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Meet the Team

Washington Monument student learning Shadow

Get to know the people behind Close Up’s work!

At the heart of each Close Up program are more than 100 dedicated staff members in over ten departments who work together to make it all happen. Our executive officers, senior staff, program staff, and outreach staff are highlighted here, with the rest of the Close Up team working tirelessly behind the scenes to give students and teachers the experience of a lifetime.

 

Senior Leadership

 

Scot Wilson
Vice President of Academics 
Elisa Ferrara Gunduz
Head of
Student Programs
Jodi Stewart Miteva
Vice President of Business Development
John Sturm
Vice President of Program Operations 
Shannon Ahrens
Senior Director of Educational Outreach
Porsche Johnson
Senior Director
of Finance 
Luke Stallings
Senior Director of Account Engagement
Blake Kohn
Executive Director of NNSP & Senior Advisor

Curriculum and Student Programs

 

Close Up curriculum staff form the core of our programs, ensuring that students have a safe, rewarding, and memorable experience with us. Our program leaders, student program specialists, and program instructors come to us from all over the country, some of the nation’s top universities, and distinguished programs such as Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and Teach for America. Together, they undergo over 120 hours of training in our curriculum and methodology, certification in First Aid and CPR, and ongoing professional development to build students’ skills and mindset for civic engagement. 

 

Emily Gibson
Director of Curriculum and Training
Katie Whitmire
Director of Student Program Logistics
Katie Chandler
Manager of Special Programs
Katie Jones-Gray
Manager of Curriculum Design
Sante Mastriana
Manager of Professional Development
Shawn Ralston
Manager of Curriculum Design
Anna Bauder
Program Leader
Carlos Peredo
Program Leader
Madeline Scully
Program Leader
Marlin Rooks
Program Leader
Michael Covin
Program Leader
Nicole Toliver
Program Leader
Reese Arthur
Program Coordinator
Danny Hastings
Curriculum and Training Specialist
Ellen Crofts
Curriculum and Training Specialist
Jacob Israel Chilton
Curriculum and Training Specialist
Jodie Grief
Curriculum and Training Specialist
Kevin Gomes
Curriculum and Training Specialist
Rebecca Lewis
Curriculum and Training Specialist
Wendy Low
Curriculum and Training Specialist
Abby Manning
Special Programs Coordinator
Andrew Michels
Senior Program Instructor
Elana Wade
Senior Program Instructor
Jason Soemantri
Senior Program Instructor
Jimmy Evangelos
Senior Program Instructor
Lauren Pickens
Senior Program Instructor
Maria Perez
Senior Program Instructor
Nichole Erwin
Senior Program Instructor
Storey Mason
Senior Program Instructor
Aidan Novins
Program Instructor
Declan Bigger
Program Instructor
Julian Mayers
Program Instructor
Max Jefferson
Program Instructor

Civic Fellows

 

Harry Ferguson
Civic Fellow
Nadeen Ghazy
Civic Fellow

Teacher Programs and Professional Development

 

Dr. Daniel A. Wallace, Ed.D.
Director of Teacher Programs
Joe Geraghty
Teacher Program Coordinator
Michael Boateng
Teacher Program Coordinator
John Cheeseman
Teacher Program Historical Guide
Bobby Hunter
Teacher Program Specialist

Educational Outreach

 

Julie Pace
Regional Manager of Educational Outreach
Melissa Williams
Regional Manager of Educational Outreach
Lauren Rumski
Regional Manager of Educational Outreach
Mariza Padilla
Senior Educational Outreach Coordinator
Jon Gerst
Manger of Business Development
Sarah Strum
Program Development Specialist
Cameron DeLo
Business Development Coordinator
Cory Gassett
Business Development Coordinator
Cameron Haag
Educational Outreach Coordinator
Erica Darce
Educational Outreach Coordinator
Erin Burney
Educational Outreach Coordinator
Hywet Yonas
Educational Outreach Coordinator
Jared Conn
Educational Outreach Coordinator
Jess Smith
Educational Outreach Coordinator
Katie Lustig
Educational Outreach Coordinator
Michelle Faucher
Educational Outreach Coordinator
Olivia Dumboski
Educational Outreach Coordinator
Timothy Cleasby
Educational Outreach Coordinator
Thomas Devine
Educational Outreach Coordinator

Partnerships & External Affairs

 

Heather Arnold
Director of Academic Initiatives
Maura O'Brien
Director of Communications
Shelby Buckman
Manager of Grants and Partnerships
Susan Van Wickler
Manager of Government Relations and Scheduling
Amada Robles
Social Media Coordinator
Kevin Rohrbaugh
Partnerships and Communications Coordinator
Kyle Ashworth
Speaker and Partnership Coordinator
Rachel Armstrong
Partnership Support Coordinator

Customer Engagement

 

Natasha Williams
Account Relations Manager
Alejandra Quinonez
Account Relations Coordinator
Chris House
Account Relations Coordinator