Staff

Hillary Kane

Hillary Kane is the Director for the Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development (PHENND). PHENND is a consortium of over 25 institutions of higher education in the Greater Philadelphia region that seeks to help campuses connect to their communities through mutually beneficial service and service-learning partnerships. Since Ms. Kane joined PHENND in 1999, the organization has increased its membership, developed new multi-university programs and partnerships, and become a leader in the field of service-learning. Under her leadership, PHENND has developed particular expertise in K-16 Partnerships, with an emphasis on college readiness and success. PHENND has partnered with the School District of Philadelphia for over 15 years on all of its GEAR UP grants as well as the K-16 VISTA project which places 20 full-time AmeriCorps VISTAs in public schools and District offices. PHENND also manages the Next Steps AmeriCorps program, which enrolls low-income college students as part-time AmeriCorps members. Last year, PHENND acquired PHENND Fellows, another full-time VISTA project that places members at nonprofit organizations for a variety of capacity-building projects. Hillary is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies. She is also member of the Greater Philadelphia Corporate Volunteer Council, is active in local politics, and is a proud School District parent.

Eden Kainer is the VISTA Program Manager at PHENND. Eden began with PHENND in 2012 as part of the planning team for the VISTA Community Partnerships project, helping build the systems and processes for recruiting, training and placing VISTAs in schools to serve as Community Partnerships Coordinators as well building relationships with hosting principals. Prior to PHENND, she served three years as a Parent and Community Ombudsman with the School District of Philadelphia, and is to this day an active Philadelphia public school parent. A graduate of Bryn Mawr College with a degree in sociology, Ms. Kainer also received a PhD in Musicology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. For her dissertation, she examined the intersections of popular vocal performance with aural markers of race. Other interests include violin teaching and orchestral performance.

Janine Wright joined PHENND as the K-16 Partnerships Manager in the summer of 2020. Prior to PHENND she spent over twenty-five years in the nonprofit sector focused primarily on college access and success, community-based education and engagement and professional development. She served as the Assistant Director for Minority Recruitment at the University of Pennsylvania and was part of the inaugural staff of the Philadelphia Education Fund’s College Access Program (later serving twice as its director). Janine also managed the E3 Centers project at the Philadelphia Youth Network and directed the agency’s professional development initiatives for network members.

Janine received both her bachelor’s degree in communications and her master’s degree in urban education from Temple University. She is a proud Philadelphian who remains eternally convinced that the Eagles can do it again.

Malikah comes to PHEND with over twenty years’ experience working primarily in the college access and career education field with High School and first year generation college students. Prior to PHENND Malikah served as the Assistant Program Manager of a non-profit organization called A Better Chance, working to provide access and equity to recruit, identify and place students of color into independent day & boarding schools located throughout the United States. In this role Malikah was able to serve students in the Midwest & MidAtlantic regions.

Before working with A Better Chance Malikah was responsible for managing the Philadelphia Scholars Program with the Philadelphia Education Fund helping to provide supports, mentoring and additional resources with college students who applied for the last dollar scholarship. Malikah started at PEF as the TRIO College Access Coordinator working at Roxborough High School assisting seniors with college applications, filling out the FAFSA, coordinating college trips and providing college readiness workshops to help students get to and through college successfully.

Working with the Scholars Program Malikah learned about food insecurity and the challenges that our youth experience in college. This furthered Malikah to get more involved in her community by becoming a member of the Junior League of Philadelphia and serving on both the Little Black Dress Initiative committee, a fundraiser to combat food insecurity in Philadelphia, as well as the Diversity and Inclusion committee.

Malikah earned her Master’s degree from Rosemont College, and her Bachelor’s degree from Lincoln University. She was destined to be a writer, but after she graduated from college she decided to complete a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer with the Big Brother Big Sister Association, in which she worked as a School-Based Mentoring Intern. This experience propelled her interest and passion for working with youth.

Malikah currently resides in Drexel Hill, PA, and loves to spend time with her family. In fact, she hopes in the near future to write a children’s book with her daughter.

Dana Kayser is the new Operations Coordinator for VISTA Programs at PHENND. Dana will be working primarily on the monitoring and evaluating of the program, as well as organizing systems and creating and documenting the policies and procedures of PHENND Fellows VISTA. Dana comes to us most recently from working as the Operations Director of YMCA Macedonia and serving in the Peace Corps. A graduate of Goucher College in Baltimore, Dana is originally from New York and has done five(!) years of National Service with AmeriCorps and Peace Corps. She is excited to bring everything she learned from those experiences to help amplify the impact of the PHENND Fellows VISTA program by helping to make data-informed strategic decisions. Besides National Service- Dana loves traveling, curling, dogs, and New York bagels.

Gem is a multidisciplinary creative working towards social change. They just completed a year of service as a Community Center Coordinator at YESPhilly before transitioning to be a VISTA Leader at PHENND.

They were born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they developed their love of art, community, and all the space between. Gem is a graduate of NC State University, where they studied Fashion and Arts Entrepreneurship. At NC State, they worked for The Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs to create programming and find opportunities for self-starting womxn, served as president of Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority Inc., a cultural organization for Asian womxn, and served as the Vice President of Public Relations at the Multicultural Greek Council.

Throughout their studies, they ventured into the world of non-profits, from a community-centered arts space to a global public health organization.

When they aren’t working, you’ll probably find them rollerskating, perfecting their bagel recipe, or learning how to make rugs.

 Lane Frazee is the PHENND Sustainability Coordinator. Prior to joining PHENND, she served two years as the Community Partnerships Coordinator for Walter B. Saul High School in Roxborough. She grew up in Oreland, Pennsylvania, and has lived in and around Montgomery and Philadelphia County for most of her life. Lane is a recent graduate with a B.A. in Peace Studies from Goucher College. Before PHENND, she has worked with an advocacy organization for incarcerated women and girls, and as a bartender at a local brewery.  She is interested in learning about relationships between communities and schools, and how she can help those connections grow stronger. She is especially excited to be working on sustainability because she enjoys gardening, food, and all things animals in her free time. In the future, Lane hopes to work towards building self-sustaining communities.

Hi I’m Ania! I graduated from St. Mary’s College of Maryland where I studied Environmental Studies and the Spanish language. As a VISTA with an interest in human and environmental rights defense, I hope to develop my professional skills to facilitate the distribution of essential items to my local community. This year I will be serving at Cradles to Crayons, a non-profit that assists low-income families in Philadelphia by providing childcare items.

Beverly Ramos Lopez is interested in education, psychology, and public health. She studied Health Promotion at American University in Washington D.C. and found an opportunity to work at Nationalities Service Center in Philadelphia. She enjoyed exploring the city and became curious to learn more about education and ways to support students of Philadelphia. Beverly is excited for her year with PHENND to foster partnerships between Morrison Elementary and the local community.

Brett is working this year as a Community Partnerships Coordinator at Bodine High School for International Affairs. Brett grew up in the Philadelphia area, however completed his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Spanish and International Studies at Saint Louis University in St. Louis Missouri. During his undergrad studies, he worked as an intern at the World Affairs Council of St. Louis. Prior to his service as a VISTA, Brett was a Field Representative for a political action committee during the 2020 election cycle. He is excited to make a difference during his year as a PHENND Fellow.

Duncan Hardiman is a PHENND Fellow serving at Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts, a nonprofit focused on judicial advocacy and educating Pennsylvanians about the state judicial system. Duncan is a recent graduate of Rutgers University with a double major in Political Science and Economics. At Rutgers, Duncan was also an Undergraduate Associate at the Eagleton Institute of Politics, and the secretary of the German Club. Prior to PHENND, Duncan worked at the Eagleton Institute of Politics for its multiple research centers and was a Jetski rental safety officer during the summers in Brigantine. He is a proud native of southern New Jersey and is an avid fan of basketball and rowing.

Elianie is a Project Coordinator at Lewis Elkins Elementary who works under the PHENND program in Americorps. Elianie is passionate about education and further improving the skills needed to help better our communities. Elianie holds a BA in Communication from La Salle University. As a communication major, Elianie enjoyed finding new ways to strengthen their interpersonal communication skills. In their free time, Elianie enjoys painting, reading, and playing adventure games with friends.

Frances Sanchez is an AmeriCorps PHENND VISTA in the Office of School Safety at the school district of Philadelphia. She received a B.S from Fitchburg State in Criminal Justice. Her education course work and ongoing interest in the school to prison pipeline has made her want to advocate and be the change she hopes to see. She hopes to further her degree in graduate school studying law or educational leadership. During her free time she likes to go on hikes, explore the city, try new foods and go to the gym.

Helen recently graduated from Bucknell University in PA with degrees in Sociology and Psychology. I am working for the Office of Strategic Partnerships for the School District of Philadelphia as a VISTA and hope to learn more about how to address community needs and create better outcomes for people in poverty on a systemic level. In my free time I like to be outdoors playing soccer, running, hiking, or admiring other peoples dogs. I am excited to explore Philly and add more to my list!

Jack Ross-Pilkington is an AmeriCorps VISTA fellow serving with Philadelphia Legal Assistance. He will be working with the medical-legal community partnership, an initiative which provides legal services to individuals receiving treatment for opioid addiction. Originally from Stuyvesant Falls, NY, he graduated in 2021 with a B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University. In his spare time, he enjoys podcasts and jogging.

Jordy Portillo recently graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in Sociology on the Data Science, Markets, and Management track and a minor in Poverty, Inequality, and Policy. Born and raised in DC of Salvadoran parents, Jordy has set out to Philly to work in the Pennsylvania Farmworkers Project at Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA). He wants to work towards building better systems that value the wellbeing of everyone while addressing the specific needs of the community which is part of why he joined PLA. In his free time he loves to play Smash Bros, watch scary movies, make Spotify playlists, and try new foods.

Leah Hood is the Community Partnership Coordinator for Ziegler Elementary. She is passionate about advocating for public education and has an M.S. in International Development from Eastern University. Leah has 20+ years experience working with communities, both internationally and in NW Philadelphia. She loves facilitating teams, building relationships between programs and donors, and sharing inspiring stories of people working in their neighborhoods. Leah lives in the Germantown section of the city and has been a Philadelphia public school parent for over 8 years.

Molly joins WePAC with a passion for community engagement and education and an avid interest in nonprofit communications and strategy. Born and raised in rural Tennessee, Molly graduated with a B.A. in English literature from Washington University in St. Louis in 2020. She spent the past year working in activities and life enrichment in a senior living community. Molly is also a yoga and meditation instructor specializing in accessible and trauma-informed practices. In her free time, she enjoys reading short stories, getting to know the neighborhoods of Philadelphia, and cooking her grandmother’s recipes. As someone whose vision of the world was shaped by books and storytelling from an early age, Molly is especially inspired by WePAC’s commitment to building literacy and expanding access to books through a volunteer-based model, empowering students for a future full of imagination, empathy, and learning.

Nayezge Heyer is a recent graduate of Temple University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Community Development. He has lived in Philadelphia his entire life. He will be spending the year working at First Up. The organization strives to help educators and other early childhood education professionals to ensure high quality education for youths in southeastern Pa. His biggest interest outside of his work would be following the 4 major sports teams in the city.

Nika Svirinavichyus is the PHENND fellow at Nationalities Service Center, an organization that provides services to immigrants and refugees. Nationalities Service Center works on “empowering individuals to build a self-sustaining and dignified future” (https://nscphila.org). Her role as a educational supports specialist will involve creating an orientation for incoming refugees for the Philadelphia school system, creating a group of volunteers to support incoming refugee children, and coordinating with educators to provide services for newly enrolled students. Nika recently graduated from Baruch College with a Bachelors degree in Philosophy. While studying at Baruch, Nika was involved in an art club and coordinated events to engage students in arts education. She also worked at CASA-NYC as an Assistant Volunteer Coordinator where she assisted in building a diverse community of volunteers to provide assistance to foster care youth and children to navigate the child welfare system. Nika enjoys hiking, biking, playing with her dog Sasha and creating art.

Ola Onawole is serving as the Organizational Data Specialist at the District 1199-c Training Fund. She was born in Norfolk, and has lived and worked all over the DC, MD, VA area.  You may call her Ola, Oladoyin, Doyin, or any portion of her Yoruba name that you choose! You can even call her “honey turns to wealth” (the translation of her first name). Ola is a former applied behavior analysis therapist, non-profit program manager, and therapeutic case manager who developed a passion for community data storytelling and program evaluation while studying Psychology and African American Studies at the University of Virginia. She is currently pursuing her Masters of Public Health at Drexel’s Dornsife School of Public Health in Community Health and Prevention. Her favorite things include sweet potatoes, Spotify music playlists, sight-seeing, all things of the African diaspora, and helping others see their own personal strengths. The thing that she is most excited about is the opportunity to uplift the Philadelphia hospital union workers’ stories of triumph and resiliency through data collection and analysis.

Omar Babb is the PHENND Fellow for the Re-Engagement Center. He is charged with creating a sustainable system and framework for the development and implementation of an external partnerships program.

He is a graduate of CUNY, holding a BA in Political Science. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. Thus he is excited to get to know the community that he is now live. He spent time as Bonner for Allegheny College Gateway. Developing and coordinating programs to assist student development and counseling sessions. Shortly joining the team of Congressman Gregory Meeks as an intern, collecting and analyzing data and performing community outreach and creating marketing materials to inspire engagement in vaccine rollout and spread awareness of the Covid pandemic. He has a strong commitment to extending education opportunities all who has interest and a developing a strong system of support of schools and students.

He has not had the chance to have a Philly cheesesteak yet. Any recommendations?

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Rebecca has always had an interest in the environment and social justice. This led her to pursue an undergraduate degree in Environmental studies from the University of Delaware and a master degree in liberal arts from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her previous experiences include non-profit, legal and school based work. In this year of service she is working with UTC to increase food access and community engagement in Haddington, west Philadelphia. Her larger career goals are to bring justice and empowerment to both people and the environment.

Ruby Aidun is a data specialist at the 1199c Training and Upgrading Fund. She grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and recently graduated from the engineering school at Columbia University in NYC with a B.S. in Materials Science. Ruby is interested in science communication and public policy that improves the lives of underserved populations. In her free time Ruby enjoys biking, cooking and baking, jigsaw puzzles, podcasts, and exploring Philadelphia on foot.

Sarah Cowan is a PHENND Fellow at Challah for Hunger. She grew up in Bel Air, Maryland and has lived there most her life. Sarah is a recent graduate with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Sociology from McDaniel College. She spent her time at McDaniel focusing on food insecurity and environmental equity. She hopes to use her service year to amplify the issue of campus hunger and work to become a leader in the anti-hunger space. Outside of work Sarah enjoys gardening, reading, cross stitching, and hiking.

My name is Sofia and I am working at The School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Sustainability. I am from Cali, Colombia and I grew up in North Carolina where I graduated from UNC at Chapel Hill in 2019 with a degree in Information Science and Geography. Before PHENND I worked as a data analyst but wanted to transition to a sustainability related career while also serving my community. I am excited to serve this year in Philadelphia and get to know the community better.