity for all youth and that incorporate youth voice.

Caitlin Johnson

A writer and journalist passionate about digital movement building & youth leadership, Caitlin runs the Forum’s SparkAction.org and LeaderStories.org networks.

Michelle Massie

Michelle leads efforts to utilize data about economic mobility & opportunity to secure support for policies that improve racial, social & economic equity.

Jo Ann Paanio

Jo Ann works with the Forum's Policy Team. She is responsible for the policy and advocacy efforts of the Forum’s federal campaign work.

Alexander Sileo

Alex promotes evidence-based policymaking through research publications and convenings of federal policymakers. He also supports the CEO with research tasks.

Jamal Stone

As SparkAction’s Digital Engagement Associate, Jamal helps strategize and execute on content-driven campaigns, with a focus on equity, opportunity and justice.

Merita Irby

Merita is the Forum's co-founder and serves as managing partner of Big Picture Approach Training & Consulting and a coach to state and local partnerships.

Laura Jahromi

Laura brings extensive on-the-ground experience coordinating & supporting community change efforts to her role managing in-house operations for the BPA team.

Priscilla Little

Priscilla Little has been working in the education arena and conducting educational research for over twenty years.

Larry Pasti

Larry provides support to communities and states interested in bringing the Ready by 21 strategies, solutions and standards into their local work.

Alicia Wilson-Ahlstrom

Alicia’s portfolio includes writing and research projects related to out-of-school time, youth program quality and postsecondary success.

Nate Ross

Nate works to link and align various programmatic, communications and social media projects that promote the Ready by 21 Key Ideas.

Adrienne Bard

With an enthusiasm for details, Adrienne provides training and technical assistance to partners across the country engaged in continuous quality improvement.

Joe Bertoletti

Joe coordinates a team of field consultants and trainers to deliver training and technical assistance to support the development of quality improvement systems.

Poonam Borah

Poonam works with the Research team at The David P. Weikart Center of Youth Program Quality.

Alandra Chuney

Alandra is a part of the TACSS team in Michigan. She provides technical assistance and coaching to our 21st Century grantees.

Kiylise Crutchfield

Kiylise is the Training Design and Delivery Specialist with the Design Team. She is responsible for designing and improving training opportunities and content.

Trevor Davies

Trevor provides coaching and consulting services to the Weikart Center’s clients, including Michigan’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CLCs).

Jennifer Harris

A “systems-thinker” at heart, Jennifer works closely with intermediaries on projects that focus on matters that directly impact out-of-school time programs.

Amanda Heckenkamp

Amanda provides training and technical assistance supports to OST networks engaged in YPQI and supports communications work at the Weikart Center.

Rachael Heilman

Rachael Heilman joined the team in November 2016 and works on Project Management with responsibilities ranging from travel, packing & shipping, to data entry.

Katharine Helegda

Katie is on the research team for the Weikart Center.

Barbara Hillaker, Ph.D.

Barbara Hillaker’s work centers on developing or improving measures, assuring that they are aligned with developmental science and are valid & reliable.

Sofia Kromis

Sofia's primary role is supporting network projects and clients as part of Field Services. She also provides support for a portfolio of YPQI projects.

LaDonna Lloyd

LaDonna provides technical assistance, fosters & maintains positive relationships, & supports quality improvement initiatives with clients around the country.

Dave Martineau

Dave returns to the Weikart Center as the Director of Product Design and Innovation with more than 20 years of experience in youth development and facilitation.

Kim Phillips-Knope

Kim oversees and co-creates training design, manages the Field Consultants out in the world facilitating…and when she’s lucky, she gets to facilitate, too!

Kimberly Howard Robinson, Ph.D.

Leanne Roy

Leanne joined the research team in November 2015.

Amanda Ruud

Amanda serves as a Senior Program Associate for the Technical Assistance and Coaching Support Systems (TACSS) team.

Laenne K. Thompson

Laenne oversees internal systems and talent development, and advises quality improvement systems throughout the country, many of which are focused on SEL.

Leah Wallace

Leah provides training and technical assistance to Weikart Center clients around the country.

Keishay Bulluck

Keishay assists with daily accounting functions at the Forum. She helps with invoicing potential clients, reconciling bank accounts and accounts payable.

Laine Culbreath

Laine oversees the accounting functions of the Forum, including producing financials statements, budgeting, grant reporting & making sure the bills get paid.

Tom Devaney

Tom oversees the Forum’s finance and accounting team and is responsible the organization’s contracting, legal and business strategy functions.

Ian Faigley

Ian is the point man for partners of the Forum. He manages communications efforts, working with staffers at both the Forum and partner organizations.

Shanell Harriday

Shanell provides comprehensive meeting planning and logistics management for the Forum’s convenings, including the annual Ready by 21 National Meeting.

Kandice Head

Kandice executes strategies to promote the Forum’s work, products and services through design, production and drafting of print and electronic communications.

Galen Irby

Galen is the Forum' chief IT geek and facilities manager. He' in charge of the network, computers and telecommunications. He also handles facilities needs.

Kynisha Johnson

Kynisha manages the Weikart Center’s administrative processes while also building relationships with its growing clientele.

Paul Lamacchia

As the Manger of Business Systems at the Forum, Paul oversees our online systems and provides guidance to the users of these systems.

Kris Minor

Kris oversees the Forum’s external affairs and internal operations: from communications and outreach to human resources, IT and facilities.

Rosa Pittman

Rosa, an employee of the Forum since 2002, provides administrative and organizational support to the entire staff.

Nalini Ravindranath

Nalini Ravindranath manages the Forum’s fund development activities and relationships with funders.