Meet our outstanding National Team!

National Staff

Eric Fischer, Interim Executive Director [bio]
Jessica Dolan, Director of Development [bio]
Erica Fortescue, Major Gifts Officer [bio]
Christina Perrino, Development & Communications Specialist [bio]
Lauren Finan, Development Associate
Eric Fischer, Finance Director [bio]
Daphne Napoe, Finance Specialist [bio]
Ben Martinez, National Program Director [bio]
Elisabeth Cutler, Research & Policy Specialist [bio]
Lois Loofbourrow, Founder & Advisor [bio]
Mike Turner, National Sustainability Specialist [bio]
Rosalind Holland, Database Specialist [bio]
Laura Zahn, Curriculum & Instruction Specialist [bio]
Paul Mann, Teacher Network Specialist [bio]
Cormac Harkins, Program Associate [bio]

You can find general Breakthrough contact info here.

Eric Fischer, Interim Executive Director

Eric Fischer brings over 15 years of experience in working with community-based, non-profit organizations in the areas of strategic financial & accounting management, organizational and fund development, and technological and human resource management. After graduating from Santa Clara University with bachelor’s degrees in accounting and decision & information sciences, Eric worked with a local CPA firm specializing in audit, accounting, and computer consulting services for professional services and not-for-profit organizations. He later spent 10 years with the Child Care Coordinating Council of San Mateo County as their Director of Finance & Administration, helping to facilitate the growth in their annual budget from $4 million to over $20 million during that time period. After moving to Marin County, Eric became the Chief Financial Officer for the Hospice of Marin (now Hospice By the Bay), assisting in the design and deployment of new financial, accounting, and budgeting systems that facilitated their strategic expansion into four Bay Area counties and the purchase of a new, modern headquarters facility in Larkspur, California. He also worked with other Marin-based community organizations including the Bernard Osher Marin Jewish Community Center and Dominican University of California. An advocate for excellent educational opportunities for all, Eric is the father of three children, an avid photographer, and an aspiring Latin jazz percussionist.

Development Team

Jessica Dolan, Director of Development

Jessica Dolan became an attorney to address international and national social justice issues. She decided early in her career that the best way to do this was not in a courtroom, but rather working to increase donations and awareness for organizations protecting human rights. She comes to Breakthrough with approximately seven years of non-profit development experience. Jessica spent the past five years working at the U.S. Fund for UNICEF (USF) focusing on board development, major gifts, and regional outreach. While with USF, she worked with her peers and board to successfully initiate, complete and exceed a $6.5 million, 4-year, major-gift campaign for child survival in sub-Saharan Africa. Before joining UNICEF, Jessica was the Director of Development for Sarah’s Inn, a community-based domestic violence organization, where she established a formal development program. Jessica holds her BA in International Relations and Spanish from Eckerd College and her JD from DePaul University College of Law. She has studied in Costa Rica and travelled extensively internationally for work and fun. Jessica recently relocated to the Bay Area from Chicago and is eager to make San Francisco her home.

Erica Fortescue, Major Gifts Officer

Erica Fortescue has been involved with Breakthrough for more than fifteen years, beginning as a summer and school year teacher. Since 2003, she has worked at the national office, first as Site Support and Development Director then as Director of Development. In her current role as Major Gifts Officer, she oversees individual and event fundraising. Prior to joining Breakthrough, Erica was the National Coordinator for Project ASTRO, a program of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific that partners volunteer scientists with 4th – 9th grade students. She has also taught French and Spanish in the classroom. Erica holds a Master’s degree in Education Policy Analysis from Stanford University and a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Brown University.

Christina Perrino, Development & Communications Specialist

Christina Perrino's communications career began in the nonprofit sector, which triggered her passion for serving mission-driven organizations through strategic and powerful communication. After spending time doing public affairs work at Fleishman-Hillard, a global public relations agency, Christina joined the communications team for a premier PK-12 public school district in St. Louis. There, she worked to advance education for students by leading and supporting district efforts in community relations, internal communication, marketing, media relations, social media and event planning. She recently relocated to San Francisco and is eager to work collaboratively with the Breakthrough team. Christina received a BA in Communications from St. Louis University. A former lacrosse player and advocate for girls' participation in sports, Christina is a girls youth lacrosse coach.

Lauren Finan, Development Associate

Mission Support Team

Daphne Napoe, Finance Specialist

Daphne Napoe brings to Breakthrough Collaborative more than 20 years of experience in the accounting and finance sector. In addition to her work as a Staff Accountant for Alcatraz Cruises and as the Interim Accounting Manager for KIPP Bay Area Schools, Daphne has significant experience in the corporate environment, working as an account manager for many well-known entertainers, including Tina Turner, Carole King, and Jack Black, among others. Daphne has extensive training in finance, accounting principles, tax law, and computers. She is a lifelong learner who volunteers an average of 70 hours each month, teaching native French speakers from Africa, Europe and Haiti. Daphne shares this community commitment with her family, husband Joseph and daughters DeAnna (and son-in-law Dru) and Danielle.

Program Team

Ben Martinez, National Program Director

Ben Martinez started his career in education as a teacher at Summerbridge San Francisco in 1995 and is enjoying his return to Breakthrough as the National Program Director. In the interim, Ben served as a teacher and counselor for similar programs such as Upward Bound in Los Angeles and Prep-for-Prep in New York City. In addition, as a researcher and evaluator for the American Institutes for Research in both Washington, D.C. and Palo Alto, CA, Ben worked on statewide and national education evaluations for the California Department of Education, U.S. Department of Education, Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, most recently evaluating the development and effectiveness of the high-school small schools movement. Ben received a B.A. in Politics from Pomona College and an M.A. in Education & Politics from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Elisabeth Cutler, Research & Policy Specialist

Elisabeth Cutler brings over 10 years of experience in K-16 education, as a university admissions coordinator, researcher, and policy analyst, to her work as the Research & Policy Specialist. Prior to joining Breakthrough Collaborative, she was most recently a Research & Evaluation Associate at the Education Alliance in Providence, RI and the Data & Policy Analyst at the Education Trust-West. Her past research has focused primarily on systemic education reform and improving educational opportunities for under-served students. Elisabeth has a B.A. in American Studies from Barnard College and a Masters in Public Affairs from Brown University. When not working, Elisabeth enjoys wandering around San Francisco’s neighborhoods and watching movies.

Lois Loofbourrow, Founder & Advisor

Lois helped launch Summerbridge San Francisco in 1978 and remained its founding director until she left to become the Founding Executive Director of the Breakthrough Collaborative (formerly known as Summerbridge National) in 1991. After she left Breakthrough, she worked with YouthBuild USA and with The Beaumont Foundation of America. She recently returned to California and has joined the staff of the Breakthrough Collaborative supporting our goals working with middle-school students.

Mike Turner, National Sustainability Specialist

Mike Turner served as the Executive Director of Breakthrough Kent Denver from 2005-2008. His previous experience with Breakthrough Kent Denver includes serving as a teacher in 2000 and 2001, School Year Program Director in 2002, and Program Director in 2004. Mike also spent two years helping open and teaching at KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy, a charter school in Denver. Mike is based in Denver, CO. He received a B.A. in Communications from the University of Denver in 2002 and a Masters Degree in Public Policy from the University of Denver in 2007.

Rosalind Holland, Teacher Database Associate

Rosalind Holland, a graduate of U. C. Berkeley, recently received certification in College Admissions and Career Planning from U. C. Berkeley Extension. Rosalind’s previous work experience includes many years at database and software companies in the Bay Area, including Ingres, Forte, Sybase, and Sendmail. She is excited to bring her experience in the world of database and web programming together with her passion for helping young people strive for and achieve a college education. More recently Rosalind launched two businesses supporting college access. The first, “Are you College Bound?” advises college students in the East Bay toward college. The second, “CollTrack.com,” is an online system (database and accompanying website) that allows independent college advisors to track their students through the college admissions and selection process. During her spare time, she likes working on her family tree, playing games and cooking meals with her immediate and extended family. She is in the process of creating a family cook book.

Laura Zahn, Curriculum & Instruction Specialist

Laura Zahn taught at Breakthrough Manchester for three summers before teaching middle and high school for three years, working as a Breakthrough mentor teacher during the intervening summers. She directed Breakthrough Sacramento from 1998-2002, serving for two years as the Chair of the Directors' Council and as a member of the Breakthrough Board of Trustees. Beginning in 2002, Laura worked as Vice Principal, then Interim Principal, at Rosa Parks Middle School in Sacramento, CA. Since her return to New Hampshire in 2005, Laura has supported K-12 teachers as an instructional consultant, supervising teachers seeking preliminary and professional licensure, in addition to training and coaching teachers in under-resourced schools. She has written grant proposals for a variety of organizations, including Breakthrough Manchester, Concord Community Music School, and the Concord School District. Laura holds experienced educator credentials in teaching and administration, as well as a B.A. from Messiah College, an M.A. from Dartmouth College, and an M.S. in Educational Administration from National University.

Paul Mann, Teacher Network Specialist

Paul Mann was working as a corporate recruiter when he began volunteering for education non profits in 2005. His passion for educational equity led him into the non-profit sector in 2008, and he's since worked as a Program Associate for Summer Search, and as the Director of Community Engagement at SMART. SMART is a San Francisco organization that supports highly motivated low-income students on scholarships at independent schools. While at SMART Paul co-directed all programming including the after-school, summer, volunteer and alumni programs. In addition to that programming, Paul initiated and fostered strategic partnerships, spearheaded cultural competency education in independent schools, and researched and designed programming, expanding a 5th through 8th grade middle school program into a 5th through 12th grade College Access Program. Paul believes the best way to provide a quality education to all students is to ensure they have outstanding teachers. As the Teacher Network Specialist, he’s thrilled to be on the front lines of that effort. Paul received his BA in Political Science from Northeastern University in 2004. In his free time he loves to cycle, run, and watch old Swedish movies.

Cormac Harkins, Program Associate

Cormac Harkins is currently supporting Breakthrough’s High School Programming workgroup and other program team projects. He comes to Breakthrough after working (and living) at the MATCH Charter High School in Boston for two years as a tutoring fellow and After-School Coordinator. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. in Anthropology and is originally from the Boston area. He’s excited about the opportunity to explore everything that San Francisco has to offer and maybe find a few games of pickup basketball while he’s at it.