HOLLY HUNTER AmeriCorps VISTA
Holly Hunter joined the CPE team in September of 2011. She is from the Southside of Chicago and has spent the majority of the last five years in D.C. pursuing her Bachelors of Business Administration with a concentration in Management from Howard University. While at Howard, Holly was involved in several organizations on campus including Circle K International, the National Association of Black Accountants, the School of Business Student council and the Higher Achievement Program. She has interned for Charisma Programs Inc., Cook County Courts-Child Protection Division and for the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy.
She hopes to pursue her master’s degree in public policy after her year of service with the Notre Dame Mission Volunteers AmeriCorps Program. As an AmeriCorps volunteer, Holly has been assigned to work with CPE for a year. While with us, she will serve as a resource to our Student Leaders program, plan events and programs, and will also help launch our CPE Alumni program.
When asked what she hopes to gain from her experience with CPE her response was "I am eager to give back a small portion of what was given to me to help someone else. Without having participated in similar programs in Chicago, I would not be the person that I am today. I feel that, in a sense, it is my duty to give back with a purpose."
KHARI BROWN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Khari Brown has been the Executive Director at CPE since 2001. Since joining Capital Partners for Education, Khari has reshaped the program by vastly expanding the number of students reached and establishing a programmatic framework for CPE to build upon in years to come. During this time CPE has increased its full-time staff from one to six, and created a comprehensive program of support services for students that has significantly improved student retention and college enrollment rates.
Khari received both a Bachelor’s degree in American Studies and a Master’s degree in Education from Tufts University. A two-time captain of the Tufts basketball team, he played professional basketball in Helsinki, Finland upon graduating from college. After his playing career ended in 1995, Khari spent six years coaching high school and college basketball in the Boston area. He also owned and operated a fitness and sports performance business serving individual and group clients. Through this business, Khari provided instruction for youth programs and teams and ran hundreds of clinics and camps for high school and college athletes.
Khari’s involvement working with urban teens through his various coaching experiences led him to pursue a career in expanding educational opportunities for low-income youth.
AUGUSTUS JONES, STUDENT-MENTOR COORDINATOR
Augustus Jones III joined Capital Partners for Education staff in July of 2011, with a background in Political Science and Educational Leadership. Prior to working at CPE, Augustus completed a year of service through AmeriCoprs program in collaboration with Cincinnati Public Schools. He is determined to make a difference in the lives of student and communities by helping students discover and reach their personal and academic goals. While his vision is consistent with the mission of CPE, Augustus strives to further improve the relationships between mentors and students. Prior to working with CPE, Augustus served as a College Access Advisor and College Seminar Teacher for Cincinnati Public Schools giving him the opportunity to recognize the impact of a mentor and parent involvement in ensuring a student’s academic success. While in CPS, he also served as the Assistant Varsity Track Coach for Aiken College & Career. Augustus received his B.S. and Master’s degree from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. While at Florida A&M University, Augustus served as the President of the Alpha Eta Chapter, of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. A fraternity founded on the principles of serving the community. In his spare time he enjoys politics, sports, exercising, and helping others.
REGINA LESLIE,
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Regina Leslie joined the CPE staff in May of 2008. She brings with her six years of teaching experience, four at an area private high school and two at a local public middle school. Regina’s commitment to the mission of CPE is both a professional and personal one. Regina is an alumna of the college preparatory program Prep for Prep in New York City, where she later served as a mentor to low income students making the transition from public to private schools. Her personal experience enables Regina to uniquely relate to and anticipate the needs of students, families and mentors alike. In addition, Regina is bi-lingual and provides strong support for CPE's Spanish-speaking families. She graduated with a B.A. in both Political Science and Spanish from Wellesley College. As Director of Education Programs, Regina supervises Student-Mentor Coordinators working directly with families and volunteers in the program, implements the academic programming curriculum, and develops and oversees CPE’s best practice case management tools and strategies.
Please click on the names below to learn more about the CPE staff. Phone number to CPE is 202-682-6020.