
The Team
The BUILD Initiative is a team of early childhood professionals who are committed to building and sustaining high-quality, comprehensive, early childhood systems that are equitable for marginalized children and families, many of whom have faced discrimination based on race, ethnicity, language, or immigration status.
We have decades of experience with state and local early childhood systems, education reform, health, human services, political campaigns, communications, and messaging. Each team member brings a deep understanding of how to engage disparate constituencies and forge common ground to advance a comprehensive policy agenda.
Susan Hibbard
Executive Director

Michelle Adkins
Assistant Director, NCIT Capacity-Building Hub

Gretchen Ames
NCIT HUB Community Manager

Jenn Bender
Director of Operations

Jonathan Chapman
Learning Community Specialist

Mariana Florit
Communications Director

Maisha Giles
State Services Liaison

Jim Gutierrez
Finance & Contracts Manager

Danielle Fuentes Johnson
Project Manager, Program Team

Chloe Jordan
Learning Community Manager, NCIT Capacity-Building Hub

Tameika Leslie
Early Care and Education, Quality Improvement Initiatives Project Director

Debi Mathias
Early Care and Education, Quality Improvement Initiatives Director

Laura May
Communications Manager

Carey McCann
Co-Director of State Services

Ingrid Molinares
Learning Community Specialist

Kemi Nnaji
Research Associate

Karen W. Ponder
Distinguished Fellow

Aisha Ray, PhD
Distinguished Fellow

Wendy Waithe Simmons, PhD
State Services Liaison

Deborah Stahl
Consultant, Special Projects

Sherri Killins Stewart, EdD
Director of Systems Alignment and Integration, Co-Director of State Services

Michelle Stover Wright
Research and Evaluation Manager

Cynthia L. Tate, PhD
State Services Liaison, NCIT Hub Lead

Ruth Trombka
Editor and Writer

Armand Viscarri
Communications Manager

Tiereny
Director, NCIT Capacity-Building Hub
