Organizational Leadership

Daniel Rubenstein

Chief Executive Officer

Dan Rubenstein is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Prospect Schools.

Daniel Kikuji Rubenstein, a nationally recognized leader in using school choice to integrate public schools, was a co-founder of Brooklyn Prospect Charter School. Since the 2009 opening of its first school in Brooklyn, Prospect Schools has been dedicated to excellent teaching, a world-class program designed around the pillars of the International Baccalaureate Program, and succeeding with students who sit side-by-side in classrooms with students from radically different backgrounds.

In addition to his work the Prospect Schools network, Dan has been instrumental in forming the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition, a nationwide coalition of over 30 charter organizations and advisors dedicated to creating successful, integrated public choice schools.

An educator since 1992, Dan served in various teaching and administrative roles at Collegiate School (NY), SEED Public Charter School (DC), Sidwell Friends School (DC), and School Year Abroad (Beijing). In 2002, Dan received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching. His work in education has been documented in a variety of local and national media, including the NY Times, USA Today, Education Next, ABC’s Nightline and PBS’ Life 360. He holds masters degrees from Columbia University’s Teachers College and St. John’s College and a BA in mathematics from Hamilton College.

Education:
Hamilton College, B.A.
St. John’s College, M.A.
Columbia University, Teachers College, M.Ed.

Penelope Marzulli

Deputy Chief Executive Officer

Bio

Penny Marzulli is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Prospect Schools.

A member of both the school and CMO planning and founding teams, Penny serves on the network Senior Leadership Team that informs organizational strategy and planning. Her primary focus is on the development, expansion and “footprint” of Prospect Schools. While managing the organization’s external relations team, Penny’s core responsibilities include community outreach, marketing and communications, development, legal, and authorizer and board relations.

Since the 2009 opening of the first Prospect School in Brooklyn, New York, Penny, a veteran of nonprofit and for-profit organizations, has used her previous experience in program administration, talent recruitment, and communications and development to help pave the way for new school openings. At the same time, she guides the now national reputation of Prospect Schools as one of the early school organizations to create successful, intentionally integrated public schools.

Prior to joining Prospect Schools, Penny raised and educated her three, now grown children in the United Kingdom. There she gained perspective on the importance of a global education and observed the value of the International Baccalaureate program that is at the core of Prospect’s work.

Penny earned both a Collegiate Professional Certification in secondary education and a B.A. from the University of Richmond.

Education:
University of Richmond, B.A.

Jonathan McIntosh

Chief Academic Officer

Bio

Jonathan McIntosh is the Chief Academic Officer of Prospect Schools.

Prior to joining Prospect Schools, Jonathan was the Founding Middle School Director of Brooklyn Laboratory Charter School, a STEAM school emphasizing personalized learning in downtown Brooklyn and winner of the XQ Super Schools grant. He spent several years working with KIPP NYC in various capacities, including School Instructional Leader, Director of Student Support Services, Special Education Coordinator and Learning Specialist. Prior to his work with KIPP, Jonathan served as a School Ambassador Fellow at the Department of Education’s Office of Communication and Outreach for Secretary Arne Duncan. Before coming to New York as a Teach for America Corps member, he worked in both rural and urban Missouri, leading middle and high school programs in theater and debate. Jonathan spent his formative years in Southeast Asia, which profoundly shaped his desire to enter the education field and create spaces for agency and democratic deliberation for all.

Jonathan received a B.A. from Drury University in Missouri with a triple major in speech communication, theater, and public relations. He went on to complete an M.A. in Integrated Strategic Communication also at Drury. After moving to New York City, he earned an MS in Special Education at Bank Street College of Education, and his Ed.M. at Columbia University’s Teacher College in Organizational Leadership. Currently, he is a doctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University, studying Urban Education Policy and Leadership.

When he’s not working, spending time with family, or studying, Jonathan enjoys trying bizarre foods and playing the guitar.

Education:
Drury University, B.A. & M.A.
Bank Street College of Education, M.S.
Columbia University, Ed.M
Johns Hopkins University, Ed.D candidate

Hillary Prince

Chief Financial Officer

Bio

Hillary Prince is the Chief Financial Officer of Prospect Schools.

Joining the Brooklyn Prospect team in 2009, Ms. Prince has been honored to serve as a member of the founding team of the original middle school, as well as the Prospect Schools CMO. Leading both finance and operations for many years, she developed scalable systems and established the school’s strong early operational reputation, built a foundation of strong fiscal health for the organization, and has led several building projects and new school launches. Since taking on the role of Chief Financial Officer in 2018, Hillary has narrowed her focus to finance and is now responsible for managing a budget which, under her stewardship, has grown from $2 million to greater than $35 million. Additional core responsibilities include business operations, real estate, and capital projects, and long-term strategic planning.

Prior to building a career in K-12 education, Ms. Prince developed leadership skills and gained operational experience through her work in event management with Madison Square Garden. Deciding to follow a long-held interest in education – and in particular, in school integration, herself attending an urban magnet high school – Hillary completed a yearlong graduate internship at a globally-focused International Baccalaureate magnet school in CT before moving to Brooklyn in 2006. She went on to hone and apply her operational skills to the educational space, holding several roles with The Princeton Review, including Regional Director of Operations, where responsibilities included leading the implementation and national expansion of federally funded afterschool programming.

Ms. Prince earned a B.A. in English-Literature from Skidmore College, and an M.S. in Language Arts Education from the University of New Haven, and is currently enrolled in a nonprofit leadership certificate program at Harvard’s Kennedy School. Hillary left NYC in 2016 to build a home in the Hudson Valley with her husband and two young children.

Education:
Skidmore College, B.A.
University of New Haven, M.S.

Elaine Perez

Chief Operating Officer

Bio

Elaine Perez is the Chief Operating Officer of Prospect Schools.

Prior to joining Prospect in Spring 2020, Elaine served as the Senior Director of Operations and Strategic Planning at Year Up in the New York/New Jersey market. There she oversaw an 8-person Operations team that focused on execution excellence in facilities management, budget management, organizational and people development, volunteer programs, event management, and other strategic projects. Elaine also sat on their Senior Leadership Team to oversee market performance and growth strategy. She began her journey at Year Up as the Director of Development helping to lead local fundraising efforts.

Prior to joining Year Up in 2016, Elaine was the Senior Partnerships Director at DonorsChoose.org where she worked for nearly 10 years. She developed and managed relationships with corporate and foundation partners through customer-focused cause marketing campaigns and employee giving initiatives. Prior to making the jump into the world of fundraising, she oversaw the donor experience process on the Operations team.

Elaine earned her BS in Information Systems with a minor in Business from Pace University and is a recent graduate of the Executive Master of Public of Administration program at Baruch College. In her free time, you can find her caring for her three children, enjoying a good laugh with friends, sipping on a good cup of Bustelo coffee, or working on her family foundation serving 75 children in the Dominican Republic.

Education:
Pace University, B.S.
Baruch College, EMPA

Network Office Team

Adele McConnell

Director of Communications

Tulane University, B.A.

Ari Oppenheim

Associate Director of Finance

McGill University, BCom.

Ashley Platt

Director of Network Operations

Rutgers University, B.A., Montclair State University, M.A.T.

Carolyn Michael

Director of Teaching and Learning

Wellesley College, B.A.; Columbia Teachers College, M.A.

Claytoya Tugwell

Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Columbia University, B.A. & M.A.

Dahiana De La Cruz

Student Recruitment Coordinator

John Jay College, B.S.

Desiree Quinn

Accounts Payable Specialist

Kingsborough Community College, A.A.S, Brooklyn College, B.A.

Eldin Scotland

Technology Support Coordinator

A.S., ASA Institute of Business and Computer Technology

Elizabeth Johnson

Director of Network School Culture

Wheaton College, B.A., Portland State University, M.Ed.

Jennifer Perkins

Chief of Staff

Georgetown University, B.S.; Duke University, M.P.P.

Joanna Lopez

Head of Network Math Curriculum Instruction

Indiana University, B.M.; City University of NY, M.Ed.

Jordan Huller

Director of HR & Talent

University of California, Davis, B.A., Wilmington University, Ed.M.

Jose Pimentel

Special Projects Manager-Danbury Advocacy

Western Connecticut State University, B.A.; Sacred Heart University, M.A.

Kylesha Kea

Accounting Coordinator

CUNY Baruch College, B.A.; CUNY Brooklyn College, B.S.

Laura Robitzek

Director of Data

Smith College, B.A., New York University, M.P.A.

Lisa Rho

HR & Talent Partner

University of Washington, B.A.

Liza Eyster

Head of Network Student Support Services

Wesleyan University, B.A., Saint Joseph's University, M.Ed.

Mari Watson

Director of Afterschool and Extended-Day Programming

University of Missouri-Kansas City, BFA

Marna Dunne

Data Programs Specialist

Bard College, B.A.

Mary LaGuerre

Executive Assistant

CUNY LaGuardia Community College, A.A.S.

Matthew Fischesser

Director of Capital Projects

University of Louisvile, B.S., Boston Architechtural Center, B.A.

Michael Chen

HR & Talent Partner

Stony Brook, State University of New York, B.S.

Mitchell Burgess

Special Projects Manager

University of Pennsylvania, B.S.

Morgan Chan

Payroll & Benefits Specialist

Chabot College, A.A., CUNY School of Professional Studies, B.S.

Myong Kim

Accounts Receivable Specialist

Binghamton University, B.A.

Phuong Le

Data Management & Analysis Specialist

Connecticut College, B.A; Case Western University, M.A.

Prisha Dass

HR & Talent Partner

Regents College, B.A.; Duke University, M.A.

Robin Perenchio

Network ELL Coordinator

Brown University, B.A.; Columbia University, M.A.; Long Island University, MSed

Sarah Goodis-Orenstein

Head of Network Literacy Instruction

New York University, B.A., Hunter College, M.S.

Shai Lamdan

Director of Development

Hebrew University, B.A.

Soung Ho Park

Controller

Villanova University, B.S.

Tarmla Small

Director of Student Recruitment & Admissions

Wesleyan University, B.A.

Tomi Okuyemi

Principal in Residence

Saint Louis University, B.A., Bank Street College, M.Ed.; Harvard University, M.Ed.

Vasco Browne

Director of IT Operations

William Hargett

Operations & Compliance Specialist

CUNY College of Technology, B.A. candidate

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