Claudia Kang is a Principal Director at Accenture, where she has worked for 15 years. She works with organizations across industries, helping to transform their customer and employee experiences, within workforce management across industries. She has extensive experience in retail operations management with over 17 years in the field, best known for multi-site operations, training and development, workforce management, merchandising, and budget administration. She has been a major part of Bright Mind for over three years, lives in Chicago, and enjoys traveling across the world, experiencing different cultures, histories and cuisines.

 

 

 

Jennifer Griffin serves as our primary leader for educational and curriculum matters. She represents Bright Mind to all communities, notably Latino/a communities. Having taught special education full-time since 2006, Jennifer is currently the Head of Special Education at a large high school in Montgomery County (greater Washington DC area), overseeing 200 individuals.

Recently, Jennifer has twice been a full-time summer school assistant principal for the Arlington (VA) Public Schools, for the High School Summer School program: responsible for overseeing the special education department, state tests (SOLs), interactive achievement testing, computer labs, cafeteria, and students – as one of four assistant principals overseeing 1,500 high school students.

From 2012-2013, she served as Inter-Assistant Principal at Washington-Lee High School, Arlington. In Summer 2012, she also served as Intern Assistant Principal at Arlington Traditional School. She has additional experience within the Arlington Public Schools as a Local Educational Agency (LEA) Representative, a member of the Aspiring Leaders group, and a Facilitator for Cultural Competency.

She has been licensed in multiple areas as a teacher (Administration and Supervision Pre-K – 12, Early Childhood Special Education, Early / Primary Education Pre-K – 3 and Specific Learning Disabilities K – 12). She teaches high school special education in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Child and Family Studies and a Master’s degree in General and Special Education Children Birth-2nd Grade, both from Syracuse University, and a Master’s degree from George Mason University in Education Leadership. She has earned multiple relevant certifications and awards.

Terrence Calhoun oversees Bright Mind finances, promotes Bright Mind to funders, guides grant submissions, and works on fundraising campaigns. He represents Bright Mind to all communities, with particular emphasis on African-American communities. Terrence is a non-profit professional, as well as a diversity educator. As Conference and Events Manager for HealthHIV, he serves as Project Manager for HealthHIV’s annual SYNChronicity conference. Prior to that, he served as the Director of Conferences and Meeting Services (CMS) with the National Minority AIDS Council for over fifteen years. In this work, his responsibilities encompassed logistical planning for conferences, developing marketing collateral and conference promotional materials; developing RFPs for conference related activities; and negotiating contracts for national and regional conferences. Terrence has served as the Director for the United States Conference on AIDS and as the point of contact for CDC’s HIV Prevention Leadership Summit. In addition, he has received numerous awards and accolades for his service to the HIV community.

Terrence has also spent years doing director-level diversity education work, with a focus on working with and teaching students. He did his undergraduate studies at Cornell University (NY) and is both a foster and adoptive father. He is highly involved in fostering networks.

Martin Brooks is responsible for Bright Mind board matters, raising funds, cultivating relationships with institutions, implementing and providing oversight of overall goals of the organization.

Martin is deeply committed to assisting young people, and for veterans’ issues, having served in the National Guard. He was Dean of Peer Education at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY, where he taught for six years in the field of Peer Education in Human Relations, conducting research and instructing students on how to work together across difference.

He has presented at three national AIDS conferences on effective management skills. He has worked as a social worker with disabled people and was a founding director of the ARCH, a non-profit focused on community, cultural, and diversity education in schools and workplaces. He regularly conducts street outreach and programming to aid victims of sex trafficking, including as a focus of his work as a senior pastor, where he works to bring diverse faith communities and human services organizations together to aid poor and under-served communities. He is an ordained Elder in The United Methodist Church. Since 2008, he has served as a pastor in the Baltimore Washington Annual Conference. He holds Master of Divinity and Master of Theological Studies degrees from Wesley Theological Seminary (Washington, DC) and currently serves as senior pastor at Magothy United Methodist Church in Pasadena, Maryland.

Martin received a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University and an Honorable Discharge after serving in the US Army National Guard (Washington, DC). He and his wife have a 3-year-old daughter.

Craig Kaufman guides Bright Mind’s growing team and network of dozens of professionals, from executing content to developing capacity as both a grassroots-based non-profit and an educational organization. He oversees all operations and operational strategies for Bright Mind, working with our excellent team and allied resource people. He guides Bright Mind’s public profile, including building relationships with non-profit, civic, and other organizations.

Craig has directed non-profit and socially-engaged efforts focused on education for over twenty years. He has also taught low-income children, including in a Harlem (NYC) public school and a Tijuana squatter community. As the executive director of Pennsylvania Action, a statewide advocacy organization, where he hired and managed a large team and organized campaigns that affected the entire state, he ran campaigns with a particular emphasis on kids and education; Progressive Action, LLC, where he negotiated contracts and alliances with national organizations; the ARCH, where he executed over 300 events for a 501(c)(3) New York City-based agency; and Bright Mind. He was founding director of Trilogy Leadership Training, as well as a Senior Writer and Project Coordinator at Garrison Institute, where he brought exponential funding growth (on projects with a focus on education and at-risk groups) and long-term institutional support. He has worked on social-action efforts in California, New York, and the Southwest.

The New York Times, CNN, and NPR have covered Craig’s work. His op-eds have appeared with top-ten U.S.newspapers, KQED (the largest NPR station), and other leading newspapers. He graduated with distinction from Cornell University and speaks Spanish fluently.

Sandra Ugol is a founding advisor of Bright Mind and has been an important expert in financial development and a leader for the organization since its inception. With over 30 years of experience in learning and employee development, operational analysis, and data-driven strategy, she has made significant contributions to Bright Mind’s growth. 

Previously, Sandra held key executive leadership roles at Kaplan Higher Education, Education Corporation of America, and TESST College of Technology. At Kaplan, she was selected for the Kaplan Leadership Academy and appointed to its President’s Council, showcasing her commitment to driving educational excellence.

Currently, Sandra is the Vice President of Quality Audit, Learning, and Development at Kelly Benefits, where she is recognised as an expert in financial development. Under her leadership, the Learning and Development team launched Kelly Benefits’ first blended learning model in 2019, resulting in a 25% improvement in service-level success. She has also contributed to the Kelly Benefits Administration System, Organizational Controls Committee, and the corporate-wide deployment of Salesforce in 2020.

Also, Sandra has been a volunteer strengths-based leadership facilitator for nearly two decades, helping thousands identify their talents through Gallup’s CliftonStrengths. Additionally, she is active in her community through her involvement with Bethany United Methodist Church, Rebuilding Together Howard County, and the Baltimore Chapter of Mission Continues.

Adjei Kwesi Boateng, Literacy Director of Bright Mind, is a passionate advocate for literacy and education. During his tenure of an MS degree in Publishing at Pace University, he served as a Graduate Assistant at Pace University Press, where he played a pivotal role in the publication of numerous academic journals and books. His collaborative efforts extended to working closely with professors from universities across the United States. Beyond his important contributions to education and publishing, Adjei is a published novelist under the pen name J.K. Knowlife. He is best known as the founder of Reader Publishing, Ghana. With a deep-rooted commitment to making a difference in the lives of underprivileged children, Adjei established ReaderCares, a non-governmental organization in Ghana, in 2015. “Empowering young minds through the magic of books is my lifelong mission, because in my journey, the joy of reading ignited a transformative spark within me.”

 

 

 

 

 

Andra Brill is an education consultant specializing in language acquisition, mindfulness and literacy and the interaction between these three. She works with public school teachers and parents to turn down the noise of the world outside and focus on creating safe, caring environments. Andra began her career as an early childhood teacher and has taught grades K-5 in the Denver Public Schools and surrounding districts. Andra believes nurturing our children with inspiration and clear boundaries is the most important work we can do as adults. As the Director of the Boettcher Teacher Residency, Andra helped to create a national model for teacher residency. She has been published in the Huffington Post and various parenting magazines, and has taught at University of Denver, Metro State University and the University of Colorado. Andra has practiced mindfulness since 2003. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Innovation from the University of Colorado.

 

 

Dr. Jack R. Garrow is a seasoned educational professional with a distinguished background in both teaching and administration. A proud alumnus of Pitt, Dr. Garrow holds a Ph.D. in Education. His teaching journey has spanned elementary, secondary, and post-secondary education settings, but it is his extensive experience in Educationa Administration that truly sets him apart.

Dr. Garrow has held prominent roles such as the Director of Teacher Evaluation, where he pioneered initiatives to harness assessment data to refine instructional practices, training over 5,000 educators and administrators in more than 120 schools. His prior roles also include serving as the Coordinator of Student Information Management in Pittsburgh Public School, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the district’s strategic plans, assessment systems, and stakeholder training initiatives. Currently, as a consultant, Dr. Garrow’s expertise is sought after for topics like Data Literacy, Assessment, and Evaluation. His recent endeavors include designing an assessment course at High Point University in NC and offering insights on assessment issues at Guilford County Schools. Apart from his professional roles, Dr. Garrow is committed to community service and has been recognized for his contributions, notably receiving the Margaret McNamara Award for Commitment to Children and Reading. With a career anchored in the interplay of education and research, Dr. Garrow is passionate about bringing meaningful change and ensuring the success of educational efforts. His rich background of experiences, combined with his technical acumen and dedication, makes him an invaluable asset to Bright Mind Enrichment as we grow our educational and curricular work.

Julie Hui is a seasoned financial professional. With a rich background in distribution, service, and manufacturing industries, she has expertise in Business Process Design, Balanced Scorecard, and Managerial Finance. Her roles involve contributing to building enterprise value through executive and board services on an interim, project, and advisory basis. Companies she has worked for have offered a spectrum of strategic, operational, and financial management services delivered by an expert team with an average of two decades of experience in C-suite and board leadership.

As a Finance/Accounting Consultant at JCH Consulting, LLC since October 2014, she has provided valuable insights to small to medium-sized enterprises, specializing in hi-tech manufacturing, consumer products, and distribution. Her roles have included serving as Interim CFO or Controller, overseeing the revamping of internal controls, and managing projects such as corporate planning software roll-outs. Julie’s career journey includes significant leadership roles, such as CFO and VP of Administration at VersaLogic Corporation and VP of Finance at Menlo Worldwide Logistics, where she strengthened finance resources, automated forecasting processes, and improved internal controls. Julie’s diverse skill set, including Business Process Design and Internal Controls, has earned her endorsements from colleagues at Oregon Scientific and XPO. Beyond her professional endeavors, Julie actively engages in volunteering, contributing her services to organizations such as Meals on Wheels, Oregon Money Management Program, and Store to Door. She advises and guides Bright Mind’s team on a wide variety of on extensive array of financial matter

Cally Wolk has produced Emmy-winning content and has worked across public health, education, corporate branding, non-profit, and broadcast media. She has over 18 years of experience, including working at Novartis and founding MediaPalette.com. Currently, she serves as the Director of Interactive Media at Bright Mind and as a Communication Specialist at the Rhode Island Department of Health.

 

 

 

 

 

Sridhar Shanmugam co-coordinates Bright Mind’s New York team. His creative skills make him passionate about community building.

Sridhar has been working within the performance art field as an executive director and manager for decades. His expertise lies within administration & finance.

Sridhar is also an artist and performer himself. He has mastered various forms of art and wishes to spread his knowledge across the globe.

 

 

 

 

Monica Sri Vel is a Clinical Research Coordinator Associate in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Sports Medicine, at Stanford University. With a background in cognitive neuroscience and sports medicine, she specializes in clinical and lab-based research, focusing on improving patient outcomes. Monica is skilled in managing study-specific databases, writing case report forms, and coordinating clinical trials. She has experience working with research tools such as Open Specimen, RedCap, and LabMatrix.

Beyond her role at Stanford, Monica has contributed to research on mental health and AI voice assistants, presenting her findings at conferences such as APA 2021. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Science with a Neuroscience emphasis from the University of California, Davis. She is our California Coordinator overseeing our area work, particularly in terms of helping to advance Street Care activities for those in greatest need. Known for her diligence and adaptability, Monica remains committed to advancing cognitive and sports medicine research.

 

Yash Jain is a dynamic professional with a robust background in product management, holding a Master’s degree in Engineering Management from Northeastern University. With extensive experience in the automotive and energy sectors, he has worked with renowned organizations such as Volvo Trucks, Volkswagen, and Amphenol, where he currently serves as an Associate Product Manager, driving the development of next-generation energy solutions to accelerate the transition to sustainability. 

Passionate about global development, Yash has actively contributed to community initiatives, including volunteering at Bright Mind as a Project Director.

 

 

Lynette Slape is Bright Mind’s Web and Graphic designer, designing print material for events including frequently updating our websites, compiling content design for newsletters with Mailchimp and working with programs like Google Slides to enhance Bright Mind campaigns.

She has over 5 years of experience as a freelance graphic designer designing promotional material for both web and print clients.

Her degrees include an Associate of Applied Science in graphic design and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Oregon in art, plus a certificate in UX/UI, a 24-week Bootcamp program with the University of Oregon.

 

 

 

Roopa Sridhar co-coordinates Bright Mind’s New York team. Additionally, Roopa has founded and run different community organizations.

Roopa has a graduate degree in Botany and Zoology. After graduating, Roopa started a career in health and social services, which she continued after moving to the US in the early 2000s.