Meet Our Team

The Citizens of the World Los Angeles team is guided by our organization’s core values and works in service of all of our schools.

Meet Our Team

The Citizens of the World Los Angeles team are guided by our organizations core values!

Regional Office Team

The Regional Office Team creates the conditions that allow all of our students and broader CWC communities reach their full potential and become true citizens of the world. We do this by enabling all school site staff to be successful in their work. We balance listening with leading, honoring the unique needs and cultures of our schools while also building cohesion across our organization. We create systems and structures for ourselves and our schools that are informed by the needs of our diverse community, clearing obstacles and bridging gaps. We collaborate across departments and facilitate connections across schools, celebrating successes and best practices while also learning from our growth areas. We must simultaneously see the forest and be in the trees alongside school staff who need our support.

The RSO team is motivated by our purpose and commitment to DEIB and, as leaders of the organization, we live and model the CWC Core Values and Operating Norms. We are all accountable for our collective success.

Our Teams

Executive Team

Melissa Kaplan

Executive Director

Ramona Patrick

Head of Schools

Shernice Lazare

Head of DEIB

Marissa Berman

Head of Instruction and Learning

Joana Ngo Hamaki

Head of Operations and Finance

Data Team

Alex Owens

Director of Data & Analytics

Maria Escalante

Coordinator of Data & Operations

Susie Madrigal

Manager of Data

Development & Communications Team

Stacey Koch

Director of Development and Communications

Claire Butterworth

Manager of Community Giving

Haley Keech

Manager of Community Giving

Johanna Voutounou

Manager of Communications and Development

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB)

Rickie Carbajal

Regional Manager of DEIB 

Enrollment Team

Araceli Aguilar-Sigaran

Director of Student Outreach and Enrollment

Clara Morataya-Kalbaklian

Regional Organizing Manager

Instructional Team

Cecilia Wong

Senior Manager of Instructional Support

Hannah Frederick

Manager of Middle School Math

Kari Laux

Manager of Elementary School Math 

Liz Schulz

Regional Director of Special Education

Nicole Hill

Senior Manager of Literacy & Coaching

Operations & Finance Team

Lisandra Flores

Director of Operations

Dhaval Prajapati

Director of Finance

Nazelle Karapetyan

Manager of Operations

Gloria Leung

Sr. Manager of Special Projects

Student Programs Team

Jaron Williams

Director of Student Programs 

Stefanie Bautista

Manager of Student Programs

Talent & Human Resources Team

Dave Tassone

Director of Talent

Araseli Colley

Senior Manager of Recruitment and Staff Development

Claudia Villa

Manager of Human Resources

Steve Blas-Hernandez

Talent Associate

Realize human potential

Strengthen the bonds among us 

Develop true citizens of the world