Member, Board of Advisors

Dave Hersh

Dave’s career can be thought of as a series of experiments. In each role or degree program, from teaching HS Math and Physics to practicing child welfare law, he’s been testing a new hypothesis about how to make the most impactful contribution to the world. After more than two decades of experiments, he concluded that intellectual humility drives impactful problem-solving. His latest venture, In Tandem, is rooted in intellectual humility. Aiming to ensure young people have a voice in everything that affects them, In Tandem reflects Dave and his team’s theory that no one can be an expert in anyone else’s experience. To solve we need to understand and to understand we need to engage.

Member, Board of Advisors

 Lisa Kelley

Lisa Kelley, Ed.S., is the founder and CEO of Youthrive Psychological Services and an independently licensed School Psychologist with 20 years of experience supporting children and families. With a background in mental health, special education, and counseling, Lisa has guided hundreds of children and adolescents through challenges such as anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, and Autism. Her expertise spans evidence-based interventions, including EMDR and Trauma-Focused CBT, as well as supporting diverse populations, including LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, foster, and adoptive families.

Lisa holds advanced degrees in School Psychology, Psychology, Elementary Education, and Educational Administration. Her career has been dedicated to helping families thrive by fostering resilience, inclusivity, and positive change. She is proud to bring her extensive mental health expertise to the board, supporting innovative tools to build stronger family connections.

Member, Board of Advisors

Dr. Michelle Sadrena Pledger

Dr. Pledger is the Founder of Living for Liberation, an organization that supports the liberation of self, systems, and society. She is also the Director of Liberation at the High Tech High Graduate School of Education, an institution that brings together practitioners, researchers and youth to address complex problems of practice in K-12 education and create more equitable, engaging learning environments for all students. She co-directed the Share Your Learning Campaign which spread student-centered practices (exhibitions, student-led conferences, and presentations of learning) to 5 million students. As a faculty member at High Tech High’s Graduate School of Education, she co-teaches Justice: Self, Schools, and Society course in the San Diego Teacher Residency Program, Leadership for School Change in the Master’s Program, and Culturally Responsive Continuous Improvement in the new teacher induction program. As a Freedom Facilitator, Dr. Pledger consults with organizations and districts who seek to liberate self, others, and systems.

Dr. Pledger has been recognized as a Yale University Bouchet Graduate Honor Society member, a David L. Clark Scholar, a Billions Institute Fellow, a Chrispeels Doctoral Fellow, a Shoephlin Fellow, a Momentum Education Graduate, and a recipient of the National Society of High School Scholars Higher Education Award, as well as he Inter-American Development Award. In 2022 she received the Outstanding Alumnus Award from the CSUSM College of Health and Human Services. She earned an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in social justice education through a joint doctoral program at the University of California, San Diego and California State University, San Marcos. Her research focused on cultivating culturally responsive teaching and classroom management self-efficacy in novice and veteran teachers for the purpose of improving academic opportunities and outcomes for culturally and linguistically diverse students. She holds a Master’s degree in Pacific International Affairs and a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies with a minor in Clinical Psychology. 

Dr. Pledger is committed to disrupting inequity in education and cultivating a community of practitioners who honor the lived experiences of all their students and educators. Her book, LIBERATE! Pocket-Sized Paradigms for Liberatory Learning is a must read for any educator who aspires to design educational experiences that are responsive to culturally and linguistically diverse young people. Whether it is through the vehicle of project-based learning, culturally responsive-sustaining pedagogy, or freedom facilitation, her hope is to develop educators and students who think critically, act empathetically, and live a life of liberation.

Member, Board of Advisors

Carter L. Schelling

In 1976, Mr. Schelling left his graduate studies at Stanford University to take over the family business, an industrial distributor, when his father died suddenly at age 55. While there he diversified the company by adding industrial pipefreezing services, which he introduced to the nuclear power industry nationwide.

He sold the company to his employees and founded 3655, Incorporated, a Presidents’ Challenge Group for owners dedicated to building extraordinary companies in ordinary industries. Over the years Carter has logged over 40,000 client-facing hours working as part of the “inner circle” of dozens of locally prominent firms, contributing directly to success stories in the construction, distribution, manufacturing and service industries. His clients have appeared on the Inc. 500, Philly 100, and South Jersey 25 lists of fastest growing companies in the region.

Several of Carter’s current clients have worked with him continuously for over 35 years.

Mr. Schelling is the creator of the video series “The Market Leader Strategy” and as the creator of “The Hero Customer Strategy” is the leading authority on the impact of Customer Quality on corporate success.

Member, Board of Advisors

Doug Kelly

Doug Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, American Edge Project

Doug Kelly is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Edge Project (AEP), where he leads efforts to sustain America’s global technology edge, especially against authoritarian regimes.

Doug has a proven record of building strong, cohesive, and team-oriented cultures across a variety of institutions. He mentors a wide range of established and emerging leaders, helping them develop their potential and achieve their goals.

For 20 years, Doug served in senior leadership roles in the political sector, working on Presidential, Gubernatorial, and statewide campaigns, and has successfully led three large-scale transformation efforts in technology, organization building, and fundraising.

Doug and his wife, Linda, live in Columbus, Ohio, where they raised two incredible adult children, Jack and Rachel.

Member, Board of Advisors

Olivia Weinstock

Olivia has an innate love for children; at the age of ten, she founded her first company, a summer camp hosted in her backyard. The chaos of 100 toddlers didn’t dissuade her from creating a career out of child care. At age 20, she started her second business, Tandem, which would become a modern-day staffing platform for child care centers. The name Tandem is a nod to workers and programs working together to better the industry, and to do that, Tandem addresses the pervasive understaffing issue that affects 80% of American early childhood education facilities. Tandem matches vetted care workers to flexible, shift-based work in centers and provides daily payment. This approach disrupts the traditional churn cycle and helps to retain more skilled workers in this important field by providing these modern workplace benefits. Weinstock is on a mission to fix this systemic problem, enabling all parents in our country to know that adequate staffing will not be their barrier to quality child care. The company understands the evolving expectations of the hourly-paid workforce and has created a platform that appeals to the needs of the American worker.

Weinstock graduated from the University of Michigan in 2021 with a major in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience. She also sits on the board of directors at BirdieLight, a harm-reduction organization created after her brother Eli died in 2021 by accidental fentanyl ingestion.

Member, Board of Advisors

Manika Williams

 Manika Williams, is a dedicated community leader and advocate, hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio. She is a proud graduate of Tuskegee University in Alabama, where she earned her degree in education. She is also a veteran of the United States Air Force, where she served as a Protocol and Services Officer. Her military experience, combined with her passion for public service, has shaped her into a compassionate and effective leader. 

While serving in the Air Force she led the team that fostered healthy morale and welfare for the Airmen and their families on four installations. She was also responsible for ensuring the logistics for military ceremonies, conferences and events for senior government and international leaders were in alignment with military protocol. 

Manika’s passion for civic engagement and inclusive leadership inspired her to establish the Bexley Minority Parent Alliance (BMPA) in 2015, an organization committed to building a supportive community for minority families within the local school district. She is also a founding member of the Columbus Coalition of Communities for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. With certifications from Georgetown University’s Leading Inclusively program and Cornell University’s Diversity and Inclusion program, Manika is a certified facilitator dedicated to creating inclusive environments where everyone can thrive. 

Her dedication to service is reflected in her active involvement in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Jack and Jill of America’s Columbus chapter, and her volunteer work with the Ohio New Immigrant Commission. She also serves on the board of a local community charter school. 

A loving and compassionate mother of two, Manika’s commitment to service and leadership is guided by her belief in the importance of a human-centric evolution of the mind. She is dedicated to advancing opportunities for all and helping organizations foster inclusivity. Manika blooms where she is planted and continually strives to uplift those around her.