Strive for College Management Team
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Michael J. Carter While in college, Michael taught at-risk middle school youth during the summer, ran the initial Strive model at his university, interned for a venture capital firm and Google, and did public policy research and analysis at American Enterprise Institute. He wrote his senior honors thesis on a history of admissions to elite universities in the US and UK. He received a full-tuition merit scholarship to attend Washington University in St. Louis as an Annika Rodriguez Scholar. Michael graduated cum laude from Washington University in St. Louis in May, 2010. Michael's work with Strive has been featured widely in the media, including Forbes, and he has spoken on various panels, including at the Brookings Institution. Michael was named a 2011 Echoing Green Fellow, a highly competitive award given to those identified as some of the world's most promising social entrepreneurs. Michael strives for a day when college students across the country mobilize to ensure that all qualified, underserved high school students who have earned the right to go to college and achieve their dreams. |
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Gene Kunde Chief Operating Officer Gene is applying the many lessons he learned from a satisfying and successful career in the world of business to help STRIVE grow by insuring its high quality standards are maintained and the inspiring success rate enjoyed by its students and mentors is nurtured. He began his business career as a trainee at the Ford Motor Company and held management positions at the TORO Company before founding a successful wholesale distribution company. Later he joined EPSON AMERICA where he soon became General Manager and COO. More recently he was CEO and President of Birkenstock USA. He has a BS degree from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. Gene was attracted to STRIVE by its mission and the passionate commitment of its staff, mentors and donors. At STRIVE it is his job to insure that the students we serve are at the center of our decision making processes. He does that by tracking their progress and listening to them, our mentors and chapter presidents to insure that every high school student has the information and support necessary to successfully enroll in their best-fit college. He is responsible for our curriculum, business processes, staff development, financial planning and use of technology. He also monitors all activities to make certain that we fully understand and abide by our fiduciary responsibilities. |
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Sam Sturm Director of Strategy and Development Sam has spent his professional career working to ensure that children everywhere are afforded the same access to outstanding educational opportunities that he has had. A Teach For America corps member, he taught 6th grade Math and English as a founding teacher at Aspire Preparatory Middle School in the Bronx before going on to teach Writing at KIPP’s Rise Academy in Newark, NJ. He also served as a Curriculum Specialist, the lead instructor charged with training 40 first-year teachers entering New York City Public Schools. Sam’s passions extended well beyond the classroom; he chaired school culture councils, served on hiring committees, helped design school-wide curricula, coached rugby and cross-country, and ran after school writing workshops. His work has always been rooted in a fundamental belief in holding high expectations, operating with a sense of urgency, and a fervent dedication to his students’ needs. An Amherst College alum, Sam graduated cum laude in 2006. As a student, he received research grants from the Alpha Delta Phi Fund, and was a recipient of the Tom Gerety Fellowship for Action for his commitment to service. Dedicated to working with others to guarantee their most fundamental rights, Sam has worked with the Cabrini Green Residents Association, the Coalition to Protect Public Housing, the New West Side Federation and the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs in Chicago, as well as Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America in New York. Still a middle school teacher at heart, he is committed to the ideal that access to high quality education is a right that every child, regardless of their zip code, deserves.
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Misha Tucker She has been an active volunteer for the San Diego Food Bank, helping pack food and supplies for low-income families; The Arc of San Diego where she fed the mentally disabled; and Promises2Kids which works to collect toy donations for disadvantaged children during Christmas. After going through the college admissions process with little guidance, Misha understands the importance of what Strive can do for low income students to realize their full potential, and is passionate about achieving higher educational equality.
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Jamal McCullough New York Regional Director Since graduating from SUNY Albany, Jamal has dedicated his life to the education of our nation’s young people. He began his professional career as a counselor at Job Corp, a federal program dedicated to helping students aged 16-24 who were not successful in a traditional academic setting. In 1999, he began a teaching career with the New York City Department of Education in the South Bronx where he was born and raised. In his ten year career Jamal, worked as a classroom teacher, Dean, Supervisor of the Save Room, Athletic Director, and coached various teams.
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Adessa Kiryakos Bay Area Regional Director Adessa graduated in December 2011 from San Jose State University (SJSU) with a B.A. in Behavioral Science, double major in Sociology. Having a passion and understanding the need for serving the community early within her college career, she began volunteering in an array of events and programs and eventually worked at the Cesar E. Chavez Community Action Center (CCCAC) on her campus. Having wished that she had a mentor to work with her and support her through her college applications and journey, she got involved with Strive for College in its early stages of development at the SJSU chapter through the CCCAC as a volunteer for a year. As the program grew so did her passion for its mission and her ranking from being a volunteer to running the SJSU chapter for two years. Through her work, she implemented ideas that soon became incorporated into the curriculum used nationwide. Growing the chapter from a few mentors to over 60 within the two years, she became experienced in providing training, guidance, and support in ensuring preparation for mentorship and leadership experience, as well as a college bound culture within the high school that the mentors volunteered at. With the success of the SJSU chapter, she wanted to continue serving Strive for College's mission. She is thrilled to be a part of the Strive for College management team as the Bay Area Regional Director overseeing many chapters including the SJSU chapter.
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People who used to work at Strive have gone on to do amazing things, including:
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