Who We Are: Meet our Staff and Board

Headquarters Staff
The seven full-time employees of College Mentors for Kids have over 20 years of direct experience with the organization as mentors, chapter leaders, interns at the Indianapolis headquarters and student representatives to the board of directors.

, chief executive officer

Erin Slater has a rich history with College Mentors for Kids. As she began her studies on working with at-risk youth and families, she founded the Purdue University Chapter of College Mentors for Kids.   This unique experience allowed her to understand her university through the child she was mentoring, and she was able to see first hand what providing children with positive opportunities, that they would not otherwise be exposed to, can do to their self-esteem and their desire to learn.

After finishing her studies, Slater was asked to return to College Mentors for Kids as program director. Her fundraising and program development experience at the Purdue Chapter gave her a firm grasp of the multifaceted nature of the mentor program and how it impacts the children, their families, their college-student mentors, and the elementary schools and universities that support them. Her experience supporting chapters allowed her to see how the state office could best support the program and led to her promotion to associate director and vice president of development. Now, as chief executive officer, Slater is focused on strategic planning, board development, major gifts, and program expansion.

, vice president of programs

Amanda Koushyar graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with a degree in management with a focus in finance & operation management. Prior to joining College Mentors for Kids, she worked at Bank One in Indianapolis within the Operations Department. While at Bank One she received the ICON award for Leadership for her work on the Commitment Flowdown employee engagement initiative. Looking for an opportunity to give back to the community, Koushyar joined College Mentors for Kids as program director in January 2005. As a Georgia Tech student, Koushyar was the senior managing director of a student endowment fund and served  on the Georgia Tech Student Foundation Board of Trustees. She also served as a tutor for a young girl in the Techwood Tutorial Project and was involved in several other student and volunteer organizations. Now, as vice president of programs, Koushyar manages the mentor program and is focused on program expansion, program development, and evaluation and assessment.

, associate program director

Emily Reid joined the staff of College Mentors for Kids in May 2005 after 3 years of involvement with the Indiana University chapter as an undergraduate. At Indiana University, Reid participated as a mentor for 2 years and as a chapter leader during her senior year. As a chapter leader, Reid worked with her fellow executive board members to create the first Walk for Kids at the IU chapter. A native of Indianapolis, Reid holds a degree in English. She has enjoyed working with children from her collegiate years with College Mentors for Kids to summers spent working as a day camp counselor. As an associate program director, Reid focuses on directly supporting   chapters in their programming and development functions, while developing relationships with partnering elementary schools, universities, and community partners.

Macara Hostetler, associate program director

Macara Hostetler graduated from Purdue University in May of 2006 with a degree in Communications with minors in psychology and philosophy. As a first generation college student, Macara identified with the mission of College Mentors for Kids and wanted to become a part of the organization.  She joined the team in August of 2007 as an Associate Program Director and now assists chapters in direct development and implementation of programming as well as in forming and upholding community partnerships.  Macara serves as a volunteer for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and is a new

member of Young Professionals of Central Indiana.

, associate development director

Laura Feldman joined College Mentors for Kids in 2005 as an AmeriCorps*VISTA focused on chapter fundraising and development. Feldman has a degree in sociology from Wellesley College. After college she worked as a research associate at the Harvard Business School, writing case studies for use in the MBA classroom and conducting research on team and organizational learning. Feldman’s community activities prior to joining College Mentors prepared her well for the issues that College Mentors addresses. While in Boston she served as a Big Sister to a 12-year-old-girl and took graduate coursework in child and family public policy with a special focus on services for at-risk youth. A Tennessee native, she has volunteered at a summer program that prepares rising high school seniors from low-performing public schools for college matriculation. Feldman has experience in development and programming at College Mentors for Kids, having served as an associate program director after her year as a VISTA. As associate development director, Feldman is focused on grantwriting and donor stewardship.

, office manager

Carla Sallee graduated from Ivy Tech State College with an Associates degree in Human Services. As a first generation college student, Carla understands and appreciates the awesome value that College Mentors for Kids has on the community. Carla was a mentor in the Ivy Tech Chapter of College Mentors for Kids and is the current chapter president. Carla joined the headquarters office in June 2007 as the Office Manager. She will coordinate data entry, bookkeeping, and general office duties and will assist the Vice President of Development and the CEO. She volunteers for Big Brothers Big Sisters, KidsPeace National Centers and the ESL Mentor Program. If it had not been for the few adults who took special interest in her as a child, she would not be where she is today. Carla takes joy in giving her community the same encouragement and empathy her mentors gave her.

Photos generously donated by Line 11 Images

College Mentors for Kids 2007 Board of Directors
Nelson Alexander

Managing Partner, Locke Reynolds

Jack Burns, chair
President, SGI, Inc.

Andrea Cranfill
Vice President, FlashPoint Human Resource Consulting

Matthew Claymon

Entrepreneur

Jessica Castellanos

Community Relations Manager, Indianapolis Colts

Brian Dixon
Health IT Manager, Regenstrief Institute

Kevin Gartenhaus
Managing Director, Surrex Solutions Corporation

Cheryl Hughes
Certified Financial Planner, Lincoln Financial Advisors

Shelley Hunter

Special Giving Programs Director and Liaison to the IUPUI Chancellor,

IU Foundation

Randy Keeling, treasurer
Chief Financial Officer, Fifth Third Bank

Brian Laskey, secretary

Student Representative, Purdue University

Libby Laux
Coordinator, Office of Community Work-Study, IUPUI Center for Service & Learning

William Marsan

Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary,

Indianapolis Power & Light Company

Andy Medley
President, CIK Enterprises

Martin Moore

President, The Moore Foundation

David Norris
President, Allied Group Insurance Services, Inc. (AGIS)

Jean Paison

Founder, Director Emeritus, Second Helpings, Inc.

Kurt Rasmussen, past chair
Senior Research Scientist, Eli Lilly and Company

C. Max Schmidt
Assistant Professor, Surgery, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, IUPUI

Dennis Trinkle, vice chair
CEO, IHETS

Russ Villier

Student Representative, Hanover College

Mark Weir

Director of Advancement & Corporate/Foundation Affairs,

Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc.

Honorary Directors
Geoffrey Bannister
Robert Payton
James P. Wind

Board Council
Paul F. Kortepeter
Attorney at Law

Board of Trustees Emeriti
Kristin Huang, College Mentors for Kids Co-founder
Heidi Schmidt, College Mentors for Kids Co-founder
Mike Rodman
Paul Schmidt
Lilya Wagner