Our Staff

The Root 2 Rise team is made up of educators, advocates, and lifelong learners dedicated to equity in education. Together, we design and sustain programs that help students grow academically and personally through meaningful, cross-generational relationships and community-based learning.

  • A woman with long brown hair and glasses smiling outdoors with green foliage in the background.

    Kathryn Brayton, Development Director

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  • A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and blue eyes smiling, wearing a light gray sweater, against a blue wall with a leafy plant in the background.

    Maureen Geraghty, Program Manager

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  • A woman with curly brown hair smiling, wearing a black blouse and a necklace with blue stones, sitting against a white background.

    Denise Hanson, Executive Director

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  • A man with wavy brown hair smiling outdoors on a sunny day.

    Paul Krč, Operations Director

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  • A smiling man with a beard and mustache, wearing a black shirt, sitting at a table in an indoor setting.

    Joseph R. Thigpen Jr., Program Manager

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Board

Maureen Geraghty

Denise Hanson

Tanner Jean-Louis

Michael Jones

Paul Krč

Eve Paras

Donna Vukelich-Selva

Advisory Board

Mary Burke

Chris Fortune

Dr. Edward Holmes

“Root 2 Rise provides amazing opportunities for high school students who need support finding confidence and a path forward. The blend of connection, mentorship, and empowerment isn’t something I’ve seen elsewhere. It’s both personal and systemic. It transforms the school environment.

Root 2 Rise is more than a program – it’s a catalyst for change. Supporting this work is an investment in the next generation of leaders.”

Chris Fortune, Advisory Board member