Welcome to College Summit

National Staff J-L

• Laura Jimenez Project Manager

  Laura is a graduate of the University of California – Los Angeles (B.A., 1998) and the University of California – Berkeley (MSW, 2004).  Laura’s interest in education and social justice crystallized as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Kingdom of Tonga where she taught English as a Second Language.  Her passion for public service and education led her to graduate school where she pursued studies on access to higher education for first-generation communities.  Laura joined College Summit in the fall of 2005.

• Melva Jones Strategic Events Manager

  Melva is a certified crisis counselor and social justice facilitator holding degrees in afro–history, education and administration from Howard and Columbia University. Prior to transitioning to event management work, she developed multicultural mentoring programs, taught the history of race relations and created an independent study program around understanding survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. She left academe as one of the first four recipients of a DC based Women and Politics Institute award that acknowledged her work with college aged women. As an events professional, Melva has received an award for her event planning strategy and managed a variety of events including concerts, annual meetings and youth summits. Melva works with the following quote from Marian Wright Edelman in her spirit: “service is the rent we pay to be living. It is the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time. If you don't like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it.”

• Darin Kenley National Director of Alumni Affairs

  Darin joined the National Program Staff after serving as a workshop director for two summers.  Prior to coming to College Summit, he was the Executive Director of Kids Computer Workshop , a community based after school program that helps DC youth develop their technology skills and utilize technology as a learning tool.  He started his professional career as a New Jersey Teach For America Corp Member, where he taught Elementary and Middle school in both Trenton and Newark Public School Districts.  He holds a BA from Colgate University and a Masters in Educational Administration from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

• Joy L. King Workshop Staff Manager

  A graduate of DePaul University (B.A. 1999), Joy spent the first 8 years of her career as an English and Japanese teacher in the Chicago public school system. Upon completion of her Master’s degree in Educational Administration (Governors State University, 2006), she transitioned into public school administration as a founding Humanities Instructional Leader in a charter school. Her primary responsibilities included, hiring, training, and managing all the teachers in her charter network. Joy comes to College Summit after spending 7 summers in a variety of workshop capacities ranging from CS Advisor, to Writing Coach, and more recently, as Workshop Director. She has dedicated her lifes work to increasing student achievement and infusing a college-for-certain mentality in students everywhere. Joy is excited to be a full-time employee and hopes to build capacity and ignite a flame in the core staff teams that will service students at College Summit workshops across the country.

• Dana Lane Office Manager

• Christopher Lewis Project Manager

  As an undergraduate, at Haverford College (B.A., 2002), Chris studied Mathematics with a Computer Science concentration. Upon graduation, he embarked upon a career in education by joining Teach For America, teaching 8th grade math at Ronald Brown M.S., in Washington, DC. With his teaching experience cementing his desire to improve educational opportunities for low-income students, Chris moved from the classroom to the College Summit National office in the summer of 2004, where he spent two years as the Application Support Coordinator.  Chris has now joined the program team within the Program Management department, and is excited to have the opportunity to once more work directly with students, teachers, and schools.

• Vanessa Lillie PR and Communications Manager