Staff

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.

Kathleen Malliarakis joined the CPE team in July 2009, and brings with her nine years of nonprofit experience. Prior to joining CPE, Kathleen worked for a nonprofit organization promoting volunteerism and later a national youth development organization working to recover dropouts and youth at risk of dropping out. She also spent a year in Bangkok, Thailand teaching sixth grade English at an all-boys school. Fusing her dedication to service and helping young people find success, Kathleen became a mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters of the National Capital Area in 2005. She also cofounded the DC Council of Big Brothers Big Sisters, which is a volunteer arm of the regional organization that serves as a resource for mentors. Kathleen offers a wealth of experience in fundraising, nonprofit communications, and program development to Capital Partners for Education. As a mentor and an alumna of one of CPE’s partner schools, Georgetown Visitation, Kathleen is thrilled to be part of the CPE community and is deeply committed to our mission. She holds a B.A. in Public Policy and French from Syracuse University (Phi Beta Kappa), and a M.S. in NGO/Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.

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.

Audrey Siegfried joined the CPE staff in January 2010, with over seven years of experience working in education nonprofits in the District of Columbia. Audrey is committed to helping diminish the vast inequalities in student achievement by providing educational opportunities to underserved and low income youth. Prior to joining CPE, Audrey worked for an early intervention dropout prevention program that placed her in a Ward 7 DCPS middle school. As part of the founding staff, Audrey helped develop the middle school program by co-writing the seventh and eighth grade curriculums as well as the training manual for incoming staff. Additionally, Audrey facilitated community and school based remedial tutorial programs in numerous neighborhoods in DC. Audrey holds a B.A. in English with a minor in American Studies from The George Washington University.

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 AmeriCorps 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.

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.”

Mikasa Famorca is a new addition to the CPE team. She joins us this year as a Notre Dame Mission AmeriCorps volunteer.  As a recent graduate of Emmanuel College, she plans to take the world of education by storm.  Having attended public, private, and catholic schools in multiple districts of New York City, Mikasa has witnessed the disparities in education.  Overcrowding of classrooms, limited supplies, and lack of guidance have swayed some of her childhood peers to give up on school and never seek higher education. Driven by these experiences, she plans to one day work for the Department of Education to create change for these communities nationwide.

She is more than grateful for all of the opportunities that have come her way. As a proud alumna of The Young Women’s Leadership School of East Harlem, she feels strongly about seeking opportunities for lower income students to get in to college and finish. Additionally, Emmanuel College taught her the values of community service. Combined with her educational background, she sought out a way to give back to similar communities. She is sincerely committed to providing resources and her knowledge to the students of CPE.

While in college, Mikasa has served as a Residential Assistant, an Orientation Leader as well as a Teaching Assistant to freshmen. One of her favorite volunteer positions included managing the Men’s Basketball Varsity Team, go Saints!  She also traveled to Southern Africa as a part of a service learning experience with peers from Emmanuel.  She is a proud member of the Emmanuel College Phi Alpha Theta chapter. She plans to return to school very soon as she already misses attending classes.

Mikasa is excited to call Washington, D.C. her new home. She is enjoying the culture, the sights, museums and events, and most importantly the food!

Leslie Hutchings joined the CPE staff in October 2012. Prior to CPE, Leslie interned for the Aspen Institute’s Global Leadership Network, the American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF), and the DC Public School’s Office of Special Education. She graduated in 2011 from Colby College in Waterville, Maine where she studied Government and Education. While in college, Leslie was heavily involved in student government activities, particularly those that pertained to recruiting and retaining minority and first-generation students at Colby. Leslie also regularly volunteered in the Waterville public schools, serving as a mentor, teacher’s aide, and co-leader of a girl’s group. Leslie’s interest in college readiness and completion efforts began her sophomore year in college when she helped lead a program that was designed to encourage American Indian students in Maine to pursue higher education.