staff

Karina Kirsch, Executive Director
Marcella Azucar, Program Assistant
Christine Capacillo, Outreach Director
Jason Choi, Program Associate
Kathleen Clancy, Program Director
Emily FitzGerald, Post-Secondary Program Coordinator
Sonia Gonzalez, College Access Coordinator
Jill Kantrowitz, Grants Specialist
Ricardo Martinez, Development and Volunteer Coordinator
Lauren Massell , Program Associate
Ben Piner, Program Associate
Mary Ryan, Program Associate
Megan Sussman , Development Manager
Jené Toussaint, Program Associate

Karina Kirsch, Executive Director
kkirsch@summersearch.org
Karina received a B.A. in Portuguese and Brazilian Studies from Brown University. After graduating from Brown, Karina went on to the New York City Teaching Fellows Program where she taught 3rd and 4th grade in the South Bronx while also receiving an M.A. in Early Childhood Education from Lehman College. After completing the Fellows program, Karina joined the Summer Search team as a Program Associate. She became the Program Director in 2006 and stepped into the role of Executive Director in May 2008.

Marcella Azucar, Program Assistant
mazucar@summersearch.org
Marcella is a San Francisco native and a Summer Search alumna from the class of 2005. After completing the program she went on to earn her Bachelors of Science in Health Education at California State University, Chico. During her studies, Marcella was actively connected to her community as a mentor and artist in the Urban Artwork’s beautification project in San Francisco, where many of her murals are featured throughout San Francisco’s Mission District. She also has been an activist in the community working with other nonprofit organizations as an assistant grant writer in the pursuit and completion of two parks in underserved low income communities. After two years of working in sales at one of California’s first “Green Hotels” the Orchard Garden in San Francisco, Marcella moved to New York to pursue her passions working with the community and advocating for young adults. She is the newest member of the New York team, and has a bright future with the organization.

Christine Capacillo, Outreach Director
ccapacillo@summersearch.org
Christine is a 1995 Summer Search San Francisco Alumna. She graduated from UCLA with a Bachelors Degree in History and minors in Public Policy and Asian American Studies. Upon graduating, Christine worked at the San Francisco Unified School District as a teacher recruiter. She then went on to work at Summer Search San Francisco from 2001-2006 as a Mentor, College and Financial Aid Advisor and the National Alumni Director serving Summer Search sites across the country. In 2008, Christine completed graduate work at Columbia University’s Teachers College earning a Masters degree in Developmental Psychology with a focus on at-risk youth and access to higher education. As a graduate student she worked as a graduate assistant at Columbia University's Student Development and Activities Department and at Harlem Children’s Zone TRUCE as a College Counselor. From 2008-2010, Christine worked at College Summit New York as a School Partnership Manager overseeing 10 NYC public high schools raise their college enrollment rates by building a college-going culture within their schools. She continued to stay involved as a Summer Search alumna and was the chair of the professional development subcommittee for Summer Search New York City’s Young Leadership Committee. She is excited to be back at Summer Search, where she is responsible for outreach strategies, relationship building with schools and CBOs, and promoting Summer Search among multiple constituents. A part of Christine’s long-term commitment to Summer Search is to ensure that Summer Search becomes nationally recognized organization in youth development and leadership.

Jason Choi, Program Associate
jchoi@summersearch.org
Jason received a BS in Computer Engineering from the University of Florida in 2003. Acting on the desire to help people directly, he switched gears to become a Math teacher at a junior high and high school in central Florida. After obtaining his MA in Math Education, Jason went on to teach at Valencia College in Orlando for three years. Getting a better understanding of these students' lives inspired him to seek an opportunity to work with individuals outside of the classroom. Jason moved to New York and joined the Summer Search team in November 2011, where he is thrilled to be working with this incredible group of students and staff.

Kathleen Clancy, Program Director
kclancy@summersearch.org
Kathleen received a B.A. in Early Childhood Education with a focus on Family Studies from Miami University. While working on her degree, she helped create a program that mentored low-income junior high and high school youth in the area. She also worked part-time as a low and high ropes course facilitator for Miami University’s Outdoor Pursuit Center. After graduation, Kathleen worked part-time as a mentor and a director of mentorship for the same program while teaching pre-school. Following her time in Ohio, Kathleen worked for two years as a Classroom Facilitator for Project SUCCESS, a youth development non-profit organization based in Minneapolis. Kathleen’s love of exploring other cultures and the outdoors has taken her to multiple European countries, Mexico, the Boundary Waters of Minnesota and Canada, and an Outward Bound trip to Colorado. Through her multiple experiences with a diverse population of youth, Kathleen has realized her passion for working with young people. Kathleen joined the Summer Search team in June, 2007 and is excited to be a part of such an amazing organization.

Emily FitzGerald, Post-Secondary Program Coordinator
efitzgerald@summersearch.org
Emily received a B.A. in Classical Languages from Hamilton College in 2000. After graduating, she served in AmeriCorps as a Literacy Tutor at an elementary school in Oakland, CA. During her year of service, she taught environmental education and helped start an after-school program. Her love of languages and curiosity led her to the jungle town of Iquitos, Peru, where she taught English in two schools along the Amazon River. Prior to joining Summer Search in 2007, Emily spent five years with NYC Audubon as the Membership Director and Development Associate. In her spare time, she volunteers as a trip leader for the Sierra Club's Inner City Outings. As a native New Yorker, Emily is excited to be working with students in her hometown.

Sonia Gonzalez, College Access Coordinator
sonia@summersearch.org
In 2002, Sonia graduated from SUNY Purchase, with a BA in sociology and a minor in political science. Throughout high school and college, she was fortunate to have a great support system that helped her in every way imaginable. Coming from a very similar background to that of most Summer Search students, she knew from the beginning that she wanted to become a pillar in her community. For the past ten years, she has been that pillar in a TRIO Upward Bound Program. During her tenure in Upward Bound, she helped countless at-risk youth graduate from high school and enter college. She is very passionate about the work she does and is excited to be able to share her passion and college-readiness skills with the students and team at Summer Search.

Jill Kantrowitz, Grants Specialist
jkantrowitz@summersearch.org
Jill received a B.A. in Psychology-Sociology from Wesleyan University in 1998 and a M.A. in Public Health in Health Behavior from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill in 2005. Following Wesleyan, Jill worked as a Health Educator, and then the Director of Education and Training both at the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. In graduate school, Jill worked in the North Carolina Department of Correction providing medication adherence counseling to prisoners living with HIV/AIDS. Jill joined Summer Search as a Program Associate in 2006. In 1994 Jill completed a NOLS semester course in Mexico and has previously lived in Greece, Israel and Spain.

Ricardo Martinez, Development and Volunteer Coordinator
rmartinez@summersearch.org
Ricardo is a proud New York City public school alumnus.  He was raised in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn and attended PS 101, IS 281 and Midwood High School. Currently, Ricardo is responsible for a variety of efforts within resource development at Summer Search.  His focus includes developing and nurturing relationships with volunteers, identifying and engaging corporate partners and developing career readiness initiatives for Summer Search students. Prior to joining Summer Search in 2010, Ricardo managed the PENCIL Fellows Internship Program. Leveraging his experience and talent for recruitment and relationship management Ricardo helped grow the program into one of the city’s largest internship programs – placing over 250 students in meaningful internships during his tenure. As Manager of Temporary Services at Careers in Nonprofits in Chicago, he recruited staff for such organizations as the Center on Halsted, Chicago Foundation for Women, and the Ounce of Prevention Fund. Ricardo holds an MS in Nonprofit Management from Milano the New School for Management and Urban Policy and a BA from Stony Brook University.

Lauren Massell, Program Associate
lmassell@summersearch.org
Lauren received her B.A. from Skidmore College in Psychology and Government. During college, she volunteered as a psychology research assistant and pre-school teaching assistant, both in pursuit of her social psychology interests. Trying a new route, she went abroad to study the European Union and the diverse cultures of which it is comprised. In 2007, Lauren was fortunate to be part of Skidmore’s First Year Experience program where she mentored and acted as a liaison for freshman from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. After graduation, she worked on a city-wide community engagement effort with the Alliance for Education, a non-profit partner organization to Seattle Public Schools. Lauren joined Summer Search in November 2008, eager to pool her energy with a talented team for a remarkable mission.

Ben Piner, Program Associate
bpiner@summersearch.org
Ben was born and raised in North Carolina and received a B.A. in Journalism from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2003. After graduating, he joined a Seattle-based AmeriCorps program called Sound Youth where he spent a year mentoring and tutoring at-risk high school students. The experience sparked an interest in teaching that led him to a position as an English language instructor at KIOSK School for English in Xalapa, Veracruz.  After a year of living and working abroad, Ben used his newly acquired classroom experience and Spanish skills to secure a position as Program Director for Brain Hurricane, a national after-school tutoring company based in Chicago.  He lived in Chicago for the next five years; most recently transitioning from volunteer to full-time staff member at Working Bikes Cooperative, a non-profit that diverts bicycles from Chicago’s waste stream and ships them to developing countries.  Ben moved to New York in September 2010 and joined Summer Search in January 2011.  He is very excited to be part of such a motivated team that works with such extraordinary students.

Mary Ryan, Program Associate
mryan@summersearch.org
Mary joined Summer Search in November 2010 with a background in youth and family services.  Following graduation from Georgetown University, where she studied English and Government, Mary completed two years of volunteer service through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest, first in Hillsboro, OR and later in Bethel, AK.  Moving from rural Alaska to New York City in 2005, Mary worked in homeless services before obtaining an MSW at Hunter College School of Social Work.  Most recently Mary worked at a systems-focused family center in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, supporting families to identify and utilize strengths to increase family stability and to progress toward goals. 

Megan Sussman, Development Manager
megan@summersearch.org
Megan was born and raised in Colorado. She then moved to Seattle where she attended the University of Washington and earned degrees in Speech Communications and Communication Media Studies. During college, Megan participated on the University’s women’s soccer team which led to many opportunities to work with kids as a soccer coach. She also worked for a radio station doing promotions and marketing. Following graduation, Megan moved to London where she worked as an Event Organizer for a marine based non-profit organization, the IMarEST. Living abroad gave her the great opportunity to travel and explore other cultures. Megan joined Summer Search in February 2008 and is excited to be part of such an inspiring organization.

Jené Toussaint, Program Associate
jtoussaint@summersearch.org
Jené joined Summer Search June 2010 with a background in community organizing and a commitment to understanding history, culture and the impact of racism on individuals and communities. Born in New York City and raised in upstate New York, Jené graduated from Brandeis University with a double major in Politics and Philosophy. After working as a trainer at Partnership for the Homeless, she attended Hunter College School of Social Work where she received an MSW concentrating in Community Organization and Planning. Her time at Hunter College was highlighted by her organizing work around popular education and anti-racist principles, which increased her commitment to social justice. More recently Jené educated and empowered youth throughout New York City to lower their tolerance for all forms of violence and discrimination on their school campuses and in their communities through her work with Day One and the Healthy Teen Relationships Coalition.