Who We Are

ANDREW WOLK — FOUNDER AND CEO

Widely recognized as a leading social innovator and a pioneering teacher of social entrepreneurship, Andrew founded Root Cause in 2004 and continues to lead its overall strategic direction, having consulted to dozens of nonprofit organizations in their quest to achieve enduring social impact.

Andrew authored a chapter in the Small Business Administration’s annual report to the president of the United States, entitled “Social Entrepreneurship and Government: A New Breed of Entrepreneurs Developing Solutions to Social Problems,” a white paper co-published with the Aspen Institute, entitled “Advancing Social Entrepreneurship: Recommendations for Policy Makers and Government Agencies,” and the Root Cause How-to Guides Business Planning for Enduring Social Impact and Building a Performance Measurement System.

Andrew designed and taught one of the first courses on social entrepreneurship in the country. He is a senior lecturer in social entrepreneurship at MIT and is a Gleitsman Visiting Practitioner at Harvard Kennedy School, where he is currently teaching a course on new public leadership and the role of government. He has served on the board of Social Enterprise Alliance and the advisory board of the Social Capitalist Awards, and helped establish the Boston chapter of Social Venture Partners. Andrew holds an M.B.A. in Entrepreneurship and Nonprofit Management from Boston University and a B.A. from Lehigh University.

JULIE ZACK — ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Julie joined Root Cause in 2004 with more than 10 years of experience as a consultant to nonprofits, a program director, and a clinical social worker. While at Root Cause, she has consulted with multiple organizations working on senior transportation, lifelong learning and service, arts education, domestic violence prevention, and youth development. Julie received her M.B.A from Babson College, where she graduated magna cum laude and was honored with the Ralph Z. and Charlotte A. Sorenson Award for academic merit, entrepreneurial endeavors, and service to the Babson community. She holds an M.S.W. from Washington University, and a B.A. in Psychology from Georgetown University.

SUSAN MUSINSKY — DIRECTOR, SOCIAL INNOVATION FORUM

With a wealth of experience in the nonprofit sector, Susan joined Root Cause in 2005 as the director of the Social Innovation Forum. In this role, she works with Investors (individuals and foundations) and Social Innovators to help effectively implement the future of strategic philanthropy in Greater Boston. Among previous experiences, Susan was executive director of the National Conference for Community and Justice's (NCCJ) Boston office, which grew threefold under her leadership. She has participated on many local boards, including serving as past chair of Congregation Beth El's Tzedkah Hevra group, and as a founding member of the Watertown Community Foundation's Board of Directors. Susan holds an Ed. M., Harvard University, and a B.S., University of Vermont.

KATIE BARNETT — CONSULTANT, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Katie has a variety of experience in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Most recently, she was a consultant with The Bridgespan Group, where she worked with clients in the fields of environment, youth development, and early childhood education. Her projects have included working on a business plan for a citywide system of out-of- school time programs, analysis of strategic options for addressing global climate change, and assisting with the renovation and reopening of a children’s museum. Katie earned an M.B.A. in nonprofit management and a B.A. in history from Yale University.

SEEMA BHARWANI — CONSULTANT, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Seema has a variety of experience in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. In addition to her work with Root Cause, Seema has worked for the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, where she helped companies develop and strengthen their corporate citizenship programs, and Boston Common Asset Management, a socially responsible investment firm. Prior to moving to the East Coast, Seema was the executive director of a nonprofit organization in Seattle. She holds a B.A. in Spanish and Latin American Studies from Wake Forest University and an M.B.A. and M.S.W. from Boston College.

CRISTINA CALZADILLA — RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, SOCIAL IMPACT RESEARCH

Cristina joined Root Cause as a Fall Fellow working with Social Impact Research. Previously, Cristina held the position of Account Executive at Cone, a strategic communications and cause branding firm. At Cone, she helped develop and implement cause programs to accomplish social and business objectives for global and U.S.-based companies and nonprofits. Cristina’s professional experience also includes working as a Consulting Associate at Cambridge Associates, a leading provider of independent investment advice and research to institutional investors and private clients. A native of San Juan, PR, Cristina holds a B.A. with honors in International Relations from Tufts University and is a StartingBloc Fellow.

LAURENCE P. CHAIT — SENIOR CONSULTANT, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Larry has over 30 years of experience in business management and information technology. He has advised senior management teams on achieving and sustaining high performance. His focus is on knowledge management, business process improvement, change management, and strategic business planning. Larry has consulted to Global 100s and start-ups, industrial corporations, professional-service firms, associations, and nonprofits, as well as local, national, and international organizations. He has authored three books on information technology and human resources and is a contributing author of Managing the Learning Process of the Corporation. Larry holds an A.B. in Economics from Cornell University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

ANAND DHOLAKIA — SENIOR CONSULTANT, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Anand joined Root Cause in 2005. His recent projects include a business plan for a national system of services for seniors, and a citywide plan for providing out-of-school time to school-age students. Previously, he worked as an independent consultant to nonprofits in Greater Boston and in India, completing projects in strategic planning, business planning for earned income ventures, market research, and financial modeling. Anand also has more than six years of experience working as a technology designer and developer for Fortune 500 companies and early-stage start-ups. He holds an M.B.A. in Global Management from Babson College and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Rutgers University.

COLLEEN GROSS EBINGER — DIRECTOR, PUBLIC INNOVATORS

Colleen joined Root Cause in 2006 as a consulting fellow and now leads its initiative to help government develop a more strategic approach to supporting social entrepreneurship. She previously founded the Latino Community Advocacy Project at Centro Legal, a nonprofit Latino law firm in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she led civic engagement initiatives and worked on immigration policy at the state and local levels. She served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras, helping the local municipality computerize its accounting and tax departments and working with community members to open a self-sustaining nonprofit Internet center. Colleen holds a B.A. in Political Science and Spanish from the College of St. Benedict and an M.P.P. from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, where she was a Reynolds Foundation Fellow in Social Entrepreneurship.

ZEINA FAYYAZ — Program Coordinator, SOCIAL INNOVATION FORUM

Zeina first joined Root Cause in 2009 as a Social Innovation Forum Program Fellow. In June 2010, she transitioned to her current role as Social Innovation Forum Program Coordinator, managing the Forum's day-to-day operations. Zeina holds a B.A. from Harvard College where she majored in History, minored in Psychology, and spent a semester abroad in Cuba. In college, Zeina was heavily involved in Harvard’s Latino community, serving concurrently as Vice President of Latinas Unidas de Harvard and Treasurer of Concilio Latino. She also wrote and edited for the Harvard International Review. Zeina comes to Root Cause with quite varied experience in the social sector, having worked previously at Let’s Get Ready! (LGR) and the William J. Clinton Foundation.

ABBY FUNG — CONSULTANT, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Abby Fung has been a market research consultant to Fortune 100 and start-up companies; an investment analyst specializing in nonmarketable assets in the Silicon Valley office of Cambridge Associates; and a product manager in charge of a $65-million-dollar line of business at Johnson & Johnson. At business school, Abby was an executive organizer of the Global Social Venture Competition, where she became interested in the intersection of business and social good. Abby has taught at Harvard University and Bay State Community College and was published in theStanford Social Innovation Review (Spring 2008). She is the Boston area co-coordinator for Harvard University’s Center for Public Interest Careers and a Harvard College Schools and Scholarship Chairperson for New York City. She received an AB with honors in history and literature from Harvard University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

PETER HILL — Strategic Partnerships Manager

Peter joined Root Cause in 2008 to manage the Social Innovation Forum's external communications and development. In his current role, Peter is involved in projects on social impact market development, partnership building, and strategy. His previous experience includes writing and editing resources on social sector legal careers at Harvard Law School's Office of Public Interest Advising and running community development and youth empowerment projects for Amigos de las Americas in Mexico and Panama. He currently serves on the Boston Chapter board of AMIGOS and directs the chapter's volunteer training program. He holds a B.A. with high honors in Letters from Wesleyan University.

PAM HOFFMAN — SENIOR CONSULTANT, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Pam Hoffman is a passionate problem solver with over 20 years of experience in the corporate, non-profit and municipal sectors. Pam started her career in software sales and marketing. Her focus recently has been on enhancing information technology organizations’ performance by extending their global reach. Long concerned with children and education, Pam has held leadership positions on various school/parent/teacher committees, and co-founded a community organization advocating for pluralism in the local school system. She played a senior role in her local chapter of Stand for Children, a national nonprofit focused on advocating for children, including lobbying at the Massachusetts State House. Pam is currently serving on the Appropriation Committee for the Town of Lexington, MA and as an elected Town Meeting representative. She holds an MBA from the Tuck School at Dartmouth College and a BA from Wellesley College.

BARRY HORWITZ — SENIOR CONSULTANT, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Barry brings a rare combination of strategy expertise gained at a top strategy consulting firm and operating experience gained at start-ups and established companies to his work, including several years with The Boston Consulting Group and in independent practice. Barry’s management experience includes his role as co-founder and chief operating officer of an Internet start-up company, and roles as vice president of strategy and marketing at an early-stage software company and at two multibillion-dollar retail chains. Barry is also an adjunct professor at the Boston University Graduate School of Management, and at the Boston campuses of the University of Phoenix, where he teaches courses in strategy and marketing at the graduate level. He received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and his B.A. in Economics from Colby College.

Benjapon Jivasantikarn — Project Consultant, Root Cause Consulting

Benjapon brings experience from a consulting and finance background, recent entrepreneurial ventures, and her involvement in a nonprofit organization. In her consulting role at KPMG she advised clients on business incentives and conducted business valuations for corporations in a variety of industries. Benjapon’s entrepreneurial ventures included an innovative food-service concept and a consulting initiative. She serves as a board member and advisor for a foundation for education in Thailand. Benjapon earned a B.A., with honors, in Finance and International Business from Baylor University and an MBA in Entrepreneurship, Magna Cum Laude, from Babson College.

KELLEY KREITZ — KNOWLEDGe DIRECTOr

Kelley developed and launched Root Cause’s knowledge initiative in 2006 and currently directs the department. Her work centers on identifying and analyzing the new ideas about social problem solving in the twenty-first century that are currently being demonstrated by creative leaders within nonprofits, foundations, government, and business. Kelley’s responsibilities include overseeing the Root Cause’s research agenda; developing and editing publications based on Root Cause’s work with the nonprofit, government, and business sectors; and leading customized research projects for clients including Nike and Up2Us. Before joining Root Cause, Kelley worked for New Profit Inc. on initiatives aimed at building the field of social entrepreneurship. She has also worked as a writer and journalist for GreenBiz.com, Public News Service, NPR’s WRNI radio, and Pacifica’s KPFA radio. Kelley holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Brown University and a B.A. from Columbia University.

BROOK MANVILLE — SENIOR CONSULTANT/ADVISOR, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Brook’s work focuses on strategy, organization design and transformation, and leadership development, with a special interest on knowledge management, organizational learning, and knowledge-based strategies. Brook was Executive Vice President of the United Way of America and also its Director of the United Way Center for Community Leadership. Prior to joining the United Way, Brook was Chief Learning Officer and Customer Evangelist of Saba, a Silicon Valley company that remains the leading provider of “e-learning infrastructure” and human capital management solutions. Brook spent a major part of his career as a partner at McKinsey & Co, specializing in organizational development and knowledge-related strategy. Brook holds a Ph.D. in history from Yale and undergraduate degrees in classics from Oxford and Yale.

ALLISON MIRKIN — RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Allison joined Root Cause through the New Sector Alliance Residency in Social Enterprise program.  Over the next year, she will be working as a research associate in the consulting practice as well as providing support on internal projects.  Prior to joining the New Sector Residency, Allison worked as a research associate at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Columbia University.

JOEL OBERMAYER — CONSULTANT, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Joel serves as a project consultant. Previously, he worked for MCS, a Boston-based management consulting firm specializing in small and medium-sized community-based nonprofits. He also worked with a variety of clients independently. He has completed projects in the areas of fundraising, communications, evaluation and impact strategy, program development, human resources, and market research. He also has more than 10 years of experience as a journalist reporting for national and local media. Joel holds a M. Ed. in Technology Innovation and Education from Harvard University and a M.A. in Journalism from Northwestern University. He graduated from Yale University in Math and Philosophy summa cum laude.

ANNE RADDAY — PROGRAM MANAGER, SOCIAL IMPACT RESEARCH

Having joined Root Cause in 2008, Anne brings over seven years of experience in government and the social sector to Root Cause. Prior to joining Root Cause, Anne’s work focused on the social and economic empowerment of women. She has worked at both the grassroots level in Niger, West Africa, as a Peace Corps Volunteer and at the strategic level at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) headquarters. Anne graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University with a BA in Political Science and holds an MPA from International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan, where she was a Rotary World Peace Fellow.

SCOTT RICHARDSON — CONSULTANT, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Since joining Root Cause in 2007, Scott has provided strategic business planning, performance measurement, and operations consulting to numerous nonprofit and government clients addressing social issues ranging from health care to education. Prior to joining Root Cause, Scott co-founded and spent two years serving on the senior management team of NextWorth Solutions, a firm providing turnkey consumer electronics trade-in programs to national big-box retail chains. Scott's previous nonprofit experience includes over ten years in the nonprofit sector serving in leadership roles for organizations including Outward Bound, the YMCA, the JCC, and the New Jersey Workshop for the Arts. Scott holds an M.B.A. from Babson College and a B.A. in Psychology from Rutgers University.

MARY RIVET — SENIOR ADVISOR, SOCIAL INNOVATION FORUM

Mary joined the Social Innovation Forum in September 2007, bringing experience from both the for-profit and nonprofit worlds. She was a principal at Mercer Management Consulting, where she specialized in strategic planning, management education, and organization change for clients across a wide range of industries. She has also served on several nonprofit boards and committees. Her work for the Social Innovation Forum focuses on developing its consulting services, measuring impact, and planning for growth. Mary holds an M.A. in Economics from Georgetown University, where she was a Graduate Fellow concentrating in Econometrics, Public Finance, and Urban and Regional Economics. She graduated cum laude with a B.S. in International Affairs from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.

EMILY SILBERSTEIN — PROGRAM MANAGER, SOCIAL INNOVATION FORUM

Emily joined the Social Innovation Forum team in 2007 through the New Sector Alliance Residency in Social Enterprise program. Prior to joining the Social Innovation Forum, Emily worked for women’s organizations in Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, Costa Rica, and South Africa. She has several years of experience with political organization on the issues of reproductive rights, civic engagement, and racial inequality. Emily holds a B.A. cum laude from Amherst College in Women’s and Gender Studies, Black Studies, and a minor in African Studies. She also holds a M.Sc in Economic Development with merit from the London School of Economics.

RON SINHA — RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Ron is joining Root Cause after working as an analyst with Citigroup.  In addition, he brings experience from his internships in investment banking at America’s Growth Capital and corporate finance at Countrywide Financial.   He has served as volunteer with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society chapters in both Los Angeles and New York and has organized the collection of donations for the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata, India, among other community activities.  He is eager to apply his background in business to addressing issues in the social sector.  Ron has a B.S. in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University.

CLIFF SMITH — OPERATIONS MANAGER, ROOT CAUSE

Cliff joined Root Cause temporarily in 2007 but has returned full-time in 2008 as the Office Manager. His role involves both supporting and initiating changes that are deemed necessary or helpful for the smooth operation of the office. It includes, but is by no means limited to, financial, operational, and scheduling support for the CEO. Cliff has held a wide range of occupations varying from residence hall staff and political activism to teaching GRE prep courses. He recently completed his M.A. in Philosophy from Boston College and holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Texas A&M University.

COLETTE STANZLER — DIRECTOR, SOCIAL IMPACT RESEARCH

Colette started working with Root Cause in 2006 as a graduate student to develop the feasibility study for Social Impact Research. Colette has more than seven years of experience in product development and internal strategy consulting at financial service firms, most recently as a vice president of equity research at Deutsche Bank. As a graduate student, she focused on business strategy and social sector entrepreneurship, specifically on how to measure organizational effectiveness. She holds an M.B.A. from the MIT Sloan School of Management, an M.P.A. from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a B.A. with honors from the University of Rochester.

ART VILASSAKDANONT — Special Projects Associate, Root Cause

Art joins Root Cause in 2010 as a Fellow for the Social Innovation Forum.  Previously he was an intern at Boston World Partnerships where he researched and analyzed social media. Before that, he was a strategy analyst at Merrill Lynch and worked at a start up hedge fund in New York. Art graduated from Dartmouth College in 2006 with majors in History and Engineering modified with Economics. 

Ralitza Abadjieva — Senior Research Fellow

Ralitza’s professional experience includes working as researcher for Credo Bonum, a Bulgarian Foundation that works to aid the transition towards sustainable market economy in Bulgaria and also to empower the individual citizens to participate in building a better future for their country. Her research areas include educational reform, renewable energy and civil engagement. In addition, Ralitza has five years of experience fulfilling several financial, marketing and managerial roles at a small aluminum parts manufacturer. A native of Bulgaria, Ralitza holds an MBA in Sustainable Business from Bainbridge Graduate Institute and BA with honors in Finance from California State University, Fullerton.

JULIE BABYATZKY – COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT

Julie joins Root Cause as a Communications Assistant. She is currently pursuing a B.A. in Sociology at Northeastern University and plans to graduate in 2011. Julie volunteers for Boston Cares and has previously interned at the National Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University and the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue. While spending a semester abroad in South Africa, she worked with several non-profits including Sinethemba Community Organization, Manenberg Community Sports Program, and PASSOP (People Against Suffering, Suppression, Oppression and Poverty).

JENNIFER DUGUAY – PROGRAM ASSISTANT, SOCIAL INNOVATION FORUM

Jen joins Root Cause as a Social Innovation Forum Program Assistant. In her third year at Northeastern University, she is pursuing a degree in International Affairs with minors in both Social Entrepreneurship and Swahili. Previously, she has lived and worked at the Little Field Home in Malawi and attributes much of her passion for the nonprofit sector from this experience. Recently, she partook in a four-week social entrepreneurship program in Belize and the Dominican Republic where she studied and implemented sustainable methods of poverty-relief such as ecotourism and microfinance. She is eager to become integrated with the Boston non-profit sector and continues to look forward to learning valuable tools for social change.

ELISABETH ERICSON – INTERN, PUBLIC INNOVATORS

Elisabeth joins Root Cause to intern with Public Innovators. She is a senior at Dartmouth College pursuing a major in geography with a minor in public policy. She was the 2009-2010 Vice President (Community Service) for her sorority, which she co-founded. Elisabeth also works for the Rockefeller Center Policy Research Shop, assisting the New Hampshire and Vermont state legislatures with public policy research as well as the Community Service Coordinator for Dartmouth Hillel. Last fall she interned with the William J. Clinton Foundation in New York City. She grew up in Washington, D.C., speaks three languages fluently, and in her free time enjoys reading, travel, seeing friends, and cooking elaborate meals.

KIM ENSOR – INTERN, SOCIAL IMPACT RESEARCH

Kim joins Root Cause in the Social Impact Research department. She is a current graduate student at The University of Chicago, where she is pursuing a joint MBA/MPP with concentrations in economics, entrepreneurship, and finance. Prior to returning to school, Kim spent three years as a senior consultant for Triage Consulting Group, a boutique firm providing financial services to hospitals across the country. Before joining Triage, Kim was a senior marketing associate at the Advisory Board Company. Kim holds a B.A. from Duke University where she studied public policy and sociology.

Rhea Ghosh — Fellow, Social Impact Market Development

Rhea joins Root Cause as a Fellow for Social Impact Market Development. She has previously worked with a wide range of non-profit organizations both nationally and internationally, including Horizons for Homeless Children, the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in India, and the Legal Aid Board of South Africa. She also brings experience from a business litigation firm, where she conducted research for several high-profile corporate governance cases. Rhea holds a B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in International Development from Amherst College.

MATT JASIE – INTERN, SOCIAL IMPACT RESEARCH

Matt joins Root Cause as a Social Impact Research intern. He is currently a corps member with Teach For America, a national education-focused service program. Following his two-year commitment with Teach For America, where he was a math teacher in the Revere School District, Matt plans to pursue a career in the nonprofit field. Matt graduated summa cum laude from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Accounting and a minor in Economics.

LIA MAYKA – PROGRAM ASSISTANT, SOCIAL IMPACT RESEARCH

Lia joins Root Cause as a Social Impact Research Program Assistant. She is a third-year candidate for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology with minors in International Affairs, Latin American Studies, and Social Entrepreneurship, and a LaCLA Scholar at Northeastern University. Lia recently spent a semester studying and volunteering in Argentina and participated in a month-long microfinance field study program in the Dominican Republic and Belize through Northeastern’s Social Enterprise Institute. Previously, she was an intern at Jobs for the Future where she did research for the Early College High School Initiative. Lia is passionate about working on social justice regarding immigrant and urban issues, especially those affecting members of the Latino community and other underrepresented groups.

CAROLINE MCHUGH – INTERN, SOCIAL INNOVATION FORUM

Caroline joins Root Cause as an intern in the Social Innovation Forum. She brings with her experience working in state and local government as well as with various nonprofits such as City Heroes and Peace Games. She is a sophomore at Tufts University majoring in International Relations with a double minor in Latin American and Leadership Studies. After graduating, Caroline plans to join the Peace Corps in Latin America and continue her commitment to active citizenship.

KIRA MIKITYANSKAYA – INTERN, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Kira joins Root Cause as an intern with Business Development. Originally from Moscow, Russia, she is currently a rising senior at Tufts University majoring in International Relations and concentrating in Economic Development. Through her involvement in nonprofit work and community service projects, Kira has developed a keen interest for social innovation. She brings work experience from the public sector and various nonprofit organizations including Tufts Hillel and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Her travel outside of the U.S. has allowed her to work with developing communities abroad and learn first hand about different models of community development. Kira plans to pursue a year-long service fellowship upon graduation and continue on to graduate school.

PETE MORIZIO – INTERN, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Pete joins Root Cause as an intern for the consulting practice. Originally from Westfield, MA, Pete is currently a junior at Boston College in the Carroll School of Management pursuing a double-major in Finance and Political Science. He is a board member of BC’s Management Consulting Team and works as a real estate agent to ensure fellow students meet their off-campus housing needs. Pete has a passion for service to others and sees business as a means to address a wide range of social justice issues. His experience with nonprofits includes volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity and Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation.

ELLY O’ROURKE – INTERN, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Elly joins Root Cause in the Consulting department after having 6+ years of private sector experience in consulting and project management for financial services in Japan. Discovering her passion for international development and nonprofits during her frequent business trips to China and Southeast Asia, she returned to business school to pursue a career in this field. Elly was a market research intern for BRAC Uganda and served as a board development consultant for a local nonprofit in North Carolina supporting victims of domestic violence. She received a B.A. in Cognitive Science from UC Berkeley and an M.B.A from Duke University with a concentration in Social Entrepreneurship.

JOSEPH SPAZIANO – OPERATIONS ASSISTANT

Joseph joins Root Cause as an operations assistant. He is a senior at Northeastern University where he is currently working towards an undergraduate degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing, as well a minor in Sociology. He has partaken in numerous volunteer activates over the years including two alternative spring breaks where he helped rebuild homes in Florida and South Carolina. Joseph has a passion for education and believes that this will be the ultimate solution to all social problems. After graduating he would like to be an ESL teacher abroad and eventually go back to school to get his graduate degree, hopefully be on his way to becoming a professor.

ALEX SWARTSEL – INTERN, PUBLIC INNOVATORS & KNOWLEDGE DEPARTMENT

Alex joins Root Cause to intern with both Public Innovators and Knowledge Sharing. She is a former senior staff member in the U.S. Senate and has experience on federal and statewide elections with experience in management, strategy, and communications. As communications director to U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), she built his PR operation, was his official spokeswoman, and served on his senior leadership team. She has also worked on Tim Kaine’s winning gubernatorial bid in Virginia and the presidential campaigns of John Kerry and Joe Lieberman, and in the office of U.S. Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT). She holds a B.A. summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Wellesley College and is pursuing her M.B.A. at the Yale School of Management.

TONY SHENG – INTERN, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING

Tony joins Root Cause as a Social Impact Intern in Consulting. He has previously worked with a health care consulting company specializing in diabetes and has conducted a wide array of medical research, both clinical and laboratory. He is currently a student at Amherst College pursuing a double major in English and Neuroscience. At school, Tony plays varsity tennis and squash.

NIHAL SHRINATH – INTERN, ROOT CAUSE CONSULTING AND SOCIAL IMPACT RESEARCH

Nihal joins Root Cause as an intern with Consulting and Social Impact Research. He is a rising junior at Amherst College, where he is majoring in both Political Science and Computer Science. He spent his past two summers working as an intern at Achieve, a middle school summer academic program modeled after Upward Bound and at a Brigham and Women's Hospital meningioma research lab. At Amherst, he keeps busy as Editor-in-Chief of the student newspaper.

JACLYN TRAN – INTERN, KNOWLEDGE DEPARTMENT

Jaclyn joins Root Cause as a Knowledge Sharing intern. She is a rising junior at Amherst College, where she is pursuing a B.A. in History and Economics. Last year, she interned at a small patent law firm in New Jersey, but is excited to explore the world of nonprofits with Root Cause this summer. At Amherst, she works as a Student Internship Coordinator managing the Amherst Select Internship Program, and sings in the Concert Choir and Madrigal Singers.

DEXTER ZHUANG – INTERN, SOCIAL IMPACT RESEARCH

Dexter joins Root Cause as a Social Impact Research intern. He is a rising sophomore at Dartmouth College where he is majoring in Economics and minoring in Public Policy. Through competitive policy debate and international development classes, he became interested in social and economic justice issues. This past summer, he volunteered at Youth Understanding Politics, a debate and politics youth program based in Slovenia. On campus, he is a Great Issues Scholar and a member of the consulting group within SEEDS, an undergraduate social enterprise society.