Board of Directors

 
 
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PRESIDENT
- Jennafer Miller -
Principal of Community Engagement, Evans Incorporated

Jennafer Miller, is the Principal for Community Engagement at Evans Consulting. She has a personal and professional commitment to effecting positive change and has over 25 years of combined experience as an educator, facilitator, administrator, and program manager.

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SECRETARY
- Leslie La Croix -
Assistant Professor, Early Childhood Dev. George Mason University

Dr. Leslie La Croix is an Assistant Professor at George Mason University in the College of Education and Human Development in the Early Childhood Education Program. Dr. La Croix’s areas of expertise are grounded in curriculum and instruction for young learners, birth through age 8, and in teacher education and professional development for early childhood educators.

TREASURER

- Patricia Wilcox -
Vice President, Commercial Banking

Tricia Wilcox is a Vice President at PNC Bank. With over 15 years in commercial banking, she helps businesses and nonprofits achieve their financial goals and pursue their corporate missions. She also has experience with process improvement projects, strategic planning, and sales development. She holds a BS in Marketing and a BA in Hispanic Languages and Literatures from the University of Pittsburgh, as well as an MBA from George Washington University. With three young children of her own, she is personally invested in early childhood education.

 

BOARD MEMBER

- Jeffrey Gander -
Continuous Improvement Officer, DC Government

Jeffrey (Jeff) Gander has 16 years of experience leading transformational initiatives that focus on enterprise change. He previously served as the Continuous Improvement Officer for the Washington, DC Govt (OCFO) before moving tot he private sector. He is working in the areas of Strategic Vision and Planning, Performance Improvement and Change Management. Jeff previously served as Board President from 2023-2024.

BOARD MEMBER

- Lisa Lough -
Continuous Improvement Officer, DC Government

Lisa joined the Main Street Board of Directors in 2019. Lisa Lough is the General Manager for the Individual & Family Plans and the Medicaid businesses at Cigna Healthcare. She is accountable for the P&L, strategy development and all business operations of these businesses. Lisa brings over 20 years of experience in the areas of business P&L leadership, strategy development, risk management, business operations, sales leadership and consumer marketing expertise. Her experience spans multiple industries, including telecom and a number of financial services roles before moving into the healthcare space. Lisa has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Rutgers University and an MBA with a concentration in finance from George Washington University. She very much enjoys living in the City of Fairfax with her three children.

BOARD MEMBER

- Carole Mahady -
President, Marketing & Business Solutions

Carole Mahady, LMI's capital infrastructure and real estate practice area lead, brings a 20+years of expertise to Main Street CDC's board. With a background in land development and wireless telecommunications, she excels in managing, coordinating, and designing projects, ensuring cost-effectiveness and innovation. Carole's strong leadership and commitment to safety, critical schedules, and community involvement make her a valuable asset to our organization. She holds a Bachelor's in Civil Engineering from the University at Buffalo and an MBA from Iona College. She is passionate about closing the gap for women in salary, leadership, and wealth and providing opportunities for individuals to leverage their passions and skills to improve society’s biggest problems. She is a graduate of Leadership Fairfax 2023 class, and she holds a BA in Religious Studies from Florida International University and an M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from Georgia Southern University.

BOARD MEMBER

- Andrea Martinez -
President, Marketing & Business Solutions

Andrea Martinez is a first generation American, native Spanish speaker, and a mom to a wonderful little boy. Professionally she is a Program Manager at Stand Together Fellowships, a nonprofit supporting social entrepreneurs across society working in education, communities, business, and government. Prior to joining the Stand Together Community, Andrea was at the American Association of University Women working on issues of pay equity and economic security and delivering AAUW’s economic security and leadership programs, including Work Smart, Money Smart, and Empower with partners across the U.S. including, Women.NYC and the City of Pittsburgh. She is passionate about closing the gap for women in salary, leadership, and wealth and providing opportunities for individuals to leverage their passions and skills to improve society’s biggest problems. She is a graduate of Leadership Fairfax 2023 class, and she holds a BA in Religious Studies from Florida International University and an M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration from Georgia Southern University.

 
   

BOARD MEMBER

- Christine Schull -
Professor, Early Childhood Education Program, Northern Virginia Community College

Christine Schull is a professor in the Early Childhood Education program at Northern Virginia Community College where she trains students who are currently in the early childhood field, or looking to enter it. Prior to her work at NOVA, she was a research fellow for the Rural Poverty Research Institute, where she examined school readiness and physical health. At various points, she has taught infants, toddlers and preschoolers in child care settings. She also taught first grade in the Spanish immersion program in Fairfax County Public Schools. Christine believes that a crucial part of addressing children's school readiness is by supporting the workforce through professional development. Her most recent work has focused on professional development pathways. She also recently coauthored a textbook on language and literacy from birth to age 5, and along with Dr. La Croix and other colleagues, published it in a free online repository: https://viva.pressbooks.pub/earlychildhoodliteracy/ 

Christine attained her MA in Child Development at Michigan State University and her PhD at the University of Maryland. She served as a member of Virginia School Readiness Committee from 2016-2020. 

 
 
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BOARD MEMBER

- Suzanne Thompson -
ESOL Teacher, Fairfax County Public Schools

Suzy Thompson is a blessed parent of twins who attended Main Street. She has been a teacher of ESOL for over 24 years with Fairfax County Public Schools. She is invested in education and reading in her community.

Our Administrative Staff

 
 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

- Susan Keightley-

usan comes to Main Street with over 25 years of experience in the early childhood field! Most recently from the Child and Family Network Centers in Alexandria, VA, Susan served as the Director of Partners and Engagement She led a team of educators and family support personnel to best provide for the children and families - much like here at Main Street! At heart, Susan is a great supporter of educators. She’s worked at the University of Maryland, where she worked to provide students with the support needed to excel in their own early childhood teaching careers.
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DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

- Katherine Pardo Polo -

Katherine Pardo Polo was promoted to Office Manager in fall 2015, became the Director of Finance & Administration in 2019, and stepped into her role as Assistant Director in 2022. In her current position, Katherine oversees the organization’s financials and daily operations.

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TEACHER MENTOR & COACH

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Susan Rismiller comes to Main Street after 25 years teaching young primary aged students in Fairfax County Public Schools’ special education classes. Susan founded and led her school’s first collegial support program, mentored over 12 pre-service and new teachers, and for over 7 years, collaborated as clinical faculty with George Mason University’s Special Education cohort. Susan served as Education Director at Main Street before taking on the new role of Teacher Mentor & Coach.

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Development Manager

- Christi Schwarten -

Christi Schwarten joined Main Street in 2018. She earned her Grants Professional Certification (GPC) in 2022. Prior to joining Main Street, Ms. Christi was the Cultural Arts and Marketing Specialist for the City of Fairfax for 2 years, and the Executive Director of the Fairfax Choral Society for nearly 8 years. Ms. Christi’s passion for children started early, through volunteerism in a preschool for children with disabilities while in college. She has taught theatre to kindergarten students, as well as vacation bible school and Sunday school.

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Administrative Assistant

- Ruth Martinez -

Ruth Martinez joined Main Street Child Development Center in 2014 with over 30 years as an Administrative Assistant. Originally from El Salvador, Ms. Ruth graduated as a Bilingual Secretary in Public Relations. Before Main Street, she worked as the Administrative Assistant of the Presidency for ALDECA, an American company in El Salvador.

 
 

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

- Diana Iarussi -

Diana joined Mainstreet in Spring of 2024, excited to use her extensive experience, knowledge, and skills to assist our Mainstreet families. Born in Cali, Colombia, Diana is a native speaker of both Spanish and English. She graduated from George Mason University with a degree in Anthropology and a minor in Immigration Studies. Prior to graduating, Diana worked in multiple preschools and has seven years of experience working in childcare, specifically with children between the ages of 1 to 3 years old and with special-needs toddlers. Aside from her experience in childcare, Diana worked as an Administrative Assistant at NatureServe, a non-profit located in Arlington that helps collect data for biodiversity, and she also worked in the Provost's office at George Mason University.

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LEAD TEACHER

- Veronica Ruanova -

Veronica Ruanova first came to Main Street as a student when she was a small child. She volunteered at Main Street in 2012 for two years before becoming an Assistant Teacher. She became Lead Teacher in 2019 and the Eduction Coordinator in 2024. Ms. Veronica is working on her Associates Degree in Child Development from Northern Virginia Community College.

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OFFICE ASSISTANT

- Melany Hearin -

Melany Hearin joined Main Street, first as a volunteer, then as an Assistant Teacher and now as an Office Assistant. A native of Bolivia, she is a bilingual speaker who loves interacting with children.

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Food Manager

- Aymee Robles -

Aymee Robles is originally from El Salvador and has lived in the United States for over 23 years. Ms. Aymee has a Northern Virginia Food Manager Certificate and is taking early childhood classes so she may spend more time in a classroom with the children. Ms. Aymee has worked with children for many years and has always enjoyed being a part of their lives.

Office Assistant

- Carlos Quiroz -

Carlos joined Main Street in 2022.

 
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Support Specialists

 
 
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LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER

- Mark Gardner -

Mark Gardner has been part of the Main St. community since 2005, serving as its Mental Health Consultant. Mark’s main job, by working closely with staff and parents, is to ensure that each child has all the social, emotional and cognitive skills he or she needs to be successful in the classroom and in life. These include the abilities to understand and manage his/her feelings and behavior in order to learn well, participate in classroom activities and get along with his/her teachers and classmates.Licensed by the state of Virginia as a Clinical Social Worker, Mark has been helping young children and their families for over 20 years.

LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER

- Karla Albracht -

A native of Nicaragua. Karla is a bilingual licensed clinical social worker whose career spans over 30 years and has involved working with children ages 2 through 12 years old and their families. Past practice settings include the Health Department, Woodburn Center for Community Mental Health, and a public school preschool. I am currently in private practice in Fairfax. Karla is a big proponent of early intervention using a biopsychosocial framework. It makes perfect sense to get the families back on track so they may live optimally. Karla uses multiple treatment modalities including talk, play and sand therapy. It is a pleasure to be working with preschool children again.

 
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Our Teaching Staff

 

EAGLES TEACHER

- Ruma Afrose -

Ruma Afrose joined Main Street in 2024 as Program Support and then became the Teacher for the Eagles. Ruma is originally from Bangladesh, Dhaka and recently moved to the USA. Previously, she worked as an assistant professor in Dhaka. She worked in early childhood education in Toronto for over seven years. She enjoys working with children because they are a joy.

ASSISTANT TEACHER

- Leslee Aguilar -

Leslee Aguilar started at Main Street in 2023 as an Assistant Teacher.

TEACHER & ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT

- Pilar Arayai is a highly qualified teacher with a B.S. in Education, a Professional Degree in Preschool Teaching, an M.S. in the Development of Curricula, and 10+ years of experience in education management and program design.

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ASSISTANT TEACHER

- Nagham Al Wawi -

Nagham Al Wawi started at Main Street in 2021 as an Assistant Teacher.

ASSISTANT TEACHER

- Leigh Colbert-Martin -

Leigh Colbert-Martin joined Main Street Child Development Center in 2024. Previously she was a licensed home child care provider for 24 years. In 2005 she earned her career studies certificate in Infant and Toddler Care from Northern Virginia Community College. In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with her family, reading and making jewelry.

 
 
 

EAGLES TEACHER

- Carolina Delgado -

Carolina joined Main Street in 2024. She holds a bachelor's degree of Spanish and English language and a master in education from the university of Nariño (Colombia). She is a believer in education for personal and societal transformation. Outside of the classroom she enjoys running.

PROGRAM SUPPORT

- Alcira Espinoza -

Alcira Espinoza joined Main Street in 2023.

PROGRAM SUPPORT

- Jissela Galvis -

Jissela joined Main Street in Program Support in 2024.

PROGRAM SUPPORT

- Debora Gonzalez -

Debora joined Main Street in Program Support in 2024.

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ASSISTANT TEACHER

- Krista Krug -

Ms. Krista joined Main Street in 2019.

 
 
 

LEAD TEACHER

- Blanca Herrera -

Blanca joined Main Street in 2024. She brings over 25 years of experience from Alexandria, Va. to Main Street Child Development Center as a Preschool Teacher with a Master's degree in Systems of Education and CDA in Bilingual Education. She believes in the concept of superb quality childcare and effective teachers by Implementing Teaching Strategies Gold Curriculum, applying VKRP assessments, Virginia Kindergarten Readiness Program, PALS-K Assessment Program (Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening) and the Implementation of the High/Scope curriculum, educational and recreational programs.

ASSISTANT TEACHER

- Genesis Perez -

Genesis joined Main Street in 2024.

ASSISTANT TEACHER

- Maggie Quiroz -

Maggie Quiroz joined Main Street as an Assistant Teacher in 2023.

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CO-LEAD TEACHER

- Lupita Quiroz Vasquez -

Lupita Quiroz Vasquez, a former MSCDC preschooler, has been working at Main Street since 2015. Once a volunteer, Lupita became co-lead teacher in 2019 and lead teacher in 2021. She is currently enrolled in early childhood education at Northern Virginia Community College where she is earning her Associates Degree.

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ASSISTANT TEACHER

- Rosa Perez -

Rosa Perez joined Main Street in 2018.

 
 
 
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LEAD TEACHER

- Diana Perales -

Diana Perales came to Main Street in 2016 after being a nanny for 2 ½ years. She has completed a STEM certification course and is currently working on her Early Childhood Education Certificate.

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MUSIC TEACHER

- Jose Rivas -

Jose Rivas joined Main Street in 2018 and teaches Kindermusik as well as provides support in the classrooms.

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PROGRAM SUPPORT

- Jacqueline Schulze -

Jacqueline Schulze joined Main Street first as a substitute teacher in 2013, and more recently as an all around project assistant in 2017. She is a teacher with the Fairfax County Public Schools (Early literacy, family literacy, global program, and Head Start program), and has been the Granata Group Outreach Coordinator (Relationships and Fatherhood Programs). Jacqueline has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and two Master’s Degrees: Business Management and Strategies Management.

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ASSISTANT TEACHER

- Virginia Susano -

Virginia Susano started at Main Street in 2016. She has her Early Childhod Education Certificate from The Early Childhood Institute as well as a Northern Virginia Food Handler Certificate.

 
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