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Meet the Administrative Team

The Administrative Team is made up of staff and current and former board members and is responsible for membership, member-relations, and planning professional development opportunities.

Alexandra (Allie) Konet
Director
More about Allie
Cecilia Cunningham
Director Emeritus
More about Cece
Susan Doyle
Coach & Conference Planning
More about sue
Jennifer Kim
Senior Research Associate
More about Jennifer
Margaret Green
Coach & Conference Planning
More About Margaret
Melissa Madigan
Conference Planning
More about melissa
Gina Luczaj
Communications & Event Coordinator
More About Gina

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Meet the Executive Board

The Executive Board is elected by members of the Board of Directors and is responsible for implementing the vision of the Consortium.

Jessica Fitzgerald
Principal, Great Path Academy Middle College High School
More about jessica
Patricia Hurtt
Principal, Poway to Palomar Middle College Director of Alternative Programs, Poway Unified School District
More About Patty
Jasmine Jones
Program Manager, Early and Middle College Programs
Pamela Maddox
Principal, Compton Early College
Shernell Thomas-Daley
Principal, Brooklyn College Academy High School
Katherine Young
Teacher, College and Career Readiness, Public Speaking, English

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Meet the Board of directors

The Board of Directors consists of all principals, directors and leaders of member institutions including high schools and colleges and the Director of the Consortium. It provides strategic oversight and establishes Consortium policies.

Jimmy Armstrong

Greer Middle College Charter  High
@Greenville Technical College
Taylors, SC

Sandra Barnes

Hollis F. Price Early College High School  
@LeMoyne-Owen College
Memphis, TN

Mitchell Booz

East Village Middle College High School
@San Diego City College
San Diego, CA

Dr. Benisha Carr

Beaumont Middle College High School
@Mt. San Jacinto Community College
Banning, CA

Floridia Cheung

Design Science Middle College High School 
@Fresno City College
Fresno, CA

Desiree Douglas-Montoya

Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Prep
@Los Angeles Harbor College
Wilmington, CA

James Espinoza

Middle College High School
@San Bernardino Valley College
San Bernardino, CA

Dr. Juliet Fine

Academy of the Canyons
@College of the Canyons
Santa Clarita, CA

Dr. Jessica Fitzgerald

Great Path Academy
@CT State Manchester
Manchester, CT

Emily Garrison

Palo Alto Middle College High School
@Foothill College
Los Altos, CA

Greg Giauque

Mat-Su Middle College High School 
@University of Alaska Anchorage & Mat-Su College
Palmer, AK

Dr. Petria Gonzales

John F. Kennedy Middle College High School
@Norco College
Norco, CA

Winifred Green

Henry Ford Early College
@Henry Ford College
Dearborn, MI

Patricia Hurtt

Poway to Palomar Middle College
@Palomar College
San Diego, CA

Ed Ingman

The Charles School
@Ohio Dominican University
Columbus, OH

Gershon Jackson

Truman Middle College Alternative High School
@Truman College
Chicago, IL

Kimberly Jackson

Northwest Middle College High School
@University of Nebraska Omaha
Omaha, NE

Vanessa Jara

Middle College High School
@San Joaquin Delta College
Stockton, CA

Rachel Lane

Washington Middle College High School
@Sacramento City College
West Sacramento, CA

Pamela Maddox

Compton Early College High School
@Compton College
Compton, CA

Christopher McAdoo

Santa Fe South Pathways Middle College
@Oklahoma City Community College
Oklahoma City, OK

Robert McAllister

Genesee ECHS @University of Michigan-Flint &
Mott Middle College @Mott Community College
Flint, MI

Ryan McDonnell

Mt. SAC Early College Academy
@Mt. San Antonio College
West Covina, CA

Socrates Ortiz, Jr,

Middle College High School
@LaGuardia Community College
Long Island City, NY

Finy Prak

Middle College High School
@Constra Costa College
San Pablo, CA

Melissa Rulong

The Charles School
@Ohio Dominican University
Columbus, OH

Jose Santos

Challenge Early College High School
@Houston Community College
SW Houston, TX

Donald Scatena

San Mateo Middle College High School
@College of San Mateo
San Mateo, CA

Steve Simpson

San Jacinto Middle College High School
@Mt. San Jacinto College
San Jacinto, CA

Shernell Thomas-Daley

Brooklyn College Academy
@Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, NY

Matthew Trujillo

Olive-Harvey Middle College High School
@Olive Harvey College
Chicago, IL

Jackie Valane

International High School 
@LaGuardia Community College
Long Island City, NY

Dr. Daria Valentine

Academy of Health Sciences
@Prince George’s Community College
Largo, MD

Damon Voight

Middle College High School
@Seattle University
Seattle, WA

Jonathan Welka

Olive-Harvey Middle College High School
@Olive Harvey College
Chicago, IL

Keven Wynkoop

Middle College High School
@Santa Ana College
Santa Ana, CA

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expert Members

Expert Members serve as valuable resources in executing the mission of the Consortium.

Dr. Jacqueline Ancess

Co-Director Emeritus
NCREST
New York, NY

Deborah Shanley

Professor
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn, NY

Our partners

Michigan Early Middle College Association (MEMCA)

California Coalition of Early & Middle Colleges (CCEMC)

College in High School Alliance

National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools, & Teaching (NCREST)

The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP)

Jobs for the Future

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Allie Konet

Allie Konet is the Director of MCNC, where she partners with schools across the country to strengthen early and middle college programs. She believes that students thrive when they feel seen, supported, and connected—and that this happens best when the adults around them are also seen, supported, and connected . She’s especially passionate about building a strong, collaborative network of educators who can share ideas, tackle challenges together, and keep students at the center of their work.

In addition to her role with MCNC, Allie serves as Director of Counseling and Social and Emotional Learning for The Graham Family of Schools in Columbus, Ohio. There, she leads a team of K–13 school counselors, collaborates on SEL programming and trauma-responsive practices, and helps build systems that center student success.

She has spent most of her educational career at The Charles School at Ohio Dominican University—a proud member of The Graham Family of Schools and a long-time MCNC partner—where she served as school counselor and dean before transitioning to Director of Counseling. Across all of these roles, she has supported students navigating dual enrollment, built lasting partnerships with college faculty and staff, and helped shape a school culture grounded in access, support, and opportunity.

Allie holds a B.A. in English and Theology from Ohio Dominican University and an M.S.Ed. in School Counseling from the University of Dayton.

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dr. cecilia cunningham

Dr. Cecilia Cunningham is the founder of the Middle College National Consortium, serving as Executive Director until July, 2025. She continues the important work of promoting equity in education and access to college as MCNC’s Director Emeritus, by lending over four decades of expertise to the Administrative Team.

Cece was principal of the original Middle College at LaGuardia Community College from 1981 until 2002 and was co-director of the first efforts funded by The Ford Foundation to replicate Middle College High School in the late 1980s.

Middle College High School, under Cece’s leadership, was the first public Middle College High School to work with underserved students. Dr. Cunningham is also a founder of the New York Performance Consortium, a network of New York State schools committed to using multiple measures for graduation for high school. In 1993, she started the Bank Street Principals Institute to prepare more women and people of color to take leadership roles in New York City schools.

Cece holds a Doctorate in Educational Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a BS in mathematics from St. Peters College in Jersey City, NJ. She won the McGraw Hill Prize in Education in 2004 and the Reliance Award for Leadership in 1994.

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susan doyle

Susan M. Doyle attended State University College at Buffalo . There, she earned a BS and MS in Special Education – Learning and Behavior Disorders, a Certificate of Advanced Studies in School Administration, and was certified as a School District Administrator (SDA) and School Administrator Supervisor (SAS).

Her career began in the Buffalo Public Schools where she was a High School Special Education teacher for 11 years before moving into an administrator role as an Assistant Principal at a Comprehensive Inner City High School for 4 years. Ms. Doyle then returned to her first school, Buffalo Traditional, an Inner City 5-12 Magnet School. However, this time she joined the staff as Principal, a role she held for 9 years.  

In 2003 Ms. Doyle was asked to open a new school in Buffalo, Middle Early College High School, where she remained for the 17 years until her  retirement in August , 2020. She is now mentoring new principals for the Buffalo Public Schools.

Ms. Doyle lends her wealth of experience to MCNC as a coach, a member of the Executive Board, and part of the Administrative Team. She is involved with the NYS Dual Enrollment initiative, served on the Smart Scholars Advisory Board for New York State and a variety of leadership committees for the Buffalo Public Schools.

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jennifer kim

Jennifer E. Kim is a Senior Research Associate at the Middle College National Consortium (MCNC), where she leads data collection, analysis, and the strategic use of data to inform decision-making, professional development, coaching, and continuous improvement efforts.

Prior to joining MCNC, Ms. Kim served as a Senior Research Associate and Project Lead at the National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools & Teaching (NCREST) at Teachers College, Columbia University. There, she directed a range of grant-funded projects focused on expanding college readiness and course-taking opportunities for high school students. Her work spanned both state and national contexts and examined the design, implementation, and outcomes of dual enrollment, early and middle college programs, and other initiatives serving underserved student populations. Her research and policy interests include college and career readiness, dual enrollment and early and middle college models, data-informed continuous improvement, and interorganizational partnerships in education. She also brings classroom experience, having taught for two years.

Ms. Kim earned her B.A. in Sociology and M.A. in Educational Policy, Planning, and Leadership from the College of William and Mary. Her doctoral studies in the Sociology of Education and Education Policy at Teachers College, Columbia University is focused on interorganizational relationships between schools and external partners.

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margaret green

Margaret Green began her career in education in 1990 as a middle school science and math teacher. Over the next 17 years, she taught both middle and high school students, specializing in science and mathematics. In 2007, she transitioned into educational leadership, serving as principal of Hamady Middle/High School until 2014.
 
In 2014, Margaret became the principal of Mott Middle College, Michigan’s first early/middle college. Her leadership soon expanded to include Genesee Early College, where she continued to champion innovative, student-centered learning. She retired from her principal roles in 2022, but her commitment to education remained strong.
 
That same year, she became the Executive Director of the Michigan Early Middle College Association (MEMCA), where she continues to advocate for access, equity, and excellence in early and middle college programs across the state.
 
Margaret is an active leader on the national stage as well. She has served on the Middle College National Consortium (MCNC) Board of Directors, its Executive Board, and Administrative Team, and has played a key role in conference planning. She also currently serves as a member of the Early College Research Center Advisory Panel (ERCA), part of SERVE at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
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gina luczaj

Gina Luczaj is a nonprofit professional who enjoys using organizational skills and creative communication to advance the missions she cares about. Currently serving as Communications & Event Coordinator for Middle College National Consortium, Gina works closely with the Administrative Team to strengthen membership engagement, increase brand awareness, and support national events.

Before joining MCNC, Gina was at Wakeman Boys & Girls Club in Fairfield County, CT, where she was first the Director of Special Events and then Director of Community Engagement. In these roles, she was responsible for reaching multiple audiences with messaging related to fundraising, programming, and community involvement via print and digital channels. She led the organization’s first brand awareness campaign and implemented organization-wide best practices for communications.

Beyond her professional work, Gina has been deeply involved in education advocacy, serving in leadership roles across her children’s schools’ PTAs, where she improved communication systems, planned community events, and represented local families at the district and state levels.

She began her career as an English teacher before transitioning into communications and nonprofit leadership. She holds a Master’s degree in TESOL from Fairfield University and a Bachelor’s degree in English and Secondary Education from Boston College. At every stage, her work has been guided by a passion for community engagement, strategic impact, and an unwavering belief in the power of education.

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Dr. jessica fitzgerald

Since 2022, Jessica Fitzgerald has served as Principal of Great Path Academy Middle College High School, a distinctive early college magnet program that blends high school and college experiences to prepare students for academic and career success. Under her leadership, Great Path Academy has earned national recognition as a Magnet Schools of America Merit School of Distinction in both 2024 and 2025, reflecting the school’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and equity.

A forward-thinking educational leader, Fitzgerald actively engages in initiatives that drive systemic improvement. She participated in an AI innovation cohort with Hartford Public Schools, developing technology-driven applications to enhance school operations and improve student learning. She also collaborates with the district’s leadership team on the 2025–2026 Hartford Public Schools Strategic Plan, helping to shape a shared vision for equitable, high-quality education.

In addition to her K–12 leadership, Fitzgerald is an adjunct instructor at Goodwin University, teaching in both the General Studies: English program and the Master of Education program. Her courses — including Contemporary Issues in Urban Education, Curriculum Theory, and Social Foundations of Education — blend academic scholarship with real-world application to prepare the next generation of educators.

Jessica Fitzgerald is dedicated to fostering inclusive, innovative, and student-centered learning environments that empower all students to thrive in an ever-changing world.

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Patricia Hurtt

Patty Hurtt serves as the Principal of Poway to Palomar Middle College and the Director of Alternative Programs for Poway Unified School District. With a career rooted in student-centered education, she oversees a range of innovative programs designed to meet the diverse needs of learners across the district, including middle college, independent study, home education, virtual courses, credit recovery, and summer school.
 
A former mathematics teacher in both Poway Unified and San Diego Unified, Patty brings over three decades of classroom and leadership experience to her role. She is deeply committed to expanding equitable access to education and creating pathways for students who thrive in non-traditional learning environments.
 
Patty is a proud graduate of the University of California, San Diego, where she played intercollegiate softball. Her background in athletics extends to her time as a coach in softball, track, volleyball, and cross country—experiences that continue to inform her leadership philosophy around teamwork, resilience, and goal-setting.
 
Known for her strategic vision, collaborative leadership, and unwavering dedication to student success, Patty continues to drive innovation in alternative education while supporting the academic, social, and emotional growth of every student she serves.