Meet Our Team
Leadership
Robyn Lightcap
Executive Director
Robyn serves on the Governor's Early Childhood Advisory Council and is Board Chair of Groundwork Ohio, Ohio's early childhood advocacy organization. She has led complex projects in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors, including at IBM, Chicago's Willow Creek Community Church and Evenflo. She has a business degree from Wake Forest University.
Ashley Marshall
Senior Director of Operations
Ashley leads our operations team, managing the application process for families, and she builds and maintains relationships with early education providers. Previously, Ashley was the director of the University of Dayton’s demonstration school, the Bombeck Family Learning Center. She is a graduate of the University of Dayton, where she studied early childhood education and received a Master’s in Educational Leadership.
Latoria Marcellus
Senior Director Education Strategy
Latoria assists Preschools in implementing a comprehensive curriculum that promotes children’s social/emotional development and ensures strong relationships between teachers and students. She has 15 years of experience in education and is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where she studied early childhood education. She received her Master's in Education from Antioch University McGregor.
Marie Giffen, CPA
Senior Director of Finance
Marie is responsible for all financial planning, reporting and accounting for Preschool Promise. She has years of experience in public accounting, corporate accounting and has taught financial and managerial accounting at the University of Dayton. Marie graduated summa cum laude from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and earned a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Dayton.
Preschool Promise Team
Allana Bell
Executive Assistant
Allana ventures into Early Childhood Education, bringing her multifaceted expertise from other non-profit sectors. Adept at optimizing processes and organization, she excels in assisting executives. With experience in evaluations, office operations, designing and implementing systems, and interdepartmental coordination, Allana's skills promise positive impact in nurturing young minds.
Alure' Powell-Russell
Administrative Marketing Specialist
Alure’ provides administrative and project coordination support for the Marketing and Operations departments at Preschool Promise. She most recently worked in Higher Education Advancement and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Management and Marketing and is currently pursuing her Master of Education, both from the University of Dayton. Alure’ gained extensive experience in marketing, communication, project management, and social media management through her roles in higher education, other professional positions, and as a small business owner. Passionate about the transformative power of education, Alure’ is excited to contribute to enhancing the educational experiences of others as part of the Preschool Promise team.
Dr. Amy Kronberg
Early Learning Manager
Amy has a background in early childhood education, child development and play-based strategies. She has worked to create learning experiences for families through our Play on Purpose (POP) initiative. She supports infant/toddler teachers in building early language/literacy skills. Amy has a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education-University of Michigan, a masters' degree in Early Childhood Leadership & Advocacy and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Administration from the University of Dayton.
Barbara Elrod
Financial Services Manager
With more than 20 years of experience in education, for-profit businesses and non-profit organizations, Barbara streamlines our processes and keeps our organization running efficiently. She is excited to help our families, providers and Montgomery County fulfill the educational needs of our youngest learners.
Britney Leavelle
Hope Zone Coaching Manager
Britney manages the ongoing design, development, and implementation of professional development for all coaches and Preschool Promise partner sites with a specific focus on the Hope Zone’s Ready to Read Sites. She has 18 years of experience working in the education field and is a graduate of Central State University, where she received her degree in Early Childhood Education.
Brittnee Hoover
Kindergarten Readiness Coach
Brittnee brings a wealth of experience and compassion to her role, grounded in her background as a former Head Start Teacher and Parent Educator. She obtained an Associates degree in ECE from Sinclair Community College in 2013 and later obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Education Studies from the University of Arizona Global Campus in 2021. As a passionate mother and advocate for children on the Autism Spectrum, she is committed to ensuring that every child has access to quality education tailored to their unique needs. She believes children can be empowered to thrive through connection, understanding, and inclusive support.
Cara Heslin
Kindergarten Readiness Coach
With over 25 years of experience in Early Childhood Education and working with head start, Cara specializes in childhood development, dialogic reading, and supporting children with disabilities and trauma. Cara holds a degree in Early Childhood Leadership & Advocacy from the University of Dayton and is passionate about helping young learners. Cara’s approach is grounded in Conscious Discipline, fostering emotional Intelligence and readiness for school. Cara said that she “believes every child deserves a strong, confident start and I am here to help make that happen”.
Catherine Rauch
Education Specialist
Catherine supports Preschool teachers by coordinating the Teacher Promise Stipend program and our Classroom Supply Fund. She also writes a weekly newsletter for providers, along with supporting our professional development work through data reports and analysis. Catherine has bachelor's and master's degrees in social work and has almost 30 years of experience in the non-profit and government sectors. Promoting quality early childhood education is close to her heart.
Christine Yeary
Office Manager and
Education Administrative Specialist
Christine comes to Preschool Promise with over 25 years of education and marketing experience, having worked for local school districts, non-profits and corporations. She supports our professional development work to ensure that no stone is unturned when it comes to preparation and planning.
Crystal Howard
Professional Development Manager
Crystal received a Master's in Talent and Development from Tusculum University College of Education. She provides coaching and professional development to early childhood educators and staff at our partner sites. Crystal has over 25 years of experience in early education as an administrator, classroom teacher and home-based teacher. She is passionate about building relationships and improving teacher quality, child outcomes and training.
Erika Ward
Development Manager
Erika has 10 years of experience in child-based non-profit organizations and is committed to serving the community through fundraising efforts. She is responsible for submitting proposals for private and public financial support, discovering new funding opportunities, and building and maintaining relationships with funders, donors and others within the community. She is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a degree in anthropology.
Hertia Mims
Family Connection Specialist
Hertia provides coaching, support, training and professional development for early childhood educators and staff. She specializes in implementing Conscious Discipline in our partner sites. She has over 20 years of experience in early childhood education and has a passion for the Dayton community, working with families and volunteering at local charities. Hertia is a graduate of Sinclair Community College where she studied Early Childhood Education.
Karetha Burns
Kindergarten Readiness Coach-Hope Zone
Kay is a vital part of the Ready to Read, Hope Zone coaching staff. She has worked in early childhood education for more than 30 years and is excited to be a part of the community-wide academic shift to assist in the process of preparing confident and successful Kindergarten readers.
Katie Lehner
Research Project Manager
Katie has 12 years of experience working for non-profits leading marketing and grant-related projects. She is well versed in the art of project collaboration and problem solving across diversely skilled teams, and is excited to lead the Project Management of our EIR Grant. She is a graduate of Kent State University in Applied Communications and has recently retained her CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) from the Project Management Institute.
Lindsey Riley
Enrollment Manager
As a member of the operations team, Lindsey is dedicated to supporting families and helping young learners join Preschool Promise. She has spent the last nine years as the director of a community-based Step Up to Quality Preschool program and is passionate about ensuring all children have access to quality early learning opportunities. Lindsey graduated from the Raj Soin College of Business at Wright State University.
Maria Rao
Education Project Manager
Maria, a 2006 graduate of the University of Dayton with a degree in Political Science, brings over 20 years of experience in program and project management, both in the corporate and non-profit sectors. Maria comes from a family of educators, and as a mother of a third-grade and Kindergarten-aged daughters, she knows firsthand how important a high-quality foundation is for future academic success.
Melissa Butler
Kindergarten Readiness Coach
A native Daytonian, Melissa has over 15 years of experience in early childhood education. She recently returned to Ohio after living in Florida for 12 years, where she worked as a home visitor for Brevard Early Head Start. She is an Ohio-approved trainer and was a presenter at the 2022 NHSA Conference. Melissa believes that being open to a child's learning style is the most important factor in their success.
Ryhan Hoskins
Attendance and Enrollment Specialist
Ryhan is passionate about eliminating the barriers families face when trying to find and afford a high-quality Preschool for their children. She assists families in finding a Preschool that's right for them, as well as offering continued support throughout the school year. Ryhan has over 15 years of experience in providing legal advocacy support to survivors of relationship violence in both Ohio and Georgia. She attended Central State University and studied economics.
Saraya Griffith
Kindergarten Readiness Coach
As an Early Childhood Educator Saraya gained important knowledge on how young children learn differently and enjoyed helping them reach their milestones. Her favorite moments were seeing their Aha moments once they learned something new. She am so very excited to step into the K-Ready Coach role to help early childhood educators have a safe and regulated classroom they feel comfortable and confident that they can step into everyday. I love chocolate, long hikes with family and friends; anything nature based.
Shalisha Davis
Kindergarten Readiness Coach-Hope Zone
Shalisha has over 19 years of experience in primary and early childhood education. She brings a passion in helping children foster a love for reading and developing foundational literacy skills. Shalisha is a graduate of Sinclair Community College where she earned her Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education
Shannon Weldon
Client Services Specialist
Shannon feels passionate that the first five years matter in setting the foundation for a quality education, and enjoys helping families find affordable, high-quality Preschool for their children. Her background in customer service and work as a School Board member give her a unique perspective when speaking with families. She is a proud wife and mother to 4 children.
Shelly Davies
Marketing and Outreach Manager
Shelly has a background in early education holds a BS in Communication Disorders from Bowling Green State University. She is passionate about our goal that all Montgomery County children are ready for Kindergarten, and connecting families with resources to assist this readiness. Shelly's commitment to cultivating relationships with community partners and neighborhood leaders is integral to the outreach team's impact within all populations of Montgomery County. She has proudly completed UDCL's Women Lead Certification and Neighborhood Leadership Institute.
Tiarra Williams
Family Connection Specialist
Tiarra was a Head Start Lead Teacher for four years and has an Associate's Degree in Early Childhood Education. She has a lot of energy and looks forward to lifting up the children and families that she encounters with Preschool Promise. She is a mother of two beautiful children and enjoys being outdoors, crafting, journaling and exercising.
Dr. Tennille Love
Manager, Scholars and
Empowerment Programs
Tennille brings over 15 years of experience in K-20 education, business and workforce development. As an award-winning education professional, Dr. Love holds a BA from Spelman College, an MBA in Operations Management, and a PhD in Higher Education Administration-Educational Leadership from Liberty University. With deep commitment, she manages the Scholars and Equity programs, overseeing their implementation at partner sites to ensure participants gain the knowledge and credentials needed for successful careers in early childhood education.
Tiffany Lampkins
Data Manager
Tiffany has worked with Preschool Promise since the Kettering pilot in 2014-2015. She ensures families’ requests for tuition assistance are processed and maintains our database. Tiffany graduated magna cum laude from Strayer University with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Tiffany says, "My work at Preschool Promise gives me great pride. My No. 1 goal is helping families to ensure a high-quality Preschool experience for their child."