• Laura & John Arnold
• Matt Alsdorf
• Elizabeth Banks
• Wendy Barreno
• Lesley Briones
• Stuart Buck
• Denis Calabrese
• Asa Craig
• Tim Dierks
• Erica Gersowitz
• Ashley Machac
• Josh McGee
• Anne Milgram
• Rebecca Neusteter
• Nellie Reed
• Karla Sainz
• Esther Tricoche
• Kerry Vaughan
• Leila Walsh
• Caprice Young

Laura & John Arnold

Co-chairman

Laura and John established the Laura and John Arnold Foundation in 2008. They believe philanthropy should be transformational and should seek through innovation to solve persistent problems in society. As co-founders, Laura and John actively engage in the organization’s overall direction and daily execution. Laura is an attorney and a former oil company executive. John is an investor. They have three children and reside in Houston, Texas.

Matt Alsdorf, J.D.

Director of Criminal Justice

Matt is an experienced attorney who comes to the Laura and John Arnold Foundation from Jenner & Block LLP, where he represented both victims and defendants in federal white-collar criminal cases and litigated multiple high-profile cases of financial fraud. Matt also led the trial team that secured the largest arbitration award in the history of the Financial Institution Regulatory Authority. While working at J&B, Matt taught criminal procedure at Fordham Law School and served as a visiting lecturer at Yale Law School, where he supervised students’ clinical work. During law school, Matt also developed and taught a Yale College seminar on constitutional law. Matt served as a law clerk for Judge Denise Cote of the United States District Court in Manhattan. Before becoming a lawyer, Matt worked as a journalist, covering political stories such as the 2000 Democratic and Republican Conventions. Matt holds degrees from Williams College and Yale Law School.

Elizabeth Banks

Controller & Grant Manager

Beth is a certified public accountant with experience in budgeting, general accounting, and internal audit in the private sector. Prior to joining the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, Beth worked as a Financial Analyst III at an energy company where she was responsible for a wide range of financial management matters with a national organizational scope. Beth also worked as a Manager at Ernst & Young, LLP (E&Y). During her time at E&Y, Beth led internal audits and control reviews at several Fortune 500 companies. Beth was also an active participant in the E&Y People Advisory Council, E&Y Women's Advisory Group, and E&Y sponsored volunteer activities such as Junior Achievement and United Way. Beth holds a B.S. and M.S. in Accounting from Louisiana State University and is a C.P.A. with the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy.

Wendy Barreno, M.P.P.

Director of Public Accountability

Wendy supports the Foundation’s efforts to improve effectiveness and efficiency in the public sector and engage citizens in public accountability. Prior to joining the Foundation, Wendy worked in public policy as Chief of Staff to a member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education and as a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Fellow in the U.S. House of Representatives. Wendy has also worked with community-based organizations such as the “I Have a Dream” Foundation, United Way, and Community Enhancement Corporation and in the private sector as a Manager with Yankelovich Partners, Inc. Across both the public and private sectors, Wendy’s work has revolved around strengthening communities, maximizing opportunities, and minimizing injustice in society. Her projects have included infrastructure development such as building new schools and renovating public school libraries and playgrounds; youth development initiatives such as Success by Six and Tomorrow’s Leaders; workforce development such as the Students At Work program; safe school zones; support for national parks; the federal Promise Neighborhoods program; and alleviating homelessness. Wendy has also worked on business, government, and civil society-related initiatives abroad in Asia and Africa, bringing a multi-cultural perspective to her work in public accountability. Wendy holds a Master in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, where she was the Scott and Isabelle Black Fellow and received the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy Paper Prize, and a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University.

Lesley Briones, J.D.

Vice President of Foundation Management & General Counsel

Lesley is responsible for overseeing the Foundation’s legal matters and assisting the President manage the Foundation’s day-to-day operations. Before joining the Foundation, Lesley was an attorney at Vinson & Elkins, LLP, where her practice primarily focused on tax-exempt organizations. She assisted both public charities and private foundations with formation and compliance matters. Lesley holds degrees from Yale Law School and Harvard University. At Yale Law School, she represented indigent defendants through the Criminal Defense Clinic, assisted domestic violence victims through the Temporary Restraining Order Project, and studied incarceration conditions through the Green Haven Prison Project. Before becoming a lawyer, Lesley taught at-risk public high school and middle school students in her hometown of Laredo, Texas, on the United States-Mexico border. She was also a Rotary International Cultural Ambassador to Italy and a Rotary Youth Ambassador to both Argentina and Spain. Lesley currently is a Director of the Texas Lyceum and serves on the Advisory Board for the Bi-National Center for Research, Education, Leadership and Public Service at Texas A&M International University.

Stuart Buck, J.D. & Ph.D.

Director of Research & Strategic Litigation Counsel

Stuart is an attorney and research expert with a background in education policy. Prior to joining the Foundation, he was a Distinguished Doctoral Fellow and Research Associate in the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas.
Stuart has written and co-written numerous scholarly articles on subjects such as teacher merit pay, the impact of vouchers on racial balance, special education scholarships, and an experimental evaluation of teacher risk averseness. His work has appeared in scholarly journals such as the Harvard Law Review, Education Next, Phi Delta Kappan, and Review of Public Personnel Administration. Stuart has testified before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and has been a panelist at major academic conferences, including the Association for Education Finance and Policy, the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, and the Harvard Program on Education Policy and Governance. He is the author of a Yale University Press book on education in the African-American community, Acting White, and has given several lectures around the country for the Institute for Inclusion in the Legal Profession.
Stuart holds a Ph.D. in education policy from the University of Arkansas, where he studied econometrics, statistics, and program evaluation; a J.D. with honors from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review; and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music performance from the University of Georgia.

Denis Calabrese

President

Denis Calabrese leads the Laura and John Arnold Foundation by employing strategic entrepreneurial philanthropy to address some of society’s most complex and urgent challenges. In his career as a public policy expert and strategic communications advisor, Mr. Calabrese founded and led a national consulting firm, advising clients ranging from Fortune 500 businesses, international law firms, professional associations, and prominent individuals including federal elected officials and CEOs. He began his professional career as the Chief-of-Staff for a United States Congressman. Mr. Calabrese is also an entrepreneur with multiple successful business startups to his credit. He is a graduate of Rice University (Economics and Political Science) and has taught a course on policy and political communications at his alma mater.

Asa Craig

Education Research and Policy Analyst

Asa is a research and policy analyst for the Foundation’s Education initiative. Prior to joining the Foundation, he worked as Development Associate for Community Relations for an international nonprofit organization in New York City where he specialized in communications and public outreach. Asa holds a degree in Government and Africana Studies from Cornell University, where he served as the only undergraduate student on Cornell University’s Board of Trustees. As an undergraduate, Asa was recognized as a Cornell Urban Scholars Fellow and interned in the Policy Department of the New York City Office of the Public Advocate where his primary responsibility was evaluating public transportation. Following his undergraduate studies, he was a Public Policy and International Affairs Fellow at Princeton University.

Tim Dierks

Senior Director, Technology & Innovation, Criminal Justice

Tim is enabling positive, transformational change in the criminal justice system by developing solutions that leverage data, software, and other powerful technology. He joins the Foundation with extensive experience in the technology industry as a software engineer and manager. Most recently, he worked at AOL and managed the technology teams that delivered the company’s media content, including the Huffington Post. Prior to that, Tim spent seven years at Google. He led teams and built products used by hundreds of millions of people in Google’s e-commerce business, TV and print advertising, content syndication, and internal software for security recruiting. Tim also helped to establish security standards for the Web. He was the Chief Technology Officer at Certicom, which commercially developed elliptic curve cryptography, a process for encoding and decoding online information. Tim began his career working on operating systems at Apple. He has five U.S. patents and holds a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame.

Erica Gersowitz, J.D.

Criminal Justice Manager

Erica is an attorney experienced in complex legal, regulatory and policy issues. Prior to joining the Foundation, Erica practiced at Kaye Scholer LLP, where she represented individuals and companies in federal and state criminal investigations, developed corporate compliance programs for Fortune 500 companies, and represented a New York State Senate special investigative committee. She also served as a staff member to the New York Attorney General’s Criminal Justice Transition Team. Before law school, she was a grant writer at the Exploratorium museum, in San Francisco, California. Erica holds a J.D. from Fordham University, where she was a member of the Stein Scholars Program for Public Interest, and a B.A. in History from Wesleyan University.

Ashley Machac

Office Manager

Ashley manages the Foundation's day-to-day operations. Before joining the Foundation, she worked in communications and public relations for some of the nation's leading nonprofits, where she discovered her passion for nonprofit work. Ashley planned events; coordinated interviews, press conferences, and video shoots for local and national news media; generated content for internal and external publications; and developed communications plans for strategic initiatives. Ashley graduated cum laude from the University of Houston, earning a degree in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations and Advertising, and a minor in Global Business.

Josh B. McGee, Ph.D.

Vice President of Public Accountability

Josh is an economist and public policy expert. Prior to joining the Foundation, he was a Doctoral Fellow and Research Associate in the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas. He currently serves as an adjunct faculty member at Rice University where he teaches in the Summer Institute for the Rice Education Entrepreneurship Program at the Jones Graduate School of Business. In addition to his experiences in academia, Josh brings multi-dimensional entrepreneurial and business skills to the Foundation, having spent some of his early career as a charter school administrator and engineering consultant. Josh has produced high quality, policy relevant research spanning a number of important areas, including public pension cost and labor market effects and K-12 education policy. His work has appeared in scholarly journals such as Education Finance and Policy and Education Next. He has presented his work at several major academic conferences such as the meetings of the American Economic Association, the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management, the Association for Education Finance and Policy, and the American Statistical Association. Josh has also worked actively to shape public policy. While at the University of Arkansas, he provided expert testimony and policy advice in several states on the topics of K-12 education policy and public pension reform. During his tenure with the Foundation, Josh has focused primarily on addressing the public pension crisis by educating the public and policymakers throughout the country about the nature and size of the problem as well as potential structural reforms that would create a pension system that is comprehensive, sustainable, and fair. Josh holds a B.S. and M.S. in Industrial Engineering and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Arkansas.

Anne Milgram, J.D.

Vice President of Criminal Justice

Prior to joining the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, Anne served as New Jersey’s Attorney General where she headed the 9,000-person Department of Law and Public Safety. As New Jersey’s chief law enforcement officer, she oversaw 21 prosecutors and approximately 30,000 law enforcement officers. Anne implemented a statewide program to improve public safety through prevention of crime, law enforcement reform, and re-entry initiatives. Anne also served as a member of the United States’ Attorney General’s Executive Working Group on Criminal Justice and as a co-chair of the National Association of Attorneys General Criminal Law Committee. Prior to becoming Attorney General, Anne served as First Assistant Attorney General and, before that, was Counsel to a United States Senator. Anne also previously served as a federal prosecutor in the Criminal Section of the United States Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, prosecuting complex international sex trafficking, forced labor, domestic servitude, and hate crimes cases. In 2004, Anne became the lead federal prosecutor in the country for human trafficking crimes. Anne was also awarded the United States Department of Justice Special Commendation for Outstanding Service and the United States Department of Justice Director’s Award. Anne began her prosecution career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office. She graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers and holds a masters of philosophy degree in social and political theory from the University of Cambridge in England. She received her law degree from New York University School of Law and clerked for United States District Court Judge Anne E. Thompson in Trenton, New Jersey from 1996 to 1997. In addition to her work with the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, Anne serves as a Senior Fellow at the NYU Law School Center on the Administration of Criminal Law and teaches a seminar course on Human Trafficking at the Law School. Anne is also a member of the Covenant House International Board of Directors.

Rebecca Neusteter, Ph.D.

Director of Criminal Justice

Rebecca is an experienced researcher and practitioner in the field of criminal justice. Rebecca has worked with numerous units of local and state government, assisting jurisdictions in understanding their criminal justice populations and implementing measures to enhance public safety and increase efficiency. Prior to joining the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, Rebecca held a variety of positions, including Research Associate for the Urban Institute’s Justice Policy Center, Director of Criminal Justice Programs for The Doe Fund, Senior Analyst for the New York City Office of Management and Budget, and Deputy Director of Planning for the Center for Employment Opportunities. In these positions, Rebecca implemented, managed, and evaluated various programs designed to improve the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. While at the Urban Institute, Rebecca worked with local government leaders and policymakers to implement justice reinvestment and transition from jail to community strategies, as well as conducted research on behalf of the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance and National Institute of Corrections. Rebecca holds a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of the Graduate Center CUNY, an M.S. in Urban Policy Analysis and Management from the Milano Graduate School of the New School University, and a B.A. in Sociology from Chapman University.

Nellie Reed

Foundation Management Associate

Nellie facilitates the day-to-day operations of the Foundation. She also provides direct administrative support to the Foundation’s Co-Chairs and President. Prior to serving as Foundation Management Associate, Nellie worked as the Office Manager, and prior to joining the Foundation, she was a paralegal specializing in civil and federal litigation. Nellie holds a degree in Art History, with a minor in Business Administration, from Texas Tech University and actively volunteers for several Houston nonprofit organizations.

Karla Sainz

Public Accountability Manager

Karla is a research and policy analyst for the Foundation’s public accountability initiative. Prior to joining the Foundation, she provided research and outreach support as the graduate intern for the Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition (PICC) where she advocated for legislative change in Pennsylvania. Karla was also recognized as a Fels Public Policy Challenge finalist for her proposal on improving the walkability of Philadelphia for senior citizens. Prior to working with PICC, Karla was an integral part of the management team of The Council of Spanish Speaking Organizations of Philadelphia. She spearheaded projects such as strategic planning, board relations, staff and volunteer recruitment, grant writing, and outreach. During the 2010 Census and in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Multicultural Affairs, she helped coordinate a campaign to engage the Latino community. Karla holds a liberal arts degree from Universidad Metropolitana in Caracas, Venezuela and an M.S. in Social Policy from the University of Pennsylvania.

Esther Tricoche

Education Program Manager

Prior to joining the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, Esther worked as a policy researcher for a Fortune 500 company focusing on international human rights and corporate sustainable development. She also served as a cultural affairs policy researcher through a partnership with the Houston Mayor's Office and is a former member of a Rice University research team that focused on memory and cognition in relation to learning. As a Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans National Scholar, community volunteer, and speaker for at-risk students, Esther brings deep passion to the Laura and John Arnold Foundation to transform the United States’ public education system. Esther holds a degree in Cognitive Science from Rice University, with a concentration in Neuroscience.

Kerry Vaughan

Technology & Innovation Manager

Kerry manages the Foundation’s portfolio of innovative technology-based philanthropic projects, including the Giving Library, the ERIN Project, and Innovation Labs. He is also responsible for providing the Foundation with ideas for new technology-related innovation projects that align with its overall strategic goals. Kerry holds a joint degree in philosophy and psychology from Trinity University, where he was a member of the national service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega and the philosophy honors society Phi Sigma Tau. He has a passion for using critical and analytical philosophical approaches to create social impact.

Leila Walsh

Director of Communications

Leila is a former journalist with experience producing award-winning television reports, leading complex multimedia campaigns, and developing internal and external communications strategies. Prior to joining the Foundation, she was a senior manager in the Office of Communications at one of the largest school districts in the country. Leila served as the project manager for some of the district's largest communications initiatives and provided editorial direction across multiple platforms, including the Web, print, television, and social media. Leila began her career as a radio and television news reporter and spent 13 years reporting in San Antonio, Texas, and upstate New York. She graduated cum laude from Syracuse University with a degree in Political Science and Broadcast Journalism.

Caprice Young, Ed.D.

Vice President of Education

Caprice is a nationally respected education innovator. She has held top leadership positions in technology, education, government, and business, including serving as the Assistant Deputy Mayor of the City of Los Angeles; a Manager in IBM’s eBusiness consulting practice; founding CEO/President of the California Charter Schools Association; CEO/President of KC Distance Learning, an instructional technology company serving over 170,000 students; and, most recently, as CEO of the Inner City Education Foundation Public Schools and CEO/President of EnCorps, a nonprofit organization recruiting and training new STEM teachers. Caprice has served on numerous boards, including the Board of Education of the Los Angeles Unified School District, on which she presided as President, as well as the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Education Excellence (California), the Fordham Foundation, and the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, and Apple Academy Charter Public Schools, among others. She is a recipient of the Coro Foundation Crystal Eagle Award for Achievement in Public Service. Caprice holds a bachelor’s degree from Yale University, a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California, and a Doctorate of Education from the University of California, Los Angeles.