Lorraine Hanson, Volunteer Coordinator: lorraine@hortonskids.org
Clara Meskin, Development and Communication Coordinator: clara@hortonskids.org
Shandell Richards, Chief Program Officer: shandell@hortonskids.org
Dr. Aasha M. Abdill brings extensive experience working with community-based organizations, philanthropic efforts, and government initiatives committed to addressing the systemic barriers to reducing racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in outcome achievement for youth, families and communities. She is also the author of Fathering in the Margins, an ethnographical investigation of the myths and realities of paternal parenting in Black communities. Aasha holds a masters in quantitative methodology from Columbia University and a doctorate in sociology from Princeton University with concentrations in organizational theory, race and ethnic studies, and community studies. For undergraduate studies, she is a proud alumna of a historically Black college, Spelman College, and the Brooklyn School of Hard Knocks.
Rahaman “Kil” Kilpatrick joined the Horton’s Kids staff in August 2012. Kil is originally from Philadelphia, PA and earned his B.A. at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland in telecommunications. Kil has worked with youth in Southeast Washington, DC for more than 20 years & lives in Waldorf, Maryland with his wife, Tanya, and daughter, Naomi. When he’s not working with youth, Rahaman is a music producer, relationship coach, and screenwriter.
Brad is responsible for the planning, development, and implementation of Horton’s Kids’ marketing strategies, communications, and public relations activities, both external and internal. He also directs the planning and execution of Horton’s Kids community-facing events – and donor stewardship & cultivation events including the organization’s flagship fundraisers Home Runs for Horton’s Kids and Give Thanks & Give Back. Brad brings over 15 years of event production, strategic communications, and writing and design experience to Horton’s Kids.
Brad has worked for a variety of DC-based nonprofits including The Human Rights Campaign, The American Psychological Association, and The National Student Leadership Conference. He holds a B.A. in Sociology from SUNY Geneseo.
In the role of Volunteer & Partnerships Coordinator, Lorraine ensures current volunteers and partners feel supported and engaged, and grows the volunteer base by fostering new partnerships with organizations in DC. Lorraine was born and raised in San José, Costa Rica where she earned her B.A. in Sociology and she discovered her passion for creating positive change in the lives of children while serving as a second-grade teacher. Upon moving to the US, she has dedicated herself to community service, first as an after-school program coordinator in Chicago, and then as a family and volunteer enrollment specialist in Atlanta. In her free time, she enjoys painting, visiting museums, and traveling to destinations where she can go snorkeling and freediving.
Mary Ellen Matheson a Senior Director of Philanthropy at Year Up, a national non profit that offers young adults – no matter their background, income, or zip code – access to economic opportunity. Throughout her career, Mary Ellen has served in varying roles leading fundraising, business development and communications efforts. Her career began in international business development at Tiffany & Co. in New York where she managed Tiffany’s international expansion in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific markets.- Mary Ellen received a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Virginia and M.B.A. from New York University’s Stern School of Business focused on International Business and Marketing.
Kaamilah is our Health and Wellness Manager. Prior to joining Horton’s Kids, she worked with various nonprofits in the DC area teaching kids about healthy eating/gardening and writing about the latest nutrition scientific research for the everyday consumer. She oversees our health and basic needs distribution for our students and families, as well as the nutrition and physical activity programming. Kaamilah holds a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences from Howard University and a Master of Public Health with a concentration in Nutrition from George Washington University. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and working on her various crochet projects.
Dan Walsh is a 21-year Horton’s Kids veteran, having first volunteered in 1997. In the years since, he has served as a volunteer, officer, board member and Board Chair. In his professional capacity as a partner in the lobbying firm Farragut Partners, Dan provides strategic advice and direct advocacy to a range of clients, primarily in the entertainment space. Over his career, he has represented television networks, movie studios, satellite television providers, live entertainment companies and competitive telecommunications carriers among others. He has extensive experience in the areas of communications and copyright law, and strong relationships with policymakers in that area.
Dan worked on Capitol Hill from 1989-1998, first as Legislative Assistant to Rep. Jack Buechner (R-MO) and later Legislative Director to Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD). In the latter role, he was on the founding staff steering committee of the moderate House Republican organization, the Tuesday Group.
Timothy P. Trysla is a partner on the Health Care Team. Tim has nearly 20 years of health care policy experience in the private sector and executive and legislative branches of government. He served as senior policy advisor to the administrator at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In addition to advising the administrator on matters of Medicare and Medicaidpolicy, he workedas a liaison for CMS to the White House and Congress on Medicare reform and prescription drug coverage issues. He served as administrator-designee and speechmaker to large medical specialty and beneficiary groups and helped manage the development, passage, and implementation the Medicare Part D program.
Tim has experience counseling clients on numerous regulatory and transactional health care matters and investigations, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, and legislative strategy. He represents a diverse group of clients, including hospitals, investment banks, medical device manufacturers, PBMs, long-term care pharmacies, diagnostic suppliers, and durable medical equipment manufacturers.
Tim has been invited to speak on pharmaceutical pricing, Medicare Advantage reimbursement, and health care reform by numerous provider and investment groups, such as Pharmaceutical Education Associates, Financial Research Associates’ “Medicare Advantage Summit,” and the Wharton Health Care Business Conference.
Neesa Patel Sood is a partner in the Asset Management Department at Willkie, Farr and Gallagher. She counsels registered funds and their independent board members, as well as investment advisers, across a wide range of complex regulatory, compliance, fund governance, operational and transaction-related matters. She regularly provides advice regarding the structuring, launch and day-to-day operations of registered funds, including innovative products and structures. Neesa also has significant transactional experience, regularly counseling clients on fund restructurings and adoptions as well as merger and acquisition transactions. She regularly advises on industry and legal developments. Neesa was named Independent Counsel of the Year at With Intelligence’s 2023 Mutual Fund and ETF Awards and recognized by The Legal 500 (2023) as a “Next Generation Partner” for Investment Fund Formation and Management: Registered Funds, where she is praised for the “depth and breadth of her 1940 Act knowledge, combined with her excellent business judgment.” She is also nationally recognized in the area of Registered Funds by Chambers Global (2023) and Chambers USA (Nationwide) (2022-2023), where she is commended by clients for “always looking for ways to strengthen our processes while giving suggestions to solve problems.” Neesa was also named a “Rising Star” at Fund Intelligence’s 2021 Mutual Fund and ETF Awards
Ellen Palmer is a passionate and mission-driven leader with experience in strategic planning, fundraising, and complex program management. She currently is the Vice President of Corporate Engagement at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Previously, Ellen served as a consultant to community based non-profits as well as national and international organizations advising on fundraising, strategic planning, and organizational effectiveness. She works with non-profit organizations to build plans and organizational cultures that achieve public interest goals. She has more than 20 years of experience managing and implementing programs and providing strategic planning advice to complex organizations.
Prior to her consulting work, Ellen worked with Horton’s Kids to create an effective strategy to drive positive educational change in the lives of children, and served as an Executive Coach to senior staff and program directors to develop their managerial, leadership, and presentation skills. Earlier in her career, Ellen held senior administrative roles focused on the development of strategic communication and client expansion plans, along with executive and business development coaching for partners and business units. She also served as the manager of International and Graduate Professional Development at Georgetown University Law Center where she drove marketing and program development, served as a career coach, and lectured in the US and abroad on developments in the graduate-level legal employment market.
n his role as Head U.S. and Specialty Care Corporate Affairs, Adam Gluck leads the Sanofi U.S. and Specialty Care Corporate Affairs teams and aligns the activities of our Communications & CSR, Public Affairs & Patient Advocacy, Government Affairs, and Reimbursement & Policy teams to drive value for Sanofi and the patients we serve. He has more than 25 years of experience in the policy, advocacy and healthcare industry and spent his career primarily in Washington, D.C., as well as Europe and Asia, working alongside public servants advocating for people and ensuring they have access to the best healthcare opportunities. He brings this patient-first perspective to his current role where he ensures that Sanofi’s innovation reaches the people who need it the most.
Adam joined Sanofi from Biogen, where he was most recently the Vice President of U.S. Government Affairs & Patient Advocacy. In this role, Adam led the U.S. federal, state, policy, and patient advocacy teams. During his nine years at Biogen, Adam served as the company’s lead federal lobbyist and was responsible for designing and building their European Public Policy & Government Affairs organization.
Prior to joining Biogen, Adam was a Senior Managing Director at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP (now Dentons LLP), where he led the Public Law and Policy Strategies public health practice team. At Sonnenschein, Adam represented a diverse range of patient advocacy organizations and corporations before the U.S. Congress and Executive branch. His career also includes close to 10 years on Capitol Hill working for four Congressional Members, including working as senior health policy advisor to Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and legislative director for Congressman Gene Green (D-TX). Adam was also the Senior House Legislative Liaison for the Children’s Defense Fund. Adam holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Michigan.
A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Nicole has lived in Washington D.C. for three years. Throughout her career, Nicole’s work has centered around identifying and mitigating risks to an organization. She currently works as a Senior Consultant at Deloitte & Touche LLP. As an Enterprise Risk Management practitioner, Nicole helps government and public sector entities identify, assess and respond to risks that may impact their ability to achieve their mission. Prior to her career at Deloitte, Nicole previously worked for U.S. Bank in various risk and compliance roles. She also spent several years as a Crime Prevention Specialist at the University of Minnesota, where she implemented the University’s visual identification program and conducted security assessments to help protect faculty, staff, students and research animals from crime.
Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Minnesota, and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from St. Cloud State University. Nicole is a mentor to two Jackie Robinson Foundation scholars. She is also a Horton’s Kids mentor.
Natalie Rance is a senior communications lead and consultant for a Global IT sector at Cargill, Inc. With more than 20 years of experience in strategic planning and communications, she brings extensive knowledge of marketing, public relations, and stakeholder engagement. Natalie is a thought leader whose passion for communications centers around understanding interpersonal relationships and organizational goals by incorporating thoughtful messaging and analysis into her strategic initiatives.
A graduate of Howard University and Colorado Technical University, Natalie has proven her capabilities throughout her career. Some of her past ventures include providing communications expertise to the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, AARP, Hilton Hotels, Proctor & Gamble, General Mills, MGM National Harbor Casino, and the DC mayor’s office.
Natalie has dedicated her life to helping enrich her community. Her passion for education and children led her to Horton’s Kids, where she has served as a tutor since 2016. Her continued support has helped her establish long-running relationships with administrative and program teams, which has afforded insight into many areas of the organization. In addition, she is a member (and former president) of the Howard University Alumni Club of Greater Washington DC; 12 Days of Christmas, Inc.; and Junior League of Washington DC—where she currently serves as vice-chair of communications for its annual women’s leadership breakfast.
In her spare time, Natalie enjoys going to the theater, dining at new area restaurants, watching documentaries, traveling abroad, home decorating and salsa dancing. A residence of Washington, DC since 2010, Natalie resides in Northwest DC with her husband Michael.
Erik Olson is a Principal at Venn Strategies, LLC a nationally recognized, full-service government affairs and public affairs firm. Prior to his private sector career, Erik worked for Representative Ron Kind (D-WI) for 14 years serving in a variety of campaign and policy roles, including overseeing his operation as Chief of Staff. As a seasoned campaign strategist and policy analyst for the Chair of the moderate pro-business New Democratic Coalition in the House of Representatives and senior member of the House Committee on Ways & Means, Mr. Olson brings years of political and policy expertise in the areas of tax, trade and health care.
Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, Philosophy, and Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Erik was raised in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He is a long-time Horton’s Kids’ volunteer.
Issac is a Horton Kids Allum who attended CheneyUniversity in Pennsylvania. Issac’s first tenure with DC Government began in the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) working with the Department of Health (APRA) as a team leader. A short time after, Issac began to work full time as a program assistant for the District. In 2011, Issac took part in DCHR’s One City Fellows Internship Program, in which the Office of Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining selected him to intern with their agency. Following the program’s completion Issac was offered a position as clerk with OLRCB and gladly accepted.
Currently, Isaac serves as OLRCB’s Program Support Specialist.
Angel Jones grew up in the Wellington Park neighborhood and 33 years ago, she was one of the first 10 “original” Horton’s Kids, joining the program at age 6 and participating until her graduation from Anacostia High School. Angel has many wonderful memories of Horton’s Kids, including a visit during her 6th grade year, to the White House Christmas tree lighting ceremony with President Bill Clinton. She continues to have a close bond with her tutor, mentor, and former board member, Ranit Schmelzer, who always made Angel feel supported and secure. Angel’s favorite memory of Ranit was when, after taking her two children to visit Ranit’s family, Ranit told her how proud of her she was (and that she couldn’t believe she had children of her own!). Angel is currently employed at both Howard University Hospital and Sibley Hospital and has two children, Kaniah and Kristian, who are active participants in our older youth program.
Don Irwin is a Managing Director and Banker Team Leader at J.P. Morgan Private Bank. As a trusted steward, Don spends time understanding the passions, pursuits and professional endeavors of the families he advises. With a down to earth disposition and relentless drive, Don is an advisor who listens first, takes notes second and circles back with guidance in a timely manner. With over 25 years of wealth management experience, Don has meaningful experience in advising business founders and families going through a transition such as the sale of a business. Don enjoys customizing strategies to allow families to flourish as they adjust to a “new normal” after the transaction.
Don has been recognized both regionally and nationally in areas such as goals based planning, asset allocation, customized lending, and estate and philanthropic strategies. Collaboration with his clients to “make the complex simple” is a key focus.
Don enjoys his relationships with leading founders of Government services, technology, real estate, and health care companies as well as emerging family offices and endowments. Don is a graduate of Bryant University and received a M.B.A. from New York Institute of Technology. Outside of the office Don enjoysgiving back to his community as a Board member of the Association for Corporate Growth and former Board member at the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts and Corporate Advisory Councilmember at Martha’sTable. Above all, he enjoysspending time with his wife and three children.
Tyrec serves as a Communications Analyst at ICF, a global consulting firm, where he manages a communications portfolio for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). He previously worked on national education policy and program initiatives, including programs at the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships and Charter Board Partners, and in government affairs at the Education Trust.Tyrec spent his undergraduate summers interning at the White House and on Capitol Hill. Tyrec holds a bachelor’s degree in Government from the University of Virginia and will earn a Masterof Public Administration degree from GeorgeWashington University in 2022.
Fernanda Fisher is President of the Robert Jensen Dau Foundation. The foundation promotes the written word, education, arts and the environment. Her previous work includes running Read2MeDC, a tutoring business she owned and operated for eight years promoting reading fluency, serving as President of the Northern Virginia Alliance League and as Government Affairs Director for the Western Regional Council. She began her career at the House Energy and Commerce Committee working on environmental policy. Fernanda received her B.A. in English from Denison University and her J.D from New England School of Law.
Adele is a forward-thinking educator and non-profit leader with solid history of accomplishment in school, district and non-profit settings. She designs and oversees effective, efficient, and thoughtful operations to maintain focus on students and organizational sustainability. Adele is an articulate and personable leader with excellent program management, strategic planning, leadership and operational oversight abilities. Currently, Adele serves as Senior Vice President, Regional Field Executive at Teach For America where she co-develops and advises on enterprise-wide alumni strategy for over 60,000 alumni across the country. She most recently served as the Executive Director of TFA for the DC Region. Adele holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design, Architecture from University of Colorado at Boulder, a master’s degree and doctorate from Teacher’s College Columbia University in Education, Educational Leadership.
Dolores Cole is a certified executive coach in Alexandria, Virginia and a member of the International Coach Federation. From 2004 through 2016 she was a senior executive at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, from 1991 thru 2004 she served in human resources and EEO positions at the director and/or associate vice president levels at the University of Southern California, the California Community Colleges system, and California State University at Monterey Bay. From 1983 thru 1990 she was the corporate director for EEO, recruitment, and total quality management for Bourns, Inc., a mid-size, international electronic component manufacturer. Dr. Cole attained MBA and EdD degrees from the University of Southern California, an MA from the University of Michigan, and a BA from Wayne State University.
David A. Catania is the Managing Director of Georgetown Public Affairs, LLC. His practice focuses on health care, education, and autonomous technology. David is a former Member of the Council of the District of Columbia. While on the Council, he chaired numerous Committees, including Health, Education, Public Services, and Local and Regional Affairs. In addition, David served as a member of the Committees on Finance and Revenue, Judiciary, Human Services, and Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. During the eight years he chaired the Council’s Health Committee, David was widely credited with leading the transformation of the District’s healthcare infrastructure. He is well versed on publicly funded health insurance programs.
David championed historic expansions in the District’s Medicaid and other insurance programs, reducing the number of uninsured individuals in the city by half. He also authored the legislation creating the District’s state-run health exchange, which was one of the first and most successful in the nation. David’s interest in public education led him to serve as the Chairperson of the Council’s Education Committee. In that role, David focused on narrowing the racial and gender achievement gaps in the District. He authored legislation that identified “at risk” students and successfully secured the largest appropriation in the District’s history to support them. In addition, David worked to end social promotion, create robust school-based nursing and mental health programs, and ensure integrity in standardized testing.
Jana Barresi serves as the Head of Washington, DC office for Lowe’s Companies, Inc. In this role, Jana leads federal government affairs strategies for Lowe’s. This includes working closely with company leaders, key legislative and executive branch officials, and industry and trade associations on policy issues and initiatives relevant the company’s stakeholders, including customers, associates, and communities.
Prior to Lowe’s, she served on the government affairs team at Walmart with increasing levels of responsibility during her tenure, most recently as Sr. Director, Federal Government Affairs. Jana’s professional experiences also included roles in policy and public affairs at the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting and equity research analysis for Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co. Jana began her career in Washington, DC as a staffer for Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME), serving in a range of capacities, including as a Legislative Assistant for telecommunications, banking, insurance and some tax issues.
Norman Bailey has of over 30 years of experience in the arena of for-profit, non-profit and governmental organizational leadership. Norman is an independent business, leadership and organizational development consultant. His years of consulting experience represents a wide array of Fortune 500 companies from industries including consumer products, financial and professional services, utilities, healthcare, technology and the Federal Government. In addition, Mr. Bailey has held senior management positions in the federal government and private industry. Mr. Bailey studied Visual Media at American University before becoming an on-air radio personality and radio-marketing executive. A brief assignment in independent promotion for record labels segued into television production, which included projects for numerous socially conscious organizations. That experience led to opportunities involving non-profits.
Washington, DC native and Realtor Magazine ’30 under 30′, Koki Adasi has passion for three things in life: family, basketball and real estate. Koki is a graduate of Magruder High School and Mount Saint Mary’s University, and he currently resides in Chevy Chase, DC.
Koki has been an active member of the greater DC real estate industry for 14 years. In addition to his service as past GCAAR President in 2019, Koki is also an active member of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), served on the Risk Management Committee, Commitment to Excellence Committee, as well as the YPN Advisory Committee, Diversity Committee, and as Co-Chair of the Meetings and Committee.
Outside of real estate, Koki’s time is spent with his family, in volunteer activities or on the basketball court. He served on the Board of Directors for YMCA Youth & Family Services for almost 10 years, was recognized the Greater Capital Area YMCA as Philanthropist of the Year in 2011, and supports numerous local organizations including Student-Athletes Organized to Understand Leadership (SOUL), Horton’s Kids and the Kindred program at Garrison Elementary School.
Liz Dougherty is General Counsel at Business Roundtable. Previously, she was a member of the Labor and Employment Practice at Jones Day, as well as a Shareholder in the Washington, DC office of Ogletree Deakins, where she chaired the firm’s Airline and Railway Practice Group and was active in the Government Affairs Practice Group.
Prior to joining Ogletree Deakins, Liz served as Chairman and Board Member at the National Mediation Board, an independent agency that oversees airline and railroad labor relations and administers the Railway Labor Act. As one of three Senate-confirmed Presidential appointees on the Board, her responsibilities included oversight and mediation of collective bargaining, conducting and investigating representation elections, and oversight of the grievance arbitration program.
Previously in her career, Liz served as Special Assistant to President George W. Bush for Domestic Policy where she advised the President on labor and transportation policy issues, and as Chief Counsel to the United States Senate Subcommittee on Employment, Safety and Training. Before entering Government service, Liz practiced labor and employment law with a large national firm in Washington, DC and, earlier, general litigation with a large national firm in New York, NY.
Michael Vu is a Principal with Artemis Real Estate Partners, a real estate fund manager based in metropolitan Washington DC. Michael is a member of the Investment Committee and is responsible for developing and implementing the Acquisitions and Asset Management priorities of Artemis. Michael was a founding member of the Artemis team and has participated in the acquisition of over $2.5 billion of real estate nationwide. Previously, Michael was a member of the U.S. Real Estate acquisitions team at the Carlyle Group, and was previously an analyst at Lazard Freres & Co, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions within the real estate group in New York. Michael attended Princeton University, where he graduated magna cum laude. Michael is also a board member of the Maya Angelou Public Charter School in Washington DC. He lives in Washington DC with his wife and two sons.
Catherine “Simmy” Jain is a Washington, DC, native and is currently working in the Agriculture Global Practice at the World Bank as a senior climate and finance specialist. She has expertise in sustainable development, responsible investing, capital markets, and strategy and analysis. Simmy held prior roles at the World Bank in climate change and transportation practices. She previously led the ESG research team at Calvert Research and Management, a responsible investing firm based in DC, while also serving as a senior analyst overseeing proprietary modeling and research of companies across equity and fixed income asset classes. Originally a civil engineer, she designed bridges at AECOM in New York City after her undergraduate degree. Simmy holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Stanford University and a master’s degree in sustainability management from Columbia University.
Ruth Joined Horton’s Kids in January 2024 as a Data and Evaluation Senior Coordinator. She brings over 6 years of invaluable experience in education to her role. Ruth is committed to helping organizations make informed, data-driven decisions. She is dedicated to the ongoing development and optimal utilization of Horton’s Kids organization’s database system. A proud DC native, Ruth graduated from Washington College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in Psychology. In her spare time, she enjoys practicing yoga, traveling, reading, sewing, and bike riding.
Paige Hawkins loves to pour into her passions. Paige joined the Horton’s Kids team in January of 2024. In her role, Paige supports the Youth Development team in many capacities. With her background in Program Management, she plans to use her skills to tailor her job into fitting the needs of Hortons Kids. In her free time, Paige enjoys dancing, baking and traveling with her family. One of her goals is to reach all 7 continents!
Jina Simmons spent more than a decade designing and implementing out- of-school-time programs for underserved youth. She served in various staff roles at Horton’s Kids, most recently as youth development director until 2017. During her time at Horton’s Kids, she created the organization’s first case management model and developed mentoring and college and career readiness programs. Prior to Horton’s Kids, Jina worked as program director for Youth Empowerment Mission in Brooklyn, NY, where she oversaw life skills and enrichment programs for underserved teen girls. Jina has also spent time teaching and writing in various capacities. Currently, Jina works as a freelance writer and editor and sits on the board of Annapolis Area Christian School where she also serves on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council. Jina attended Florida A&M University and Meredith
Monique Frazier is a partner at Capitol Counsel, LLC. She brings to the firm distinct years of diversified service and experience in public policy, government relations, planning and strategies, and advocacy. Prior to joining Capitol Counsel, Frazier served as Senior Vice President of Federal Government Relations with HSBC, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services companies that serves customers globally in over 60 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, North and Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa in three core businesses: Commercial Banking, Wealth and Personal Banking, and Global Banking and Markets with over 200,000 employees worldwide.
Before entering the private sector, Frazier was the Legislative Director with U.S. Representative Mike Ross (D-AR), where she was the senior policy advisor and developed and executed the member’s legislative agenda. Congressman Ross served on the House Energy and Commerce, Financial Services, and Agriculture committees, was a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of fiscally conservative Democrats, and served in Democratic leadership as a Floor Whip and on the Democratic Policy & Steering Committee. Frazier also served as Interim Chief of Staff, in addition to Legislation Director, where she was responsible for overall administrative functions, including oversight of budget and staff.
Additionally, Frazier served as a Congressional Affairs Specialist with the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency formed during the Clinton administration to encourage community and national service. She represented the budget, appropriations, and reauthorization requests of the agency and its programs to Congress, which included preparing testimony for the CEO, and engagement with policymakers.
In her positions in both the private and public sectors, Frazier has moderated and participated as a panelist on forums relating to legislative policy and voting. She is known for her well-established networking alliance comprised of diverse constituencies, confirmed through her history of successful strategizing on and off Capitol Hill.
Meghan oversees our community and family engagement, as well as health and wellness initiatives. Meghan holds a Master of Social Work degree from Boston College and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from George Mason University. Meghan previously worked as a Project and Content Manager at the Interaction Institute for Social Change, supporting clients in building collaborative capacity around social justice and racial equity. Prior to obtaining her master’s in social work, Meghan spent nearly four years with Horton’s Kids working on our youth development and community engagement teams. She rejoins Horton’s Kids with extensive experience in managing and developing youth and family programs and strives to create opportunities that deepen learning, relationships, and sense of community.
Niamh grew up in New York and went to Brown University where she received a BA in Education and Sociology. She then went to the Johns Hopkins School of Education where she received her M.Ed. in Elementary Education. Prior to joining Horton’s Kids, Niamh taught 2nd grade in Northeast DC. She is passionate about ensuring students get the education and opportunities they deserve and believes that building relationships and trust with students is the key. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her friends and reading.
Born and raised in Capitol Heights, MD, John Allen Jr. is a loving husband and father of two daughters. John earned his BA in Mass Communications at Benedict College in South Carolina, and he’s served the DC Metro area mostly in social service and workforce development roles. He truly believes you can help anyone willing to help themselves and strongly feels it takes a village to raise a child and adults alike. A true jack of all trades, his interests range from music, photography, wire wrapping beaded and crystal jewelry, clothing design and tie dye.
If you wish to send your donation to Horton’s Kids using an ACH payment or wire transfer, please reach out to our Development and Communications Coordinator, Clara Meskin, via email: clara@hortonskids.org. She will be able to provide the routing and account numbers for our preferred bank account and any additional documentation you may need to approve a transfer to be sent to Horton’s Kids.
Increase the impact of your donation and become a sustaining supporter of Horton’s Kids by setting up a monthly gift that is processed automatically on the 15th of every month. New recurring donations can be set up here.
If you have an existing monthly donation that you would like to make changes to including frequency, donation amount, and payment information, please contact Development and Communications Coordinator, Clara Meskin by phone (771-212-7855) or email: clara@hortonskids.org
Please make checks payable to “Horton’s Kids, Inc.” and they can be sent by mail to our administrative offices:
Horton’s Kids Inc.
Attn. Clara Meskin
2233 Hunter Pl. SE
Washington, DC 20020
An acknowledgment letter will be sent to donors within 5-7 business days of the check being received at our office. Checks will be deposited within 7 to 10 business days.
Horton’s Kids is able to accept grants from donor-advised funds and IRA charitable distributions. We encourage you to contact a financial advisor or tax specialist for more information about on the tax benefits of these giving options and other impacts.
For further questions about how to send donations to Horton’s Kids from your donor-advised fund or IRA charitable giving account, please contact Senior Director of Individual Giving, Ellica Church by phone (202-899-5216) or email: ellica@hortonskids.org
Please note that it is strongly recommended that grants from DAFs or IRA charitable distributions are not used to pay event sponsorship pledges. If you do choose to make your sponsorship pledge payment this way, Horton’s Kids can not give you the tickets allocated with the sponsorship.
Horton’s Kids deeply values all contributions to sustain our work. To protect the privacy of our donors and their relationship with Horton’s Kids, we maintain the following policies:
Please contact Clara Meskin at clara@hortonskids.org or by phone at 771-212-7855 if you would like to update, correct or remove your personal information
To make a gift of stock or securities to Horton’s Kids, please contact our broker directly for transfer instructions:
Emilio Sanchez, CFP
Morgan Stanley
(703) 394-1968
Emilio.Sanchez@morganstanley.com
DTC#: 0015
Horton’s Kids Account #: 631-040719-188
Note: Make sure your broker includes your name and contact information in the text comment field of the DTC transfer screen.
We also ask that you notify us of your stock gift. Please alert Ellica Church, Senior Director of Individual Giving, of your donation at ellica@hortonskids.org so that we can properly record and acknowledge your gift.
Supporting Horton’s Kids with an in-kind donation is the perfect entry point to getting involved, whether you’re an individual, or part of a company or community organization wanting to give back.
We are in need of partners on a monthly basis to create the following family essentials distribution kits:
Seasonally we also hold the following drives:
For more information about Horton’s Kids in-kind giving program and how you can get involved, please contact Corporate Partnerships Manager, Caroline Malone, caroline@hortonskids.org
Clara joined Horton’s Kids in September 2023 as the Development and Communications Coordinator. In this position, Clara supports fundraising operations and initiatives, manages social media, and provides communications support. Clara is originally from Boston, and she studied Nonprofit Communications at Drexel University. Through her university’s Co-op Program, she was able to get hands-on experience through multiple organizations such as HIAS PA, the DNC, and Maslan, among others. Clara is excited to bring her skills in effective communication and her passion for supporting the DC community to the role of Development and Communications Coordinator.
Melanie is a dedicated professional who drives high-quality Horton’s Kids programming through comprehensive evaluation and assessment models, streamlined operational processes, and the cultivation of well-trained part-time staff and volunteers. Having joined Horton’s Kids in 2017, Melanie brings with her a rich background of five years in education non-profits across South Carolina, New York City, and Washington, D.C., where she specialized in social-emotional programming. She holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, Politics, and Advocacy from NYU, and a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the College of Charleston. Beyond her work, Melanie finds joy in reading, hiking, and attending stand-up comedy shows.
Caroline is excited to be growing her career with Horton’s Kids as the Corporate Partnerships Manager after establishing relationships with many of the organization’s existing Corporate supporters as she’s transitioned from Development and Volunteer Coordinator to Senior Development Coordinator into her current role.
In her role, Caroline seeks to build relationships with Corporations and Organizations in the greater DC area who share Horton’s Kids’ commitment to providing resources to children and families living in DC’s most under-invested communities. Caroline is excited about aligning the interests of our Corporate Donors with the organization’s needs through Event Sponsorships, General Donations, Volunteer Experiences, and In-Kind Support.
Originally from Seattle, Caroline has been in DC since 2016 and received a B.A. in Human Services and Social Justice from The George Washington University in 2020. With roots in DC now, outside of work, she enjoys exploring DC’s unique neighborhoods, reading, and cooking.
Domina Glenn joined Horton’s Kids in July 2023 as the College and Career Readiness Manager. She is a native of New Haven, Connecticut and holds a B.A. in Psychology from Southern Connecticut State University. She has worked in Higher Education in various roles such as admissions, retention, and placement for the past several years. She strongly believes that every child deserves the opportunity to get the education and career that they want. In her free time, she enjoys reading books, creating playlists, and spending time with her husband and her daughter.
Jasmine works as the Senior Manager of Youth Development at Horton’s Kids. Jasmine is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in the District of Columbia. She received her Bachelors in Interpersonal and Organizational Communications from East Carolina University and her Master’s in Social Work from Howard University. Jasmine has spent her career in Washington, DC as a mental health practitioner in the educational setting working with students in K-12 and is committed to creating a safe space that allows everyone to feel free from judgement while tapping into the strengths they have within themselves to become the person they would like to be.
Treyshawn is a native Washingtonian. She received her Associate Degree from the University of Phoenix. Treyshawn has five years of Finance Administration experience, and she is excited to expand her knowledge. In her spare time, she likes to read and participate in outdoor events with her teenage daughter.
Nadine Wilson, PHR, SHRM-CP, is a native of Brooklyn, New York, and has over a decade of experience managing and leading HR departments in various industries. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources Management from St. Leo University and is dually certified as a Human Resources Professional with HRCI and SHRM. As a result of her educational background and hands-on training, she has been able to effectively manage employee relations, benefits administration, performance management, compensation, and the acquisition of diverse talent. Her passion is putting the “Human” back into Human Resources through collaboration, empathy, and inclusivity.
During her career, Nadine has committed herself to establishing a positive and inclusive workplace culture that values diversity and promotes employee engagement. She is pursuing a Master Herbalist Certification with plans to incorporate a holistic approach by encouraging self-care and work-life balance to avoid burnout among employees, management teams, and external partners.
In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering in her community and cheering her kids on at their various activities and sporting events.
You can support Horton’s Kids on a regular basis through workplace giving programs with automatic payroll deductions. To learn more about how your employer facilitates workplace giving through automatic payroll deductions or if they match employee contributions, contact your HR representative.
If you or your employer are hosting an upcoming workplace giving event, Horton’s Kids would love to take part! Please contact Corporate Partnerships Manager, Caroline Malone, caroline@hortonskids.org, with more information.
Horton’s Kids is a Combined Federal Campaign Charity (CFC #86543)
Including Horton’s Kids in your estate plans is one of the most common and simple ways to have your legacy leave a lasting impact on a non-profit organization. Horton’s Kids can be named as a beneficiary of your 401k or IRA account, life insurance policy, or be designated to recieve securities or the remaining assets of your donor advised fund.
If you are interested in including Horton’s Kids in your estate plans please contact Senior Director of Individual Giving, Ellica Church, ellica@hortonskids.org, or see below for suggested language to include in bequests:
You can also make a gift contingent upon certain events, such as:
Individual and Corporate donors are invited to become sponsors of Horton’s Kids’ signature fundraising events, Give Thanks and Give Back and Home Runs for Horton’s Kids. Event sponsorships come with an array of benefits and tickets! More information can be found on our events page.
With your help, Horton’s Kids can continue to provide essential services and programs to children and families in Wellington Park and Staton Oaks.
Your gift makes an immediate impact on the lives of the families we serve.
Chelsea is our Family Engagement Coordinator. Chelsea holds a BS in early childhood education and family studies from North Carolina A & T State University. She has spent the last 4 years working in both the social service and education field. She believes in approaching youth development from a holistic, individualized lens for each child and family. In her free time, she likes trying new foods, spending time with family, and roller skating.
Latoya is our health & wellness program assistant. She is a devoted mother to her son and daughter, both Horton’s Kids participants. Her calm and patient personality helps her work with the children during after school meals and programs.
Kevin joined the Horton’s Kids staff as a Program Assistant in 2017. He is also a very engaged father of two current and two former Horton’s Kids participants. Kevin is well-known in the community and has close relationships with many of the children we serve. In addition to working at Horton’s Kids, Kevin works a full-time job in construction and is an avid Washington Commanders fan.
AJ serves as Horton’s Kids’ Elementary Youth Development Coordinator where he oversees the implementation of enrichment opportunities and SEL curriculum. His previous experience includes serving as an AmeriCorps member at City Year New Hampshire, and more recently as a Youth Development Professional at the Boys and Girls Club in Charlottesville, VA. AJ found his passion for developing SEL skills in youth while studying at the University of Virginia. In his free time, AJ enjoys finding new music, watching documentaries, and most of all playing sports.
Tera serves as the Middle School Coordinator at Horton’s Kids. Prior to working at Horton’s Kids, Tera was a K-3 STEM Teacher for DC Public Charter Schools in Ward 8. As the Middle School Coordinator, Tera will oversee the Middle School Program and ensure program delivery. Tera attended Bowie State, where she studied Psychology.
Ashley works as the Senior Manager of Academics for grades K – 8th. She graduated from Franklin and Marshall College with a BA in Sociology and received a MAT from Relay Graduate School of Education. For the last 6 years, Ashley taught elementary and middle school students at KIPP DC. She values creating meaningful relationships with students in order to build trust and to cultivate growth. Ashley hails from the Bronx, NY and enjoys trying new restaurants and spending time with family and friends.
Rachael Sheehan works as the Senior Academic Manager. Before her time at Horton’s Kids, she served the Jacksonville community as a City Corps member and then transitioned to being a STEM teacher. She recently graduated from American University with her masters in Education Policy and Leadership.
Joh’nita joined the Horton’s Kids staff in 2016. She currently works as the Senior Manager or College and Career Readiness. She manages all college & career readiness programs including weekly CCR discussion groups, 1:1 CCR Coaching, Summer Youth Employment Program, and the Alumni Assistance Program. She worked in College and Career Readiness for 7 years. She holds a BA in Sociology from UNC-Greensboro and an M.A in Education Administration & Policy from Dakota Wesleyan University. Joh’nita is a Washington, DC native who enjoys cooking, baking, and traveling.
Rayshonna Hill is a native of Brooklyn, New York and is the Senior Director of Youth Programs with Horton’s Kids. She holds a BS from Delaware State University, and has spent her career in Washington, D.C. as a youth advocate. She strongly believes that development is only meaningful when young people are given access to opportunities and services to shape their future. She comes with 10 years of experience with DC Public Schools and most recently served as a Site Manager with DC Department of Parks and Recreation. During this time, Rayshonna has strengthened opportunities to engage young people in high-quality enrichment, academic support, and social-emotional development. She has work extensively with the community and stakeholders to create safe spaces for young people to learn and grow. When not at work, Rayshonna spends time playing flag football and has won 7 national championships.
Kiana serves as the liaison between volunteers and staff at Horton’s Kids. She oversees volunteer recruitment, retention, training, and creates opportunities for the greater DC community to connect with our organization. Originally from Massachusetts, Kiana graduated from The George Washington University in May 2021 with a B.A. in Organizational Sciences. Previously, she was a Volunteer Coordinator with Jumpstart at GW and has supported program implementation for various nonprofits in DC. Outside of work, Kiana loves spending quality time with friends, making Spotify playlists, and receiving mail.
Claire oversees all evaluation work for Horton’s Kids’ academic, youth development and health & basic needs programs. She has over 15 year of experience as a policy analyst with the RAND Corporation, conducting policy analysis and quantitative work. Prior to joining Horton’s Kids she spent 10 years working extensively with several direct service non profits in a volunteer capacity. She enjoys travel and is an avid Nationals fan. Claire has an undergraduate degree from Indiana University and a Masters in Economics from Virginia Tech.
Ellica brings nearly two decades of experience in nonprofit development and marketing, journalism and public relations to her role at Horton’s Kids. She joined the development team in March 2022 to help strengthen and expand the network of individual donors engaged with Horton’s Kids.
Ellica has a passion for storytelling and making a difference – philanthropy allows her to do both while building relationships with supporters and the community. She has spent 15 years working with human services, environmental and health advocacy nonprofits to grow their fund development programs and create greater impact. She most recently served as Director of Individual Giving for Goodwill of Greater Washington.
Ellica is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and is excited to join the Horton’s Kids team to build a stronger future for children and families in Southeast DC. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. When not at work, Ellica enjoys spending time with family, DIY projects, photography and crafting.
Andrew comes to Horton’s Kids as the next step in a career dedicated to the financial and administrative management of non-profit organizations in the DC-area, with a special affinity for those that serve children, youth, and their families. Most recently, he served as the vice president and chief financial officer at Youth For Understanding USA. Prior to that, he worked for a variety of organizations, including Alexandria City Public Schools, Washington National Cathedral, and Children’s National Hospital, with a particular focus on long-range strategic and financial planning. A Wisconsin native, Andrew has called DC home for over 30 years, having moved here shortly after graduating from UW-Madison with a bachelor’s of science in Industrial Engineering. An urban farmer in his spare time, Andrew maintains several garden plots around town, keeps bees at a local apiary, and tends to a flock of chickens at the neighborhood elementary school. A lover of nature, Andrew delights in finding the extraordinary that hides in the everyday ordinary.
Antwain Franklin joined the Horton’s Kids team in 2015, first as a volunteer at the Community Resource Center. As a Program Assistant, he works at both the Community Resource Center and our evening tutoring program. He is truly a favorite of all the children in the neighborhood, and makes sure that every child’s needs are taken care of. He is the father of six children, three of whom are current Horton’s Kids’ participants. Antwain enjoys reading and research in his spare time.
Leigh is part of the Horton’s Kids executive team, ensuring the success of the organization’s fundraising efforts and cultivating a culture of philanthropy among staff and board. During her 15-year career she has raised more than $40 million for small and mid-sized non-profits with a focus on the environment, education, and public policy. Prior to joining Horton’s Kids in 2021, Leigh worked as a grant writer and strategist for advocacy organizations. Leigh has a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Bradley University and is currently studying for her Certified Fund Raising Executive certification.
Prior to joining Horton’s Kids, Erica served as the Executive Director of the GO Project, an educational nonprofit in New York City serving over 700 children and their families through holistic, comprehensive, year-round programming. During her tenure, the organization doubled in size while expanding programming, partnerships, and even service areas. Prior to that, she worked at Groundwork, where she developed numerous programs to support academic, social, and emotional development of students and families. Erica served as both the Associate Executive Director and Acting Executive Director at Groundwork, successfully managing a founder transition. Erica is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with experience providing therapy to children and families in a variety of settings.
Shandell joined Horton’s Kids as the Elementary Program Director in 2018, after seven years of serving as a DC Public School educator and instructional coach. Currently, Shandell is the Chief Program Officer and oversees Horton’s Kids’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, expansion, and other strategic priorities. Shandell holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Lincoln University PA and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction: Education Policy and Leadership from American University.
