Team carousel

Brittany DyerInstructional Coach “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 focus on Education and History…

Christa SmithHigh Impact Tutoring Coordinator 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 literacy…

Stanley BerryHigh Impact Tutoring Coordinator Stanley Berry is a High Impact Tutoring Coordinator at Malcolm X Elementary School in Washington, DC. A native Washingtonian, Stanley has been working as a tutor and writer in the Washington Metro Area for several years. A youth and community advocate, Stanley enjoys supporting local youth and working with the…

Janin MelaraOperations Manager “Success is not what you have done compared to what others have done. Success is what you have done compared to what you were supposed to do.” -Tony Evans Janin, a native Washingtonian, holds a degree in Business Administration and Economics from Trinity University. She has worked in the non-profit sector for…

Aiden Teplitzky DobensMentor and Partner Development “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 spent three…

Sarah PasqualiniDirector, High Impact Tutoring “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, Mentors, Inc. @ Kid Power  “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…

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,…

Erin White Program Manager, Out of School Time (OST) Partnerships “The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” –BB King.    Erin has worked in the DC youth development sector for five years as an Instructor, site management, and operations. Her work with DC students inspired her to…

Yevette SmithDevelopment and Communications Manager “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” -Nelson Mandela Yevette was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and currently resides in Washington, DC. Yevette’s interest in education stemmed early on as a student in Chicago Public Schools and led her to pursue a…

Felicity PoussaintProgram Coordinator, High Impact Tutoring “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 PutnamProgram Director, Mentors Inc. @ Kid Power “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…

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 LeitchDeputy Director “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…