Our Team

“I started ScholarCHIPS because I know firsthand the struggles that come with having a parent in prison—all too often you become marginalized or dismissed as a delinquent. If it weren’t for my family and teachers giving me a chance, I would not have made it to where I am today. I simply want to give the gift of support and opportunity back to the generations proceeding behind me!”

Estefania De La Cruz
Scholar Relations & Programming Coordinator

“I decided to join the ScholarCHIPS team because I was truly inspired by Ms. Yasmine’s dedication to helping young adults reach their biggest dreams. It is such a beautiful thing having witnessed at the annual awards ceremony the hard work and passion that goes into having scholars succeed and continue to grow academically, personally, and professionally. With my previous experience working with students and their families, I look forward to meeting ScholarCHIPS’ wonderful alumni and new incoming scholars and being able to provide them with the best support they deserve. I do believe that everyone deserves to succeed, especially those who show much determination and put their best efforts into everything they do.”

Karen Addis, APR
Addis Communications
President and CEO

ScholarCHIPS Board Member – Communications Committee Co-Chair

Karen Addis, APR, has more than 25 years of experience, including spending over a decade working in-house for several national and international nonprofit membership organizations. A writer at heart, Karen began her career as a reporter for a monthly trade magazine. 

Prior to founding Addis Communications, Karen held senior-level management positions with several PR agencies, including Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide as well as mid-sized and boutique firms.

“I can sum up my reason for joining the ScholarCHIPS Board of Directors in one word: Yasmine! I am so inspired by her energy, enthusiasm, and how she is making a difference in the world at such a young age. And it is truly an honor to use my strategic communications skills to help her and the rest of the team advance the mission of this wonderful organization.”

Raynna Nkwanyuo Anyangwe
Otsuka
Associate Compliance Counsel

ScholarCHIPS Alumna (2012 Cohort)
ScholarCHIPS Secretary – Governance Committee

“I am a firm believer that, “one should not be pushed by their problems, but be led by their dreams.” I was honored and truly humbled to be part of the first cohort in 2012 and certainly attribute my success to this organization. As the child of a formerly incarcerated parent and ScholarCHIPS alumna, I am committed to fostering the growth of the scholars and leading by example to encourage rising above statistics. My legal mind and passion towards the mission will certainly make my service enjoyable.”

Stephanie Cummings Carr
Google, Inc.
Senior Federal IT Leader

ScholarCHIPS Board Member – Fundraising Committee

Mrs. Cummings Carr is a native of Albany, NY and has been a DC transplant for almost 30 years now.  During her tenure in the Washington Metropolitan area, Stephanie has maintained most of her career in the IT Industry as a Software Sales Executive spanning across companies such as IBM Corporation, Computer Associates, Oracle Corporation and is currently employed with Amazon Web Services as a Partner Executive based out of Arlington, VA. 

“I chose to be a part of ScholarCHIPS, Inc since this phase of life can be especially vulnerable for teenagers and I have become a great vessel of assistance as they assimilate through that journey.  Children of incarcerated parents can often be an overlooked group of young people who require mentoring, inspiring them to complete their college education. This is the great mission of what ScholarCHIPS is all about and it truly resonates with me especially since I have no biological children of my own.

Natalie Eisner
Microsoft
Program Manager

ScholarCHIPS Board Member – Fundraising Committee

Natalie Eisner is a Program Manager at Microsoft. Her personal mission is to increase access to technology and innovation. Natalie earned a Bachelor of Science in computer engineering and urban studies from the University of Pennsylvania. She has served as a board member for the Penn Alumni Club, a volunteer coordinator for Breakthrough Collaborative, and a tax preparer for United Way.

“I am inspired by ScholarCHIPS’ mission and commitment to supporting scholars. The impact of the organization extends beyond providing scholarships and includes mentorship and a community. Students are the future leaders who will make changes in their communities. I’m honored to serve on the board and to use my skills to support its goals.”

Alex Hollingsworth
Northwestern Mutual
Financial Representative

ScholarCHIPS Treasurer – Finance Committee

Alex has been in the financial services industry for 18 years, assisting both business and personal clients. Alex has served on many non-profit boards during his career, including YOUR Community Center and The Training Source. He has also taken the time to serve as a volunteer providing financial literacy at such organizations as Operation Hope and provided business training at the Metropolitan Business League.

“I’m joining ScholarCHIPS because they’re willing to address not only the financial burden of paying for college but the additional challenges youth face having an incarcerated parent.”

Robert Mayo, PhD, NCC
American Institutes for Research
Senior Technical Assistance Consultant

ScholarCHIPS Board Member – Programs Committee

Robert V. Mayo, Ph.D., NCC, is currently a senior technical assistance consultant within the youth, family and community group at the American Institutes for Research – a top-tier applied social science research organization. Dr. Mayo has served as the Director of projects focused on the development and implementation of equity- and data-driven holistic academic, social, emotional and mental health student support systems and programming; student persistence and resilience; and individual and collective efficacy building initiatives. He has also provided extensive technical assistance to state and local education agency leaders focused on serving at-risk, neglected and delinquent children and youth. 

“I was drawn to ScholarCHIPS’ powerful and timely mission and vision, and desired to apply my collective professional knowledge and skill sets, network and personal passion to this “good work.”

ScholarCHIPS Alumni (2013 Cohort)
ScholarCHIPS Board Member – Communications Committee Co-Chair

Andranae Nelson is a Native Washingtonian and Communications Associate at JPMorgan Chase & Co., where she leads communications for an internal program for the East region, United States. She’s responsible for lifting up success stories through content creation, brand management, thought leadership, copy editing and photography. Prior to joining the firm, Andranae worked for a small consulting firm in the nation’s capital, specializing in branding and marketing in the aviation industry.

“As a 2013 ScholarCHIPS Book Award recipient and new board member, I want to pay it forward by supporting such young and talented scholars. I am a child of an incarcerated parent and I see myself in all of the scholars I come in contact with. I see their passion for their family and community at large. I see their grit in accomplishing goals and making dreams a reality. I see their resilience in pushing past the negative stereotypes and injustices that plague our society. Yet, I see the silence among us due to fear of judgment; when in actuality, our words have power. As a Communicator, I understand the power of sharing our own unique stories to dismantle the stigmas associated with children of incarcerated parents. If we don’t, who will?”

Miyesha Perry
Bainum Family Foundation
Director of Grants Management

ScholarCHIPS Board Chair – Governance Committee Chair

Miyesha is joining the Rainin Foundation at a critical point in its growth and future direction.  In her new role, she and her team will design and implement systems, processes, and best practices that support Rainin staff and grantee partners in doing their best work — including implementing the new strategic plan and DEI learning agenda. Previously, Miyesha served as an Associate Director at the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, which funds nonprofit organizations in the metropolitan Washington area.

“As the daughter of a returning citizen, the mission of ScholarCHIPS speaks to my life’s experiences of navigating college and all the stigma, shame and challenges that come with being the child and family of a prisoner…I wish there was a ScholarCHIPS when I was in college so it is a privilege to be joining the Board and to be of service to ScholarChips students and families!” 

Rex Yancey, Jr.
Maximus Foundation
Employee Engagement & Volunteer Initiatives

ScholarCHIPS Board Member

Rex initially joined the ScholarCHIPS team in 2020, during the COVID-19 Pandemic, as a Development Consultant. Rex led the charge for ScholarCHIPS to begin having annual audits conducted by independent auditing firms with a speciality for non-profit organizations. Rex returned a few years later as a board member. In this role he will help strengthen ScholarCHIPS’ Board Governance structure, board fiduciary responsibilities and provide outside-of-the-box and also strategic vision and goals in order to strengthen the financial health of ScholarCHIPS, ensure its sustainability and propel its growth for more impact. Rex has had a long-standing career with expertise in university alumni and donor engagement, securing government and agency grants, fundraising and development, nonprofit organization audits, nonprofit board and employee management and more.

Vida Anderson
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
Real Estate Agent

Board Chair Emeritus

“As Yasmine Arrington’s Girl Scout leader, I was able to witness first-hand her passion and unwavering compassion for the students that she serves.  I admire her courage and steadfast commitment to developing ScholarCHIPS into an organization with a mission that matters.  When you think of Yasmine, you automatically think of ScholarCHIPS — they have become one entity that I predict will one day be a household word.  I believe in ScholarCHIPS because Yasmine believes in ScholarCHIPS, and I believe in Yasmine!  She knows that I will always support her and this very worthy cause.”

Chris Magnuson
EVERFI
Director of Learner Experience

Board Chair Emeritus

Chris served for an impressive 11 years on the ScholarCHIPS Board. He is a long-time educator who has taught ESL, Social Studies, Journalism, French and Cooking to middle school students and adults in New York City, Puebla, Mexico and Washington, DC. In fact, he was Yasmine’s 7th grade social studies teacher at Paul Public Charter School! He left the classroom in 2012 and created and ran dynamic field trips for four years as the Director of Innovation at Live It Learn It, designed educational video games and curricular materials as the Education Content Strategist at Dig-It! Games and now is the Director of Learner Experience at EVERFI which produces impactful online learning experiences for students in North America and the UK.

“I got involved with ScholarCHIPS because I wanted to support Yasmine in such a worthy cause.  She was my student when she was in my 7th grade history class and it is great to see her come so far!  As an educator in DC for over a decade, I know how incarceration affects the lives of many students.  We need to talk about it more and make sure that children of incarcerated parents get the support they need.”

Scott Rechler
LearnServe International
Co-Executive Director

Treasurer Emeritus

Scott Rechler is a founding Board member of ScholarCHIPS and served for an impressive 12 years on the ScholarCHIPS Board.  A Washington DC native, Scott is Director and CEO of LearnServe International, a non-profit organization that prepares high school and middle school students as community leaders, with a focus on social entrepreneurship and global awareness.  Scott graduated from Harvard College with a B.A. in social anthropology.  He wrote his senior thesis on social entrepreneurship and social change in southern Chile, and co-founded Harvard’s Race, Culture, and Diversity Initiative to improve campus inter-cultural relations. Scott worked for five years at Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, strengthening Ashoka’s dynamic global community of social entrepreneurs.  Scott was selected a 2009 winner of the Linowes Leadership Award of the Community Foundation of the National Capital Region.  He received his M.B.A. from George Washington University’s School of Business in May 2012.  A fluent Spanish speaker, Scott has lived in Chile and Bolivia.

“Children of incarcerated parents are among the most under-supported and under-recognized populations in our country — young people who, through no fault of their own, face emotional, financial, and familial challenges. ScholarCHIPS offers a powerful platform to break the cycle of incarceration by giving children of incarcerated parents the support they need as they continue their education.

I had the opportunity to work with Yasmine Arrington in 2010 when she, as a LearnServe Fellow, began to breathe life into the idea of ScholarCHIPS. I am honored to serve now with what has become a thriving organization with tremendous potential to make a significant impact.”