Ieesha McKinzie Collins rejoins the Breakthrough Collaborative team, having worked for the organization over a decade ago. She brings back with her a unique set of experiences from across the nonprofit, corporate, and K-12 sectors which will bring a fresh perspective to approaching strategic communications, brand development, marketing initiatives, and fundraising. Prior to joining Breakthrough, Ieesha led external communications and media for KIPP Texas Public Schools. Before that, she spent five years leading marketing communications campaign planning for several global General Mills brands, and also served as the education program manager for the General Mills Foundation. 

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 B.A. in Journalism from Hampton University and a M.S. 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.

Rolando Damian Rodriguez has been leading fundraising campaigns for over 30 years. As President/CEO of the Jackson Memorial Foundation, Rolando established the most successful public hospital foundation in the country, raising over $200 million for programs. As the founder of the International Kids Fund, Rolando led global fundraising programs that raised millions for seriously ill children. Most recently, Rolando led the creation of the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Miami Foundation, leading to double-digit fundraising growth. Rolando holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in community psychology and has served in various leadership roles with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).

Claire joins Breakthrough as a recent graduate of Occidental College in Los Angeles. There, she majored in English and worked in institutional advancement. An East Bay Area native, she is excited to be back home and helping ensure that every student has the support network and the opportunity to attend college and achieve their goals. When she is not at work, you can likely find Claire reading, hiking, or hanging out with her cat. She hopes to one day become a high school English teacher, encouraging students to love literature and grammar!

A staunch advocate for public and equitable education (and a true education nerd), Hanna Levin has spent nearly a decade volunteering, working with, or working on behalf of youth and educators. In her current role, Hanna leads national data collection, analysis, and dissemination efforts for Breakthrough. She also plays an integral role in supporting Collaborative-wide initiatives around strategic planning and technology. Prior to joining Breakthrough in 2015, she taught high school geometry in the South Bronx through one of Breakthrough’s pipeline partners, Blue Engine. She is based out of Breakthrough’s Oakland office and spends much of her time outside of work at free lectures or the farmers market honing her “Berkeley mom” aesthetic (she is not, in fact, a Berkeley mom). She holds a B.A. in sociology from Pomona College and serves on the board of Camp Common Ground.

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 B.A. in English from the Ohio State University’s Honor College where she graduated summa cum laude.