Our Team - Matriculate

MEET THE TEAM

Learn more about the dedicated professionals who form the Matriculate team. We are driven by a collective mission to create more equitable educational pathways and empower talented students from under-resourced backgrounds. Our experts are here to guide you through every step of your college application journey, helping you craft a story that truly reflects your potential.

MADELINE
KERNER

CEO, CO-FOUNDER

Formerly Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives for America Achieves; Director of Operations and Special Assistant to Joel Klein at Amplify; National Director of Outreach and Development at Peer Health Exchange; Founding Chicago Executive Director at Peer Health Exchange. B.A., Yale University

CONTACT

REBECCA
WASSERMAN

CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER

Formerly Senior Director, Youth and Family Programs, generationOn; Manager, School Partnerships and Grants, Children for Children Manager, Youth and Family Programs, Hudson River Museum. B.A., New York University

CONTACT

LANTHY
TRUONG

VP - FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATION

Formerly Senior Consultant at Fiscal Management Associates; Assistant Director, Staff Relations at American Red Cross in Greater New York; Community Resources Manager at Union Square Partnership. B.A., University of
Virginia, M.P.A., NYU Robert F.
Wagner Graduate School of Public Service

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LANTHY
TRUONG

VP - FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATION

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LANTHY
TRUONG

VP - FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATION

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Staff
Board of Directors

Andre Amoor

Strategic Initiatives & Internal Communications

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Andre Amoor

Strategic Initiatives & Internal Communications

Andre previously held roles as Chief of Staff Consultant with vChief, Chief of Staff at Denver Public Schools, and Chief of Staff at Redshift Technologies. He has a B.A. from the University of California, Riverside, and an M.A from. Denver University.

Annabelle Marko, AF '20, AFLT '21, NAFLT '23

Senior Associate, Technology Project Management

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Annabelle Marko, AF '20, AFLT '21, NAFLT '23

Senior Associate, Technology Project Management

Annabelle earned a Bachelor of Science from Emory University and has been deeply involved with Matriculate since her time as a student. She previously served as an Advising Fellow and as a member of the National Advising Fellow Leadership Team before joining Matriculate full-time. She began as an Associate on the Advising Fellow Recruitment Team before transitioning to her current role in Technology Project Management. In this role, she works to improve systems and tools that support staff and fellows, ensuring Matriculate’s technology is efficient, reliable, and impactful. Her firsthand experience as a fellow informs her approach to optimizing Matriculate's technology initiatives.

Aspen Schrupp, AF '23, NAFLT '23

Associate, Advising Fellow Experience & Impact

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Aspen Schrupp, AF '23, NAFLT '23

Associate, Advising Fellow Experience & Impact

Aspen graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a B.A. in English & Spanish and a certificate in Education & Educational Services. Prior to joining Matriculate, she served as an Academic Advisor with Cross-College Advising Services, where she helped undecided students explore potential majors and classes. In the workplace, she is passionate about empowerment through education, student well-being and success, and community. Outside of work, you can find her at a state park or local library.

Bryan Contreras

Managing Director, Program Partnerships & Growth

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Bryan Contreras

Managing Director, Program Partnerships & Growth

Bryan was previously the Vice President of myOptions Encourage, Executive Director of KIPP Through College at KIPP Houston Public Schools, Director of College Counseling at KIPP Houston High School, and Director of Admissions at Houston Christian University. He holds a B.S. from the University of Houston and an M.Ed. from Houston Christian University.

Cecilia Grano De Oro

Director, Institutional Giving

She/Her/Hers

Cecilia Grano De Oro

Director, Institutional Giving

Cecilia Grano De Oro brings extensive experience in development, fundraising, career counseling, and college access across a diverse landscape that includes both secondary and post-secondary institutions, as well as nonprofit education organizations, including as a Director of National Foundation Partnerships at Teach For America supporting efforts to drive meaningful, sustainable systems change within the education ecosystem. Most recently, she was the Director of Foundation & Corporate Partnerships at Code/Art, a South Florida-based nonprofit broadening access to computer science and STEM learning opportunities for girls and young women from underrepresented backgrounds and communities through a lens of art, creativity, and social good. As a fundraiser, Cecilia has built meaningful relationships with both foundation and corporate partners in support of education nonprofits, especially pathways that strengthen the capacity for young people to access educational opportunities that are equitable and inclusive. Outside of the nonprofit space, she spent eight years serving in various college counseling roles, including as a school-based counselor and in a volunteer capacity with other nonprofit college access organizations, such as Breakthrough Miami and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Cecilia earned two Master of Science in Education degrees from the University of Miami (Higher Education Administration; Mental Health Counseling), as well as her Bachelor of Arts degree, also from the University of Miami. Born and raised in South Florida, Cecilia enjoys the year-round warm weather, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Cory McDaniel

Manager, Finance

Cory McDaniel

Manager, Finance

Dustin Lynn

Managing Director, Advising

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Dustin Lynn

Managing Director, Advising

Dustin Lynn, M.Ed., is Managing Director, Advising at Matriculate. In this role, he facilitates all aspects of the High School Fellow advising process. Prior to joining Matriculate, Dustin served as Director of College Counseling at Battle Ground Academy after working as a Senior Admissions Counselor at Vanderbilt University. He’s also taught as an Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Human and Organizational Development at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College, focusing on human-centered design, systems thinking, and organizational behavior and leadership. Dustin co-founded the NACAC Rural and Small Town Special Interest Group, presented at regional and national conferences on college access topics, and served on college and university admissions advisory boards. A first-generation college student, Dustin graduated with a bachelor’s degree in human and organizational development with a minor in sociology from Vanderbilt University, where he also received his master’s degree in leadership and organizational performance.

Emma Walter

Manager of High School Fellow Experience

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Emma Walter

Manager of High School Fellow Experience

Emma has been with Matriculate since 2019. Currently, she works to support Matriculate's incredible High School Fellows by building student curriculum and managing the student experience strategy. Prior to her role at Matriculate, Emma worked with the Michigan College Access Network supporting their college access advocacy and policy strategy. Emma earned her B.A. in Public Policy from Michigan State University and her Masters in Social Work from the University of Michigan- Ann Arbor.

Erica Wynn

Senior Manager, Advising Fellow Experience

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Erica Wynn

Senior Manager, Advising Fellow Experience

Erica is an NYC native with a decade of experience working in youth programs. Prior to Matriculate, she has served in roles spanning health education, behavioral research and other teen mentoring organizations. She is an MSW candidate at the University at Buffalo and holds a BA in Psychology from American University. Beyond professional and academic pursuits, she is an outdoor enthusiast whose love of green spaces has taken her from local city parks to the top of Mt. Denali and Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Erin Nolan

Senior Manager, Advising Fellowship Impact

She/Her/Hers

Erin Nolan

Senior Manager, Advising Fellowship Impact

Erin graduated from Cornell University (Class of 2020) with a BS in Biology & Society and Inequality Studies. She previously worked at Upward Bound, Planned Parenthood, and Black Girls CODE.

Ferni Cruz

Manager, College Partnerships

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Ferni Cruz

Manager, College Partnerships

Ferni is a community builder with 8+ years of non-profit program management, partnership cultivation, staff training, and curriculum development experience within higher education and college access spaces. As the Manager of College Partnerships at Matriculate, Ferni cultivates and stewards partnerships with colleges in an effort to increase educational access and opportunity for limited-income students across the country. Relationships are at the center of Ferni's work, and their lived experiences and identities are what fuel their commitment to increasing access and opportunity for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities.

Isaiah DeLeon, HSF '21, AF '23, HAF '24, NAFLT '25

Associate, Advising Fellow Experience & Impact

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Isaiah DeLeon, HSF '21, AF '23, HAF '24, NAFLT '25

Associate, Advising Fellow Experience & Impact

Isaiah is a recent graduate of Northwestern University ('25) where he earned a B.A. in Linguistics (honors) and Psychology. There he developed his passion for research and educational equity, demonstrated by notable research experiences including working as transcriber for the Chicagoland Language Project and conducting awarding-winning, independent research in sociolinguistics. Isaiah was also heavily involved in Northwestern’s community outreach and education access initiatives. Aside from serving as Northwestern’s founding Head Advising Fellow (‘24) and on the National Advising Fellow Leadership Team (‘25), Isaiah was a lecturer and Director of Teacher Recruitment for Splash at Northwestern, providing underrepresented Chicagoland students the opportunity to experience classes taught by undergraduate students. Additionally, Isaiah was a columnist for the Daily Northwestern, writing about queer issues in Chicago’s Northalsted neighborhood.

Julianna Burke

Manager of Leadership Development

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Julianna Burke

Manager of Leadership Development

Julianna has been with Matriculate since 2018. Currently, she works with Matriculate's wonderful college student leaders as the Manager of Leadership Development. Her favorite part of working at Matriculate is being part of the organization’s community. She learns so much from the thoughtfulness and wisdom of her teammates and students. Julianna has also served as a Youth Justice Facilitator with the Restorative Justice Institute of Maine, where she worked with youth to address harm and repair relationships in their communities. Julianna attended Bowdoin College where she studied Sociology and Francophone Studies. Currently, she is pursuing her Master of Clinical Social Work with a focus in Mental Health at Boston College. Outside of Matriculate, Julianna is an avid baker, reader, and crafter.

Julia Perkins

Senior Director, Student Recruitment & Experience

She/Her/Hers

Julia Perkins

Senior Director, Student Recruitment & Experience

Prior to Matriculate, Julia served as the High School Program Director at Breakthrough New York, Program Manager at College Possible Philadelphia, Program Coordinator at College Possible Minnesota, AmeriCorps High School Coach at College Possible Minnesota, and earned her B.S. in Family Social Science and Social Justice from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.

Karen Du

Manager of High School Fellow Recruitment

She/Her/Hers

Karen Du

Manager of High School Fellow Recruitment

Karen received her BA in Elementary Education and Creative Writing from CUNY Hunter College as a Macaulay Honors student. Passionate in global education, she lived abroad for two years teaching in rural schools in Taiwan. Returning to New York City, she pursued a MA at Teachers College, Columbia University in Bilingual/Bicultural Education. She taught in public school bilingual classrooms in Queens, New York before kickstarting a remote learning community organization during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a co-founder and Instructional Support Team Lead, she helped support children of 1,500 low-income families and families of first responders. Now, she is passionate about her community work with Matriculate!

Kayla Sakayan, AF '22, HAF '24

Associate, Advising Fellow Experience & Impact

She/Her/Hers

Kayla Sakayan, AF '22, HAF '24

Associate, Advising Fellow Experience & Impact

Kayla graduated from UCLA with a degree in Political Science, complemented by extensive coursework in public affairs and journalism. She is deeply committed to advancing equity and access in higher education, and hopes to channel these interests in a JD program in the future. Kayla served as a Matriculate Advising Fellow for two terms and was later selected as Head Advising Fellow for UCLA’s Class of 2024. She successfully guided her cohort through key milestones while strengthening their advising skills. In addition to mentorship work, Kayla brings extensive experience as a tennis instructor, having directed the Westhampton Yacht Squadron’s summer tennis program and working as an Instructor for UCLA Recreation. She is dedicated to fostering collaborative and engaging learning environments for students of all backgrounds.

Katarina D'Ercole

Director, Advising Fellowship Success

She/Her/Hers

Katarina D'Ercole

Director, Advising Fellowship Success

Since her graduation from Allegheny College where she earned a B.A. in International Studies and German Studies, Katarina has worked directly with youth and their families. First as an educator in Queens, New York and later as a Homefinder in the northern New York foster care system, she worked to ensure students and their caretakers had the skills, resources, and advocacy they needed to be safe and successful. Katarina brought these experiences to Matriculate first as a Program Associate and now as the Manager of Advising Fellowship Success. While she no longer works as closely with youth and their families, she remains committed to ensuring the strategies, resources, and tools she develops empower our Advising Fellows to help our HSFs achieve the success they set out for.

Kim Oakes

Senior Vice President, Program & Operations

She/Her/Hers

Kim Oakes

Senior Vice President, Program & Operations

Inspired by her mother, Kim started her career as a teacher, driven by a deep belief in the potential of every child. That mission has shaped her work ever since—helping people learn, grow, and do meaningful work together on behalf of students. For more than a decade at the KIPP Foundation, Kim led large-scale training for educators and helped shape strategy, including reimagining KIPP's mission and vision. At McGraw--Hill, she led the development of products and a business to shed light on the inequity of school funding. Here, at Matriculate, she works with a passionate and committed team to expand our reach and deepen our impact, helping more students to the colleges that will most help them reach their own goals and dreams. Kim loves bringing people together, solving problems, and turning big ideas into reality.

Leonel Olmedo

Senior Director of Technology

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Leonel Olmedo

Senior Director of Technology

Leonel Olmedo is Matriculate’s Senior Director of Technology, leading initiatives to improve student engagement and optimize program operations through innovative technology solutions. As a first-generation college graduate and Latino in Tech, he prioritizes people over products and believes diverse, inclusive teams drive meaningful progress. Leo honed his technical skills as a Product Manager at Salesforce and Indeed and applied data-driven decision-making as a Business Analyst at Teach for America and a Data Analyst at KIPP Houston Public Schools. His connection to Matriculate's mission began as a high school biology teacher in Chicago, where he connected with students from families like his, reinforcing his commitment to equity and college access. Leo earned his B.A. with Honors from the University of Chicago.

Lisa Chick

Chief Executive Officer

She/Her/Hers

Lisa Chick

Chief Executive Officer

Lisa brings a lifelong commitment to educational equity and justice to her work at Matriculate. Beginning her career as a public school teacher, her work is student-centered and grounded in a belief that all young people deserve access to an excellent and equitable education. Upon leaving the classroom, Lisa served as Co-Director for Summerbridge San Francisco, and then led in a variety of roles at City Year, including as Executive Director of City Year Seattle and as a Regional Vice President for City Year, Inc. Most recently, Lisa served as President of the Alliance for Education in Seattle, an organization that convenes community, raises funds and runs programs to advance educational justice and racial equity for students in Seattle Public Schools. Lisa received a BA in Development Studies and an MA in Teaching from Brown University. She was named one of Seattle’s “40 under 40” by the Puget Sound Business Journal, and served as a Marshall Memorial Fellow. She currently serves as an Ambassador Board Member for the University of Washington College of Education.

Manny Ramirez

Senior Associate, Advising Fellow Recruitment

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Manny Ramirez

Senior Associate, Advising Fellow Recruitment

Prior to joining Matriculate, Manny worked as a community organizer for PAVE (Parents Amplifying Voices in Education), a DC-based public school parents advocacy organization. He holds a B.A. in public and international affairs, with certificates in Chinese language & culture and South Asian studies, from Princeton University. Manny is currently pursuing an MPA in Public & Nonprofit Management & Policy at NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, with a specialization in advocacy & political action.

Nadav Atik

Senior Director, Learning and Evaluation

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Nadav Atik

Senior Director, Learning and Evaluation

Nadav has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 15 years, working with Oxfam GB and The Prince’s Trust (now The King’s Trust), before joining Matriculate in 2022 as the founding Director of Learning and Evaluation. Nadav has dedicated his career to helping mission-driven organizations to deepen their impact, enhance accountability and create efficiencies, by implementing systems for program management, measurement and reporting, and delivering learning through evaluations and data analysis. Nadav earned a B.A. in Philosophy and Linguistics (Joint Honors) from the University of York.

Ryan Kelly, AF' 20

Manager, Student Learning

He/Him/His

Ryan Kelly, AF' 20

Manager, Student Learning

Ryan is a former Advising Fellow at the Emory Fellowship, Honors Research Fellow at the Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry, and Docent Coordinator at the Michael C. Carlos Museum. He graduated from Emory University with highest honors in History and a second major in Fine Arts. Since graduating he has explored opportunities in classroom teaching, curriculum and training design, and community organizing. In addition to his role at Matriculate, he is a member of the Matriculate Workers Alliance bargaining committee and volunteer member organizer with DC37.

Sevi Burget-Foster

Associate, Salesforce Administration

She/Her/Hers

Sevi Burget-Foster

Associate, Salesforce Administration

Sevi (ZAY-vee) is committed to education equity and access. As a Salesforce Administration Associate at Matriculate, Sevi makes portals and tools more intuitive and engaging for 5,000+ students and staff through learning management support, trainings, and database management. She is a strong believer in technology to bolster and enhance the work of organizations within the social sector. Before joining Matriculate, she earned a B.S. in Psychology from Yale University. She went on to work at Dwight Hall, the Center for Public Service and Social Justice at Yale, managing programs and building Salesforce processes and systems. In her free time, she enjoys making pottery, foraging for mushrooms, and making documentaries.

Simone Williams

Senior Associate, Student Support

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Simone Williams

Senior Associate, Student Support

Simone is the Senior Associate of Student Support, managing day-to-day support and communication with thousands of current and prospective High School Fellows, Alumni, and Parents/Guardians. Before her role at Matriculate, Simone was a Special Education English teacher for three years. Before that, she founded the Alumni Engagement Department at Futures and Options. Simone has always been committed to closing the achievement gap and supporting scholars in reaching their academic goals. Simone is a graduate of SUNY New Paltz with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Creative Writing.

Teak Hodge

Manager, New & Emerging Fellowships

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Teak Hodge

Manager, New & Emerging Fellowships

Teak works with Matriculate’s amazing student leaders and staff to develop recruitment strategies, institutional partner relationships, and program communications as the Manager of New & Emerging Fellowships. Passionate about educational access, community engagement, and resource sharing, Teak creates relationships of support for students, colleagues, and partners alike. Teak holds a BSFS in Culture & Politics from the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. Prior to Matriculate, Teak served as a Program Assistant at the Georgetown University LGBTQ Resource and Women’s Center, a Program Assistant at GU Health Education Services, and on the Alumni Relations team of the AVID Program.

Tracy Dunn

Managing Director, Business Administration

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Tracy Dunn

Managing Director, Business Administration

Tracy has over 20 years of experience collaborating with senior leaders and staff to advance the operational, financial, human resource, and business matters for several non-profit organizations. Her mission is to support and empower organizations that make a positive impact in the community. Tracy received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Missouri - Columbia. She resides in Missouri enjoying spending time during the summer boating at Lake of the Ozarks. In the remainder of her time she is busy traveling to new locations with her husband and spending quality time her with her family including grandchildren.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Matriculate Board Officers:

Chair – Jim Larimore
Treasurer – Tom Fry
Secretary – Matt Cullinan

Members-At-Large:

Jonathan Ashtor, Esq.
Jasanna Britton
Lisa Chick
Miecha Ranea Forbes
Jed Hart
Madeline Kerner

Jessica Ogilvie
Kim Collins Parizeau
Dane Skillrud
Bryden Sweeney-Taylor
Evelyne Viegas
Jake Welch

Director Emeritus:

Sean Cullinan
Barbara Krasa Kelly
Derek Schrier
Gregory P. Spivy
Zach Silverstein

MEET THE TEAM

MADELINEKERNER

CEO, CO-FOUNDER

REBECCAWASSERMAN

CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER

LANTHYTRUONG

VP - FINANCE ANDADMINISTRATION

LANTHYTRUONG

VP - FINANCE ANDADMINISTRATION

LANTHYTRUONG

VP - FINANCE ANDADMINISTRATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Interested in joining our team? Head over to our Careers page to apply to open listings.

MADELINE
KERNER

REBECCA
WASSERMAN

LANTHY
TRUONG

VP - FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATION

LANTHY
TRUONG

VP - FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATION

LANTHY
TRUONG

VP - FINANCE AND
ADMINISTRATION