The Power of Partnership: A Conversation with the National PTA and First Book
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November 10, 2021 | 2:00 p.m. Eastern | 11:30 a.m. Pacific (1 hour)
Free Webinar
Presentation Description
About the Panelist:
Jennifer has been with National PTA since 2014 where as Manager of Corporate Alliances she has the honor of connecting the interests and investments of corporate sponsors and foundations with the action, determination and passion of PTA leaders and their school communities. Jennifer resides in Alexandria, VA where she sits on her twin sons’ preschool board and in her free time can be found working in her garden or lost in a good book.
Courtney Kissell joined National PTA in November 2016 as Director of Programs & Partnerships. She manages National PTA’s six program initiatives which aim to provide access to engaging, education and fun opportunities that inspire, recognize and impact all students and their families. The program portfolio includes arts education, school improvement, digital citizenship, literacy, healthy lifestyles, and stem education.Courtney lives in Northern Virginia with her husband, 8-year old daughter, 5-year old son, and their sweet puppy. When she is not working, Courtney can be found helping coach her sons baseball team and volunteering at their school.
Nina Silverstein is a Senior Manager of Strategic Alliances at First Book, where she manages a portfolio of corporate partnerships focused on corporate social responsibility, cause-based marketing initiatives, and employee and community engagement. Prior to joining First Book, Nina taught kindergarten and first grade for three years in Baltimore City, MD, through Teach For America, where she developed a passion for bridging the academic divide and literacy gap for her students. Nina earned her MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, MS in Education from Johns Hopkins School of Education, and BA in Political Science and Psychology from the University of Michigan.
Vicki Jay serves as CEO for the National Alliance for Children's Grief. Ms. Jay was founding director of Rays of Hope Children’s Grief Center in Midland Texas. Her nineteen-year hospice career included End-of-Life Community Education Director and ten years as Founder and Executive Director of Rays of Hope Children’s Grief Center. She is recognized for her role in children’s advocacy and for her strengths in public speaking and community education. Jay has received many awards and recognitions for her work with nonprofits and in the field of bereavement, including the National Jefferson Award for Community Service, a prestigious national recognition honoring community and public voluntarism in America. Recipients are “ordinary people who do extraordinary things without expectation of recognition.” A graduate of Texas Tech University, Jay currently resides in Midland, Texas. In addition to her professional and community roles, Jay cherishes her role of wife, mother, friend, and recently “Nana.”
Maria Collins is the vice president of the New York Life Foundation and a corporate vice president in New York Life’s Corporate Responsibility Department. She assists with grantmaking strategy and the development and management of the Foundation’s national grants. In addition, she provides leadership for various initiatives of the Corporate Responsibility Department. Ms. Collins joined the company in 2000 as the program manager of the community service program. Since then, she has held positions of increasing responsibility, including developing and managing the company’s national community service program, managing and enhancing all of the employee engagement programs, disaster relief program administration, and the corporate grantmaking portfolio. The New York Life Foundation devotes the majority of its funding to programs that help children in the areas of educational enhancement and childhood bereavement. Since its founding in 1979, the Foundation has made nearly $240 million in contributions to New York City and national nonprofit organizations. New York Life’s corporate responsibility initiatives include the award-winning Volunteers for Good program, which helps New York Life employees and agents across the nation volunteer within their communities. Ms. Collins earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fordham University and a Masters of Social Work from New York University. She currently resides in River Vale, New Jersey, with her husband and their two sons.