Vivien Carter, Executive Director

Vivien is responsible for program development and implementation within the Florida Region. She has over 12 years experience in the youth development and Higher Education arenas. Vivien has held positions both nationally and internationally, advocating for and implementing programs and policies that support educational reform and opportunities for youth locally and abroad. Vivien has held positions with: Miami Dade College, New York based Directions for Our Youth, NYC Youth and Community Development as a recipient of the National Urban Fellowship, Coalition for the Homeless Youth Awareness Program and Youth Abandonment reduction program located in Senegal, Africa. She completed her Masters of Science in Community and Economic Development at Southern New Hampshire University and received her Bachelors of Art degree from Antioch University in Yellow Springs, Ohio.

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Raquel Figueroa, Program Manager

Raquel is a product of the New York City Teaching Fellows Program and taught in New York City Public schools prior to moving to Miami, Florida. She has been living in South Florida since 2004. Prior to working with College Summit, she held several roles at Miami Dade College (one of our partner colleges). As an Adjunct Professor for the School of Education Baccalaureate Program she taught pre-service teacher courses with a focus on urban education, cultural diversity and sensitivity. In addition she has managed the Florida State Teachers Certificate Program and coordinated and chaired college access programs that equip high school students and college students as well as new teachers with curriculum development, test preparation (SAT/ACT), and nonprofit organizing. Today, as the Program Manager for College Summit Florida, Raquel oversees program implementation at 13 partner high schools serving over 13,000 students. Raquel holds a Master’s Degree in Education and is currently completing her Doctorate in Instructional Technology and Distance Education at Nova Southeastern University.

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Jonathan Carmenate, School Partnership Manager

Jonathan Carmenate is a native of Miami. An alumnus of College Summit (FSU 2000), Jonathan is also a graduate of William H. Turner Technical Arts High School in 2001 and holds an Associate’s Degree in History from Miami Dade College and a Bachelor's Degree in History and Latin American Studies from the University of Miami. Jonathan also serves as a Certified RAP Director for College Summit during the summer workshops. He has been an inspirational leader and as an alumnus has played a major role within the Florida region. Jonathan will continue to serve as a Rap director for summer workshops and leadership development for peer leaders in partner schools. He also works with increasing and supporting Alumni initiatives throughout the Florida region in tracking their alumni engagement.

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Jennifer Clarke, School Partnership Manager

Originally from Richmond, Virginia Jennifer started her career in the private sector working for financial institutions such as Capital One and Suntrust Bank. In order to complete her Bachelor’s degree, Jennifer moved to Ohio and enrolled in Ohio University. During her time in Athens, Ohio she was able to work with her first non-profit organization – ACEnet – a group dedicated to the success of small business owners in Appalachia. After completing her degree, Jennifer moved to Miami, Fl and began teaching. For the first four years of her teaching career she was working with students at the middle school level, educating 6th, 7th and 8th graders in Regular, Gifted and Inclusion English. Next she moved to North Miami Beach High School (a College Summit partner school) and taught 9th grade Intensive Reading and English, 10th grade Creative Writing, 11th grade AP Language and Composition, became the Reading Department Chair, sponsored both Best Buddies and the College Summit Club and dedicated her Saturdays to tutoring for both struggling readers and students needing AP preparatory lessons. After being introduced to the College Summit team and curriculum, Jennifer quickly became an active volunteer in workshops. For three years she served as a Writing Coach, Writing Coach Coordinator and Assistant Director tirelessly dedicating her service to the needs of our Peer Leaders. It has always been her dream to create a playing field in which all children are given the same opportunities to flourish, shine and be loved.

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Loubert "Lou" Senatus, School Partnership Manager

Loubert Senatus is a native of Miami and grew up in the Little Haiti section of Miami. He is also an alumnus of College Summit (FSU 2001) and his journey on the road of higher education has taken him to three different institutions in Florida (FAMU, TCC, and UF). Lou graduated in May of 2007 from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a minor in Organizational Leadership. Lou also earned his Masters in Organizational Learning and Leadership from Barry University in June of 2011. He is very involved with his community, his first year out of College he worked with the I Have A Dream Foundation ensuring that the students in his hometown were doing the necessary things to reach their dream of completing their education. Loubert also serves as a RAP Director for College Summit during the summer workshops. He has been an inspirational leader and alumnus and has played a major role in bringing College Summit back to Florida. Loubert joined the College Summit Florida regional team full-time in the fall of 2008. Lou will continue to serve as a Rap director for summer workshops and leadership development for peer leaders in partner schools.

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Jason Wongsam, School Partnership Manager

Jason Wongsam is a South Florida native and a product of the Broward County Public School system. Though his Bachelors Degree is in Criminal Justice, he quickly found his passion working to help guide and mold the youth in his region. He began his mission in education as a substitute teacher in Broward County. Shortly after he continued on to become an Elementary School teacher. After three years, he moved on to teach Social Studies at the Middle School level. Following his time as a middle school teacher, he transitioned to the private sector and worked with students in an after-school setting preparing them for state standardized testing through real world applications. After several years working with students in Miami- Dade, Jason moved to Texas to expand his organization into a new region. As one of the newest member of College Summit, he is extremely excited to continue his work with students and is just as excited to be home working with some of the students he taught early in his career. Jason has joined the College Summit Florida regional team full-time in the fall of 2011.

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Vanessa Christiansen, Operations Associate

Vanessa is a native of Caracas, Venezuela and grew up in South Florida. A product of the Broward County Public School System, her Bachelor of Science in Psychology led her to become an AmeriCorps member with City Year in Miami. During her two years as a City Year Miami AmeriCorps member, she worked with and had the opportunity to lead a diverse team to implement a service-learning leadership development program for middle school and high school youth. Following that experience, she was the acting Field Organizer for ServeNext and worked in advocating the national service movement in Miami-Dade County by building a coalition of national service stakeholders and a network of supporters and leaders for the cause. This work resulted in meetings with staff from Senator Bill Nelson and Senator Marco Rubio’s staff in Miami, a visit to the White House for the AmeriCorps Alums Day as a Miami representative, and a successful national call day where she helped lead Florida as the state with the most participants. Now, she oversees the daily operations of the College Summit Florida regional office.

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