Posted 6 years ago
Ruth Joined Horton’s Kids in January 2024 as a Data and Evaluation Senior Coordinator. She brings over 6 years of invaluable experience in education to her role. Ruth is committed to helping organizations make informed, data-driven decisions. She is dedicated to the ongoing development and optimal utilization of Horton’s Kids organization’s database system. A proud DC native, Ruth graduated from Washington College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a minor in Psychology. In her spare time, she enjoys practicing yoga, traveling, reading, sewing, and bike riding.
Cassi Zeledon is a passionate community leader with over 10 years of experience working at the intersection of family support, education, and community engagement in Washington, D.C. She’s spent her career making sure families are heard, supported, and connected–whether through advocacy work, building partnerships, or organizing events that bring people together.
She’s held leadership roles at organizations like East River Family Strengthening Collaborative, where she supported families and seniors across the city, and KIPP DC, where she managed family engagement for 21 schools, created parent leadership programs, and led community advocacy efforts.
Her work focuses on breaking down barriers and making systems more accessible for those who need them most. Before stepping into education and nonprofit work, she got her start in the legal field and later worked in the classroom supporting young learners. She’s a proud graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, where she studied Mass Communication with a focus in Public Relations and Sociology. Her energy, empathy, and deep commitment to community are at the heart of everything she does.
Alphonzo is a dedicated community advocate passionate about ensuring every child and family has the resources and opportunities to thrive. For over a decade, he has amplified the voices of those often overlooked—building pathways to education, health, and equity. Originally from Milwaukee, WI, he holds a Social Work degree from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and enjoys gardening, composting, caring for animals, listening to music, and reading.
Bria Wimbish is the Manager of Programs and School Advocacy – Middle School at Horton’s Kids. Passionate about non-traditional education, she strives to create learning experiences that inspire and empower students. With experience as a High School teacher, instructional coach and programs manager, Bria brings a strong background in curriculum design and educational leadership. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education English from Alabama A&M University and a Master of Arts in Education in Curriculum and Instruction – Accomplished Teaching from Columbus State University.
Danielle brings over 15 years of experience supporting children and youth of all ages, with the past eight years focused on refugee resettlement at Canopy NWA, where she served as Youth Services Supervisor. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Middle-Level Education, specializing in Language Arts and Social Studies, from Arkansas State University, and previously worked as a public school teacher. Danielle has designed and led culturally responsive programs that promote academic success, emotional well-being, and social integration for refugee youth and their families. She is passionate about building inclusive systems, fostering cross-sector partnerships, and advocating for young people navigating complex transitions. She recently relocated to the area from Fayetteville, Arkansas, and is excited for this next chapter as her daughter begins her freshman year at George Mason University. Danielle is looking forward to contributing her experience to the amazing work being done at Horton’s Kids and learning from the community she now calls home.
Paige Hawkins loves to pour into her passions. Paige joined the Horton’s Kids team in January of 2024. In her role, Paige supports the Youth Development team in many capacities. With her background in Program Management, she plans to use her skills to tailor her job into fitting the needs of Hortons Kids. In her free time, Paige enjoys dancing, baking and traveling with her family. One of her goals is to reach all 7 continents!
Lex Ballard (open/rolling pronouns) is a dynamic and transformative program designer, facilitator, case manager, organizer, space builder, and leader for racial and social justice. Lex is a Black/multiracial, neuro expansive, gender-queer person from occupied Piscataway land (DMV native). Lex was trained at the University of Maryland, as a Masters Macro/Clinical Social Worker specializing in Community Action and Social Policy, also holds a BSW from Mary Baldwin University. Some of Lex’s proudest work includes, community care and healing justice work, leading Decolonizing efforts for non-profits, over 12 years of social services transformation, and integrating play and joy into change work. At Horton’s Kids, Lex focuses on Youth and Family Support and Advocacy and Social Emotional Learning and Behavioral Health.
Rayshonna Hill is a native of Brooklyn, New York and is the Senior Director of Youth Programs with Horton’s Kids. She holds a BS from Delaware State University, and has spent her career in Washington, D.C. as a youth advocate. She strongly believes that development is only meaningful when young people are given access to opportunities and services to shape their future. She comes with 10 years of experience with DC Public Schools and most recently served as a Site Manager with DC Department of Parks and Recreation. During this time, Rayshonna has strengthened opportunities to engage young people in high-quality enrichment, academic support, and social-emotional development. She has work extensively with the community and stakeholders to create safe spaces for young people to learn and grow. When not at work, Rayshonna spends time playing flag football and has won 7 national championships.
Nia Malik, a proud Passaic County, New Jersey native, is a highly motivated and accomplished project coordination professional with over 20 years of experience advancing organizational success across nonprofit and corporate sectors. After earning her bachelor’s degree in public policy from Kean University in New Jersey, Nia moved to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area in 2002 to pursue her passion for making a meaningful impact in underserved communities. She later earned her MBA in Human Resource Management from Strayer University, further strengthening her ability to design and implement innovative systems that foster collaboration, cultivate high-performance work environments, and support organizational growth.
Over the course of her career, Nia has worked with a range of companies and nonprofit associations, particularly in equitable healthcare, inclusive education, and community-focused policy reform. Beyond her professional endeavors, Nia proudly channels her entrepreneurial spirit into helping small and emerging businesses shine online through custom web design, branding, and digital media – while also indulging her love for DIY projects that bring creativity and joy into everyday spaces.
Today, Nia looks forward to bringing her energy, expertise, and dedication to the Horton’s Kids family and is eager to begin building meaningful connections with colleagues and community partners.
Rahaman “Kil” Kilpatrick joined the Horton’s Kids staff in August 2012. Kil is originally from Philadelphia, PA and earned his B.A. at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland in telecommunications. Kil has worked with youth in Southeast Washington, DC for more than 20 years & lives in Waldorf, Maryland with his wife, Tanya, and daughter, Naomi. When he’s not working with youth, Rahaman is a music producer, relationship coach, and screenwriter.
Dr. Aasha M. Abdill brings extensive experience working with community-based organizations, philanthropic efforts, and government initiatives committed to addressing the systemic barriers to reducing racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in outcome achievement for youth, families and communities. She is also the author of Fathering in the Margins, an ethnographical investigation of the myths and realities of paternal parenting in Black communities. Aasha holds a masters in quantitative methodology from Columbia University and a doctorate in sociology from Princeton University with concentrations in organizational theory, race and ethnic studies, and community studies. For undergraduate studies, she is a proud alumna of a historically Black college, Spelman College, and the Brooklyn School of Hard Knocks.
Nadine Wilson, PHR, SHRM-CP, is a native of Brooklyn, New York, and has over a decade of experience managing and leading HR departments in various industries. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources Management from St. Leo University and is dually certified as a Human Resources Professional with HRCI and SHRM. As a result of her educational background and hands-on training, she has been able to effectively manage employee relations, benefits administration, performance management, compensation, and the acquisition of diverse talent. Her passion is putting the “Human” back into Human Resources through collaboration, empathy, and inclusivity.
During her career, Nadine has committed herself to establishing a positive and inclusive workplace culture that values diversity and promotes employee engagement. She is pursuing a Master Herbalist Certification with plans to incorporate a holistic approach by encouraging self-care and work-life balance to avoid burnout among employees, management teams, and external partners.
In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering in her community and cheering her kids on at their various activities and sporting events.
Born and raised in Capitol Heights, MD, John Allen Jr. is a loving husband and father of two daughters. John earned his BA in Mass Communications at Benedict College in South Carolina, and he’s served the DC Metro area mostly in social service and workforce development roles. He truly believes you can help anyone willing to help themselves and strongly feels it takes a village to raise a child and adults alike. A true jack of all trades, his interests range from music, photography, wire wrapping beaded and crystal jewelry, clothing design and tie dye.
Meghan oversees our community and family engagement, as well as health and wellness initiatives. Meghan holds a Master of Social Work degree from Boston College and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from George Mason University. Meghan previously worked as a Project and Content Manager at the Interaction Institute for Social Change, supporting clients in building collaborative capacity around social justice and racial equity. Prior to obtaining her master’s in social work, Meghan spent nearly four years with Horton’s Kids working on our youth development and community engagement teams. She rejoins Horton’s Kids with extensive experience in managing and developing youth and family programs and strives to create opportunities that deepen learning, relationships, and sense of community.
Niamh grew up in New York and went to Brown University where she received a BA in Education and Sociology. She then went to the Johns Hopkins School of Education where she received her M.Ed. in Elementary Education. Prior to joining Horton’s Kids, Niamh taught 2nd grade in Northeast DC. She is passionate about ensuring students get the education and opportunities they deserve and believes that building relationships and trust with students is the key. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with her friends and reading.
Lizzie is a native of Northern Indiana and holds an MA in English Literature from Wake Forest University. She moved to DC ten years ago and fell in love with the local nonprofit sector and the essential work she saw being done in her community. She brings over seven years of fundraising experience in the youth development space to Horton’s Kids. She previously held positions at Elevate, a DC based grant writing firm, and at Teens Run DC, a nonprofit that served 500 middle school students through mentoring, SEL programs, and running. She is passionate about using her writing to tell stories about the needs of her local communities. In her free time, she enjoys running, traveling, reading, and exploring DC with her husband and daughter. She is also a cat mom of three.
Ellica brings nearly two decades of experience in nonprofit development and marketing, journalism and public relations to her role at Horton’s Kids. She joined the development team in March 2022 to help strengthen and expand the network of individual donors engaged with Horton’s Kids.
Ellica has a passion for storytelling and making a difference – philanthropy allows her to do both while building relationships with supporters and the community. She has spent 15 years working with human services, environmental and health advocacy nonprofits to grow their fund development programs and create greater impact. She most recently served as Director of Individual Giving for Goodwill of Greater Washington.
Ellica is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and is excited to join the Horton’s Kids team to build a stronger future for children and families in Southeast DC. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. When not at work, Ellica enjoys spending time with family, DIY projects, photography and crafting.
Andrew comes to Horton’s Kids as the next step in a career dedicated to the financial and administrative management of non-profit organizations in the DC-area, with a special affinity for those that serve children, youth, and their families. Most recently, he served as the vice president and chief financial officer at Youth For Understanding USA. Prior to that, he worked for a variety of organizations, including Alexandria City Public Schools, Washington National Cathedral, and Children’s National Hospital, with a particular focus on long-range strategic and financial planning. A Wisconsin native, Andrew has called DC home for over 30 years, having moved here shortly after graduating from UW-Madison with a bachelor’s of science in Industrial Engineering. An urban farmer in his spare time, Andrew maintains several garden plots around town, keeps bees at a local apiary, and tends to a flock of chickens at the neighborhood elementary school. A lover of nature, Andrew delights in finding the extraordinary that hides in the everyday ordinary.
Shandell joined Horton’s Kids as the Elementary Program Director in 2018, after seven years of serving as a DC Public School educator and instructional coach. Currently, Shandell is the Chief Program Officer and oversees Horton’s Kids’ Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, expansion, and other strategic priorities. Shandell holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Lincoln University PA and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction: Education Policy and Leadership from American University.
Prior to joining Horton’s Kids, Erica served as the Executive Director of the GO Project, an educational nonprofit in New York City serving over 700 children and their families through holistic, comprehensive, year-round programming. During her tenure, the organization doubled in size while expanding programming, partnerships, and even service areas. Prior to that, she worked at Groundwork, where she developed numerous programs to support academic, social, and emotional development of students and families. Erica served as both the Associate Executive Director and Acting Executive Director at Groundwork, successfully managing a founder transition. Erica is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with experience providing therapy to children and families in a variety of settings.