Lumina Foundation executives and staff members

Jamie Merisotis, an internationally recognized leader in higher education, human work, philanthropy, and public policy, has been Lumina Foundation’s president and CEO since 2008.

Jamie Merisotis

President and CEO

Erin Archer is a VP and chief financial officer for Lumina Foundation directing the investment strategies for Lumina’s nearly $1.4 billion endowment.

Erin Archer

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Courtney Brown, Ph.D, is vice president of impact and planning for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to…

Courtney Brown

Vice President of Impact and Planning

Michelle Asha Cooper, Ph.D., is a nationally recognized leader and advocate for college access, affordability, and value in higher education. With more than two decades of experience spanning policy, advocacy,…

Michelle Asha Cooper

Vice President for Public Policy and Executive Director of Lumina’s Washington, D.C., Office

Debra Humphreys, Ph.D., directs Lumina Foundation’s efforts related to student success in attaining high-quality four-year college degrees. She also oversees the foundation’s strategic communications team, working to influence national narratives…

Debra Humphreys

Vice President of Strategic Engagement

Chauncy Lennon, Ph.D., is the New York-based vice president for learning and work and senior strategy advisor at Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to…

Chauncy Lennon

Vice President for Learning and Work and Senior Strategy Advisor

Linh C. Nguyen leads Lumina's racial equity efforts and works to embed equity in Lumina's grantmaking and operations and nurtures the foundation’s organizational culture to increase diversity, improve inclusion and…

Linh C. Nguyen

Vice President for Equity, Culture, and Talent

Tim Robinson is the vice president, general counsel, and chief of staff at Lumina Foundation, where he brings 25 years of legal and investment management experience. Before Lumina, he was…

Timothy P. Robinson

Vice President, General Counsel, and Chief of Staff

Investment Associate Apra Arnold administers Lumina's investment database and auditing interface tool. She also maintains operational and administrative investment functions to create strategic capacity for the investment director and CFO.

Apra Arnold

Investment Associate

Debbie Babcock is director of information technology for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all.…

Debbie Babcock

Director of Information Technology

Amy Bartner is the audience engagement editor at Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. She…

Amy Bartner

Audience Engagement Editor

Katie Berger is Lumina's strategy director for federal policy, developing Lumina's federal policy portfolio of grants to increase credential attainment and student preparedness for today’s global economy.

Katie Berger

Strategy Director for Federal Policy

Carlyle provides administrative support to Lumina's strategic engagement team.

Donna Carlyle

Executive Assistant

Tracy Chen is director of media strategy for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. In…

Tracy Chen

Director of Media Strategy

Micky serves as the human resources services and facilities manager overseeing the administration of Lumina’s benefit programs and supports talent acquisition

Micky Clymore

Human Resources Services and Facilities Manager

Kevin Corcoran leads Lumina Foundation's strategic communications team. Before assuming this role in late 2016, he spent eight years overseeing design and policy work that promoted development of new higher…

Kevin Corcoran

Strategy Director

As senior accounting officer, Monique oversees the data entry, reconciliation, and maintenance of all financial activity at the Foundation. From the general ledger to the annual audit, she ensures the…

Monique Crowell

Senior Accounting Officer

Joelle Deleveaux is Lumina's strategy officer for innovation and discovery. Deleveaux manages the foundation’s efforts to develop new strategies to respond to the increasingly common question, education for what? Through…

Joelle Deleveaux

Strategy Officer for Innovation and Discovery

Julie is the executive assistant supporting Lumina's finance and investments team. She also manages the workflow and scheduling for Lumina Impact Ventures. Julie brings over 20 years of experience in…

Julie Peters Dillman

Executive Assistant

Jonathan Dunn is the IT applications manager for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. …

Jonathan Dunn

IT Applications Manager

Frank Swanzy Essien Jr. is responsible for Lumina’s work around identifying and synthesizing existing research and evidence as well as commissioning new research to inform Lumina and the broader field.

Frank Swanzy Essien Jr.

Strategy Officer for Research

Ernest Ezeugo is a strategy officer for federal policy for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available…

Ernest Ezeugo

Strategy Officer for Federal Policy

Courtney B. Francis, Ph.D., is the strategy officer for state policy for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis, committed to making learning opportunities beyond high school available to all.

Courtney B. Francis

Strategy Officer for State Policy

Jasmine Haywood leads a portfolio of work that supports the creation of a system in which student success and credential attainment are scaled up significantly, particularly at four-year institutions. .

Jasmine Haywood

Strategy Director

Melanie Heath is strategy director for participation leading a portfolio of work designed to increase enrollment and re-enrollment of students in bachelor’s degree programs.

Melanie Heath

Strategy Director

Beverly is responsible for the completion of financial closing procedures. This includes overseeing accounts payable, personnel expenses, the financial reporting process and the implementation and maintenance of accounting controls. These…

Beverly W. Hudson

Accounting Officer

Matthew creates online content highlighting the work of the Foundation and its partners with a focus on illustrating the reality facing today's students and clarifying policy imperatives for a broad…

Matthew Jenkins

Digital Content Producer and Editor

Susan D. Johnson, Ph.D., is director of grants administration at Lumina Foundation.

Susan D. Johnson

Director of Grants Administration

Kermit Kaleba is the director of employment-aligned credential programs for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available…

Kermit Kaleba

Strategy Director

Shyvon Lacy is Lumina's Grants Management Officer. Shyvon brings experience in the areas of customer service, and project and financial management from her previous roles at Liberty Mutual Insurance, J.P.…

Shyvon Lacy

Grants Management Officer

Katy Launius, Ph.D. is a strategy officer for student success at Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school…

Katy Launius

Strategy Officer for Student Success

Shelley Lloyd leads Lumina's human resources team. Her expertise includes talent acquisition, staff development, compensation, performance, employee relations and benefits.

Shelley Lloyd

Director of Human Resources

Wendy Lopez is the executive assistant for Lumina's Learning and Work team. Wendy brings extensive facilities and administrative experience having worked as an office manager at Veolia North America and…

Wendy Lopez

Executive Assistant

Thomas Major Jr. serves as Lumina's legal lead on strategic and programmatic matters, private foundation tax issues, and matters involving employee benefits, employment, intellectual property, reputational risk and a broad…

Thomas Major Jr.

Associate General Counsel

Amie Michael is Lumina's grants management associate responsible for executing grantee payments, processing matching gifts, length of service awards and assisting in the grant and contract process.

Amie Michael

Grants Management Associate

Cristen Moore is Lumina's director of equity and inclusion. She guides the foundation's overarching equity strategy to advance equitable outcomes in postsecondary education, leads our organizational equity learning journey, and…

Cristen Moore

Director of Equity and Inclusion

Christopher (Chris) Mullin, Ph.D., is strategy director of data and measurement for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high…

Chris Mullin

Strategy Director

Celine Pierre-Louis is an executive assistant and facilities associate at Lumina supporting Lumina's staff in Washington, D.C.

Celine Pierre-Louis

Executive Support and Facilities Associate

Mary Laphen Pope serves as strategy officer for participation for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all.

Mary Laphen Pope

Strategy Officer

Janai Raphael is our strategy officer for participation. She oversees a portfolio of work aimed at increasing enrollment and re-enrollment in bachelor’s degree programs.

Janai Raphael

Strategy Officer for Participation

Ratliff ensures accurate reporting of the foundation’s general accounting and financial reporting functions, including budget analysis and financial reporting. He develops communications protocols and touch points for internal and external…

James Ratliff

Financial Accounting Officer

Dominique (Domy) Raymond is the strategy director for partnerships at Lumina Foundation. In that role, she is responsible for amplifying Lumina’s thought leadership, developing new relationships and coalitions, and identifying…

Dominique Raymond

Strategy Director

Georgia Reagan serves as strategy officer for employment-aligned credentials for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available…

Georgia Reagan

Strategy Officer

Monica Robinson is the convenings manager for Lumina Foundation. she oversees all of Lumina's virtual, hybrid, and in-person events.

Monica Robinson

Convenings Manager

Justin Sanchez directs the accounting, financial analysis, tax return preparation, transactional investment accounting, and budget functions of the foundation to ensure that its assets are safeguarded, and transactions are correctly…

Justin Sanchez

Director of Accounting and Finance

Wendy oversees the strategic direction and implementation of Lumina's research and data portfolio. This includes establishing and synthesizing the evidence and data necessary to advise Lumina’s strategic direction, documenting effective…

Wendy Sedlak

Strategy Director

Amber Shelton is Lumina's director of culture and talent. She provides strategic, operational, and administrative support in all functional areas of human resources including recruitment, benefits, compensation, and employee relations, and…

Amber Shelton

Director of Culture and Talent

Sharon Shickel is an executive assistant in the office of the president providing organizational and administrative support to Lumina’s executive vice president, chief operating officer, and general counsel.

Sharon Shickel

Executive Assistant and Board Relations Officer

Rob Shorette is the strategy officer for student success. In this role, Shorette manages a portfolio of grants designed to foster more equitable outcomes for Black, Latino, and Indigenous students, leading…

Rob Shorette

Strategy Officer for Student Success

Terri L. Steward is an executive assistant for Lumina Foundation where she brings over 30 years of administrative support experience. Terri provides organizational and administrative support to Lumina’s vice president…

Terri Steward

Executive Assistant

John helps tell the story of Lumina through blogs, multimedia, and other content, helping manage the foundation's social media channels and digital storytelling. He is a former editor with the Associated…

John Strauss

Editorial Director

Casey van der Stricht is the director of impact investing for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis committed to making learning opportunities beyond high school available to all.…

Casey van der Stricht

Director of Impact Investing

Emily Swan provides specialized legal support to Lumina’s general counsel and associate general counsel. She also assists with board relations.

Emily Swan

Executive Assistant

Gretchen works closely with the vice president of impact and planning to coordinate cross-team integration and improve overall strategy development and execution.

Gretchen Syverud

Strategy Director

Wayne Taliaferro leads a grantmaking portfolio focused on enhancing student success at community colleges. He previously supported a portfolio focused on affordability.

Wayne Taliaferro

Strategy Director

Taylor leads the foundation’s efforts to develop new strategies to respond to the increasingly common question, education for what?

Terri Taylor

Strategy Director

Tracy Turner is an executive assistant for Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all.

Tracy Turner

Executive Assistant

Stephanie Wang is the communications strategy officer elevating Lumina’s work with nonprofit and public news organizations, coordinating writing and editing projects, and leading other high-profile comms projects such as Lumina’s annual…

Stephanie Wang

Senior Editor

Brittany Wheeler is the grants management associate at Lumina Foundation, an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis committed to making learning opportunities beyond high school available to all.

Brittany Wheeler

Grants Management Associate

Elise Zhao is Lumina's impact investing officer working on program integration, investee engagement, transactions, and developing and improving LIV systems and policies.

Elise Zhao

Impact Investing Officer

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