Emily Muise
Behavior Analyst
Old Dominion University
Emily Muise, EdS, BCBA-LBA has worked in the education field for almost 20 years in a variety of roles, including as a classroom teacher, special education teacher and school administrator, and is also a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA). She is currently the Project Manager for the Cooperative for Effective Behavior Interventions and Supports and is passionate about supporting personnel working in diverse settings serving children and young people. She lives in Chesapeake, Virginia with her husband and two cats and enjoys reading, hiking, and traveling.
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Behavior Analyst
Old Dominion University
Dr. Vaughn Garland
Youth Education Manager
Richmond Youth Development Network/Virginia Commonwealth University
Dr. Vaughn Whitney Garland has over twenty-five years as a Richmond-based educator, community builder, and artist in Richmond. His expertise spans youth education, program development, fostering community dialogue, and contributing to place-making initiatives. Currently serving as the Manager of Youth Education at the Mary and Frances Youth Center, a Virginia Commonwealth University department under the Division of Community Engagement, Garland earned both a Ph.D. and an M.F.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University. He has held positions in many of Richmond 's non-profit arts and cultural organizations.
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Youth Education Manager
Richmond Youth Development Network/Virginia Commonwealth University
Dr. Misti Muller
Executive Director
Mary Frances Youth Center, Virginia Commonwealth University
Misti Mueller, EdD has 30 years of experience as an educator. She taught middle school health and physical education for 18 years before moving into the role of teacher educator at VCU. Her research interests focus on increasing physical activity levels and enjoyment of physical activity for adolescents, STEM in Sports, and supporting movement throughout the day for K-12 students through active lessons that support academic content. As the Executive Director of the Mary and Frances Youth Center, Dr. Mueller is dedicated to supporting positive youth development through sports and community engagement.
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Executive Director
Mary Frances Youth Center, Virginia Commonwealth University
Christine Jones Monaccio
Professional Development and Quality Coordonator
VPOST
With over 15 years of experience in the out-of-school time field, Christine began her journey in program management with both community-based organizations and school-based settings. Currently, she excels at applying her knowledge of instructional design to architecting professional development experiences such as state conferences, communities of practice, and webinars. Christine is a seasoned speaker, having presented at numerous events nationally and locally. Combining education with advocacy, she has also pioneered VPOST STEM Youth Ambassador Program and the OST Access Map project, further solidifying her commitment to advancing the field and ensuring broader access to quality educational opportunities. In her spare time, you’ll find Christine exploring Richmond with her husband, two daughters, and rowdy beagle, seeing live music, or throwing clay on a pottery wheel.
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Professional Development and Quality Coordonator
VPOST
Meeta Sharma-Holt
Owner
Sharma-Holt Consulting
Meeta has used positive youth development, her background in social work, and a commitment to social justice for over 30 years in her work with youth from underserved communities. Before scaling national programs to 18 states and developing national STEM programs at Techbridge Girls, she established the system of afterschool programs for Washington, DC. In New York City, she led a large, multi-site, community-based afterschool and summer program and expanded corporate mentoring programs with 20 Fortune 500 companies at Big Brothers Big Sisters. Meeta is a consultant to intermediaries, nonprofits, and school districts to guide their informal education programs for children and youth. In her consulting practice, Meeta provides strategic guidance, updates program design, conducts research, and facilitates meetings. Meeta holds a BS in Marketing and Management from Penn State University and an MSW from Columbia University in New York City.
https://sharmaholt.com
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Owner
Sharma-Holt Consulting
Bunmi Esho
Family Engagement Advisor
STEM Next Opportunity Fund
Growing up in both the U.S. and Nigeria, I witnessed the impact of my local community in shaping my path toward a degree in chemical engineering. Through everyday activities like grocery shopping, cooking, raising chickens, learning how to best purify our drinking water, and even making my own tie-dyed outfits, I saw the magic of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) all around me.
When I lived in Cambodia for three years, working alongside students and their families in Kampong Speu province, teaching chemistry to high schoolers in urban Phnom Penh, and leading community outreach efforts in STEM with students and educators across the country, I was reminded of the power our communities have and their influence on our youth, especially for youth of color.
After more than two decades of experience in the tech, education and nonprofit sectors, I’m coming back to what ignited my passion for community, education, and STEM as a young girl by working with organizations so that every child, regardless of their background, sees themselves in STEM.
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Family Engagement Advisor
STEM Next Opportunity Fund
Jenice Lee
Podcast Host
School After Hours Podcast
Jenice Lee is an educator and out-of-school-time program advocate who has two decades of experience serving youth in public schools and non-profit organizations. She has developed and implemented innovative programming techniques that are consistent with best practices in out-of-school-time programming and social-emotional learning. Through her youth development consulting business, School After Hours Consulting, Jenice has helped site directors and program providers create youth programs that increase student engagement, foster community among staff and students, and operate program logistics with ease. She continues to express her love of education and youth development through her podcast School: After Hours and is looking forward to the new adventures coming her way.
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Podcast Host
School After Hours Podcast
Lyn Koonce
Principal
Lyn Koonce Music
Lyn Koonce is a facilitator, vocal coach, and musician. She holds a B.M. in music
education and a master’s in conducting. Lyn brings a broad understanding of how to
guide people through powerful musical experiences. In addition, she has studied
improvisation with Bobby McFerrin, Bobby Previte, and Music for People, and is trained
in a practice called Musica do Circulo (Music from the Circle), based in Brazil. These
modalities inspire and inform her signature Circle Sounds work, a powerful group
process designed to help people deepen their sense of trust, communication, and
creative energy.
As a facilitator with a rich musical background, Lyn brings her distinctive style and
creative approach to a wide range of groups seeking to build connection. Not only does she work with diverse musical groups, she also brings Circle Sounds into organizations to help teams collaborate, communicate, and connect more effectively through innovative team development programs.
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Principal
Lyn Koonce Music
Dr. Traymanesha Lamy
CEO
NextUp RVA
Dr. Traymanesha Lamy serves as the CEO of NextUp RVA, an OST intermediary in Richmond, VA supporting over 100 partners and sharing her passion for collective impact. She has more than two decades of experience in youth and community development and successfully launched Newark Thrives!, the OST network of over 250 youth program providers in Newark, New Jersey working alongside youth, families, the city of Newark, and the Newark Board of Education.
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CEO
NextUp RVA
Sharon Burton
Director of Education
Peter Paul
Sharon is a retired educator with over 35 years of experience in Richmond Public Schools in Richmond, VA. Throughout her illustrious career, she dedicated herself to fostering a love of learning in her students and advocating for innovative teaching methods that catered to diverse learning styles. A passionate leader and mentor, Sharon not only taught various subjects but also served as a guiding force for fellow educators, encouraging professional development and collaboration within the school community. Her commitment to education extended beyond the classroom, as she actively engaged with parents and community members to build strong support networks for students.
Sharon was able to transfer her various experiences to working in out-of-school time (OST) programs. Currently working as a director of education at Peter Paul Development Center, she leverages her background in education and youth development to create engaging and enriching activities for students in 1st – 12th grade. With a master’s degree in education with an emphasis in curriculum and instruction, Sharon understands the unique needs of each child. Her commitment to fostering a safe and supportive environment allows children to explore their interests, develop new skills, give voice to which activities they wish to participate in, and build friendships outside the traditional school setting. Sharon enjoys networking with the OST partners and vendors to ensure her students have amazing experiences.
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Director of Education
Peter Paul
Virginia Patterson
Executive Director
MENTOR VA
Dr. Virginia Patterson is a passionate and youth-centric advocate who has previously served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and school division administrator. Throughout her years in public education, Dr. Patterson developed mentoring programs that provided hundreds of young people with mentoring relationships that amplified their growth and potential. Before becoming MENTOR Virginia’s Executive Director in March 2022, Dr. Patterson served as an AmeriCorps VISTA with MENTOR Virginia, developing an inaugural Youth Advisory Council, which has since evolved into the Youth Ambassadors of Mentoring, that engages youth to promote change and raise awareness about mentoring issues impacting them and their communities.
Prior to coming to MENTOR Virginia, Dr. Patterson spent 25 years with Chesterfield County Public Schools as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal. Additionally, she served 7 years in Loudoun County Public Schools as a supervisor of principals, a school improvement specialist, and director of school administration. Dr. Patterson received a bachelor’s degree from Southern University in New Orleans, a master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy studies from Virginia Tech. Through Dr. Patterson’s strategic leadership, MENTOR Virginia will continue to expand the mentoring movement to reach all of Virginia’s communities and ensure that all young people can access a trained mentor who empowers, elevates, and encourages them.
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Executive Director
MENTOR VA
