Meet Our Team

John founded the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) in April 2020, after spending several years at the Laboratory School of Finance and Technology, where he taught finance-related classes and collaborated with the administration on career-connected learning and other strategic initiatives. At the onset of the pandemic, John launched ELP in partnership with his scholars and school colleagues.

John's mission at ELP is to foster the intellectual curiosity and ambitions of the scholars he serves, helping them broaden their horizons and share their unique gifts. He spends most of his time leveraging his past experiences and networks to provide ELP scholars with access to professional connections, resources, and meaningful career-connected learning opportunities.

Prior to founding ELP, John spent 33 years in the investment industry, including his role as Managing Partner of a private asset management firm, which he helped found in 2014. The majority of his career was spent at JPMorgan Asset Management, where he held several leadership positions, including Head of the North American Institutional Business and member of the Americas Operating Committee.

John is thoroughly enjoying his second career, learning every day from young people while maintaining his lifelong passions for outdoor activities, exercise, and spending time with his large extended family. In his free time, you might find him kayaking, biking, running, hiking, or boating. John and his wife cherish every opportunity to be with their son and daughter, travel on active vacations, or go for long walks to tire out their two very active pups.

Harleen serves as ELP’s Managing Director of Program and Strategy. In her role she ensures ELP provides thoughtful and impactful programming to all students served, and thinks critically about ELP’s future ability to serve students effectively and support them in achieving their goals. She makes it her mission to learn every scholar’s name at the beginning of each cohort (she does not always win this battle…. but comes close)!

Harleen’s career has been spent largely in the education space, starting in East LA in a direct service role serving K-12 students in after school education, followed by time spent learning the ins and outs of non-profit organizations working for a non-profit consulting firm. Since then she has developed a passion for young adults, and supporting them in accessing meaningful careers that offer a path to economic mobility. She spent time at some other awesome national education organizations including Bottom Line and Year Up, before finding her way to ELP.

Harleen is an avid sports fan (go Ravens!), and you can find her watching a game somewhere in NY, or going for a run in one of New York’s many beautiful parks! In her free time she loves to bake elaborate things for friends, read very long novels, eat through all the amazing food that New York has to offer, and laugh often.

Stephanie joined ELP in August 2024 as the Director of Operations and Administration. In her role, she leverages over a decade of experience in educational operations to streamline processes, support the organization’s mission and foster its development.

As a proud product of the South Bronx, Stephanie is deeply committed to creating opportunities for the youth in her community. A graduate of Stony Brook University's EOP/AIM program, she credits the program with shaping her career path and fueling her dedication to serving students.

Over the past 12 years, Stephanie has led Operations teams at charter schools across the Bronx, where she successfully implemented school-wide initiatives that improved operational efficiency, enhanced student services, and strengthened community engagement. Her expertise in project management, strategic planning, and crisis management has been instrumental in navigating the complexities of educational environments, all while being a passionate advocate for her community.

In her free time, Stephanie enjoys traveling, cooking and spending time outside. Her travels have deepened her belief in the shared humanity across the world and she aspires to leave the world a better place.

Melody is ELP’s Program Manager for the Core program and has been part of the team since January 2024. In her role she creates and delivers curriculum and gets to work directly with awesome scholars in New York.

Melody has an MPH in Global Health from USC, a BS in Molecular Biology, and BAs in French and Italian from UC Santa Barbara. Before ELP, Melody worked in K-12 education for Los Angeles and San Francisco Unified School District. She primarily taught Science, Math, and Spanish.

In San Francisco, Melody was introduced to computer programming so she transitioned into technology where she learned to love puzzles and to think creatively about solutions. Melody then found herself working for a nonprofit where she got to bring education and computer programming together, teaching tech for a youth development program.

In her free time, you could find Melody painting, writing poetry, volunteering, learning about birds and all things science, cooking or somewhere outside! Her favorite part of New York: Poets Corner at St. John the Divine.

Roxanne joined ELP in 2023 and currently partners with the team on all facets of Programming, Development, Administration & Operations. Roxanne brings nearly 20 years of financial services experience to ELP, leveraging her industry network to provide mentoring and program guidance.

Roxanne’s financial services experience includes roles in client solutions, marketing, and business administration. She was most recently a Client Solutions Consultant at Spruceview Capital Partners and spent nearly a decade as a Relationship Manager within the Institutional Advisory & Sales Team at JPMorgan Asset Management. She was a Product Research and Development Analyst at Morgan Stanley Investment Management before joining JPMorgan.

Throughout her financial services career, Roxanne mentored junior staff and played an integral role in recruitment and training. She is currently a Professional-In-Residence at Fairfield University’s Dolan School of Business where she mentors undergraduate students and provides career-readiness training in the form of mock interviews, resume writing, and networking skills. She also mentors Fordham University students and alum.

Roxanne is a Bronx native (and Yankees fan!). She obtained a B.A. in Economics from Fordham University, summa cum laude. Roxanne and her husband live in CT with their three young children. In her free time she loves watching her children's sports, cooking, and enjoying the Jersey Shore!

Kadejatou is a Program Coordinator for the Emerging Leaders Program, serving in this role since 2021. In her work, she supports scholars across all three ELP programs, ensuring students receive the guidance and resources they need to thrive. Prior to serving as the Program Coordinator, she began as an ELP college intern, helping to foster growth and student relationships within the program.

Before joining ELP, she served as a counseling apprentice at one of ELP’s partner schools, the Laboratory School of Finance and Technology, where she developed her passion for supporting youth in her community in the South Bronx.

Kadejatou is currently pursuing a degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Johns Hopkins University. She earned her BA at CUNY Baruch College, majoring in Psychology and English. In her free time, Kadejatou enjoys writing poetry, biking through the city, and spending quality time with family and friends.

Daria is ELP’s newest team member, joining in October 2024 as a Program Coordinator. With a passion for educational equity and student empowerment, Daria is excited to contribute to the success of ELP’s scholars.

Before joining ELP, Daria graduated from Tufts University with a BA in English and a minor in Medical Anthropology. Her passion for youth work began in 2020, when she volunteered with an organization dedicated to empowering young people, engaging in social justice discussions with students in a classroom setting.

Daria then completed an internship at a Boston-based nonprofit, where she helped facilitate STEM-focused, college-readiness workshops for high school students. Most recently, she worked as a tutor, helping K-12 students improve their academic skills outside of school. Each of these roles deepened her passion for making a direct impact on the lives of young people, ultimately guiding her to ELP, where she is excited to further her interest in education and mentorship.

In her free time, Daria finds joy in creativity, whether it’s through art, fashion, or reading. Daria also loves to travel, with Tokyo, Japan and Istanbul, Turkey ranking among her favorite destinations around the world. As a new resident of New York, she enjoys biking around the city, listening to live music, and trying new foods.