Cara Lesser
Founder & Executive Director
Meet the committed people behind the movement to remake education and empower the next generation with the skills to invent the future.
Interested in joining us?
Explore career opportunities.
Meet the committed people behind the movement to remake education and empower the next generation with the skills to invent the future.
Leadership Team

Under Cara’s leadership, KID Museum has grown from an idea to become an anchoring regional institution, offering high-impact maker learning through deep, embedded partnerships with schools, weekend and after school programs, camps, and community events. With a focus on K-8 students, their families, and classroom educators, KID Museum builds pathways for sustained student growth and development. Deeply committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and access, the museum consistently prioritizes populations traditionally under-represented in STEM fields.
Prior to founding KID Museum, Cara held a number of leadership positions in the field of health policy and health services research. She received her Masters of Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, and her Bachelors of Arts from Barnard College, Columbia University.
What's your favorite thing to make?
Pronouns: She, her, hers.

What’s your favorite thing to make?
Spreadsheets! And new systems and processes that help us work smarter.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Holly Christensen
Chief Operating Officer

What’s your favorite thing to make?
I love baking Challah bread every week and experimenting with different fillings (yes, I stuff the bread with sweet or savory concoctions as a special surprise).
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Jackie Eyl
Chief Program Officer

What’s your favorite thing to make?
I love making all kinds of things, from jewelry to paper craft, to textiles. Right now, I've been enjoying expanding my embroidery skills and knitting scarves and hats for the winter.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Dorothy Jones-Davis
Chief Impact Officer

What’s your favorite thing to make?
My favorite thing to create are opportunities and pathways for people to succeed and grow.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Monica J. Goodwyn Caul, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Chief People and Culture Officer
Education

What’s your favorite thing to make?
I love 3D printing! It’s incredibly satisfying to print something out that can help solve problems.
Pronouns: He, him, his.
Will Ashley
Education Program Manager

What’s your favorite thing to make?
Anything fiber related! One of my favorite things to make is hanging wall tapestries.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Lucia Belivakivi-Clever
Program Manager

What’s your favorite thing to make?
Anything with textiles! Love working on the sewing machine!
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Kathleen Chung
Maker Educator

Carolyn Eby
Maker Educator

Seth Fangboner
Senior Maker Educator

Savannah Fetterolf
Education Program Manager

What’s your favorite thing to make?
In the spirit of sustainability, I enjoy making things with repurposed materials.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Laurel Harrington
Director, School Engagement

What’s your favorite thing to make?
I love woodworking, so pretty much anything in the shop I will enjoy making.
Pronouns: He, him, his.
Reid Henkel
Education Program Manager

What’s your favorite thing to make?
Someone smile 🙂 Or maybe… designing and modeling things to be 3D printed!
Pronouns: He, him, his.
Noah Hughes
Program Facilitator

What’s your favorite thing to make?
I love to learn new tools and mediums, and I am constantly creating. Currently, my passions are paper sculpting, textiles, and digital fabrication.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Sydney Lee
Senior Maker Educator

What’s your favorite thing to make?
I love making of all kinds with little kids, whether it’s cooking/baking, experimenting with arts & crafts materials, or exploring in nature!
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Kate Loux
Maker Educator

What’s your favorite thing to make?
Food, and art.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Odalys Lugo-Morales
Senior Manager, Community and Partner Engagement

Jessica McElravy
Maker Educator

Gabriel Mellan
Senior Director, Exhibit and Experience Design

Brian Merski
Program Facilitator

Brittany Moore
Exhibit and Installation Designer

What’s your favorite thing to make?
In my free time, I enjoy quilting, embroidering, and knitting.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Karah Peña
Maker Educator

What’s your favorite thing to make?
Functional ceramics.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Drew Perry
Program Facilitator

What’s your favorite thing to make?
There are so many things I like to make, but most recently I have been into linoleum block carving and printmaking.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Annalise Phillips
Senior Director, Programs and Learning Innovation

What’s your favorite thing to make?
I have a passion for all things music so I really enjoy helping find ways to include music, rhythms, and melodies in Maker design experiences.
Pronouns: He, him, his.
Jonathan Rivera
Education Program Manager

What’s your favorite thing to make?
I like to make interior designs and spatial plans for exhibits.
Pronouns: He, him, his.
Jake Sanford
Exhibit Technician

What’s your favorite thing to make?
My favorite WAY to make is with other people so I like to co-create spaces to create and learn. I also make customized shoes and installations featuring an excess of paint.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Lezlie Silverstein
Maker Educator

What’s your favorite thing to make?
People smile. 🙂
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Barbara Stemler
Director, Teaching and Program Experience

Senior Education Program Manager
Dia oversees the design and creation of open explore activities and manages Explorer field trips. Before joining KID Museum she was a youth development STEM coordinator, working primarily with middle and high school aged girls. Before that, Dia worked in advanced manufacturing in higher education. In both of these positions, she set up academic makerspaces. Dia holds a Bachelors of Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Arkansas and a Masters in Industrial Engineering from the University of Arkansas.
What’s your favorite thing to make?
I love to rescue and revive vintage furniture.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Dia Stone
Senior Education Program Manager

What’s your favorite thing to make?
I’ve always loved making small wooden gifts for my family and friends, but since joining KID Museum, I’ve developed a love for small hand-sewn crafts and 3D printed structures.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Venu A. Toolaram
Maker Educator

What’s your favorite thing to make?
I like toy hacking with both plushies and plastic toys!
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Connie Yu
Maker Educator

Senior Education Program Manager
Becky works with the Invent the Future Challenge program, where she coordinates logistics, creates the curriculum, and collaborates with teachers to implement the program in schools. She also assists with KID’s teacher professional development programs. Prior to joining KID Museum, Becky was a science teacher for 10 years. She then became the manager of high school sciences for a network of charter schools, after which she created professional development workshops for teachers across the greater D.C. area. Becky received her bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis and holds a master’s degree in Education from Lehman College.
What’s your favorite thing to make?
LEGO creations and messy-little-kid art.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Becky Zeisel
Senior Education Program Manager
Development

What’s your favorite thing to make?
I love to refurbish furniture, paint, and dance.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Nakia Harper
Senior Director, Development

What’s your favorite thing to make?
Changes almost daily. Today it’s quilts, because I just finished one!
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Liza Manfred
Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives
Impact

What’s your favorite thing to make?
Spreadsheets 😉 I also love to spend time in the Textiles Studio whenever I get the chance.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Jaylee Johnson
Senior Associate, Community Engagement

Chad Rabago
Volunteer Manager

Cat Scharon
Senior Manager, Research and Evaluation

What’s your favorite thing to make?
Delicious meals for my family.
Pronouns: He, him, his.
Jason Wallace
Director, Community Outreach and Engagement
Operations

Jurrel Cottman
Facilities Manager

What’s your favorite thing to make?
ART <3 I love to build with my hands and paint–what would life be without creativity?
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Lydia Evans
Visitor Services Associate

What’s your favorite thing to make?
Friends. I also like to sew and use tools to repair objects.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Susan Hullinger
Managing Director, Finance

What’s your favorite thing to make?
LEGOs and baked goods!
Pronouns: He, him, his.
Jake Neuman
Senior Manager, Marketing

What’s your favorite thing to make?
Greeting cards using mixed media.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Megan Shpak
Senior Manager, Operations

What’s your favorite thing to make?
Star Wars puzzles.
Pronouns: He, him, his.
Joshua Smalls
Visitor Services Associate

What’s your favorite thing to make?
Overly complex collages, weirdly specific playlists, and ominous poetry.
Pronouns: They, them, theirs; he, him, his.
Maeve White
Marketing Associate

What’s your favorite thing to make?
My favorite thing to make is music.
Pronouns: She, her, hers.
Kendra Woodfolk-Anthony
Teen Volunteer Coordinator
Board of Directors

Prior to joining Cambridge, Sam was the founder of 4AFRI Media; a venture backed mobile software start up focused on the African Continent. 4AFRI was funded as the Africa version of 4INFO (www.4info.com) the leading SMS services provider in the US. 4AFRI had offices in both Ethiopia and Cameroon developing mobile-based solutions in entertainment, lottery, health, jobs and many other sectors. 4AFRI had reached over 5million customers in less than a year and produced over 100 applications. Sam also lead the creation of 4AFRI’s subsidiary, Lotophone S.A. in West and Central Africa based on exclusive license to run lottery services on the mobile phone
Samuel started his professional career in Silicon Valley as a serial entrepreneur as founder of three successful tech ventures before his 23rd birthday. Sam began creating companies while enrolled as an undergraduate at Stanford University. He was an Associate at Venrock Associates (Rockefeller Family Venture Firm) investing in consumer media and mobile applications. 4AFRI was initially incubated at Venrock but was funded independently by a consortium of investors including SpringHill Equity and leading angel investor Josh Mailman. Sam has worked in various countries in Africa including Cameroon, Gabon, Senegal, Mali, Algeria, DRC, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan and South Africa.
Sam Alemayehu
Cambridge Industries Energy

Board of Directors, Vice Chair
Executive Committee
Permanent Home Committee, Chair
Finance Committee
Governance Committee
Robby Brewer
Lerch, Early & Brewer

Co-Founder, KID Museum
Board of Directors, Secretary
Development Committee, Co-Chair
Governance Committee
Strategic Communications Committee
Jill Chessen
Long and Foster

Board of Directors, Chair
Finance Committee
Governance Committee
Strategy Committee
Strategic Communications Committee
David Goldberg
Goldner LLC

Susan Hendrickson
Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society

Dr. Shanika Hope
Google

Corporate Leadership Council
Governance Committee
Strategy Committee
Development Committee
Strategic Communications Committee
Corinna Lathan
AnthroTronix

Michael Lin, Ph.D.
Formerly National Institutes of Health

Under Cara’s leadership, KID Museum has grown from an idea to become an anchoring regional institution, offering high-impact maker learning through deep, embedded partnerships with schools, weekend and after school programs, camps, and community events. With a focus on K-8 students, their families, and classroom educators, KID Museum builds pathways for sustained student growth and development. Deeply committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and access, the museum consistently prioritizes populations traditionally under-represented in STEM fields.
Prior to founding KID Museum, Cara held a number of leadership positions in the field of health policy and health services research. She received her Masters of Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, and her Bachelors of Arts from Barnard College, Columbia University.
Founder and Executive Director, KID Museum
Cara Lesser
KID Museum

Development Committee
Corporate Leadership Council
Alexandre H. Rene
Ropes & Gray LLP

Strategy Committee
Finance Committee
Governance Committee
Permanent Home Committee
Strategic Communications Committee
Brian Taff
Streetsense

Strategic Communications Committee, Chair
Development Committee
J. Antonio Tijerino
Hispanic Heritage Foundation
Special thanks to our advisors and corporate supporters:
Corporate Leadership Council
Sam Alemayehu, Cambridge Industries Energy
Anne Bancroft, Exelon
Angela Franco, DC Chamber of Commerce
Susan Hendrickson, Arnold & Porter
Shanika Hope, Google
Corinna Lathan, AnthroTronix
Alexandre H. Rene, Ropes & Gray
Scott Tjaden, Constellation

