Tauheedah JacksonSTATE DIRECTOR FOR CONNECTICUT As the State Director for Connecticut at the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Tauheedah Jackson helps shape and execute the Foundation’s regional strategy by strengthening community-to-state coalitions, advancing education justice efforts, promoting data and knowledge systems, and supporting local communities in translating their priorities into policy, budget, and practice. Tauheedah brings…
Evelyn AissaSTATE DIRECTOR FOR NEW HAMPSIRE Evelyn Aissa serves as State Director, New Hampshire. In this role, she provides connective leadership across New Hampshire’s education ecosystem, working alongside community leaders, advocates, policymakers, funders, and other partners to elevate community insight, support field learning, and advance coordinated strategies for education justice. Evelyn brings more than 20…
Jason JuddSTATE DIRECTOR FOR MAINE Jason Judd joined the Nellie Mae Education Foundation in 2026 as the State Director for Maine. In this role, he helps execute NMEF’s strategy through strengthening coalitions, promoting data and knowledge products, advancing education justice initiatives, and supporting local communities. Before joining Nellie Mae, he was the Executive Director at…
Jessica MindnichDIRECTOR OF GRANTMAKING AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING Jessica Mindnich, Ph.D., is Director of Grantmaking and Organizational Learning at the Nellie Mae Education Foundation where she leads the full grantmaking lifecycle, oversees compliance and grants management systems, and builds the learning infrastructure that connects what NMEF funds to what NMEF knows. Her career spans more than two decades…
Margaret GarveyCHIEF OF STAFF AND IMPACT Margaret “Maggie” Garvey is Chief of Staff and Impact at the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. In this role, she works in close partnership with the President and CEO and as a member of the executive team to advance the Foundation’s strategy, strengthen organizational effectiveness and support the impact of…
Monika KincheloeDIRECTOR OF FIELD BUILDING Monika is Director of Field building at the Nellie Mae Education Foundation where she leads the organization’s goal to invest in New England’s public education systems through state-level government relations, strategic communications and narrative, and research, evaluation, and learning. Monika brings to this new chapter a deeply held belief that…
Dr. Kent McGuireAdvisor to both the Stuart and Spencer Foundations Dr. Kent McGuire is an advisor to both the Stuart and Spencer Foundations, where he assists with convening, networking, proposal review and making connections between the worlds of philanthropy, public policy and educational practice. Previously, Kent was the Program Director of Education at the William…
Luisa SimeonFINANCE MANAGER Prior to her current role, Luisa served as Accounting Manager at Seed Global Health, where she led global financial reporting, collaborated on an ERP implementation, and supported grant financial management and audit coordination. Before that, she spent nearly six years at Partners In Health in a variety of finance roles, including Finance…
Colin JonesSENIOR PORTFOLIO LEAD: K-12 COALITIONS, PARTNERSHIP, MOVEMENT BUILDING Colin Jones joined the foundation in 2025. He currently serves as the Portfolio Lead for K-12 Coalitions, Partnerships, and Movement Building. In this role, he helps implement the Foundation’s grantmaking and grantee engagement, particularly focused on cultivating and strengthening alliances to advance educational equity across New…
Cindy KenneyOFFICE MANAGER As Office Manager at Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Cindy provides essential operational support that drives the organization’s continued excellence and growth. With expertise in financial management, research, and administrative operations, she ensures efficiency while fostering team success and a positive workplace culture. Prior to joining Nellie Mae, Cindy served as Office Manager at Throughline Learning, where…