Team carousel

Mark JamesOperations & Compliance Manager Mark James serves as the Operations & Compliance Manager for Kid Power’s After-School and Summer Leadership Academy programs. A proud Kid Power alumnus, Mark first joined the organization as a 10-year-old student in the After-School program. Their journey continued after high school when they returned as an After-School and Summer…

Brittany DyerSenior Manager for Youth and Family Engagement “It isn’t where you came from. It’s where you’re going that counts.” ― Ella Fitzgerald Born in Jacksonville, North Carolina, and raised in Northern Virginia, Brittany’s passion for education and community service has guided her professional journey. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a…

Christa SmithHigh Impact Tutoring Program Manager Christa, a native of the Washington DC area, has dedicated her life to education and community empowerment. In 2022, she joined Kid Power as a HIT Coordinator, bringing her extensive experience as an educator spanning over two decades. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education, specializing in…

Charles M. ThomasOperations Contractor “In all our deeds, the proper value and respect for time determines success or failure” – Malcolm X Charles joined the Kid Power team in 2023, with a rich background in various organizations, where he held pivotal roles as a Facilities and Operations Manager, Operations Manager, and Freelance Technical Writer. Charles…

Aiden Teplitzky DobensProgram Director – Older Youth Programs “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.” – Unknown Aiden Teplitzky Dobens was born and raised in New York City. He attended college in Boston at Emerson College, where he received a B.A. in Journalism. After graduating, Aiden…

Sarah PasqualiniHigh Impact Tutoring Director “Teaching is the greatest act of optimism” – Colleen Wilcox Sarah Pasqualini grew up in Connecticut and graduated from The University of Alabama with a dual certification in Elementary and Special Education. She began her teaching career as a Teach for America corps member in Atlanta, GA, and has been…

Hannah Ayer Program Manager, Youth Engagement “Be the change you wish to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi Hannah Ayer was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. She attended Kent State University and graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, concentrating in Counseling Careers. Hannah is passionate about supporting youth through educational…

DeShantee “Nikki“ OliverVeggieTime Director “When great trees fall in forests, small things recoil into silence, their senses eroded beyond fear.” ― Maya Angelou DeShantee “Nikki” Oliver, a DC native has lived in Ward 8 for the past twenty-five years. With a lifelong passion for gardening, she has dedicated her life to becoming a professional horticulturist,…

Felicity Poussaint-BekongHigh Impact Tutoring Program Manager “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” – Alice Walker Felicity is a native Washingtonian who joined Kid Power in 2004 as a student. She stayed involved in Kid Power through elementary and middle school, and gained an interest in…

Kaitlin PutnamDeputy Director “The future is not a gift, it is an achievement” – Robert F. Kennedy Kaitlin joined Mentors, Inc. in 2017 and joined the Kid Power family in 2019 when the organizations joined forces. Kaitlin has always had a passion for service and education, leading her to pursue a career in social work.…

Sterling Pino-DeGaleSenior Program Director – Out of School Time “What you are afraid to do is a clear indication of the next thing you need to do.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Sterling Pino-DeGale grew up in Northern Virginia and currently resides in Washington, DC. A graduate of Virginia Tech, Sterling earned a B.S. in Wildlife…

Martina J. ArnoldDirector of Development “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” — Maya Angelou. Martina Arnold is a native Washingtonian who joined Kid Power in June of 2018 with more than 15 years of experience fundraising and building business development programs for nonprofit organizations and…

Curtis LeitchFinance Coordinator “When I was young, my ambition was to be one of the people who made a difference in this world. My hope is to leave the world a little better for having been there.” – Jim Henson Curtis Leitch was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. He went to Washington State University…

Andria TobinExecutive Director “Education should not be the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” — William Butler Yeats Andria Tobin has worked with under-served youth in Virginia, Arizona, and Washington, DC for nearly 20 years. As Kid Power’s Program Director for seven years, Andria worked closely with youth and families helping…