Our Team
Dr. Marla M. Dean | Founder & Chief Learning and Innovation Officer
Dr. Marla M. Dean is a nationally recognized leader in K-12 and early childhood education, health equity, homelessness, economic justice, and two-generation (2Gen) policy, and is the speaker behind a TEDx talk on 2Gen approaches. As CEO of Bright Beginnings, a D.C. nonprofit serving families experiencing homelessness, she oversaw construction of a 19,000-square-foot facility using New Markets Tax Credits, paid off the loan three years early, doubled annual revenue, and raised staff salaries more than 35%. Through Dean's List Consulting, she now leads strategy for the $95 million Health Equity Fund at the Greater Washington Community Foundation, alongside clients including Ascend at the Aspen Institute, NAEYC, and Bellwether Education Partners. She serves as National Board Chair of the birdSEED Foundation, Board Chair of Philanthropy DMV, and a board member of the DC Early Learning Collaborative. She has 30-plus years of experience spanning teaching, school and district administration, nonprofit leadership, and executive strategy across D.C., Maryland, Michigan, and Virginia. Marla holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Michigan, education specialist fromMichigan State University, and a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Angela E. Hamilton | Chief of Staff
Dr. Angela E. Hamilton brings over 30 years of leadership across early childhood and K-12 systems, holding a doctorate in Educational Leadership along with advanced degrees in Curriculum and Instruction. As Director of Education at Bright Beginnings in D.C., she led instructional staff, managed a multimillion-dollar departmental budget, and advanced the organization's Capital Quality rating from "Quality" to "High Quality" within a year. Her expertise covers strategic planning, staff development, accreditation, special education coordination, and budget management, and she is a certified CLASS observer and compliance officer experienced with NAEYC accreditation and Head Start/OSSE standards. Previously, she served as Assistant Principal in Prince George's County Public Schools, where she led restorative practices and data-driven instructional reforms recognized under the PBIS framework. She is active in NHSA, NAEYC, and ASCD, and has presented her work at conferences and state leadership initiatives nationally.
Ronnie Galvin | Principal & Facilitator-in-Chief
Ronnie Galvin is a nationally recognized voice on racial equity and reparative justice, with a career rooted in community building, organizing, and social change. He began that work in Atlanta with the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Neighborhood Transformation Unit, where as Senior Community Builder he helped activate resident power around a 31-acre transit-oriented development project. He later served as Managing Director of Community Investment at the Greater Washington Community Foundation and as Vice President for Racial Equity and the Democratic Economy at The Democracy Collaborative, helping redesign local and regional economic systems toward equity and shared wealth. He is also the former Executive Director of IMPACT Silver Spring. Ronnie holds a B.S. in Business Administration from The Citadel and a Master of Divinity from Emory University's Candler School of Theology.
Ian Gordon, M.S. | Principal & Chief Impact Officer
Ian Gordon is a nationally respected executive with more than 20 years of experience advancing systems change, social equity, and operational excellence across the nonprofit and public sectors. As Vice President, Community Impact at United Way of the National Capital Area, he served as strategy partner to the President and CEO, directed a $4M annual operating budget, and supervised a team of 12 professional staff. He previously served as SVP and Chief Impact Officer at United Way of San Diego County, where he led strategic planning for a countywide initiative reaching more than 94,000 residents, and as Director of the San Diego Youth Development Office, guiding citywide youth development initiatives under a multi-agency executive steering committee. Earlier in his career, he directed federal contracting operations exceeding $40M and authored funded proposals generating $18M in new revenue. Ian has built cross-sector partnerships with government, philanthropy, and educational institutions, and has secured millions in philanthropic and public investment across youth development, workforce development, economic mobility, and community development. He holds an M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from The Pennsylvania State University and a B.S. in Human Development from Howard University, along with executive leadership training through the Center for Creative Leadership and HarvardX.
Dr. Sokoyama K. Songu-Mbriwa, PhD, SHRM-CP | Principal & Chief Wellness Officer
Dr. Sokoyama K. Songu-Mbriwa is an organizational wellness expert, practitioner-scholar, and psychology faculty member with more than 23 years of frontline and supervisory experience in juvenile probation and community supervision. He specializes in compassion fatigue, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and character-based youth development for juvenile justice agencies, K-12 schools, child welfare, and legal and judicial organizations. He developed the Fidescope Wellness Index, a wellness awareness instrument grounded in the Professional Quality of Life framework, now deployed as a live web application serving seven professional populations, and designed InnerSCOPE Academy, a year-long extended learning program for middle and high school students integrating character strengths and behavioral assessment. Sokoyama spent 23 years as a Supervisory Probation Officer with the DC Superior Court's Family Court, leading teams and building enrichment programming for court-involved youth. He holds a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from Grand Canyon University, with doctoral research on compassion fatigue among juvenile probation officers, an M.A. in Forensic Psychology, and a B.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland. He currently teaches Social Psychology and Positive Psychology through the Bard Early College sequence and has taught psychology at Prince George's Community College for 21 years. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he has been recognized as Community Partner of the Year by Georgetown University's Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching, and Service.
Alicia Dalton | Compliance Specialist
Alicia Dalton is a behavioral healthcare executive, author, and speaker with over 20 years in the field, beginning her career as a substance abuse counselor. She has held key compliance roles across public health departments and outpatient mental health clinics, leading integrated service delivery across multidisciplinary care teams for underserved populations. Her expertise spans behavioral health systems, regulatory compliance, and aging-in-place strategies, and she has spoken publicly on trauma-informed care, including as a featured voice in a Christian documentary on faith and healing. Alicia holds a B.A. in Psychology from Wayne State University and an M.A. in Healthcare Administration from Siena Heights University. She lives in Bowie, Maryland, and outside of work is an avid traveler, recipe creator, and coffee enthusiast who was named "Mom of the Month" by The DC Area Moms Magazine.
David L. Hill, MSW, LCSW-C | Behavioral Health & Clinical Practice Advisor
David L. Hill is a licensed clinical social worker and behavioral health executive with nearly two decades of experience leading crisis services, addiction treatment, and clinical operations across the D.C. metro region. He previously served as Chief of Programs at Friendship Place, directing program operations addressing homelessness and behavioral health needs and mentoring division directors on clinical governance and risk management, and as Senior Clinical Manager at Anchor Mental Health of the Archdiocese of Washington, where he led strategic planning and policy reform across multiple clinics. His background also spans program direction at Family Matters of Greater Washington, clinical social work at DC Central Kitchen, and addictions counseling at Kolmac Clinic and the Caron Treatment Center. He holds licensure as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in D.C., a Licensed Clinical Social Worker-Certified in Maryland, and a Licensed Social Worker in Pennsylvania, along with credentials as a Certified Addiction Counselor Diplomate and a U.S. Department of Transportation Substance Abuse Professional. David holds a Master of Social Work from Temple University and a Bachelor of Social Work from Shippensburg University.
Dana Newsome Hill, CPA | Controller
Dana Newsome is a seasoned accounting and financial compliance expert with deep experience in auditing, financial reporting, and risk assessment. A former senior auditor at Ernst & Young, he has led all phases of the audit process, from planning through reporting and disclosure, while ensuring regulatory compliance. His core work includes preparing and reviewing financial statements, building budgets and forecasts, and conducting variance analysis, internal control evaluations, and risk assessments. He advises both management and clients on strengthening internal controls, and supports grant-specific financial reporting and month-end closings. Dana holds a B.S. in Accounting from Saint Joseph's University and an MBA in Asset Management from Drexel University.