Our Team
▶︎ Amneris Narvaez, Regional Director, New England Programs
Amneris Narvaez is a Western MA native and graduate of Holyoke Public Schools. She began her college education at Holyoke Community College before receiving a B.S in Special Education from Westfield State University and an M.Ed from Lesley University. Amneris taught special education in the Springfield Public Schools for eight years. She aspired to impact her students’ education at the policy level and transitioned to Stand for Children Massachusetts where she served as a Family Engagement & Organizing Manager for almost four years. She joined the Generation Teach Team in 2019. As a teacher, advocate, and parent, Amneris is passionate about education and furthering opportunities for students across the Commonwealth.
▶︎ Ashle' Tate, Regional Director, Mid-Atlantic Programs
Ashle’ Tate is a Denver, CO native who began her journey with Generation Teach as an undergraduate Teaching Fellow. Ashle’ returned for a second year as a Teaching Fellow, as a Dean of Operations in 2019, and as a Cohort Director in 2020. She joined the Generation Teach team full-time in 2021 and brings experience teaching English Language Arts to grades 5-12. Ashle’ holds a B.A. in English Education and Leadership Studies from Colorado State University-Fort Collins. During her undergraduate years, she had the opportunity to work with various schools across the state. After graduating, Ashle’ attended Howard University and received a Master of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies degree.
▶︎ Heidi Dotterrer, Chief Operating Officer
Heidi Dotterrer brings 15 years of experience teaching and leading in cities across the country. As the COO, Heidi leads partnerships, operations, data collection and analysis, and communication across the org. Prior to joining Generation Teach in 2015, Heidi directed and launched Breakthrough Collaborative summer programs and taught at KIPP San Francisco Bay Academy. At Breakthrough, Heidi led student recruitment, selection, and support; curriculum development and implementation; and volunteer, intern teacher, and instructional coach recruitment, selection, and supervision. She founded two Breakthrough sites in new cities and served as the chair of Breakthrough Collaborative’s Directors’ Council and represented directors on the Breakthrough Collaborative Board of Trustees. Heidi manages the California region of Middlebury College’s Alumni Admissions Program. She holds her B.A. in Environmental Science, Biology, and Education from Middlebury College.
▶︎ Ivelisse Sanchez, Managing Director, New England Programs
Ivelisse (Ive) Sanchez is a Boston, MA native. She was a middle-school English as a Second Language teacher before transitioning into talent and recruitment. She earned her B.A. in Journalism from Northeastern University and her Master of Education in Curriculum and Teaching from Boston University. She serves on various committees and governing boards in the education and non-profit sectors.
▶︎ Laura Zahn, Founder & CEO
Inspired by a summer teaching fellowship to pursue a career in education, Laura Zahn founded Generation Teach in March 2014 to scale summer teaching fellowships in partnership with district and charter schools. A former Breakthrough Teaching Fellow, Instructional Coach, Executive & Program Director, national board member, and Chief Academic Officer, Laura has served as a middle- and high-school teacher, middle-school principal, school improvement consultant, and NH Department of Education School Improvement Grant (SIG) Consultant. A recipient of a Paul Douglas Teaching Scholarship, Laura graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in English and Humanities from Messiah College and holds an M.A. in liberal studies from Dartmouth College and an M.S. in educational administration from National University, as well as experienced educator credentials in English grades 5-12 and K-12 principal leadership.
▶︎ Marcaine Simon, Director, Mid-Atlantic Programs
Marcaine Simon, a proud Haitian-American from Boston, MA, discovered her deep-seated passion for community service at the tender age of 12. Engaging with Rozzie Reps, a non-profit in Roslindale, she dedicated herself to neighborhood clean-ups and advocating for critical causes such as gun violence prevention and underage drinking awareness. Her commitment extended to fostering opportunities for youth in her community, igniting a lifelong dedication to civic engagement and community empowerment.
After beginning her career in social work focused on K-12 students and families, Marcaine then evolved into a Talent Acquisition Manager within Boston and DC's educational sphere. Her life's mission revolves around breaking mental health stigmas, equipping families with essential tools to embrace mental well-being, and connecting them with vital resources.
In the summer of 2024, Marcaine eagerly joined the Generation Teach Family as a Director of DC Programs. She looks forward to collaborating with Generation Teach leaders, continuing her impactful work, and supporting students to achieve their fullest potential.
▶︎ Marco Alfaro, Senior Director, Denver Programs
Marco Alfaro started his career in education as a first-grade teacher in Denver Public Schools. Throughout his career, he has taught K-5 in English and Spanish and taught STEM to all primary grade levels. Marco started his journey with Generation Teach in the summer of 2019 as an academic coach. He joins the Generation Teach team full-time in 2022.
Marco is a first-generation college graduate receiving his bachelor's degree in Elementary Education at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. He is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Principal Leadership. As a first-generation student Marco aims to be a positive role model and mentor to students.
▶︎ Maria Macias, Senior Director, Recruitment & Special Projects
Maria Medina Macias grew up in Southern Minnesota and graduated from Augsburg University in Minneapolis with a degree in Communication Studies and a focus in Business Administration. She has also completed bootcamps to expand her skills in UX/UI and Project Management.
Maria joined the Generation Teach team in 2022, bringing a background in both law and education. She previously worked at two law firms, where she strengthened her business administration and project management skills, and at Robbinsdale Middle School in Minnesota, where she served as a Personal Learning Coach, mentoring students and supporting families.
Board of Trustees
▷ Angelica Leveroni Gomez
Angelica is a Senior Program Officer on the education grantmaking team at Schusterman Family Philanthropies, where she manages the teacher workforce portfolio.
Before joining Schusterman, Angelica served as a Capital Commitment Fellow in DC Public Schools and middle school ELA teacher, grade-level chair, and assistant principal at YES Prep Public Schools in Houston. She began her career as a 2007 Teach For America corps member in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, where she taught elementary bilingual reading.
Angelica holds a BA from the University of Michigan, an MPH from Harvard, and an MBA from UC Berkeley. She is a 2023 Board Fellow through Latinos for Education, and lives in Dallas with her husband and son.
▷ Bilma Canales
A daughter of immigrants and native Houstonian, Bilma Canales is dedicated to giving back to her community and the public interest of the marginalized and those in need. She is committed to pro bono service and maintains an active docket of pro bono matters involving breach of contract, heirship, and voting rights matters. Prior to law school, Bilma was a middle school teacher at YES Prep Public Schools in Houston and in 2023 was named a Latino Board Fellow for the Greater Houston area by Latinos for Education. In this role she will use her experience as a teacher and lawyer to address educational inequity and influence better educational outcomes for all children. Bilma has been recognized as Texas Rising Stars by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers (2024).
Before joining the firm, Bilma clerked for the Honorable Roger L. Gregory of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the Honorable Gray H. Miller of the Southern District of Texas. In law school, Bilma served as a Notes and Comments Editor of the Houston Law Review and competed on the moot court team.
▷ Jasmine Knowles
Jasmine Knowles is the Director of The 1954 Project at The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education (CAFE) Group. Before joining The CAFE Group, she served as the Senior Managing Director of the NextGen Educators Collective at City Teaching Alliance, where she led a national initiative specifically designed to recruit, train, and retain Black and Latino educators.
Jasmine began her career as a middle school English and social studies teacher in Philadelphia and has spent over a decade as a strategist in education organizations and in the private sector. Before City Teaching Alliance, Jasmine led talent strategy for central office employees at Chicago Public Schools; and earlier in her career, she worked as a management consultant at Accenture. As a third-generation educator, Jasmine's career has been guided by her unwavering commitment to elevating and empowering emerging teachers and education leaders so that they are equipped to do what's right for all students.
Jasmine earned a BA in Urban Studies from Washington University in St. Louis, a Master’s in Education from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business. She is also a graduate of the Broad Residency in Urban Education. Jasmine lives in Washington, D.C., and is the proud daughter of immigrants.
▷ Laura Johnson
Laura Johnson is the Senior Vice President and Chief Acceleration Officer for the United Way of Central Maryland. She is a seasoned communications executive who has devoted a professional lifetime to organizations that inspire and improve the lives of young people and communities. With more than 25 years’ experience, she has led major press and community outreach campaigns, launched new exhibit openings and led strategic initiatives for world class organizations including, the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Arts Education Partnership – formerly of the Council of Chief State School Officers, March of Dimes Georgia Chapter, and McDonald’s Co-op of Greater Baltimore. As a mom of a high schooler in Howard County, MD, Johnson is an active education advocate.
Laura Zahn
▷ Lauren Zane, Chair
Lauren Zane is Executive Director at the Hollyhock Foundation. Prior to joining Hollyhock, Lauren was a Senior Program Officer at the Tiger Foundation. Lauren began her career at Bain & Company and the Bridgespan Group. She has a B.S. from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Columbia University.
▷ Thackston Lundy
Thackston Lundy is the Vice President of Workforce Pathways at Accelerate U, a new division at National Louis University (NLU), that provides affordable, rapid training experiences for learners leading to industry-recognized credentials, college credit, and upwardly-mobile jobs. Prior to joining NLU, Thackston played a variety of roles at Together Education, a non-profit organization that helps entrepreneurs launch high-impact, scalable educational initiatives. He was Senior Advisor for Career Pathways, Chief People Officer of Relay Lab Schools, and Chief Operating Officer. Before helping to launch Together Education, Thackston was Chief of Staff at Relay Graduate School of Education. He also worked as the Director of Operations at Williamsburg Collegiate Charter School in Brooklyn, NY, a 5th-8th grade charter middle school and member of Uncommon Schools. Thackston began his career in public education as an Associate in the New York City Department of Education's Chancellor's Strategic Response Group. Thackston earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Philosophy from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill where he was a Morehead-Cain Scholar. He received a Master in Public Policy degree with a concentration in Social and Urban Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
▷ Tim McManus
Tim McManus was the Chief Financial Officer of Joho Capital from 1996 to 2014 and now serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Joho family office. He previously served as assistant controller at Soros Fund Management and senior accountant at PriceWaterhouseCoopers where he obtained his CPA. Tim is a Director and Treasurer of the Hollyhock Foundation and a member of the finance committee for Uncommon Schools. Tim earned a B.S. in Accounting from Boston College (1990).