staff

Deidre McCormack Martin, Executive Director
Jennifer Hahn McCoy, Program Director
Damien Chapman, Development Manager
Jenn Carreto, Development and Program Assistant
Rebecca Sullivan, Post-Secondary Program Coordinator
Alexandra Wakeman, Outreach Coordinator
Eliza Arai, Senior Program Associate
Diana F. Oviedo, Program Associate

Deidre McCormack Martin, Executive Director
deidre@summersearch.org
Deidre is originally from California, where she attended Santa Clara University and received her B.A. in History and Ancient Studies. In search of her life work, she moved to Seattle in 1999 and joined an AmeriCorps program called City Year. Her City Year placement was in a high-need elementary school where she witnessed firsthand the inequities in our educational system. Since then she has held positions in non-profit fundraising, operations and program management in the youth development and educational fields. She joined Summer Search in September 2008 as Associate Director and stepped into the role of Executive Director in July of 2010. Deidre lives in West Seattle with her husband and three daughters.

Jennifer Hahn McCoy, Program Director
jmccoy@summersearch.org
Originally from Texas, Jennifer taught social studies in Austin before moving to Seattle to attend graduate school at the University of Washington. She earned her master's degree in Education, traveled and taught in Mexico and worked as a college adviser at Chief Sealth High School in Seattle for six years. She first met Summer Search as a Referral Partner, nominating students for the program, and joined the staff in March of 2005. As Program Director, Jennifer manages the day-to-day aspects of our work with students, including mentoring, summer programs, college access and alumni support.

Damien Chapman, Development Manager
dchapman@summersearch.org
Born and raised near Melbourne in Australia, Damien first came to the northwest to play college basketball. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration at Central Washington University while playing guard for the Wildcats. Damien's experience ranges from professional basketball, ESL teaching, electrician & nonprofit management, to his previous three years in development at Junior Achievement of Washington. Damien has a passion for serving youth and connecting people to causes that provide them with rewarding philanthropic experiences.

Jenn Carreto, Development and Program Assistant
Jenn was born in New Jersey to her Portuguese mother and Mexican father, setting the multi-cultural tone that would permeate her studies, professional pursuits and adventures to follow. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Writing, International Development and Latin American Studies while on full academic scholarship at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. After college, Jenn served with AmeriCorps in Madison, WI, leading youth in cultural awareness and after-school curriculum. Later, with Hostelling International, Jenn continued to teach cultural education in Wisconsin, California and here in Washington. Being the first in her family to attend college, and sharing a story similar to many Summer Searchers, Jenn is excited and grateful to be working with such a passionate team and toward such a valuable purpose.

Rebecca Sullivan, Post-Secondary Program Coordinator
rsullivan@summersearch.org
Rebecca hails from Vancouver, WA, and recently returned to the Northwest after receiving her Bachelor's Degree in Organizational Leadership and Dance from Chapman University in Orange County, California. Most recently, she has attended Seattle University, earning her Master's Degree in Student Development Administration, a program that reinforced her commitment to making educational attainment accessible to all young students. While at SU, Rebecca worked with New Student and Family Programs,helping coordinate summer orientation and new student orientation. Rebecca continues to enjoy dancing with Chimera Dance Theatre and teaching dance at Garfield Community Center.

Alexandra Wakeman, Outreach Coordinator
awakeman@summersearch.org
Alex hails from Seattle and is a product of the Seattle Public Schools. After graduating from Ballard High School, she attended Pomona College where she was active in student government and varsity sports. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Policy Analysis and Politics, focusing her studies on educational policy and reform. After college, she spent two years teaching high school in the Mississippi Delta through Teach for America. During her time as a teacher, she also coached cross country, advised student groups and volunteered with a girl’s empowerment organization. In June 2008, Alex returned home and joined Summer Search where she now coordinates outreach efforts and strategy, and mentors students by helping them develop into insightful, confident and altruistic leaders!

Eliza Arai, Senior Program Associate
eliza@summersearch.org
A South Seattle native, Eliza returned home in 2011 and rejoined the Summer Search team after two years living and teaching in New Zealand and Japan. Having graduated from Franklin High School in 2001, her world expanded as she continued her studies at Whitman College in Walla Walla, WA. The combination of strong community support, her interest in cultural exploration, and commitment to meaningful relationships led her to play NCAA III basketball, participate in an expedition to the Galapagos Islands, and study abroad in Japan. Upon completing her B.A. in Biology in 2005 she went back to Japan to teach English with the JET Program before first joining Summer Search as a Program Associate from 2006 to 2009. Encouraged and inspired by the Summer Search family, she bid a temporary good bye and grew further during her most recent overseas experience, but couldn’t be more thrilled to be back and partnering with Summer Search’s next student leaders.

Diana F. Oviedo, Program Associate
doviedo@summersearch.org
Diana is originally from Bogota, Colombia. At the age of twelve, she and her family moved to Cambridge, MA where she began her high school studies and became a Summer Search Student! (Class of 2004).  Diana earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Economics at Boston College and subsequently moved to Seattle to serve as an intern for a local church.  During this time Diana tutored students at Garfield High School, worked as swimming instructor at the YMCA, and volunteered as a tutor and mentor for elementary-age Latino girls at the Jubilee REACH Center in Bellevue.  Most recently Diana became a member of the Summer Search Seattle team as the Program Assistant.  She is incredibly excited and proud to belong to the Summer Search community – a passionate and enthusiastic group of students, mentors, and leaders committed to change.