Our Team

Please enjoy this message from our Board Chair, Mr. Paul Misener. Paul is in his third year as Board Chair and his seventh with the TJ Partnership Fund and is the former Vice President of Global Innovation at Amazon.

Partnership Fund Staff

Mark Gray-Mendes '03

Director of Development and Outreach

Mark Gray-Mendes '03

Director of Development and Outreach

Mark is thrilled to serve in his new capacity as Director of Development and Outreach with the Partnership Fund. He has been continuously connected with the TJ community since entering as a freshman in 1999. Mark has served most visibly as the Head Men's Basketball Coach at TJ since 2010, but also served a six-year stint as an Assistant in the Activities Office from 2013-2019 and was an At-Large Director for the PF during the 2018-19 school year. He has served as a Public Address Announcer for TJ's sporting events for 15 years, and has announced football games since 2014. The continued success and prominence of TJHSST is his professional passion and he is beyond excited to continue his connection to his alma mater through this exciting opportunity.

Email:mgraymendes@tjpartnershipfund.org

Dawn Drake

Development Associate

Dawn Drake

Development Associate

A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary

Email:ttase@tjpartnershipfund.org

Partnership Fund Board Leadership

Paul Misener

Board Chair

Paul Misener

Board Chair

Hilary Gustave '95

Vice Chair

Hilary Gustave '95

Vice Chair

Founder and Executive, Organizational and Leadership Coach, Chroma Coaching Board Director since: 2021 Living in Colorado, Hilary ('95) doesn't get the chance to cheer, "Go, TJ!" in person very often. But, serving on the TJPF gives her the opportunity to proudly support the school and its remarkable student and teacher/staff communities from anywhere, all year long. Whether it's learning about robotic roach "backpacks" used in neuroscience demonstrations for elementary students, excursions to seek out new discoveries in local geology, or satellite launches, Hilary never fails to be inspired by both the projects themselves and the enthusiasm, curiosity, and collaborative spirit of all involved. Hilary also loves supporting the internal workings of the TJPF and rolling up her sleeves to help the organization run smoothly and position itself for a healthy and exciting future!

Email:ttase@tjpartnershipfund.org

Erik Petersen '89

Secretary

Erik Petersen '89

Secretary

Rose Zu '08

Treasurer

Rose Zu '08

Treasurer

Director, Financial Communications, FTI Consulting Board Director since: 2018 Rose graduated TJ in 2008. She credits TJ's unique learning environment for providing her with a positive high school experience both academically and socially. She is honored by the opportunity to give back by serving on the board of the PF and, by doing so, facilitating the continuation of student success at TJ.

Board of Directors

Trina Bilal

Director At-Large

Trina Bilal

Director At-Large

Program Manager, U. S. Department of Energy Board Director Since: 2023 Trina is a proud parent of a TJ Class of 2025 student. She serves as President of the TJ Orchestra Boosters. She is a committed member of the TJ PTSA; whereby she has served as Chair of the PTSA Executive Nominating Committee and Chair of several TJ All Night Graduation Party (ANGP) committees. Most importantly, she is honored and delighted to collaborate with the TJ Partnership Fund to help TJHSST cultivate future STEM leaders, with an eye towards advancing an equitable distribution of STEM educational resources, by creating an academic platform that embraces, leverages, and unleashes the diverse perspectives of the TJ community.

Natalie Coburn

Director At-Large

Natalie Coburn

Director At-Large

Assistant Director, War Crimes Research Office, American University - Washington College of Law Board Director since: 2021 Natalie is the parent of a 2023 TJ graduate. During his tenure here, she was actively engaged in the community, holding board positions in both the TJ Academic Boosters and the Band Boosters. She views her affiliation with TJPF as a continuation of her work supporting the school's programs and activities.

Carl Denny

Director At-Large

Carl Denny

Director At-Large

Chief Executive Officer, CFR Global Executive Search Board Director since: 2019 Carl was a parent of two previous TJ students and wanted to serve with the Partnership Fund because he was drawn to its mission to promote excellence at TJ. Carl served on the Board while his children were students and is honored to continue serving this year despite his children having graduated.

Casey Enders '08

Director At-Large

Casey Enders '08

Director At-Large

Casey owns four small businesses in the greater Washington, D.C., area and serves as a Consultant to the Strategic Partnerships & Initiatives team at Pivotal Ventures. She previously served as the founder and lead strategist of her own management consultancy (Resolve, Inc.) and CEO of Unlocking Potential, a nonprofit dedicated to delivering professional development to social sector leaders. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia, as well as TJHSST (2008) and currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband and two kids.

Email:mgraymendes@tjpartnershipfund.org

Angela Hobart '07

Director At-Large

Angela Hobart '07

Director At-Large

Head of Strategic Finance, Octopus Energy Board Director since: 2023 Angela is a 2007 graduate of TJ now living and working in London in climate tech. She recalls her days in the Oceanography lab fondly every time she scuba dives - and now finds herself working at a company called Octopus Energy! She is grateful for the role that TJ played in fostering her own lifelong academic curiosity as well as its excellence in promoting STEM knowledge and careers for students, especially those who are not usually represented in these fields today.

Email:ttase@tjpartnershipfund.org

Kelly Jessop '86

Director At-Large

Kelly Jessop '86

Director At-Large

A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary

Email:ttase@tjpartnershipfund.org

Dedo Liang '94

Director At-Large

Dedo Liang '94

Director At-Large

A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary

Email:ttase@tjpartnershipfund.org

Manish Malhotra

Director At-Large

Manish Malhotra

Director At-Large

Chief Executive Officer, Unissant, Inc. Board Director since: 2023 Manish is passionately committed to the TJ Partnership Fund Board because he strongly believes in the power of giving back to the community. As a successful business owner, he recognizes the importance of investing in the future of young people. Manish sees an opportunity to empower the next generation of leaders and innovators through the TJ Partnership Fund. His dedication to community service is evident in his efforts to organize volunteer events and promote collaboration between local businesses and non-profit organizations. Serving on the TJ Partnership Fund Board is not just a responsibility for Manish but a privilege. Additionally, he has valuable experience serving on the boards of not-for-profit organizations such as TiE-DC (The Indus Entrepreneurs), the Center of Innovative Technologies (CIT), and the Virginia Investment Authority (IEAI).

Email:mgraymendes@tjpartnershipfund.org

Chiquita O'Cain

Director At-Large

Chiquita O'Cain

Director At-Large

Program Officer, HHS, Administration for Community Living, Center for Innovation, OHIC Board Director since: 2019 Chiquita O’Cain has 3 young men (TJHSST '18, '20, '23) with an incredible love of STEM who graduated with honors from TJHSST and continue STEM studies in Physics/Data Science (PhD student), Engineering, and Marine Biology. She served as a parent volunteer in many capacities (JLC, ANGP, parent and teacher luncheons, celebratory events, therapy dog escort, class trip parent, Japanese parent volunteer, PTSA committee and AP volunteer, sports team parent, etc.). And she sees the TJ Partnership Fund as an opportunity to give back and potentially make a legacy impact by establishing and supporting collaborative programs that are so successful and innovative that they attract others to come alongside excellence and dare to take our future leaders here at TJHSST to the next level.

Michael Reyes

Director At-Large

Michael Reyes

Director At-Large

A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary

Email:ttase@tjpartnershipfund.org

Dr. Valerie Weisman

Director At-Large

Dr. Valerie Weisman

Director At-Large

CEO, Catalyst for Change Consulting Board Director since: 2019 Dr. Valerie Weisman brings over 25 years experience assisting organizations, teams, and individuals to achieve their goals in the midst of “white water” systemic challenges. Her work portfolio spans Fortune 500 companies, classified Federal agencies, and non-profits, including education and academia. Dr. Weisman’s business experience as project manager and senior advisor in leadership positions on large-scale multi-organizational projects, as well as one-on-one executive and team coaching, provide a unique vantage point, which she integrates in assisting larger systems and individuals. Dr. Weisman’s relationship with TJ began as a proud parent of a TJHSST graduate (who is pursuing a double major in Engineering and Chinese). Her affiliation with the TJ Partnership Fund Board of Directors in 2019 came on the heels of leadership as Vice President of TJ’s Academic Boosters.

Email:ttase@tjpartnershipfund.org

Ex Officio Directors

Dr. Ann Bonitatibus, Principal, TJHSST

Yaara Crane, Assistant Principal, TJHSST

Dr. Shawn Stickler, Science & Technology Division Lead, TJHSST

Neelam Janardhan, TJHSST PTSA President

Our Team

Partnership Fund Staff

Partnership Fund Board Leadership

Board of Directors

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