Staff

Photo: Breakthrough Collaborative
National Leadership
Elissa Vanaver, Chief Executive Officer

Rachel Martinez de Canada, Chief People & Program Officer

Jeremy Gough, Chief Development Officer

Ieesha McKinzie Collins, Managing Director of External Relations
Ieesha values being a lifelong learner and has participated in several leadership programs including The Broad Residency in Urban Education (TBR ’17-19), Management Leadership for Tomorrow, and Teach For America (Atlanta ’06). Ieesha was introduced to Breakthrough during her sophomore year of college as a teaching fellow with Breakthrough Atlanta. This sparked her commitment to educational equity. She went on to work for the Breakthrough National Office and later served on the boards of Breakthrough Twin Cities and Breakthrough Houston. Ieesha is a proud first-generation college graduate who earned a BA in journalism from Hampton University and an MS in integrated marketing communications from Northwestern University. Outside of the office, Ieesha enjoys spending time with family and friends and hosting social events and group gatherings for fun.

Nicole Noga, Managing Director of Operations

National Staff
Jonathan Appleby, Director of Recruitment
Kyle Bobrick, National Communications Manager
Claire Contonente, Administrative Associate
Jee Deogracias, Director of Research & Evaluation
Leah Ehinger, Development Associate

Phyllis Elick, Director of High School and College Bound Programming

Kirra Hughes, Junior Salesforce Administrator

Natalie Jacobs, Recruitment Associate

Meredith Zackey, Senior Director of Programs

Breakthrough Birmingham
Mariohn Michel, Executive Director, Breakthrough Birmingham
Liora Chessin, Program Director, Breakthrough Birmingham
Prior to joining the Breakthrough team, Liora Chessin worked in both public and private schools, as well as the nonprofit sector. Liora started her career in education in rural North Carolina as a part of Teach For America. Liora taught 12th grade English and started the school’s first Advancement Placement English Literature course. Liora most recently taught middle school English and history in a Birmingham-area school where she organized a professional learning community for the faculty and created the student-run Leadership Through Library program. Liora also worked as the school’s Director of Admissions and Communications building relationships with stakeholders and families. Liora has managed a state-wide college access program, worked in various marketing positions, and designed diverse curricula including middle school humanities and social justice education. Liora also recently finished her Masters in Education from Brandeis University in Massachusetts with a speciality in teacher leadership. Liora has a BA in English from the Ohio State University’s Honor College where she graduated summa cum laude.