Denee Bottoms, Alumni Counselor
Carlos Capellan, Director of College Services
Dominick DiFalco, Director of College Academics
Jane Martínez Dowling, Executive Director
Shirin Foroudi, College Academic Advisor
Jackie Gilchrist, Alumni Counselor
Kendall Glaspie, Career Services Coordinator
Kristen Harris, Director of Brooklyn Programs
Alicia Johnson, Director of Operations
Khalia Joseph, High School Academic Advisor
Dawan Julien, Director of High School Academic Support
Santos Martinez, Director of Outreach
Natiki Montano, Operations Manager
Melissa Reyes, Director of College Counseling
Nathan Smith, Director of Counseling Services
Nathaniel Smith, College Placement Advisor
Julie Torres, High School Placement Advisor
Chris Weeks, Director of High School Placement
Latoyia Williams, High School Academic Advisor
KIPP NYC Shared Services Team >
Deneé Bottoms, Alumni Counselor
Deneé Bottoms is the Alumni Counselor for KIPP Through College. Holding a BA in Sociology from Hunter College and a MPA from Metropolitan College New York, she has worked with a widely diverse population ranging from age five to adulthood in the areas of education, counseling, family services, housing, legal assistance, and childcare. Deneé has worked most intensely with troubled teens and has a true passion for this group. As a new member of the KTC Family, Deneé strives to empower youth through the promotion of education and access to resources.
Carlos Capellan, Director of College Services
Carlos Capellan joined KIPP Through College in 2007 as College Coach. He is now the Director of College Services, with the goal of helping students stay in college once they get there. Prior to joining KTC, he was Director of the Teen Leadership Program at Ramapo for Children. He also worked as a chess coach for Chess in the Schools. Mr. Capellan has a Bachelor's degree from Hamilton College and holds College Access Counseling certification.
Dominick DiFalco, College Academic Director
Dominick DiFalco joined KIPP Through College in 2008 to increase the impact of the College Scholars Program. He is working closely with the College Team to provide academic and writing support to college age alumni as well as high school seniors drafting their college essays. Dominick comes to KIPP after serving as the Director of the Writing Center at Pace University where he also completed his undergraduate studies. He received his MA in English Literature and Language from Brooklyn College.
Jane Martínez Dowling, Executive Director
Jane Martínez Dowling has been committed to providing educational opportunities to underserved children in New York for almost 20 years. Prior to joining the KTC staff in 2008, Ms. Dowling was the president of the Academy of Mount St. Ursula, a Catholic all girls high school in the Bronx. She was also the executive director of Student Sponsor Partners (SSP) from 1998 until 2002. Ms. Dowling began her career as a charter corps member of the Teach For America program, where she taught in Washington Heights for three years. Ms. Dowling graduated from Georgetown University, where she double majored in Government and Psychology. She also holds a Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Harvard Business School’s Executive Education program, and attended Columbia University’s School of Social Work for a Master’s in social work administration. Ms. Dowling is a current board member at KIPP Infinity Charter School in Harlem, The Hunts Point Alliance for Children (HPAC) and the Riverdale Nursery School and Family Center. She is also a 5th grade catechist at St. Gabriel’s Church in Riverdale, the Bronx.
Shirin Foroudi, College Academic Advisor
Shirin Foroudi joined KIPP NYC in 2006 as the 8th grade English teacher at KIPP Academy, and in 2009 she became a College Academic Advisor for KIPP Through College. Prior to joining the KIPP NYC team and family, Shirin worked as a high school English teacher at Bronx Engineering and Technology Academy before that, she was a Literacy Coach and English teacher at Walton High School. Shirin worked at a large, international law firm in Washington D.C. as a legal assistant before becoming an educator. She holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in English with a minor in Spanish from the University of Florida and through the NYC Teaching Fellows has earned a Master’s in Secondary English Education from Lehman College. Shirin is a lover of learning, knitting and rock-climbing.
Jacqueline Gilchrist, Alumni Counselor
Jacqueline Gilchrist joined KIPP Through College in 2007 as Alumni Counselor. In this role she provides one-on-one counseling to alumni, facilitates workshops and classes on health and wellness, and conducts outreach to alumni and their families. Prior to joining KIPP Through College, Ms. Gilchrist worked as a probation officer with the New York City Department of Probation, managing a caseload of adult sexual offenders and New York City gang members. She has also served as a case worker with the Administration for Children's Services and with Project Basement at New York Foundling. Ms. Gilchrist has a Bachelor's degree from John Jay, a Master's in Organizational Leadership from Mercy College, and is pursuing a second Master's Degree in Educational Leadership at Mercy College in an accelerated program.
Kendall Glaspie, Career Services Coordinator
Kendall Glaspie comes to KIPP with over 5 years of experience in employment related services. While at Henry Street Settlement, he was instrumental in managing several government and private contracts through which nearly 2,000 youth were placed in employment opportunities annually. In addition, Mr. Glaspie headed Catholic Charities Brooklyn West region which focused on crisis invention and employment services. There he assisted displaced Katrina Survivors with reclaiming financial independence. Mr. Glaspie also possesses a wealth of youth friendly workshops and hopes to be influential in further developing KTC’s employment services.
Kristen Harris, Director of Brooklyn Programs
Kristen Harris joined KIPP Through College in February 2008 as College Placement Coordinator and was responsible for college placement and academic support for all college-bound students. She now serves as the Director of Brooklyn Programs to create and manage programs for the KIPP alumni population in Brooklyn. Prior to joining KIPP Through College, Mrs. Harris worked in the Youth Division of the Henry Street Settlement as Expanded Horizons College Program Coordinator. She earned her Bachelor’s in Communication from the University of Hartford and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Public Administration at Baruch. She is a member of the College Access Consortium of New York and the National Association for College Admission Counseling.
Alicia Johnson, Director of Operations
Alicia Johnson was a management consultant at Wellspring Consulting before joining KIPP Through College in 2007 as Director of Operations. She has also worked at the National League of Cities, focusing on youth development and education. Ms. Johnson holds a Bachelor's in Public Policy from Stanford University’s School of Education, with honors. Her thesis focused on the impact of the federal government on the charter school movement. She also holds a Master's in Business Administration from the Yale School of Management.
Khalia Joseph, High School Advisor
Khalia Joseph joins KIPP Through College with a diverse background. Upon graduating from Florida A&M University with a degree in Public Relations, she relocated to her hometown of New York City to work for a realm of entertainment companies, radio stations, and later embarked on a new opportunity with Girls Educational & Mentoring Services (G.E.M.S). There she built their public awareness department through managing special event marketing campaigns, securing media coverage, and enlarging the organization database. While at GEMS, Ms. Joseph also provided supportive counseling, mentoring and job development for the young girls. Ms. Joseph is now KTC’s High School Advisor working primarily with the Brooklyn alumni programs. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Adolescent Education.
Dawan Julien, Director of High School Academic Support
Dawan Julien recently became the Director of High School Academic Support for KIPP Through College. She joined the KTC team as Director of High School Placement at KIPP STAR College Preparatory School in 2005 where she taught social studies for three years. Mrs. Julien has also taught English as a Second Language to 7th and 8th graders in a bilingual education program for four years prior to joining KIPP NYC. She holds a Bachelor's in African American Studies from Columbia University and a Master's from Teachers College, Columbia University, as well as New York State certification in TESOL (K-12) and social studies (7-12).
Santos Martinez, Outreach Coordinator
Santos Martinez serves as Outreach Coordinator for KIPP Through College. He joined KIPP Academy in 1998 as a gym teacher, and over time his role grown to include student activities and outreach. In his current role, Mr. Martinez coordinates trips and activities for alumni and conducts outreach to at-risk alumni including school and home visits. Prior to joining KIPP NYC, he worked in New York City public school classrooms as a tutor and classroom assistant. He has also worked in youth development at Youth Action Program (Youth Build) and Hotline Cares. In his free time, Mr. Martinez enjoys playing football, basketball, baseball, and volleyball.
Natiki Montano, Operations Manager
Natiki Montano serves as the Operations Manager for KIPP Through College. Her experience in operations and business development, as well as her perspective as a KIPP parent, makes her a unique addition to the KIPP Through College team. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/ Organizational Management and her Master’s in Business Administration, Finance from Nyack College. Prior to joining KIPP Through College, Natiki served as the Enterprise Operations Assistant at AXA Equitable and the Director of Operations, Business Services at Angel Corporation of New York.
Melissa Reyes, Director of College Counseling
Melissa Reyes joined KIPP Through College in 2007 as High School Placement Advisor. She went on to serve as the Director of High School Support where she oversaw academic services for high school alumni and managed the cluster advisory model. Currently, she is the Director of College Counseling where she infuses college readiness into high school programming while guiding and supporting our students through the college admissions process. Prior to joining KIPP Through College, Ms. Reyes worked as Project Coordinator with the Non-Violence Project in Miami serving high school students in Little Haiti and is a Teach For America alumna who taught second grade for two years in Liberty City with Miami/Dade County Public Schools. She is also a New York City Posse alumna graduating with a degree in Communication Arts & Sciences from DePauw University in Indiana.
Nathan Smith, Director of Counseling
Nathan Smith joined KIPP NYC in 2004 as Head School Social Worker at KIPP STAR, and in 2007 he became Director of Counseling for KIPP Through College. Prior to joining KIPP Through College, Mr. Smith worked at The Door: A Center of Alternatives and at Groundwork, where he served as campus director for the after school and summer school programs. Mr. Smith holds a Bachelor's in Psychology from Iona College and a Master's from Columbia's School of Social Work. His Master's thesis focused on the impact of 9/11 and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder on urban adolescents. Mr. Smith is certified in health counseling, child abuse and neglect prevention, and school violence prevention. He is an active leader in his church, serving as Youth Department Sunday School Superintendent among other roles, and is a Big Brother and a mentor for the Juvenile Justice Program. Mr. Smith is married, and he enjoys reading, rollerblading, and listening to gospel music.
Nathaniel Smith, College Placement Advisor
Nathaniel Smith joined KIPP Through College in 2007 as Academic Advisor. In this role he serves as a tutor, teacher, and monitor in the Alumni Enrichment Program, coordinates data/report card collection, and assists with high school and college placement. Prior to joining KIPP Through College, Mr. Smith served as an Admissions Counselor at Pace University for four years and has also taught 9th grade English. Mr. Smith graduated from Hobart College cum laude. He is certified by the NYC DOE in the identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment and in school violence prevention. He has recently become the College Placement Advisor to support high school seniors through the college application process. In addition to his work with KIPP Through College, Mr. Smith is a youth mentor and Sunday school teacher at his church.
Julie Torres Safdar, High School Placement Advisor
Julie is KIPP Through College’s High School Placement Advisor. She works specifically with eighth grade students as they prepare to make the transition from middle school to high school. Prior to joining KTC, Ms. Torres worked at the Academy of Mount St. Ursula as the Director of Recruitment. She graduated from Villanova University, cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications.
Chris Weeks, Academic and Placement Dean
Chris Weeks joined KIPP Through College in 2005 and serves as Academic and Alumni Dean, focused on high school placement and academic support. Prior to joining KIPP Through College, Mr. Weeks served as Director of Admissions for Middle and Upper School at the Berkeley Carroll School in Brooklyn and worked for five years at Kaplan, where he taught SAT and SSAT courses and managed the Manhattan center. Mr. Weeks holds a Bachelor's from Cornell University and a Master of Arts in Education from Brown University. He is married to Cathy Weeks, KIPP Academy 5th and 6th grade reading specialist.
Latoyia R. Williams, High School Academic Advisor
Latoyia R. Williams joined KIPP Through College in September 2008 as Academic Advisor and is responsible for academic support and tutoring for all high school-aged alumni. She came to KIPP Through College in an effort to do more hands on with youth and families while assisting them in surpassing their academic goals. Prior to joining KIPP Through College, Mrs. Williams worked for Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC in the Juvenile Justice and Special Populations Program as Deputy Director. She earned her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan and Master’s in Public Administration from Metropolitan College of New York.
