The BUILD Team

BUILD's Big Idea is that all students have the potential to graduate from high school and attend college - if they have the access to the right support, resources and people. Thanks to BUILD's talented and committed staff, our Big Idea is becoming a reality for young people across the country.

What's your Big Idea? (Read our complete ideas by clicking on team names at left!)

Suzanne McKechnie Klahr CEO and Founder	Lyndsey Ballinger Site Director, Peninsula
Alexis Bayley Academic Program Manager, Peninsula	Diane Bezucha 9^th Grade Program Manager, NW Oakland
Sarah Bloem Systems Administrator	Erin Brannan Site Director, NW Oakland
Christopher Brown Regional Executive Director, Metro D.C.	Catherine Chavez Business Program Manager, NW Oakland
Ashleigh Cooper Business Program Manager, Metro D.C.	Yancie Davis Academic Program Manager, NW Oakland
Shannon Gaggero College Advisor, Oakland	Elizabeth Gardner Development Operations Manager
Adriana Garcia Site Director, East Oakland	Jessica Graham Director of Strategic Partnerships
Joseph Grassia Business Program Manager, Boston	Michelle Heath Human Resources Manager
Ajuah Helton Sr. Director of Programs and Evaluation	Rod Hsaio Sr. Director of Strategic Operations
Nicole Huguenin 9^th Grade Program Manager, Peninsula	Angelica Juarez Director of Finance and Operations
Roz Klann 9^th Grade Program Coordinator, Metro D.C.	Larisa Marinas Chief of Staff
Lori McCormick College Advisor, Peninsula
Lori McCormick College Advisor, Peninsula	Daniel McLaughlin Regional Executive Director, Bay Area
Alice O'Herin Development Associate	Ryan Oliver Site Director, Greater Boston
Stacey Palevsky Development and Communications Manager	Alia Peera Site Director, Metro D.C.
Julie Quintero Finance Account Specialist	Jahvita Rastafari Digital Engagement Specialist
Alex Ramirez Academic Program Manager, East Oakland	Nicole Ramos National Education and Curriculum Specialist
Levi Rivers 9^th Grade Program Manager, Metro D.C.	Christa Roth Sr. Director of Talent, Finance and Field Management
Mike Shumann Regional Grant Writer, Metro D.C.	Ayele Shakur Regional Executive Director, Boston
Dominique Ta Business Program Manager, Peninsula	Lily Tapia 9th Grade Program Coordinator, Peninsula
Alex Teitel 9^th Grade Program Manager, East Oakland	Khalilah Ummah Academic Program Manager, Metro D.C.
Vincent Vallente Program Coordinator, NW Oakland	Chrystine Villarreal National Development Officer

Get to Know Us

Senior Management Team
Suzanne McKechnie Klahr, CEO
Christa Roth, Sr. Director of Talent, Finance & Field Mgmt.
Ajuah Helton, Sr. Director of Programs and Evaluation
Rod Hsiao, Sr. Director of Strategic Operations
Christopher Brown, Regional Executive Director, DC
Daniel McLaughlin, Regional Executive Director, Bay Area
Ayele Shakur, Regional Executive Director, Boston

National Headquarters Team
Angelica Juarez, Director of Finance and Operations
Larisa Marinas, Chief of Staff
Julie Quintero, Finance Accounts Specialist
Tom Tang, Operations Manager
Michelle Heath, Human Resources Manager
Sarah Bloem, Systems Administrator
Nicole Ramos, Nat'l Education & Curriculum Specialist
Jessica Graham, Director of Strategic Partnerships
Chrystine Villarreal, National Development Officer
Stacey Palevsky, Development Communications Manager
Jahvita Rastafari, Digital Engagement SpecialistAlice O'Herin, Development Associate

Greater Boston Team
Ayele Shakur, Regional Executive Director
Ryan Oliver, Site Director
Joseph Grassia, Business Program Manager
Nitita Pongsanarakul, Program Assistant

Metro D.C. Team
Christopher Brown, Regional Executive Director
Alia Peera, Site Director
Levi Rivers, Ninth Grade Program Manager
Roz Klann, Ninth Grade Program Coordinator
Khalilah Ummah, Academic Program Manager
Ashleigh Cooper, Business Program Manager
Mike Shumann, Regional Grants Writer

East Oakland Team
Adriana Garcia, Site Director
Alex Teitel, Ninth Grade Program Manager
Hope Lehman, Ninth Grade Program Assistant
Alexandrea Ramirez, Academic Program Manager
Shannon Gaggero, College Advisor
Jackie Vu, College Advising Coordinator

North/West Oakland Team
Erin Brannan, Site Director
Diane Bezucha, Ninth Grade Program Manager
Yancie Davis, Academic Program Manager
Catherine Chavez, Business Program Manager
Shannon Gaggero, College Advisor
Jackie Vu, College Advising Coordinator
Vincent Vallente, Program Coordinator

Peninsula Team
Lyndsey Ballinger, Site Director
Nicole Huguenin, Ninth Grade Program Manager
Lily Tapia, Ninth Grade Program Coordinator
Alexis Bayley, Academic Program Manager
Dominique Ta, Business Program Manager
Lori McCormick, College Advisor