Board Chair

Natalie Bledman is the Director of Administration for Black Futures Lab where she leads administrative, compliance, and operational support for the BFL team. Natalie previously served as founding Director of Operations and Chief Operations Officer for two charter schools in NYC, focused on compliance, human resources, and information technology systems. Natalie holds a Juris Doctor from the City University of New York School of Law, a Master of Public Administration from the City University of New York at Baruch College, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Literature & Rhetoric from the State University of New York at Binghamton. 

Vice Chair

Lucy Joffe is the Assistant Commissioner for Housing Policy at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (“HPPD”). Lucy previously worked as the Executive Director of Regulatory Compliance at HPD, an attorney-advisor in the office of General Counsel of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and as the legislative aide to New York City Counsil Member Dan Garodnick. She also taught elementary and middle school English as a Second Language at P.S./I.S. 50 in East Harlem as a Teach for America corps member and worked in several Detroit public schools as an Americorps member. Lucy earned a J.D. from the New York University School of Law, an M.S. for Teachers from Pace University, and a B.A. in sociology with a political science minor from the University of Michigan.  

Board Secretary

Damira Rasheed is the Director of Date and Program Analytics in the Office of Policy and Strategy at the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development. She previously worked as a Research Associate at Fordham University, studying the efficacy of school-based educational classroom intervention in elementary schools. Damira is working on her Ph.D. (all but dissertation) in Educational Psychology with a specialization in Quantitative Methods in Educational and Psychological Research at the Graduate Center at the City University of New York. She earned an M.A. from New York University Steinhardt in Human Development and Social Intervention, and two B.A.s from Georgia State University in Psychology and Political Science. She lives in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

Board Treasurer

Nikki Carrol is a consultant at Deloitte Consulting where she means to advise and facilitate finance transformations for Fortune 500 corporations that will impact their people, processes, and technology. She specializes in transformations related to data governance and financial reporting, planning, and analytics. Prior to Deloitte, Nikki spent time in various finance and operations roles at Moody’s Investors Service, Newark Public Schools, and Freddie Mac.

Outside of work, Nikki is passionate about K-21 education and remains involved in her local Brooklyn community as the Founding Board Treasurer at Key Collegiate Charter School and Board Treasurer at La Cima Charter School. Nikki holds an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business and and BS in Finance from Morgan State University.

Dayana Saint Vil is a trailblazer in the inaugural J.D./M.I.A. dual-degree program in Law and International Affairs at the City University of New York School of Law and the Colin Powell School at the City College of New York. During her academic journey, Dayana broadened her global perspective through study abroad programs in Cuba and Ghana, and she served as an executive board member of the Black Law Student Association and Evening Law Student Association. Her achievements include being named a NYC Bar Association Civil Right to Counsel Task Force Research Fellow and a Black Law Student Association Fellow, as well as earning multiple scholarships in recognition of her dedication to justice and equity.

Currently, Dayana serves as the Vice Chair of Diversity and Special Projects with the American Bar Association's International Law Section – Young Lawyers Interest Network. In this capacity, she leads impactful initiatives focused on the section’s publications and mentorship programs, fostering collaboration and support for foreign and U.S.-based lawyers.

Kathy N. Marseille serves as the Director of Student Support Services at St HOPE Leadership Academy, where she plays an integral role on the leadership team. In her current role, Kathy oversees the coaching and supervision of the Social Emotional, Special Education, and ENL (English as a New Language) Departments. She is dedicated to fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment that nurtures students’ social, emotional, and academic development. Kathy is also deeply committed to building authentic relationships with families to enhance parent communication and engagement.

Before joining St HOPE, Kathy served as a psychologist (M.A.-leveled) at Mount Sinai-St. Luke’s Hospital (formerly St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital), providing crisis intervention, individual, couple, and family counseling. Her work focused on supporting families impacted by substance abuse, mental illness, educational neglect, domestic violence, and abuse. In addition, Kathy facilitated group counseling sessions and workshops tailored to the needs of adults, pre-teens, and adolescents.

Dr. Colette Young is the Assistant Director of the Summer Principals’ Academy (SPA) at Teachers College, Columbia University (TC), where she also serves as an adjunct instructor in the Department of Music and Music Education. In her role as Assistant Director, Dr. Young oversees the strategic development and leadership of SPA, a program designed to prepare the next generation of diverse and compassionate educational leaders. Her work focuses on equipping trailblazing educators with the skills and knowledge to lead with innovation and empathy.

With extensive experience in teaching, curriculum design, and the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education, Dr. Young has designed and implemented transformative programs for students ranging from middle school to the graduate level. Her research interests include leadership methodologies, STEAM education, design thinking, and voice development and instruction, reflecting her interdisciplinary expertise and passion for empowering learners.

Bio coming soon!