INSTITUTE FOR CITIZENS & SCHOLARS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Program Associate for Project Administration
Anna Gallos is the Program Associate for Project Administration at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, where she manages projects and conducts research across several areas of the organization.
Before joining the Citizens & Scholars team, Anna worked as an interim Spanish Teacher at a small Quaker school in Pennsylvania. She was previously a logistics manager for a family-owned food export company in California. Anna earned her BA in International Studies from American University.
Anna enjoys the outdoors with her boyfriend and her dog, trying new recipes, cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles, and drawing handmade greeting cards. Anna has actively participated in her community, serving as a volunteer ESL instructor for adult English learners, assisting at her local library, and being a member of a CSA (community-supported agriculture).
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Program Officer for the Youth Civic Impact
- Program Officer, Youth Civic Impact, Civic Spring, Higher Ed Media, and Higher Ed Policy Fellowships
Arianna Gordon is the Program Officer for the Youth Civic Impact, Civic Spring, Higher Ed Media, and Higher Ed Policy Fellowships at the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, where she develops and implements programming and provides Fellows with the tools, networks, and resources to achieve success.
Previously, Arianna was an office manager at a private elementary school, where she managed the front office, coordinated communications with the school community, and planned school and faculty events. Arianna holds a BA in Communications and Media with a minor in Psychology of Management and Organization from City University of New York.
Outside of work, Arianna can be found testing new recipes for baked goods, tending to her indoor plant collection, or spending time with her fiancé and Mini Aussie, Toby. Arianna enjoys volunteering, supporting local small businesses, and attending community-building events.
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Senior Program Director, WW Teaching Fellowship, Indiana Education Leaders Fellowship, Civic Spring Fellowship & Youth Civic Impact Fellowship
Audra M. Watson is the Senior Program Director, WW Teaching Fellowship, Indiana Education Leaders Fellowship, Civic Spring Fellowship, and the Youth Civic Impact Fellowship, at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars. She leads programming for teachers, school leaders, and youth that provides the tools, experiences, and resources to do their most impactful work.
Previously, Audra held several leadership positions within the New York City Department of Education. In her role as Executive Director, she spearheaded strategies dedicated to supporting and retaining early career teachers within the school district. Serving as the Director of Mentoring & Induction, Audra took the helm in creating a district region-wide induction plans tailored for new educators. She earned her BA in Political Science from Carleton College, MA in Education from Columbia University, and Ph.D., in Urban Education Policy from the City University of New York Graduate Center.
Audra enjoys traveling, laughing at a good comedy show, and loves fur babies of all kinds. She is actively engaged in her community, serving as the co-chair of her church's board of trustees, faculty in the EdD in Community-Based Leadership program at the College of Staten Island, volunteer Dean for the University of the People, reviewer for the Urban Review journal and a member of the TPI-US Board of Directors.
Job Titles:
- Chief Technology Officer
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Director of Development
Beth Slater is the Director of Development at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, where she fosters connections between individual donors, foundations, and corporations and the organization's impactful programs and initiatives.
Prior to joining Citizens & Scholars, Beth was the Director of Advancement at the University at Buffalo, where she secured major support for the College of Arts and Sciences and University Libraries. Notable gifts include fellowships in the Economics and Environmental Studies Departments and a major challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for the UB James Joyce Museum. Before that, she held the role of inaugural Executive Director of NYC Internships at St. Lawrence University. During her tenure at the Aspen Institute, Beth managed major public events and established new scholarship programs. Beth earned her BA in English Writing and Government from St. Lawrence University and her MA in English Literature from the University of Vermont.
Outside of work, Beth can usually be found outdoors hiking, skiing, or exploring new cities. Beth is highly involved in her community and enjoys volunteering with diverse community groups. On weekends, she is gives back through work as a first responder on the HoliMont Ski Patrol in Ellicottville, NY. In her hometown of Buffalo, she was selected to be a member of the 2024 Young Professionals for Olmsted Parks class, whose mission is to raise philanthropic support and increase community engagement for Buffalo's Olmsted Parks system.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Vice President and Secretary to the Board
- Vice President, Chief of Higher Learning Initiatives
Beverly Sanford is the Vice President, Chief of Higher Learning Initiatives, and Secretary to the Board of Trustees at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, where she oversees the organization's work in higher education and fellowships.
Beverly has a career-long commitment to advancing the aims of higher education and public service, building bridges between the academy and other sectors, and telling compelling stories about institutions and people who embody higher education's role in shaping both future citizens and the nation. Her portfolio includes programs that cultivate new generations of scholars, teachers, and leaders as well as initiatives to recenter civic preparedness in the higher education ecosystem. During her two decades with the organization, she has led internal communications, overseen programs, and shaped external communications strategy.
Previously, Beverly served as communications director for the president of the University at Buffalo and associate director of the UB Regional Institute, a public service initiative to engage faculty in Western New York's governance and socioeconomic challenges. She earned her BA in English and business communications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, followed by an MA and PhD coursework in American literature at the University at Buffalo.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Commissioner Emeritus of Higher Education, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Senior Program Director of Mellon Programs
- Senior Program Officer, Mellon Programs
Caroline Harper is the Senior Program Director of Mellon Programs at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, where she oversees programs that support outstanding junior faculty and exceptional young scholars who are committed to building bridges through campus engagement and exemplary research.
Caroline holds a Ph.D. from Howard University. Known for her thoughtfulness, sense of humor, and data-driven problem-solving, Caroline is actively involved in her community and works with underrepresented groups to create opportunities and connect them to resources that enhance their overall quality of life.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Chief Impact Officer, LionTree LLC
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Program Associate for Fellow Support
Christine Foley is the Program Associate for Fellow Support. In her role with the WW Teaching Fellowship, she actively communicates with the Fellows to ensure matriculation in the program, organizes convenings and gatherings, and disseminates and analyzes surveys. She also manages the day-to-day operations of the Indiana Education Leaders Fellowship (IELF).
Christine earned her BA in Political Science and Sociology from Rutgers University. When not experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, you can find Christine spending time with her pets.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- CEO ( Retired ), LDI Ltd., LLC
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Accounts Payable Assistant
Erica Robinson is the Accounts Payable Assistant at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars where she is responsible for recording expenses and receivables gifts.
Before joining Citizens & Scholars, Erica worked in accounts payables and receivables for the hospitality, global logistics, and tech industries. Erica earned her BA in Criminal Justice at the University of Phoenix.
Outside of work, Erica enjoys family time, Target runs, and going on vacation. She looks forward to being involved in her community by volunteering at her son's school.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Senior Managing Director, Hudson Ventures
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Managing Director, Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
Job Titles:
- Chief of Staff
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Job Titles:
- III, 1959 Woodrow Wilson Fellow
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Budget Officer
Jamie Berg Wright is the Budget Officer at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars where she manages the finance department and oversees financial planning and analysis for the organization.
Jamie earned a BA and MA from Villanova University and is currently pursuing an MBA at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Outside of work, she can be found hiking, baking, or going on adventures with her husband and daughters. She enjoys getting to know her neighbors in her small town (4,000 people!) community.
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Operations Manager
Jane Foran is the Operations Manager at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, where she leads onboarding, benefits, office management, billing, and compliance and works closely with the Human Resources and Finance teams on other projects. Jane also supports the Mellon Emerging Faculty Leaders Award, overseeing the application and selection process and ongoing communications with current and past cohorts.
Jane joined Citizens & Scholars (then the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation) in 2012 after taking a career hiatus to spend time at home with her children. Before that, she worked in asset management marketing on Wall Street. Jane holds a BBA from Hofstra University and completed MBA coursework at Baruch College.
Outside of work, Jane enjoys walks on the beach, camping, boating, and spending time with her dogs, cats, adult children (when they visit) and husband at home on the Jersey Shore. She values community engagement, having previously served as a Girl Scout troop leader, a member of her church's vestry, and as a volunteer at a soup kitchen and the SPCA.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Chairman Emerita / Co - Founder, Phillips Oppenheim
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Senior Program Director for the Presidents Consortium at the Institute for Citizens
- Senior Program Director, College Presidents Consortium
Janett Cordovés is the Senior Program Director for the Presidents Consortium at the Institute for Citizens and Scholars. She researches, writes, and designs opportunities for collaboration across ideological lines, fostering positive contributions to our democracy. She also leads projects and events involving diverse higher education leaders who prioritize civic preparedness, strengthening democracy, and measuring the impact and effectiveness of civic learning.
Previously, Janett served as the Director for Higher Education Partnerships at Interfaith America, where she focused on the importance of religious identities, the power of religious communities, and the why for interfaith cooperation. Before that, Janett worked in higher education for nearly 20 years. Her research interests include first-generation, digital pedagogy, leadership development, civic preparedness, and spirituality. Janett holds a BS in applied mathematics, an MA in higher education from Montclair State University, and a doctorate in ethical leadership from Olivet Nazarene University. Janett has also been named an Aspen Institute Fellow and Civic Fellow at the University of Chicago.
Janett enjoys tennis, traveling, and spending time with her husband, Jason, and two dachshunds, Negroni and Bailey. Janett is actively involved in her church community and volunteers at Glory House. She also serves on the World Faith and FaithLives board and is an active member of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc.
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Systems Support Specialist
Jason Cremer is the Systems Support Specialist at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, where he administers the organization's online application system, including building applications, email automation, and technical assistance. He also provides IT support to the team.
Jason joined Citizens & Scholars (then the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation) over a decade ago as an Application Administrator. He earned a BA in History from Thomas Edison State University.
In his free time, Jason enjoys the outdoors by hiking, camping, biking, and gardening. An avid small business supporter, he can be found at the local farmer's market on most weekends.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Chief Communications & Engagement Officer
Jay Geneske is the Chief Communications & Engagement Officer at the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, where he crafts narrative and communication strategies that influence diverse stakeholders to strengthen democracy.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Senior Deputy General Counsel for Special Projects, State University of New York System
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Vice Chair / Senior Advisor, Canapi Ventures
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Program Officer
- Program Officer for the Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship
- Program Officer, Women 's Studies Fellowship & Charlotte W. Newcombe Fellowship
Jeré Hogans is the Program Officer for the Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship and WW Dissertation Fellowship in Women's Studies at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars. Her work supports promising scholars who play a vital role in the intellectual and personal growth of tomorrow's leaders and thinkers.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Chief of Civic Learning Initiatives at the Institute for Citizens
Jessica Sutter serves as the Chief of Civic Learning Initiatives at the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, where she oversees research and field-building related to the civic development of young people aged 14-24.
Previously, Jessica spent a decade as the President of EdPro Consulting, where she managed projects and authored research for various organizations, including the D.C. Public Charter School Board, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Center for Reinventing Public Education. She recently completed a four-year term as the Ward 6 Representative on the D.C. State Board of Education, concluding her tenure as the board's President. Jessica also held positions with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education and the Deputy Mayor for Education in Washington, DC. She began her career as a middle school civics teacher. Jessica holds a BA in Political Science from Loyola College in Maryland and an MA and PhD in Education Policy Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park.
When not talking civic education with students, teachers, and anyone who will listen, Jessica can be found swimming, biking, and running around D.C. with her rescue dog, Gus. She is an active community member who currently volunteers on the Board of Trustees for Washington YuYing Public Charter School.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Founder and Chairman, Noodle Education, Inc
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Program Director of Education, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Founder, Pahara Institute Entrepreneur in Residence, Marshall Street Initiatives
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Senior Director of Marketing & Design
Lindsay Smith is the Senior Director of Marketing & Design at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars where she oversees the organization's marketing and communications strategy, visual identity, and audience acquisition as well as running Fellowship recruitment.
Lindsay joined Citizens & Scholars (then the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation) a decade ago focusing on digital recruitment for the WW Teaching Fellowship. As the director of marketing and recruitment strategy, she led recruitment for all programs and helped to establish new Fellowships. Her work expanded to include design and she has published several reports, including Co-creation Generation, Mapping Civic Measurement, and From Civic Education to Civic Learning Ecosystem. Lindsay also had a lead role in developing the organization's new name and brand identity. She earned a BS in Political Science and International Relations from Northeastern University.
Known as a "next gen Martha Stewart", Lindsay loves hosting elaborate parties, crafting, reading, and baking - she even won second place at the West Windsor Farmers Market pie contest! She is active at her church, participates in her library's book club, attends town council meetings, and recently volunteered as an Election Day poll worker.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Managing Partner, Ruxton Ventures, LLC
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Founder and CEO, Bolster
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Founder and Managing Partner, Blue Marlin Capital Partners
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Executive Assistant to the President
Rachel Smith is the Executive Assistant at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars where she supports the success of the President's office.
Before joining Citizens & Scholars, Rachel worked in fashion public relations and held the roles of nonprofit officer manager and gymnastics coach. Rachel earned her BBA at Georgian Court University.
Outside of work, Rachel can be found practicing yoga or traveling to new places. She enjoys creating spaces for the community to come together.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- President
- Ex Officio
- President / the
A pioneering social entrepreneur, Rajiv Vinnakota serves as President of the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, leading its mission to cultivate the talent, ideas, and networks that develop lifelong, effective citizens. To that end, he works tirelessly to build relationships with the partners and sponsors without whom Citizens & Scholars could not succeed, while at the same time fostering a strong organizational culture focused on American civic values.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- President & CEO, Brynmor Holdings, LLC
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Program Associate, Mellon Programs
Job Titles:
- Chief Development Officer
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Chief Development Officer at the Institute for Citizens
Steve Haddad is the Chief Development Officer at the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, where he provides opportunities for individuals and institutions to make financial investments that are meaningful for them and that provide the working capital to strengthen our democracy.
Steve has held leadership roles in nonprofit fundraising for nearly three decades for organizations including the Aspen Music Festival and School, McDaniel College, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and Big Brothers Big Sisters. He helped these institutions achieve their goals through effective major gifts work conducted through the lens of community-centric fundraising principles. For over a decade, Steve was the founder and principal of Sangha Solutions, a consulting firm headquartered in Baltimore that provided thoughtful fundraising and leadership counsel to small and midsized nonprofits committed to principles of social change.
Steve enjoys camping and hiking Colorado's Western Slope, and spending time with his wife, sons, and labradoodle, Olive. He is a Vipassana meditation teacher and an avid fan of the Baltimore Orioles. Steve served on several boards committed to anti-poverty work and LGBTQ+ rights.
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Director of Data Systems
Sue Lloyd is the Director of Data Systems at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, where she is responsible for building and maintaining the fellowship application system and fundraising database reporting.
Sue joined Citizens & Scholars in 1997 (then the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation) as a part-time Administrative Assistant. She subsequently became Administrator for the Andrew W. Mellon Fellowship in Humanistic Studies. When that program ended in 2006, she oversaw the digitalization and standardization of application procedures and data collection. Since then, she has led the organization through several system migrations. Sue also administered the WW MBA Fellowship in Education Leadership from 2014 to 2019.
Sue earned her BS in Psychology from Guilford College in Greensboro, NC. Known for her loyalty and dependability, you can usually find her spending time with her first grandchild and four dogs.
Job Titles:
- Communications Manager
- Core Staff Member
Tiffany Hess-Bennette is the Communications Manager at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, where she crafts narratives that convey the organization's impact on higher education and the civic field.
Before joining Citizens & Scholars, Tiffany was a Communications Specialist within the University of Delaware's Office of Development & Alumni Relations. Before that, she was the Editorial Content Manager at Choose New Jersey, the state's leading economic development organization. She earned her BA in English and Communications at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.
Tiffany enjoys traveling with her husband and curling up with a good book and her cats. She is passionate about investing in her community through supporting the local library, small businesses, and neighborhood farmers market.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Core Staff Member
- Development Associate
Valerie Van Selous is the Development Associate at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars where she provides support to the Development office.
Valerie has spent her career working in the nonprofit sector. She earned her BA and M.Ed. from Rutgers University.
Outside of work, Valerie enjoys time with family, reading, writing, and being outdoors. She serves as a literacy tutor, working with young people and adults to teach reading, writing, and comprehension skills. Valerie has also begun to volunteer for various local initiatives that focus on serving the food insecure.
Job Titles:
- Core Staff Member
- Senior Director of Development
- Senior Director of Development at the Institute for Citizens
William Murray is the Senior Director of Development at the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, where he builds relationships with generous donors to support the urgent work of the program team in strengthening democracy.
Will has nearly twenty years of nonprofit fundraising experience. Most recently, he served as Executive Director of Development at New Leaders. He holds a BA from Skidmore College and an MA from the New School for Social Research.
Will loves traveling with his family, spending time with friends and neighbors, reading, and watching baseball. He has been actively involved in his community, serving on the planning and nominating committees for his neighborhood association, volunteering as a coach for a youth-focused nonprofit, and acting as an ambassador for the Memphis River Parks Partnership.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Owner and CEO, Waste Acquisition Group