Interim Co-Leadership
JARON CURTSINGER
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Jaron Curtsinger is the Associate Director of KFLA. Since joining the organization in 2010, he has worked to support the mission and day-to-day operations of KFLA with robust technological resources. Today he oversees both internal and external communications and technology strategy at the Alliance, including web-presence, graphic design and branding, e-communication, databases, and the Kellogg Fellows Community. He works with his colleagues to meet the evolving needs and potential of the KFLA Network with practical mission-driven technologies, programming, and communications.
Jaron studied Economics, International Studies, and French at the University of Denver, subjects in which he takes a particular interest in the intersection of policy, institutions, power, equity, racism, and the lived experiences of those involved.
Jaron spent many years consulting with a variety of non-profits, helping to meet their mission-driven technology, media, and operational needs within the confines of tight budgets and low overheads. His projects have included, among others, identity development and graphic/web design, video/multimedia production, data analysis, and collaboration with a student television production program for local schoolchildren.
Jaron has served on the Board of Directors of United Way of Mesa County, Colorado and on community-based fund-allocation panels.
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PATRICIA TURNER (KNFP-14 & 16 Advisor)
SENIOR ADVISOR • TRANSITION MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT
Patricia M. Turner serves as a consultant and executive coach to foundations, corporations, municipalities, universities and non-profit organizations interested in organizational alignment, strategic planning and change management. Pat’s expertise in board and program development, evaluation, and resource management has been particularly helpful to new institutions and those in the midst of change.
Colleagues and clients appreciate Pat’s unique contribution to organizational challenges. Because she has been a trustee and staff member of institutions in the fields of higher education, arts and culture, and social service, she understands both perspectives.
Pat has served as a consultant to Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) for more than sixteen years, assisting with strategic alignment, managing organizational change and strengthening volunteer leadership and governance practices. She recently worked with The World Health Organization and STTI on the development of global standards for nursing and midwifery education. In addition to work with STTI, she has consulted with The Foundation Board of The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, The Association of Hospital Internal Auditors, and The Foundation Board of the National League of Nurses. Pat served as the Chair of The External Advisory Board of The Indiana University School of Nursing, and as a board member of the External Advisory Board of The Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University.
Her contributions to the field of leadership development are wide and varied. She has been a Master Educator, Principal writer, and Consultant with the Trustee Leadership Development organization--a national leadership education program serving nonprofit organizations and their boards of trustees. As an advisor and consultant to the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s National Fellowship Program, Pat shared leadership expertise, designed and facilitated national and international learning experiences, and fostered the personal and professional growth of Kellogg fellows. She served as coach and trainer for the Pew Charitable Trust’s Civic Entrepreneurship Program and is now the lead consultant to the Hull Leadership Program sponsored by the Southeastern Council of Foundations. Her work with the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation and MDC focuses on grassroots leadership in southern communities. As a member of the advisory board of The Emory University Center for Ethics, she works closely with their Greenleaf Servant Leadership program and serves as a guest lecturer.
She has authored articles on the subject of leadership, voluntarism, and organizational change. An accomplished speaker, Pat served as keynoter at several national conferences and meetings and appeared on local and national television. Her previous positions include the following: Founding Director, The Children’s Museum of Atlanta, Founding Director of the Indiana Youth Institute, Executive Vice President of the Tenth Pan American Games, and Founding Director of Girls Incorporated’s National Resource Center.
Pat is a graduate of Adelphi University in New York where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and English. She earned a Master’s Degree from The University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration. She received an Honorary Doctor of Humanities, conferred by Franklin College for outstanding achievement in the field of social work and community advocacy.
Her community service record is long and varied. It includes work at the local and national level in amateur sports, the arts, education, health, human services, voluntarism and youth work. She has been recognized numerous times for her outstanding voluntary contributions, including The Jefferson Award for outstanding Community Volunteer Achievement, presented by the National Institute for Public Service.
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DANA HUGHES (KNFP-15)
EVALUATOR • PROGRAM DESIGN, MEASUREMENT & IMPROVEMENT CONSULTANT
Dana Hughes is Professor Emeritus of Health Policy in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, at the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies and at the Healthforce Center at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Before leaving the university, Dana taught health policy, public health in medicine and social & behavioral sciences and conducted research and evaluations. Her research focus included access to health and dental care among low income children, families, the disabled, and other underserved populations; analyses of systems, organizations and organizational behavior; and, evaluations of programs addressing social and economic inequalities that contribute to health disparities.
Currently, Dana serves as Principal at Indigo Pacific Consulting, a full service consulting firm specializing in supporting community-based and non-profit organizations address social and economic inequities that contribute to health disparities. Services include grant writing, program design, program evaluation, strategic planning, policy analysis, data analysis, and report writing. Prior to joining UCSF, Dana worked in Washington, D.C. in Congress for Congressman Ronald V. Dellums and Congressman Louis Stokes. She also worked for five years (1985-1989) at the Children's Defense Fund in Washington, D.C. where she consulted with Medicaid agencies, state legislatures and other policy makers for the enactment of Medicaid expansions to low income pregnant women and children.
From 1983-1985 she directed a consortium of community health centers in New York City. Between 1995 and 1998, Dana was a Fellow with the Kellogg National Fellowship Program. She earned a doctorate in public health (DrPH) at the University of California at Berkeley (1995). In addition, she has a Masters Degree in public health and a Masters Degree in urban planning from Columbia University (1983).
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The KFLA Team
CARMEN VILLA (KPFL-02)
Latin American & Caribbean Coordinator
Carmen is a native of Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico. She has a degree in Psychology by the Anahuac University of Yucatan and recently earned her master's degree in Integrated Studies in Education, specializing in Educational Leadership at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. She was previously in charge of the project management of the Museum of the City of Tuxtla Gutierrez. She also served as program coordinator for the Social Development area of the Bancomer Foundation, where for 5 years she was in charge of the scholarship program in Chiapas.
Carmen has extensive academic and professional career which highlights have conceived a diploma program on Social Project Management for Civil Society Organizations in Chiapas, with the collaboration of the Merced Foundation. In 2014 she was in charge of “100-in -one –day” citizen festival in Tuxtla Gutierrez, in which more than 100 citizen initiatives and interventions came together in one day. She is passionate about and committed to social justice, women rights and civic engagement.
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Emmy DaCosta Gomez O'Dwyer (CLN-01)
Consultant
Emmy O’Dwyer is an educator and leader with a passion for social impact organizations that advance equity and innovation for youth. Her teaching career was influenced primarily by her work under with eighth grade students at the renowned New Orleans Charter Middle School. Building curriculum through great literature, the arts and in intensive teaching rotations, it was the highest performing, non-magnet school in the city. Emmy experienced firsthand how collaboration with students around their interests could yield strong outcomes.
After Hurricane Katrina, Emmy’s work shifted to early childhood. With two young children under 5, and 80% of childcare centers closed at the time, the need was critical and personal. With a cadre of like-minded parents, Emmy became the founding executive director of Abeona House, the first new childcare center to reopen after the storm. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, this program redefined quality early childhood education in the city, and quickly became a hub for socially-conscious parents, and intentional and loving teachers from all over the country. Through this experience, and her calling as a parent, Emmy’s advocacy for young children, early childhood teachers, and quality improvement initiatives has been a catalyst for innovation and growth in the sector.
After Hurricane Katrina, Emmy’s work shifted to early childhood. With two young children under 5, and 80% of childcare centers closed at the time, the need was critical and personal. With a cadre of like-minded parents, Emmy became the founding executive director of Abeona House, the first new childcare center to reopen after the storm. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, this program redefined quality early childhood education in the city, and quickly became a hub for socially-conscious parents, and intentional and loving teachers from all over the country. Through this experience, and her calling as a parent, Emmy’s advocacy for young children, early childhood teachers, and quality improvement initiatives has been a catalyst for innovation and growth in the sector.
This work gained Emmy recognition with the prestigious W.K.Kellogg Foundation as a Community Leadership Network Fellow. This highly selective three-year fellowship focused on systems change through network building with a focus on racial equity and healing. The experience imbued Emmy with a greater sense of purpose around impacting systems for transformational change.
Emmy now focuses specifically on strategic planning and change management. She has worked as a consultant and through direct work with charter management organizations, private schools, museums, and burgeoning initiatives.
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GRETCHEN PERRYMAN
Executive Assistant
Gretchen Perryman grew up in East Texas Piney Woods and moved to Colorado in 1979. Gretchen has worked in the nonprofit sector for most of her career. She worked for the Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc., a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create a unique, diverse, and vibrant downtown Denver community (1988-1996). She continued working for the betterment of Colorado at Great Outdoors Colorado, a state trust funded by lottery dollars that awards grants to preserve and enhance Colorado parks, wildlife, trails and open space (1996-2002).
Her career continued with her work at Rose Community Foundation, an organization that support efforts to improve the quality of life throughout the Great Denver community through grantmaking programs (2002-2013). She joined Kellogg Fellows Leadership Alliance in January 2014 as Executive Assistant. Her passion for genealogy easily fills her spare time with research and volunteer projects, and service on the Colorado Genealogical Society Board.
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Mary Hlalele (KILP-01)
Southern Africa Coordinator
Dr. Mary M. Hlalele recently stepped down as CEO of an eye health NGO in South Africa and is currently offering her services as a freelance consultant. In this capacity she works closely with organizations to facilitate empowerment and alignment of staff, while increasing their individual and collective capacities to achieve excellence in the structural aspects of organizations. She offers training and consulting services that encourage the development of client skills leading to desirable project transitions.
Hlalele is an accomplished Primary Health Care practitioner with a renowned track record for designing and implementing integrated community-based health care programs. Having worked predominantly in the area of Maternal and Child Health, Hlalele has designed and run adult education courses for health workers at all levels of service delivery (primary, secondary and tertiary), with a focus on PHC (Education), HIV/AIDS and Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses (IMCI).
Hlalele qualified as a medical doctor from the College of Medicine, University of Lagos; has obtained graduate academic qualifications in Primary Health Care (Education), International Health, Marketing Management, and Social Entrepreneurship. She served as Project Director in research surveys on - Rapid Assessment for Avoidable Blindness - conducted in the provinces of Eastern Cape and North West in South Africa. She was Principal Investigator in two studies which looked at the utilization of sight restoration services offered at Sabona Eye Centre. She has received several awards for her contribution in health and leadership, served on “task force 5” of the United Nations Millennium Development Project, and is founder member of the Tropical Institute of Community Health and Development in Kenya. Dr. Hlalele continues to progress her passion for promoting social equity as a means of improving the well-being of marginalized communities.
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