Meet the team, discover our stories

Karla is originally from Tampico, Mexico and currently based in Mexico City. She is passionate about the defense of human rights, specifically gross violations of human rights and transitional justice. Karla has a B.A. in International Relations from Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM). She has been part of N4 since 2014, being one of its first student ambassadors. Some of the roles she has had in the organization include certified facilitator, trainer and member of the Globetrotters group. She has attended six N4 Global Summits. Karla is currently an Associate for N4 Mexico, in charge of project management in the country. On a personal level, Karla has been a dancer since she was 3 years old and loves animals, so much that she has five pets at home.

Rachel Gleeson is N4 Ireland’s Programme Officer and has a keen interest in people in how we interact with each other and how our stories intertwine and have a profound effect on one other. A student of Psychology, she comes from a background of early childhood care and it was in seeing the interactions of these young minds that inspired her to take up her studies in understanding human relationships and behaviours. She believes strongly in the power of human relationships, the power of connection and the sharing of our stories. She has been a member of the N4 Ireland team since 2019. She lives in Limerick, Ireland with her husband and beloved cat Indie.

With almost a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, Samantha brings a dynamic blend of creativity, passion, and strategic insight to her role as Marketing Manager. A fervent advocate for expanding our cultural understanding, Samantha loves to explore new places and immerse herself in different communities and cultures. She’s visited over 20 countries across 4 continents so far! Her global perspective of humanity enriches her approach to marketing, ensuring that everything she does is infused with authenticity and vibrancy. Samantha thrives on pushing boundaries and stepping out of her comfort zone, and believes in making everything fun. She loves tomatoes, ghost stories, window shopping at furniture stores, puzzles and meeting new people. Samantha is above all passionate about relationships. You’ll hear her remind you that every single one your very favorite people were once upon a time strangers.

Sara is the Palestine Associate at Narrative 4. Since joining Narrative 4 in 2023, she has been facilitating all Narrative 4 programming in Palestine. Alongside her work with Narrative 4, Sara serves as the education programs manager for Tomorrow’s Youth Organization, an NGO that works with refugees and marginalized communities in Palestine. With over 6 years of experience in international development-focused education, Sara’s work centers on providing safe, inclusive, and quality education to marginalized populations in emergency contexts. Specializing in Education in Emergencies, Inclusive Education, and Program Design, her efforts focus on teacher professional development, child protection, psychosocial support, and sustainable development. Sara earned her BA from Middlebury College in International Politics and Gender and Feminist Studies. Currently, she resides in Nablus, Palestine.

Elizabeth has been a part of Narrative 4 since 2016, when she facilitated her first Story Exchange with students in her English classroom. Since then, Elizabeth has worked as a Lead Trainer and an Advisor with Narrative 4, and she now serves as the organization’s Lead Training Manager. Elizabeth has a BA from Colby College and an MA in English from Wake Forest University. She lives in Richmond, Virginia.

Lee Keylock was the first official hire by N4’s co-founders in 2014, and is currently the Director of Global Programs and Training. Lee leads the professional development strategy and implementation for N4 Educators globally. Originally from Britain, Lee immigrated to the United States in 1989 and taught English at Newtown High School in Connecticut for thirteen years. He has served as an adjunct professor teaching Creative Writing and Composition at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, where he also earned his MFA in Creative Writing.

Alex is the Midwest Regional Manager, residing just outside of Detroit, Michigan. She received her BA in Communications and Nonprofit Management from DePaul University. Alex has 9 years of experience working at the Pitch In mentoring program in Chicago. Through the SEL charged work, she has seen the power of empathetic relationships and created a program to support middle schoolers. Through curriculum design, community partnerships and hands-on learning, Alex worked towards the mission of helping students transition successfully to high school. Outside of work, Alex is learning about the joys of parenthood and gardening.

Kate Laskey (she/her) is Narrative 4’s Partner Resource & Support Manager based out of Massachusetts. Kate was born in Connecticut and received a BA in Elementary Education and Psychology from Keene State College in Keene NH. She went on to move to Boulder, Colorado and taught elementary school students for 9 years in various public school settings. She also received her MA in Literacy Education from University of Colorado Denver. Kate remains passionate about creating meaningful social-emotional learning experiences for students and advocating for and supporting educators.

James Lawlor is a graduate of the Queen’s University Belfast and the University of Limerick. He has edited the poetry anthology I Live in Michael Hartnett (2013). He has worked as a parliamentary assistant in the Department of An Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and is on the organising committee for the poetry, literary and arts festival Éigse Michael Hartnett. James began working with Narrative 4 in 2013. He is a member of the Board of Directors for Limerick City of Culture 2014 and has recently begun a P.h.D scholarship in the School of English, University College Cork.

Allison Lerman-Gluck (she/her/hers) is a Northeast Regional Manager for Narrative 4. She is also a theatre and storytelling educator with over a decade of experience. She earned her BA in Theatre, Education, and Community Building from Hampshire College and her MA in Applied Theatre through the CUNY system. Allison uses personal and collective storytelling as a means of building community through radical empathy and has devised over a dozen plays with groups across the Northeast. She has worked with folks of all ages and abilities through numerous organizations, including The Moth, CATA, Dorot, Barrington Stage Company, the Creative Arts Team, and more. Allison’s interactive storytelling was recently featured through the Kennedy Center’s “Teaching Artists Present” program. You can find her work on allietellsstories.com.

Taelor Lewis is the Southwest Regional Manager of the United States, responsible for CA, AZ, and NM. Taelor was born and raised in the Greater Los Angeles area. She received her BA and MA in Sociology from California State University, Fullerton as well as an LLM in International Human Rights. Taelor has five years of experience as an educator at the K-12 and community college level. For the past year, she has worked as a grassroots organizer working to mobilize communities and support. She has a passion for education, human rights, and social justice advocacy. Taelor currently resides in Chicago, Illinois.

Born and raised in The Bronx, NY, Gus Lopez earned his B.S. in Accounting from Mercy College in NY and has worked in non-profit finance and accounting for over fourteen years. Gus finds non-profit work rewarding because he can see the effects of his efforts reflected in the growth of the communities he serves. Gus has extensive experience working for nonprofits that provide testing and support for HIV/AIDS patients, maternal and child health services, and immigration support. In his free time, Gus enjoys sculpting, sketching, problem solving, and using technology to expand his creativity.

Jahi Mackey is a Southeast Regional Manager for Narrative 4, responsible for TX, LA, MS, AL, GA, and FL. He is a native and resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Jahi graduated from the University of New Orleans with a BA in International Studies and from the School of International Training Graduate Institute with a Masters of Arts in Intercultural Service Leadership and Management. Prior to Narrative 4, Jahi worked to promote global citizenship in southeast Louisiana through organizing and non-formal education. Jahi enjoys working to build cultural bridges between and within communities, whether it be through activism, community education, or storytelling.

Alondra Marmolejos is currently the N4 Programs Assistant and has always had a passion for people and has volunteered most of her teenage/young-adult years giving back to her community through mentoring and student teaching. Alondra became involved with Narrative 4 in 2013 while she was a junior at Newtown High School in Newtown, CT. Within the last 7 years she has had many roles within N4 including, Student Ambassador, Facilitator, Master Practitioner and Intern. In 2019, Alondra graduated from the University of Connecticut with a degree in Psychology and Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences and immediately joined N4 as a full time staff member.

Everybody can be great because everybody can serve,” – Martin Luther King.

Nakya’s commitment to serve started as a teenager; she was a very active member of the SCLC in Atlanta Ga. As an adult, she went on to work at the Georgia School Boards Association for 8 years in Risk Management, facilitating and moderating webinars throughout the state of Georgia, empowering schools boards’ and educational leaders. She also worked for Goodwill of North Georgia for 4 years assisting people with mental and physical disabilities find and maintain sustainable employment. She is currently the Regional Associate/Lead Trainer for N4’s southeast region. Nakya Marshall, the “My hope for you is” segment of the story exchange brings me sincere joy, restoring my hope in society.

She is passionate about people, leadership and all around success. Work, life balance is of the utmost importance. Therefore, when she is not doing the mentioned, she can be found in Social Circle, Georgia by way of Englewood, New Jersey spending time with her family and goldendoodle Diesel.

Jen McCool is a Northeast Manager of the United States, responsible for CT, PA, DE, MD, DC, and OH. Jen comes to Narrative 4 from a theatre education and disability inclusion background. With a BA in Theatre Arts and an MA in Cultural Policy and Arts Administration, Jen has been a teaching artist, a theatre education and community engagement administrator and most recently, a program director for a school-based, inclusive theater education program. Jen’s entire career has been driven by developing empathy as a tool for building a more inclusive world so Narrative 4 is the perfect continuation of that journey. Jen lives with her husband and young son in Connecticut.

I was born in Jerusalem Israel and raised in the United States. I have a BFA in fashion design from Shenkar college in Israel. I worked in the fashion industry for 20 years before I became an English teacher in 2008. I’ve been teaching English Language Arts for 16 years in the public high school system in Israel

In the past I’ve prepared students for model UN and national debate competitions. Since being introduced to Narrative 4 in 2014, I’ve been passionately doing story exchanges between students from all the sectors in Israel. I present Narrative4 to educators in national conferences and run teacher professional development trainings in English and soon in Hebrew. 

Ryan graduated from Capitol Technology University with a B.S. in Computer Science and began a career in the non-profit sector because she wanted her work to make a positive difference in the world. She has worked with many organizations including Amnesty International, Ocean Conservancy, and Food & Water Watch. Narrative 4’s dedication to improving education caught her attention and led to her joining the team. Ryan is currently based in Maryland.

Joseph Onokpe is a graduate of the University of Ibadan and is currently studying for his MA in Education Management and Leadership at the Metropolitan School of Business, UK. In 2020, he joined Narrative 4 as a Master Practitioner and now leads our operations and expansion work as Narrative 4 Africa’s Regional Manager in Nigeria.

Prior to joining N4, Joseph worked as a Program Officer for the Ovie Brume Foundation, as well as Director of the Barack Obama American Corner, a library and information resource centre hosted by the Ovie Brume Foundation in partnership with the American Consulate.

Joseph is a community development enthusiast and an advocate for quality, inclusive education. He believes that, while play is the shortest route between children and their creative calling, inclusive early childhood education is the pathway to a better, more progressive society.

Buchi Onyegbule has been the Head of Africa Operations for Narrative 4 since 2020 and lives in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital City. Buchi is a broadcast journalist, writer and editor. As a student, he studied English and literature at the University of Benin, Benin City. He started his career in sales for Heineken, before switching to the mass media. Buchi was the host of the Morning Mojo on WEFM 106.3, one of Abuja’s Premier talk shows on politics, governance and social/national issues. A founding Director of the Abuja Literary and Arts Festival (ALitFest), he runs Afi, the Spill Sessions, a mini literary festival that examines societal issues via the lenses of literary works. He can usually be found where there is plenty of coffee and craft beer.

Christina is originally from Chicago, but has lived in 3 states and 2 countries. She received her BA in Anthropology & Chinese from Beloit College. Christina spent her early career as a Collections Manager at the Lafayette Miners Museum and as a Camp Director for the City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Department. She has been a part of the N4 team since 2020 and is thrilled to work with teachers, students, and organizations on community building through storytelling and civic engagement. She spends her free time doing aerial silks, reading, listening to music, and having fun with her family. Christina works and lives in Aurora, IL.

Ashley is a lover of stories. As a child, she always carried a book with her. As a student, she studied English, worked at Eudora Welty’s home as it was being transformed into a museum, and studied under Welty’s biographer. She received her M.A. in print and multimedia journalism before she began working with non-profit organizations. For the last eight years, she has worked in non-profit program management, managing staff teams, recruiting, training, and retaining volunteer leaders, and growing established non-profit programs. She lives outside of Boston with her husband and two children.

Surabhi Raj is a recent graduate of NYU where she studied the intersection of politics, identity, and self expression through art and media. She was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and currently lives in New York City. She is a writer as well as a musician! You can find her work on surabhiraj.com or catch her performing around Brooklyn. Narrative 4’s work in storytelling and empathy that finds power in our individual identities and collective feelings works right alongside her belief that looking inwards allows us to tell authentic stories that are not only a tool for connection, but liberation. 

Taï Schroeder is the Pacific Northwest Manager of the United States, responsible for WA, OR and ID. Tai is so excited to join the Narrative 4 Team. Having recently worked as a volunteer manager at a major STEM learning center in California, and a Peace Corps representative in rural Paraguay, she is looking forward to bringing her outreach, volunteer retention experience, and love for listening and learning to the team. Taï graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 2016 with a degree in Zoology, Environmental Studies and African Studies. Her education, crazy hiking adventures, and obsession with storytelling podcasts is what led her to Narrative 4.

Dr. Kathleen Shiverdecker has served in senior organizational leadership positions for the past 25 years in various educational and human resources roles in both public and private contexts. Kathleen and the teams she has had the privilege of supporting have designed equity-focused systems emphasizing best HR practices, data utilization, talent acquisition, performance management, leadership development, and holistic support for employees at every level of service. Most recently, Kathleen served as an Executive Advisor and Chief Growth Officer for Women in Technology International, as the CEO and founder of Hasp Consulting, and as the National Managing Director of Organizational Design and Performance for the Chicago-based consulting firm, Alma Advisory Group. “Changing the world through art and story” is at the heart of Kathleen’s work. The opportunity to serve the Narrative 4 team and its global community of stakeholders is the honor of a lifetime. 

As an avid reader, Missy has always believed in the power of stories. Upon first hearing about Narrative 4, she was intrigued and had to learn more. Now she is thrilled to join the staff and be a part of something with so much potential to help build much needed empathy in our world. With an original career focus of teaching, Missy also has a background in nonprofit program management and tax preparation.  With their four children now grown, Missy and her husband have settled in Maine where they own and operate their own small lakefront motel.  

Combining her passions for education and technology, Shreya is a digital marketer who specializes in assisting education companies in global expansion. She is driven by a mission to bridge the gap between emotional learning, practical experience, and academic education, acknowledging their equal significance in a student’s development. Through digital platforms, she endeavors to democratize access to these learning tools for students worldwide. In her free time, she is a baker, cat-mom and artist.

Hailing from North Carolina, Zoë is a graduate of North Carolina State University’s College of Design. She has nearly six years of professional experience designing for nonprofits, international organizations, and individuals seeking to make change in their communities. Zoë credits her time spent working at a public library as the moment she recognized that design can be a tool to help foster transformation at a community level. A self-described multi-disciplinary designer, her portfolio features work ranging from web design to animation to data visualization. Zoë currently resides in Washington, D.C. with her cat, Prue.