Meet the Big Picture Staff

Charly Adler

Senior Education Consultant

charlyadler@gmail.com

Prior to coming to the Met in 1999, Charly worked in both the profit and non-profit worlds in a wide range of careers ranging from director of an endowment fund to setting up a business in the Czech Republic to working on Jewish/Arab relations in Jerusalem. At age 38, Charly received his Masters of Teaching from Brown University and year later was an advisor at the original Met school in downtown Providence. Charly has been with Big Picture and the Met for much of the past decade as a principal, the Connector, and as a school coach. Charly left Big Picture in 2006 to go to South Sudan to start a school with the Dinka tribe. Though bullets and malaria eventually brought him back to the States, the school is finally getting built this year. In 2009, Charly returned full-time to BP when offered the challenge and opportunity to start up three schools in Newark, NJ. Charly looks at learning as organized curiosity, and he is always guided by the great American philosopher, Yogi Berra, who said: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” Charly’s one regret in life is that he was not born someone else.

Lynda Armstrong

Schedule Management for Co-Director Elliot Washor

Lynda Armstrong joined Big Picture in October 2004 and is the scheduler for co-founder and co-director Elliot Washor. Her professional experience includes 14 years at Texas Instruments, where she was a marketing communications manager for one of its semiconductor business units. Prior to joining Big Picture, Lynda was an associate producer at WJAR Channel 10. She received her B.A. from Providence College with a concentration in marketing.

Tara Corso

Executive Assistant to Dennis Littky

tcorso@bigpicturelearning.org

Tara Corso is the Executive Assistant to Dennis Littky. Tara received her BA in Communications from Emerson College in Boston, MA. Upon graduation she moved to Los Angeles and began working in production for MTV, FOX and The Discovery Channel. After 4 years on the west coast she relocated to New York City where she continued working on television shows for the Discovery Channel and Food Network. In the summer of 2007 she left New York and returned home to Providence where she found herself working for The Big Picture Company. When she isn’t busy decoding Dennis’ handwriting, she enjoys converting people into Justin Timberlake fans and running book groups for anyone who will listen to her.

Mario DeAnda

Director of Postsecondary Planning & Coordinator of New School Development

mdeanda@bigpicturelearning.org

Mario DeAnda is Director of the California College Transition Network with Big Picture Learning. In this role, he develops and implements the college transition network across all Big Picture schools in California. He also manages the Emergency College Fund. Mario received his BA from the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana. He has fifteen years of experience working in the areas of secondary and higher education and in the non-profit sector under his stylish belt. He is committed to working towards expanding access to higher education for low-income and first-generation youth. Mario, the son of Mexican immigrants, was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. He currently resides in San Francisco, California.

Pamela Genovesi Macdonald

Controller for Big Picture Learning

pgmacdonald@msn.com

Pamela Genovesi Macdonald has been with the company for over 13 years. During those years, Pam has managed all aspects of A/P, A/R, Payroll, and Human Resources. She is currently handling all of the travel needs for the Big Picture staff as well. Pam has an Associates Degree in Computer Support Specialist and is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Society. Pam has a daughter that attends the University of San Diego, a son who attends the Rochester Institute of Technology and two step-children. Pam is happily married and in her spare time, she enjoys attending concerts, the theater, and traveling with her husband.

Talmira Hill

Director of the Alternative High School Initiative
talmirahill@aol.com

Talmira Hill brings over 20 years of experience in human and economic development in the U.S. and abroad with her to AHSI. A program officer with the Annie E. Casey Foundation from 1995-2001, Hill initiated investments aimed at improving results among young adults making critical transitions in life. Prior to joining the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Hill served as Special Assistant to the Under Secretary in the U.S. Department of Education during the Clinton Administration. In the international field, Ms. Hill served as an International Research Coordinator for epidemiological studies at Johns Hopkins University from 1990-1992, and she began her career in 1986 working in Senegal, West Africa with Africare on international economic development projects after completing undergraduate studies. Ms. Hill earned a Master of Education degree from Harvard University in 1990 and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in 1986. In 2004, Ms. Hill earned two certificates from the Program on Negotiation for Senior Executives at Harvard Law School.

Briana Masterson

National Manager of Communications & School Support

bmasterson@bigpicturelearning.org

Primarily, Briana Masterson manages Big Picture’s communications and press, orchestrates the updating and dissemination of Big Picture’s educational materials, keeps the website purring like a well-fed jungle cat, and designs Big Picture’s promotional materials. Briana also works closely with Kari to do the darn thang of supporting the network of Big Picture Learning schools and with Jill to design network-wide events. In addition to engaging in this work while guzzling diet coke, Briana can also be found grappling with the principles of design and aesthetics, playing grammar cop, or pontificating about Prince’s genius or Rocky Balboa’s inspirational value as an underdog. She received a B.A. in Education History, Policy, and Reform from Brown University in 2003. Briana enjoys a concurrent career as a dance instructor, choreographer, and performer.

Charlie Mojkowski

Senior Associate

cmojkowski@mac.com

Charlie Mojkowski worked with Elliot and Dennis in creating Big Picture Learning and The Met School in Providence. He currently works with Elliot Washor on developing new initiatives that refine and extend the Big Picture Learning design. Charlie has served as an independent consultant to education and business since 1976. He works primarily in the areas of school and curriculum improvement, leadership and organizational development, program evaluation, and applications of technology that support that work. Charlie designed, administered, and taught in a doctoral program in educational leadership; directed the Rhode Island Educational Leadership Academy; and served as Executive Director of the Rhode Island Association of School Principals.

Loran Newsom

Research associate to Elliot Washor and coordinator of California special projects

lnewsom@bigpicturelearning.org

Loran Newsom works closely with the California network of schools in order to effectively balance innovation and sustainability with the pedagogy of Big Picture Learning. After graduating from DePaul University, he went spent the next five years teaching for San Diego Unified School District while simultaneously working toward earning his M.Ed. in Curriculum Development and Teaching from the University of San Diego. Presently, Loran is a Doctoral Candidate for an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and lives in San Diego, California.

Jill Olson-Crowley

National Director of Conferences and Connections

jolson-crowley@bigpicturelearning.org

Jill is Big Picture’s National Director of Conferences and Connections. Jill directs all national and international conferences for Big Picture Learning. She serves as the Big Picture ambassador for all connections with BP Australia and BP Netherlands as well as any other international endeavors. Jill also oversees all events that are related to Big Picture and is the liaison for all national and international site visits to BPL schools as they relate to new schools development. She also assists in all aspects of new schools development as it applies to this scope of work.