Who We Are: Meet our Staff and Board

Headquarters Staff
The nine full-time employees of College Mentors have over 25 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. 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, Erin was asked to join the College Mentors staff 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, the college-student mentors and the elementary and university partners 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, Erin is focused on strategic planning, board development, major gifts, and program expansion.

Outside of College Mentors, Erin enjoys creative writing and spending time with her family. Her three-year-old son is her life's greatest inspiration.

, executive vice president

Looking for an opportunity to give back to the community, Amanda Koushyar joined College Mentors as a program director in January 2005. Amanda graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with a degree in management with a focus in finance and operation management. As a executive vice president, Amanda oversees program expansion and evaluation, development and fundraising efforts, and organizational efforts.

When she has time to spare in her busy schedule, Amanda likes to cook Italian and Persian food, travel outside of the states, work out and spend time with her black lab Morgan.

, director of programming

A native of Indianapolis, Emily Reid joined the staff of College Mentors in May 2005 after graduating from Indiana University in Bloomington. Emily found the College Mentors headquarters office to be a natural fit after spending three years volunteering for the organization during her collegiate time at IU. Her first three years at headquarters were spent as an associate program director for the College Mentors for Kids Mentor Program.  Beginning in June 2008, Emily oversaw the pilot year for the middle school model of College Mentors for Kids.  Emily looks forward to providing continued support to our current collegiate chapters while expanding both the elementary and middle school program.

Out of the office, Emily enjoys rooting on her favorite teams.  As an avid sports fan, you can usually find her cheering on Notre Dame football, IU basketball and her beloved Indianapolis Colts.

, senior associate program director

Macara Aloi joined College Mentors in August of 2007 as an associate program director after graduating from Purdue University with a Bachelors' degree in Communications.  As a first generation college student, Macara feels a special connection to the mission of the program and enjoys working with both the children and the college students involved in the program as well as forming and maintaining relationships in each unique community. She appreciates the culture and environment of College Mentors as well as the closeness of the staff.

In her free time, Macara loves playing sports, especially tennis and basketball, and spending time outdoors hiking and biking with her husband, Lenny.

, associate program director

Kate is an Indianapolis native and 2007 University of Michigan graduate with a Bachelors' in French and Anthropology.  After graduating from University of Michigan, Kate spent seven months teaching English to middle and high schoolers in Guadeloupe, French West Indies.  Due to these experiences of education abroad, combined with her tutoring English as a Second Language to children and adults during college, Kate is very enthusiastic about working to improve universal access to higher education.  Being familiar with the mission of College Mentors, Kate was very eager to join the team in January 2009.  In her role as associate program director, Kate works directly with college student volunteers to build and sustain chapter growth and community support, as well as assisting in mentor training, conference planning, and curriculum development. 

When not working, Kate enjoys trying new restaurants, working out, traveling as much as she can, and watching movies. 

, associate development director

Laura Feldman Mishkin joined College Mentors for Kids in 2005 as an AmeriCorps*VISTA focused on chapter fundraising in communities outside of Central Indiana. Laura is a Tennessee native and transplant to Indiana by way of Massachusetts, where she obtained a degree in sociology from Wellesley College. Laura's prior work experience writing case studies at the Harvard Business School prepared her for grant proposal writing at College Mentors. She initially joined the organization because of its combined approach to mentoring and college access, both areas in which she had experience as a volunteer. She loves being a part of a young and growing nonprofit organization in her position asassociate development director.

Outside of the office, Laura loves to knit and is proud to have completed the Indianapolis 500 Festival Mini-Marathon with her husband three times.

, associate development director

Paul Root joined the staff of College Mentors in July of 2009, shortly after travelling through Central America and volunteering in local Nicaraguan schools with his new wife.  A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Paul has been working to impact the lives of children for years.  In college he served as a program director at YMCA Camp Kern near Cincinnati, and was the president of the Emory University chapter of Peace by PEACE, an organization that teaches nonviolent conflict resolution in schools.  After college he served as a Teach For America corps member at Sousa Middle School in Washington, DC, and taught English at Cesar Chavez Public Charter School for Public Policy.  In his role as associate development director, Paul is focused on grant writing, donor relations, and alumni involvement.

Outside of the office, Paul enjoys spending time with his wife, Nina, and new puppy, Rodney.  He is also proud to have hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in 2007.

Photos generously donated by Abbey Cook

College Mentors 2009-2010 Board of Directors

Nelson Alexander

Managing Partner, Frost Brown Todd

Paul Burch

VP, Public Funds, Fifth Third Bank

Jack Burns, past chair
President, SGI, Inc.

Daphne Duncan

Student Representative, Grace College

Joe Forestal

VP, Solutions Delivery

Kevin Gartenhaus
Managing Director, Surrex Consulting

Katie Gear

Student Representative, Indiana University

Shelley Hunter, secretary

Special Giving Programs Director and Liaison to the IUPUI Chancellor,

IU Foundation

Randy Keeling, treasurer
Chief Financial Officer, Fifth Third Bank

Libby Laux
Assistant Director, IUPUI Center for Service & Learning

Amanda Lopez

President, 413 Solutions, Inc.

Andy Medley, Vice chair
President, CIK Enterprises

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

Jean Paison

Founder, Director Emeritus, Second Helpings, Inc.

Paul Schmidt

Dennis Trinkle, chair
Provost of Harrison College

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 Co-founder
Heidi Schmidt, College Mentors Co-founder
Mike Rodman
Paul Schmidt
Lilya Wagner