Our Team

We come from collective experience and strong beliefs in equity, social-emotional learning, agency, healing, positive youth development, social justice and fun. We work in cross-functional teams to best support our clients’ needs.

Anne-Marie Hoxie

Senior Consultant, evaulation

Anne-Marie is a developmental psychologist with a PhD from Fordham University. She brings over 20 years experience in quantitative and qualitative methodology, research, and data analytics. She has led evaluation, continuous improvement, and research teams and projects in education, technology, youth development, government, and in market research. An innovative thinker, she joins us from Teachers Pay Teachers. Previously, she evaluated 21st CCLC afterschool programs at ExpandED Schools and facilitated teams' use of data for improvement.

Ashley Roberts

Senior Consultant, Talent strategy

Ashley is our key to managing deliverables, timelines, community of practice and coaching sign-ups and communication schedules. She is results-driven and has leveraged her project management skills and creativity to oversee community engagement and recruitment processes for K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and community-based organizations nationwide. Ashley holds a Master of Science in Education from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Howard University.

Belinda Passafaro

Senior Consultant, leadership development

Belinda weaves together her bi-cultural identity, her passion for social justice and equity, and her extensive experience in nonprofit and education leadership to design and facilitate professional learning opportunities that are diverse, inclusive, and meaningful for all partners. As a senior consultant, Belinda is experienced in designing, managing and implementing high quality initiatives that support organizational development strategies and promote positive student outcomes.

Eric Gurna

Founder/Senior Consultant

Eric provides strategic consulting and leadership coaching nationally and serves as a keynote speaker at conferences. Founder of DWL in 2000, Eric later served as President and CEO of LA's BEST Afterschool Enrichment Program, serving 25,000 children at nearly 200 Los Angeles elementary schools. Eric spearheaded an initiative for LA's BEST to become the first large-scale, trauma-informed expanded learning system in the nation. He brings a deep commitment to positive youth development, equity and serves as a convener of prominent stakeholders within this work.

Iris Laurencio

Consultant, talent development

With over 10 years of international and state side experience in teacher training, Iris combines her passion for restorative justice and pedagogical knowledge to work closely with nonprofit programs and teachers. Her hands-on coaching helps them sharpen their skills as facilitators and connect with students for a more authentic and effective learning experience.

Jason Spector

Senior Consultant, evaluation

Jason is focused on equity and assessment within youth serving organizations. He brings extensive experience in the social impact and OST sectors advancing equity-centered strategy, evaluation, and capacity for foundations, nonprofits, and government entities. Jason served in a senior role with Policy Studies Associates, consulting on education, OST, and social impact capacity building at the national, state, and local level, including engaging in technical assistance and evaluation efforts for the Region 4 Comprehensive Center.

Jen Brevoort

Senior Consultant, product & Service Design

Jen embraces the frequent innovation in online learning and works with our online learning team to contribute to training development. Her experience includes supporting youth workforce development professionals as well as coaching afterschool leaders to develop their emotional intelligence.

Jennifer Peck

Senior Consultant, Leadership development

Jennifer is a policy leader and facilitator of professional learning, coaching, leadership development, and other technical assistance services. Jennifer served as an appointee at the U.S. Department of Education from 1993-2001, supporting implementation of priority initiatives including the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program. Subsequently, she founded the Partnership for Children and Youth (PCY), a statewide system-building intermediary that significantly grew access to quality expanded learning opportunities for students pre-K through 12th grade in California.

Jennifer Weaver-Spencer

MANAGING EDITOR

Since 1997, Jennifer (who we affectionately call “JWS”) has worked as an editor, writer, and project manager in educational publishing and technology. She leads DWL’s publishing and production team, managing projects from concept to finished product.

Lissette Gomez

Senior Consultant, Leadership development

Lissette brings her background in social work and nonprofit leadership to advise clients on social emotional learning and equity initiatives. With expertise in trauma-informed practices, community schools and facilitation, Lissette was our vice president before moving over to lead special projects at Children’s Aid Society. More recently, she has been a practicing counselor within a school district.

Marieke van Woerkom

Senior Consultant, Talent development

Marieke has worked with young people and educators around the world for over two decades. She is passionate about building welcoming, student-centered, equitable spaces where staff and student dignity is honored. Marieke's work is grounded in social and emotional learning (SEL), restorative and trauma-informed, healing-centered practices.

Michelle Miceli

Business Manager

Michelle oversees our financial and reporting requirements. She has decades of experience working with executive management professionals in the areas of business management, operations, finance management, and human resources. Michelle worked with a leading bi-coastal media and advertising agency in various roles including Director of Finance, VP of Operations, SVP of Human Resources and EVP, General Manager. She has consulted for executives, corporations, startups, and entrepreneurs in finance management, business management, and strategic planning for the last 20 years.

Rebecca Fabiano

Senior Consultant, product & Service Design

For over two decades, Rebecca has been a bold and innovative leader in youth development. She operates from the simple yet powerful philosophy that systems level change must include young people as critical stakeholders and thought partners. She is a natural connector and convener, a strategic thinker and believes in the tremendous power of collective impact to create change.