Board of Trustees

Ms. Chen Kulesa is a senior associate partner with Bellwether, a national nonprofit that exists to transform education for systemically marginalized young people by working with education leaders and organizations to accelerate their impact. At Bellwether, she has worked on a range of strategic planning, growth, and continuous improvement projects with schools, networks, foundations, and nonprofits. Ms. Chen Kulesa has deep experience in instructional materials, professional learning, science education, charter management organizations, postsecondary and career pathways, early college, and whole child. Prior to joining Bellwether, Ms. Chen Kulesa was the director of data and analytics at Boston Prep and a consultant at Booz & Company. As a daughter of immigrants and a former English Language Learner, she strives to improve access and equity for each and every student.

Ms. Chen Kulesa received her BS from Columbia University.

Ms. Fernanda Cantón has a wealth of experience in the public, private, and social impact sectors, specifically in the fields of Human Resources and DEI. She currently serves as Chief People and Culture Officer at the YMCA of Greater Boston. Prior to that role, she was the Chief Human Resources Officer at a multi-site, community health center in the North Shore area and formerly led the HR function at a multi-state, education tech company whose stated mission is to radically improve education for every student. In addition to her commitment to the field of HR, Ms. Fernanda Cantón stands as a committed advocate for education equity, leveraging her passion and skills to further the empowerment of historically underserved communities and pushing for the creation of necessary transformative change within the education landscape. She has served in several board leadership roles within different organizations dedicated to addressing systemic inequities within educational institutions.

Born and raised in Cali, Colombia, Ms. Fernanda Cantón moved to the United States and attended Suffolk University where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and International Affairs and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. She also has certificate in Strategic Human Resources Leadership from Cornell University and later enrolled in the Institute for Non-Profit Management Leadership Program. As a Licensed Zumba Instructor, she enjoys sharing her Colombian culture with her students through dance while fostering inclusive community building and healthy living.

Ms. Franklin taught middle school science for five years with a goal to build confidence in students’ learning and their ability to know what success feels like. She currently serves as a Health and Wellness teacher in Waltham Public Schools. Prior to that, she volunteered for Boston Partners in Education in an 8th grade math classroom teaching and mentoring students and for ScholarMatch which matches students needing guidance through the college process who couldn’t otherwise afford to pay for a service. As a first generation college student herself, she hopes to provide the tools kids need.

Ms. Franklin holds a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction and a BA in Biology. Her main goal with being involved in education is to make a positive impact in students’ educational journeys, improve someone’s day or just leave something better than it was when she arrived.

Mr. Leslie is originally from Cambridge, MA. He began his career as a community organizer with the Industrial Areas Foundation in Baltimore and New York City. He joined Teach For America in 2004 and taught middle school in North Philadelphia, later serving as principal of KIPP Philadelphia Charter School from 2008-2012. In these spaces, Mr. Leslie learned the importance of community and civic engagement as a pathway to sustainable systemic change.

He returned home to the Boston area to attend the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in 2013 with his wife, and now has two daughters, ages 8 and 3 in Cambridge Public Schools. In 2014, Mr. Leslie founded Union Capital and is the Lead Organizer. The mission of Union Capital is to transform social capital into opportunity by rewarding community engagement.

Ms. Lowe, MPH is currently a Program Coordinator in Endocrinology Research at Boston Children’s Hospital where she is responsible for the financial management of 100+ grants for 30+ principal investigators, researchers, and doctors. She always has had an interest in the field of healthcare and decided to pursue working in the field after landing a role at Dana Farber Cancer Institute some years ago. Before healthcare, Ms. Lowe spent time working in finance as a Mutual Fund Accountant and a Hedge Fund Tax Accountant where she developed a love of numbers.

Ms. Lowe has a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and a Master’s in Public Health (2017), both from Northeastern University. She enjoys traveling, fitness, Zumba, comedy shows, dance, music, and event planning.

Mrs. Pastrana de Oliva is a seasoned social-impact entrepreneur whose journey spans over fifteen years, leveraging data insights and strategic partnerships to drive impactful programs. As the Chief Revenue Officer at OTW Safety, Marina’s leadership shines through initiatives enhancing operational efficiency and propelling sales growth since August of 2020. Her global perspective and adaptability, evident from roles in Paris, France, and Boston, MA, reflect her dedication to meaningful work transcending geographical boundaries and diverse industries.

Mrs. Pastrana de Oliva, holds a Master’s in Theological Studies and a Bachelors in Business Administration from Boston College. She is the founder of the Montserrat Coalition at Boston College, a program that supports first generation and pell grants students. She has a deep commitment to education, and believes fervently in the transformative power of learning and dedicatedly nurturing future leaders in inclusive academic environments for growth and development.