NYLC Announces New Board Members

NYLC is delighted to welcome eight new members to the organization’s Board of Directors, who will begin their terms in January 2012. “We are thrilled that these individuals have dedicated themselves to developing young leaders, supporting educators, and advancing the service-learning field through their commitment to NYLC. Each new director will bring unique and diverse experiences to our work,” said Kelita Svoboda Bak, NYLC CEO. “We also wish to thank our directors whose terms end this year for their dedication and service as they depart the Board.”

After an extensive recruitment and nomination process, the current board met during the fall quarterly retreat and voted unanimously to accept the following nominees.

Andrea Cahn
Currently the Principal Investigator of Project UNIFY at Special Olympics, Inc., Cahn has spent the last 35 years divided between the for-profit and nonprofit worlds. She has served with Special Olympics for the past 22 years and held other leadership roles in program strategy, development and government relations.

Laura Coates
Coates graduated from high school at the Saint Paul Academy in Minnesota and cum laude from the University of Minnesota Law School in 2005. Following law school, Laura practiced at law firms in Minnesota and New York before relocating to Washington, D.C. and joining the Voting Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. In March 2011, she was sworn in as one of 34 U.S. Assistant Attorneys in Washington, D.C. and currently practices in the Appellate Division.

Peter Fenn
Fenn is the Founder and Principal of the Fenn Communications Group — one of the nation's premier political and public affairs media firms — has worked in over 300 campaigns, from President to Mayor, and represented a number of Fortune 500 companies. In 1996 and 1998, the firm was chosen as the lead media consultants for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. In the 2000, 2004, and 2008 elections, Fenn was an adviser and served as a surrogate spokesperson on cable news programs to the Gore, Kerry, and Obama campaigns respectively.

Joe Follman
Follman is a doctoral student in the Human and Organizational Learning program at the George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development. For 17 years prior to his enrollment, Joe directed Florida Learn and Serve and the Florida Alliance for Student Service. While holding these roles, Joe also served as Director of Florida Campus Compact, a board member and co-founder of the State Education Agency Network (SEANet), and a Service-Learning United steering committee member.

Abhijit Madhugiri
Madhugiri currently serves as Vice President to the International Business Development for Echo360 Inc., an education technology firm with industry-leading blended learning and lecture capture products serving over 500 university clients in more than 25 countries. Abhi manages the international business, revenues, and operations for Asia, Middle East, and Latin America. He also leads business strategy development for emerging markets, worldwide partner relations, and is the brand ambassador for Echo360 at public events across the globe.

Amiko Matsumoto
Matsumoto joined the Partnership for Public Service in January 2009 as a Senior Program Manager in Education and Outreach. She oversees a portfolio of programs designed to educate college and university populations about public service and inspire them to serve. Matsumoto began her career in higher education directing the service-learning and community service programs. Amiko has also served at the Corporation for National and Community Service, where she worked as the Program Coordinator for Higher Education in the Learn and Serve America program, and as a Special Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer.

Molly Messner
Messner is currently a senior at Harry D. Jacobs High School in Algonquin, Ill. She participates in the school's service-learning program and Jacobs Safety Initiative with Project Ignition, a service-learning program advocating teen safe driving. She is also the President of the Senior Class Council, a member of the National Honors Society, competes on the varsity swim team, and a mentor on the 2011-12 NYLC Youth Advisory Council. She is passionate about service-learning and civil engagement and hopes to work with public policy.

Mahati Pidaparti
Pidaparti is a senior at Wayzata High School in Plymouth, Minnesota. She is a member of the Science Olympiad Club, National Honor Society, Youth Extending Services Club, Link Crew, and the Speech team. Outside of school she sings Indian classical music and teaches prayers and hymns at the Hindu American Temple School, and is a member of the 2011-12 NYLC Youth Advisory Council. She also volunteers at North Memorial Medical Center and tutors students of low-income families and has assisted with clinical research in pediatric oncology, linking her academic pursuits with a desire to improve the lives of her peers.

For a full list of NYLC Board members please visit the board page.