JR Tomkinson is a seasoned operations executive with leadership experience spanning the K12 public, private and nonprofit sectors. He most recently served as Managing Director for City Year Chicago, where he led service implementation for the largest of City Year’s 29 regions. Under his leadership, City Year Chicago deployed 265 AmeriCorps members to serve as near-peer mentors to students in 32 Chicago Public Schools partnerships at the height of the pandemic, driving significant gains in the rate of students on-track to graduate at City Year’s partner schools from SY19 to SY21 even as the district’s overall average on-track rate declined.

Among other previous experiences, JR led the development and launch of a $6 million shared services center at the Chicago Public Schools district, an initiative that encompassed the restructuring of the district’s non-instructional departments into a new multisite, cross-functional unit that would substantially improve the quality of principal support by the district’s central office, leading all CPS departments in principal satisfaction ratings in its inaugural year.

JR earned his bachelor’s’ degree from Dartmouth College, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Isaiah leads College Possible Minnesota’s fundraising and Communications team. He joined College Possible in 2022. Isaiah brings 20 years of organizational leadership, fund development, volunteer organizing, and strategic planning experience to College Possible. He received a B.A. in History from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and a Master's in Divinity from North Park University, Chicago. When not at work, he enjoys hiking, fly-fishing, canoeing, camping, playing basketball, and figuring out as a parent of three young people, how to help them get into and through college.

IAllen@CollegePossible.org

Grace joined College Possible in 2021, coming from a background in college access and non-profit operations. After graduating from Duke University with a B.A. in Public Policy and Education, Grace served as an AmeriCorps member with the Duke College Advising Corps for two years. After her work as a College Advisor in a rural North Carolina high school, Grace moved back to Minnesota to pursue a Master of Public Health in Community Health Promotion from the University of Minnesota: Twin Cities. During her Master's program, Grace worked as a consultant for various non-profit and educational organizations, including Girls on the Run and Special Olympics, where she focused on event planning, research, and development. Outside of work, Grace enjoys spending time with her pets and partner, staying active, cooking, and cultivating her ideal vintage wardrobe.

James is a Senior Program Manager on the College Access Team for College Possible Minnesota, working with a specific focus on providing programming for seniors in high school. Prior to joining College Possible, James held several roles in primary, secondary, and higher education. Beginning as a classroom teacher, James transitioned to an assistant principal role before entering the realm of higher education as an academic advisor and, later, a director of a "one-stop-shop" for all things financial aid, registration, and general student support. James holds an M.S. in Education from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and a B.S. in Secondary Education with an emphasis in History and Social Studies from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.

Nick joined College Possible in 2018 as a Program Coordinator and currently serves as a Senior Manager for the high school Access program. His role includes overseeing a variety of work for our in-person, Flagship programming model, including test prep and student recruitment.

In addition to college access, Nick has a background in higher education and student affairs. He received a M.A. in Leadership in Student Affairs from the University of St. Thomas and has experience in campus programming and career development. As a first-generation college graduate, he recognizes the importance of a holistic approach to student support and advising and aims to bring that to college access work.

Abby was born and raised in Minnesota and moved back in 2019 after living in Michigan for college. She spent three years as a wedding planner in West Michigan after college but was excited to get back into the nonprofit/education access world when she and her partner made the move back to Minnesota. Abby has many teachers in her family and worked and volunteered for education access programs throughout high school and college, which sparked her passion for College Possible's mission.

Abby lives in Maplewood with her partner, Cam, their son, Otis, and their two cats. She loves sunny days, pop culture, appetizers, the Minnesota Wild, ice cream, and attending concerts.

Emily Fulton-Foley has a Master of Education in Counseling and 18 years of experience helping non-profits grow in holistic ways. Her work has spanned leadership, grant and financial management, equity in services, programmatic development and assessment, and employee engagement. She focuses especially on the critical role of self-care and organizational balance in employee health and productivity.

Emily lives on a small hobby farm with her husband, three boys, and herd of dairy goats outside of Northfield. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, eating cheese, and laughing.

EFultonFoley@CollegePossible.org

Julia was born and raised in the Twin Cities and has always held a deep affinity for social justice and education equity. She came to College Possible in February 2018 after graduating from the University of Sheffield with her Master's in Public Policy. She served two terms of service as a College Coach, before joining the College Possible Leadership Team. Julia loves being on the Program Team and having opportunities to learn more about how to support students and make an impact on their college journey.

Megan attended Saint Catherine University, earning a Bachelor’s in Psychology, and continued onto Oregon State University, earning a Master of Education in College Student Services Administration.  Megan has worked with AmeriCorps as a Campus Corps Team Leader at Montana State University (MSU). She holds years of experience in higher education, most recently with the TRIO/SSS office at the community college campus of MSU-Billings.  In her free time, Megan enjoys baking, reading, learning various types of fiber arts, and exploring the outdoors with her partner and their 80-pound lapdog, Bleu.

Paula joined College Possible in 2021 as Director of College Access and moved into her current role on the external relations team in 2022. She previously worked at College Access: Research & Action in New York City as Director of College Bridge. She led a near-peer college access and matriculation support program across 30 public high schools. She is passionate about increasing opportunities for low-income and first-generation students and has done so as a teacher and through non-profit work. At Step Up, a non-profit in Los Angeles, she supported teen girls in preparing for college and careers and building confidence. Before that, Paula taught English at a high school in South Los Angeles, where she also advised the school newspaper and developed college preparation curriculum. While completing her M.Ed. in Urban Education at UCLA, she researched the role school newspapers can have in developing student's voices. She also holds a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University. Outside of work, Paula spends most of her time with her geriatric frug named Lola.

PKashtan@CollegePossible.org

A native of the Twin Cities area, Brendan has always had a passion for higher education equity. Brendan graduated from Saint John's University in 2019 with a degree in Economics and Political Science and received a Master's in Advocacy and Political Leadership from Metropolitan State University in 2022. Brendan served as an AmeriCorps Volunteer with College Possible from 2019-2021 at Minneapolis Roosevelt High School, Edina High School, and Burnsville High School. Brendan has served as a Program Coordinator since July 2022. Outside of work, Brendan coaches both tennis and Speech & Debate in his free time.

Lindsay joined College Possible in 2018 after starting their career at two other youth-development nonprofits and a year of service as an AmeriCorps member with New Sector Alliance. Through their work, Lindsay saw the value and influence of programs focused on youth education and social-emotional learning and the impact these programs can have on students from underserved and under-resourced communities. This influenced their commitment to social justice and educational equity. Lindsay is also a Master of Social Work student at Augsburg University. Lindsay works towards a future where students know they belong in higher education and their identities and experiences will be valued and celebrated.

Rebecca joined College Possible Minnesota in 2022 and brings more than 15 years of experience serving non-profit organizations like One Voice Mixed Chorus, the American Craft Council, and Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities. She started her nonprofit career in operations and then moved to marketing and communications, fund development, and special events.

Rebecca is also a volunteer board member for the Hennepin History Museum and her townhouse association. A graduate of Grinnell College with a B.A. in Anthropology, she also holds an M.A. in Arts and Cultural Management from Saint Mary’s University. Rebecca is an avid reader, cat mom, arts and culture supporter, travel fanatic, and food connoisseur.

RMerrill@CollegePossible.org

Sabrina is a nonprofit professional with a background in student support for both K-12 and undergraduate populations. After serving with College Possible MN as a College Coach, she has now transitioned to working with the site’s student events team.

Tim graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire in 2014. He worked in higher education for three years in both the office of Housing and Resident Life and Office of Admissions. Tim joined College Possible in 2020. Outside of work, he enjoys hanging out with friends and family, road trips with his dog Murphy, and painting and drawing.

Thao joined College Possible in 2021 with more than five years of working in nonprofit and supporting students to gain access to higher education. Being a first-generation student from a low-income background, she experienced many challenges in accessing and completing college. After completing her bachelor's degree at St. Catherine University, she knew she wanted to continue providing support and resources to students with similar experiences. Thao is passionate about equity in education and believes all students should have equal access to higher education regardless of their background. Outside of College Possible, Thao enjoys spending time with her family, finding new boba places, reading, and digital planning.

Randy comes from a first-generation and low-income background Hmong and Lao family. He is the first and only college graduate in his immediate family having graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. Being that Randy had to navigate school and work without having many folks that looked like or came from the same background and understanding, he wants to create representation for those who are navigating through similar situations he has and to assure that support is there. When Randy is not at work, you can definitely find him searching for the next biggest flip, rather that be on sneakers or some hyped-up item. Outside of being a sneaker lover and someone who holds many L's on sneaker releases (and all other releases too), he enjoys music and finds it therapeutic and refreshing; whether it is rap, hip-hop, r&b, country, you name it and Randy probably has it on his playlist.

Syrah's journey with College Possible began when she completed two terms of AmeriCorps service as a College Coach and a Flagship High School Coach from 2017-2019. She returned to College Possible to join the Leadership Team in 2020 after spending just under a year as an Admissions Counselor with Gustavus Adolphus College. Since returning to College Possible, she has worked in various capacities supporting AmeriCorps members and overseeing programming, first as a Projects Coordinator and now as a Senior High School Program Coordinator.

Outside of work, Syrah enjoys being a dog parent to Bowie, a 10-month-old Basset Hound / Lab mix puppy, spending time at breweries with friends and coworkers, and seeing as much live music as possible around the Twin Cities!

Rachel started working at College Possible in 2018. Previously she spent seven years working in college access and career readiness as a Career and College Coordinator with AchieveMpls. She then went on to teach math at the middle and high school levels.  Rachel holds a B.S. in Sociology and Communications from UW - Lacrosse and did graduate work in Math Education at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. She is passionate about learning and increasing access to education. From St. Paul, she currently lives in Isanti.

Shannon was born and raised in the Twin Cities. She graduated from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in the spring of 2020 with a Bachelor's of Arts in Psychology and is pursuing a Master's of Arts in Higher Education, also at the University of Minnesota. Her educational and career goals are largely driven by her identities as an Asian-American woman and first-generation student; Shannon hopes to redefine and reconstruct the journey to and through college into a more equitable experience, especially for those who hold similar, underrepresented and marginalized identities.

Shannon was a student in the College Possible program through high school and college. After graduating from university, she served as a college success coach for two years, and then came back as a Navigate program coordinator for the college access team.

Originally from Virginia, BG went to college in Minnesota and then joined Teach for America, working as a kindergarten through eighth-grade Spanish teacher in Gary, Indiana. Teaching in Gary was her first introduction to the world of college access and success. BG moved to Boston to serve as one of two founding college counselors at KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate (KALC) in Lynn, Massachusetts. She went on to become the Director of College Counseling while supporting the KALC's first two graduating classes. In 2016, BG moved to London to pursue US admissions counseling abroad. BG and her family moved back to Minnesota in 2018. Prior to joining College Possible, BG served as the Director of College and Career Counseling at Venture Academy, a single-site charter school in Minneapolis. Working at Venture for four and a half years, BG was able to share her enthusiasm for college access and success with Venture’s founding graduates. BG received her B.A. in Latin American Studies from Carleton College and her M.A. in Higher Education from the University of Minnesota: Twin Cities.

BTucker@CollegePossible.org

Ashley grew up in central Indiana and earned her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education at Crown College. She spent four years working in public schools and joined College Possible in March 2020. Ashley is passionate about educational equity and relationship building with those who we serve. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and exploring new places.

Mai joins College Possible with over five years of experience in K-12 education. She is an M.A. Teaching candidate at Saint Mary’s University, holds a B.A. in Social Welfare, and a certificate in Education & Educational Services from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Mai believes every student can achieve their academic and personal goals with the right support.

As a low-income, first-generation college student, Mai experienced the varying impacts educational systems can have on one’s academic career. Therefore, she is passionate about analyzing and developing organizational structures to ensure they are accessible to students and families. Outside of work, Mai enjoys spending time with her family and friends, exploring the North Shore of Minnesota, and finding the best boba in Minnesota.

Nancy is a first-generation college graduate who earned her bachelor's degree at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. As an alumni of pre-college programs, EIP and Upward Bound, she saw the value that these programs can have on first-generation students from low-income backgrounds. She joined College Possible in June 2022 as a College Program Coordinator. Outside of College Possible, Nancy enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, watching movies, and photography.

Pahoua grew up in North Minneapolis and first joined College Possible as a student in 2010.  As a first-generation college student, she experienced first-hand the importance and positive impact of College Possible's mission and work. With the continuous support of her amazing coaches, she graduated with her bachelor's degree at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in Communication Studies. She was the first in her family to earn a bachelor's degree and learn the generational impact it can make. She supported her younger sister get into college and now working with her brother, who is a high school senior, explore the option of higher education.

Stella joined College Possible in the fall of 2019 with a passion for supporting AmeriCorps members and students. She grew up in the Twin Cities and is a first-generation college graduate. She attended Hamline University, where she earned her bachelor's degree in Public Health.  Stella brings experience working in direct service, housing, and volunteer management. Prior to College Possible, she spent two years as a case manager with the International Institute of Minnesota, where she secured housing and set up homes for newly arrived refugee families.

Outside of College Possible, Stella enjoys traveling, scrapbooking, cleaning & organizing.

A long-time "Minnesconsinite," Spencer grew up around Hudson / River Falls, WI, spent some years in Madison, WI, and has now settled down in the Twin Cities area. He received his bachelor's degree in History from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in 2016. During his time at UW, his various jobs in Residence Life led him to the world of student affairs, and he obtained a master's degree in Student Affairs Administration from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. After working in TRIO Student Support Services and Diversity, Inclusion, & Belonging during his graduate program, he joined College Possible in 2021. He believes every student has a story worth telling and wants to do whatever he can to help bring those stories to life.

Outside of his work with College Possible, Spencer spends his time getting lost in stories of all kinds, playing games with his friends, and exploring the outdoors with his family.

Brett joins College Possible with eight years of experience in youth development, having served in multiple roles with a nonprofit in Milwaukee, WI, led as a high school teacher in Mississippi, and now advocating as a program coordinator in Minneapolis. Brett continues a long track record of passion and commitment towards educational equity work and strengthening community partnerships.

Brett is a lifelong learner and continues to pursue opportunities for professional growth. Currently, he is pursuing a Masters in Counseling which aligns with his passion in helping others reach their unique goals. He loves supporting his AmeriCorps coaches with their own professional development and frequently provides opportunities for coaches to hone their skillset as a means to better support their students growth.

Outside of work, Brett spends his time outdoors by climbing, snowboarding, biking, paddleboarding, and hiking. He enjoys cooking meals for friends and taking spontaneous community dance classes. Please feel free to reach out to connect and ask questions about his experiences and work!

Abbey graduated from the College of Saint Benedict in 2021 with a B.A. in History and English. During undergrad, she had the opportunity to work as a peer mentor for two years, supporting first-year students and working to break down the invisible barriers of higher education. Abbey also had the opportunity to intern at the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library, where she worked with collections, programming, and communications, and Find Your Power, a small non-profit, where she worked as the Development Team Lead and Individual Giving Intern. After graduation, Abbey completed an AmeriCorps year of service at College Possible Minnesota, serving as a College Success Coach. Back at College Possible Minnesota in a new role, Abbey is excited to continue serving students and working for education equity.

Julio Vargas-Essex is the Vice President of Student Success at North Hennepin Community College, a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.

In his position, Mr. Vargas-Essex provides executive leadership to campus student services including Admissions & Outreach, Counseling, Advising & Career Planning, Disability Access Services, Financial Aid, Records & Registration, Student Life & Recreational Sports, Testing Center, Student Conduct, Outreach, Career Programs and Veterans Affairs. These departments support and facilitate services related to recruitment, admission, orientation, retention, transfer, graduation, student activities, international students, PSEO students, student employment, assessment of student success, etc. With a tremendous desire to see students succeed, Mr. Vargas-Essex places a significant importance on making higher education accessible and achievable for everyone. His experience with culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse communities has reinforced the importance of helping others find their vocation in life. With a holistic approach, Mr. Vargas-Essex believes that individuals can realize their true “calling” in life through education and by focusing on values that inspire others to be “Idealistic Leaders.”

Prior to North Hennepin Community College, Mr. Vargas-Essex served as the Director of Undergraduate and Graduate Admissions at Metropolitan State University from 2012 – 2019; Director of Enrollment Management at Perpich Center for Arts Education, in Golden Valley, MN since March 2011; and, worked at Augsburg College as an Associate Director and Coordinator of Multicultural Recruitment from 2008. In his formative years, he was a Student Services Coordinator and Adjunct instructor at Rasmussen College, Eagan, Minn., and a Crisis Intervention Specialist at the Eau Claire Academy.

He holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin–Stout and M.A. in Psychology from Metropolitan State University–St. Paul, MN.

Dave Anderson currently serves as the senior vice president of portfolio management at Medtronic, delivering high-quality, evidence based, innovative solutions that improve patient lives. As president of the Neuromodulation Operating Unit at Medtronic, he led a $2 billion business treating pain, movement disorders and epilepsy and new therapies in research. He previously led the Enabling Technologies business for Medtronic and has held leadership roles in general management, M&A, R&D, operations, and quality for multiple innovative companies in healthcare. His prior board work includes board chair for Trinity Classical Academy, California Life Sciences, Love SCV, industry advisory board for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and board observer for Proteus Biomedical. His passion for serving the community centers on addressing barriers to growth including helping scholars rise, entrepreneurs innovate and the under-resourced be well equipped to live life to the fullest.

He holds a BS in manufacturing systems engineering from Kettering University, an MBA from Pepperdine and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.

Elle Grothaus holds dual roles as Global Talent Leader for corporate functions and Global Human Resources Business Partner for Commercial Excellence at Cargill, Inc.  She has more than 20 years of HR leadership experience across business partner, talent management, organization development, and global inclusion and diversity.  She works with and coaches leaders in solving critical talent challenges required to drive business performance.

Prior to joining Cargill, Elle thoroughly loved her seven years as a college admissions counselor and is excited to serve and support College Possible.  Elle received a bachelor’s degree from Concordia College - Moorhead and a master's degree from the University of Notre Dame.  She and her husband, Daren, have a daughter, Loren, and son, Leo.

Douachee Lee is a Marketing Generalist at IntriCon Corporation. In her position, Douachee designs marketing materials, manages web content, and assists in other tasks to support the company’s marketing needs.  Prior to her position at IntriCon, she has experience working with the AmeriCorps program, first, as an AmeriCorp member at College Possible from 2009-2010, and then as a Program Coordinator at Minnesota Reading and Math Corps where she supported and managed AmeriCorps members, from 2011-2014. Not only is Douachee is a former College Possible AmeriCorps member, she is also a College Possible student alumnus, where she graduated from Patrick Henry High School. Since her high school graduation in 2004, Douachee has been an advocate for equal opportunity in education and a strong supporter of College Possible.

She graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2009 with a B.S.B in Marketing, from the Carlson School of Management, and a B.A. in Strategic Communications, from the College of Liberal Arts’ School of Journalism.

Jen is a Commercial Banking Relationship Manager, SVP at U.S. Bank.  Jen oversees the client experience and bring best in class thought leadership and customized solutions to U.S. Bank clients. Her expertise is in supporting nonprofit and healthcare organizations by being a partner alongside her clients, providing customized financing solutions, core depository and reporting services, along with other advanced payment solutions to help organizations enhance operational efficiencies. Jen has over two decades of experience in financial services and relationship management. She has spent over a decade with U.S. Bank. Jen holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Concordia University of Wisconsin. Jen also serves on the board for the Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities.  Jen, and her husband Ben, have two daughters, Emelia and Madelynn.

Dee is a Senior Manager at Ernst & Young where she’s spent the past decade serving a wide variety of multinational financial services clients with a focus on Banking & Capital Markets organizations. Beginning her career in the Minneapolis, she’s gone on to serve some of the firm’s largest banking clients in the US, UK, and India.

Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Dee is passionate about closing the achievement gap and creating opportunities for others through education. She enjoys reading, travelling, and conversations with friends.

She received her B.Sc. from Winona State University, Minnesota (07) and her Graduate degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Dee currently serves as Co-Chair for the D&I network at EY Minneapolis. After spending the last 2.5 years working in Europe, Dee returned to EY Minneapolis in 2018 and is excited about the opportunity to serve and support College Possible.

Chris Staley is a co-founder of Horizontal Integration, a company focused on helping Fortune 500 clients via two business lines - a staffing agency, proving talent to meet their contingent labor needs as well as a digital agency focused on helping companies along their digital transformation journeys.

For the last 15 years, Chris Staley and his two business partners have built Horizontal Integration into a global business with multiple offices in the U.S., India and the United Arab Emirates with annual revenue over $100 million with no investors and zero debt. In his current role Chris oversees the Digital Agency, globally working with his team to build friction-free digital experiences for their client’s end customers such as Sub-Zero, Formica, Cushman & Wakefield, UnitedHealth Group, New York Life, Raymond James, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Mayo Clinic Health Systems and many others.

Prior to Horizontal Integration Chris spent time working within multiple large digital agencies at the McCann Erickson agency.

Chris has served on other Non-Profit Boards and has been a part of the long range strategic planning process. He also plays an active role on his own family’s foundation and is involved in various initiatives related to its philanthropic activities both in and outside of the U.S.

Zer Vang is the Director of Student Recruitment for the Morrison Family College of Health at the University of St. Thomas. Prior to this role, she was the Director of MSW Admissions and Alumni Relations at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities' School of Social Work. She has more than eight years of experience recruiting undergraduate and graduate students and over a decade working and supporting students in higher education. In her previous roles she has served as an Academic Advisor in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota; Student and Family Services Director at LearningWorks at Blake: A Breakthrough Program; and High School Program Coordinator at College Possible. Zer served on the College of Education and Human Development's Alumni Society Board of Directors (President in 2014) and currently serves on the College Possible Minnesota Board and Alumni Leadership Council.

Zer is a dedicated and passionate advocate and educator for students, particularly those who are underrepresented. Coming from a low-income background and being a first-generation student, she has committed her personal and professional work to supporting students in accessing and navigating higher education and creating and maintaining inclusive and equitable spaces. She has a Bachelor’s in Family Social Science, a Master of Social Work (focused on community organizing and advocacy), a post-baccalaureate certificate in Multicultural College Teaching and Learning, and is currently pursuing her PhD in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development focusing on Higher Education. She lives in Oakdale with her partner, son (4 years old), and daughter (1 year old).