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Judges

We are thrilled to welcome the 2024 Aspen Challenge: Brooklyn Judges. Click on their photos to learn more about them.

Kenya George

Program Director, BUILD NYC

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Patrick Hill

Advisor, Media and Entertainment Sectors

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Larry Johnson

President, Stella and Charles Guttman Community College-CUNY

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Tai Jones-Chapman

Vice President of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships, Scholastic Education

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Molly Kaye

Manager of Public Affairs, Nickelodeon

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Kathleen McDermott

Professor of Integrated Design & Media, New York University Tandon School of Engineering’s Technology Culture & Society Program

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Niamh McKenna

Co-Founder & Head of Impact, ChangeX

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Carrick Mollenkamp

Research Analyst, Viking Global

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Michael Paulino

Writer/Producer, CNN’s “The Source with Kaitlan Collins”

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Kenya George

Program Director, BUILD NYC

Kenya George is a dynamic community leader and youth developer committed to the transformation and upliftment of youth, young adults, and their families. Growing up in The Bronx, she recognized the power nonprofits have in supporting upward mobility of youth. Everywhere she goes, her intention is to leverage love as a tool and strategy to strengthen community, for it has the power to change lives. With more than a decade of experience, George has served as a visionary leader and change agent, beginning her career at University Settlement. Currently, she leads a team in implementing BUILD's national program curriculum and organizing special events.

Last year, George had the opportunity to present a Challenge question at the Aspen Challenge: Brooklyn, centering youth's voices in powerful ways. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Barnard College, a Masters of Social Work from Hunter College, and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

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Patrick Hill

Advisor, Media and Entertainment Sectors

Patrick Hill is an advisor to media and entertainment technology executives. Since 2019 he has been a senior account executive at Fastly, a cloud computing services provider. Previously, he was a major account executive for six years with Akamai Technologies, a content delivery network services provider that also offers cloud security solutions. With over 20 years experience in media and entertainment, Hill was part of the successful launches of Setanta Sports North America and Fox Soccer Plus. He’s been a longtime contributor to youth music programs in the greater New Orleans area through programs with the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, Music Forward Foundation’s charitable partnerships, the Krewe of Red Beans, Tipitina’s Foundation, and New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic & Assistance Foundation. Hill has an MBS and a bachelor’s in marketing.

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Larry Johnson

President, Stella and Charles Guttman Community College-CUNY

Dr. Larry D. Johnson Jr. has served as President of the Stella and Charles Guttman Community College-CUNY, since 2021. Previously, he served as full-time English faculty, department chair, dean, and provost. During his tenure at Guttman, he has collaborated with stakeholders to strengthen the academic model, increase student enrollment, initiate new academic programs, implement the six-year strategic plan called Guttman Forward 2028, and develop partnerships with community-based organizations and K-12 institutions. Johnson actively engages the community and serves on national boards and commissions. He has also received awards and honors reflecting his commitment to student access and success.

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Tai Jones-Chapman

Vice President of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships, Scholastic Education

Tai Jones-Chapman serves as Vice President of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships with Scholastic Education, bringing more than 19 years in the publishing industry to her role. She has received numerous accolades for outstanding strategic partnering and community service. As an educator, journalist, author, and community servant, Jones-Chapman harnesses a love of providing equality and equity solutions for underserved populations.

Her collaborative publication, "Promoting Equity in The Classroom," is an Amazon best-seller and has been implemented in schools nationwide. She is a proud member of The Links, Inc., and serves as a board member on multiple community boards. Recently, she was appointed to her local Planning & Zoning Commission and Columbia University’s Cahn Fellowship National Advisory Board.

Jones-Chapman resides in Texas. A Louisiana native, she studied Journalism at Louisiana Tech and the University of Louisiana, Monroe. She has a degree in Organizational Management from Wilberforce University and is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.

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Molly Kaye

Manager of Public Affairs, Nickelodeon

Molly Kaye is Manager of Public Affairs at Nickelodeon, a division of Paramount Global. She is responsible for managing Nickelodeon’s pro-social initiatives and developing the brand’s diversity, equity and inclusion messaging. In her current role, Kaye cultivates relationships with non-profits, sports leagues, and other organizations to further the brand’s philanthropic mission. She manages the pro-social campaign, Nickelodeon Our World, which provides kids with tools and opportunities to enhance their sense of agency. Kaye works cross company to promote Nickelodeon’s pro-social focus and identify chances to platform it. She has helped author the library of DEI resources Nickelodeon offers including the Talk & Take Action Guides as well as the heritage month guides. Kaye resides in New York.

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Kathleen McDermott

Professor of Integrated Design & Media, New York University Tandon School of Engineering’s Technology Culture & Society Program

Kathleen McDermott is a critical interaction designer who challenges conceptions of use/value, waste, and productivity in technology design through creative and educational interventions. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, The Tides Institute and Museum of Art in Maine, the Wende Museum in Los Angeles, and Ars Electronica in Linz, Austria. McDermott has been featured in publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Fast Company, and Dezeen. In her current role as Industry Assistant Professor of Integrated Design & Media in NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s Technology Culture & Society Program, she is an active contributor to the emerging design space of eTextiles and Wearable hardware design, and is engaged in research on equitable STEAM education in collaboration with New York City-based nonprofits.

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Niamh McKenna

Co-Founder & Head of Impact, ChangeX

Niamh McKenna is Co-Founder & Head of Impact at ChangeX, a global platform supporting communities with innovations and finance to have an impact in their local area. McKenna leads the U.S. operations of ChangeX and is based in Brooklyn, New York. McKenna has spent more than 10 years working in social impact and previously worked as a consultant with PwC, having studied law and International Management.

Carrick Mollenkamp

Research Analyst, Viking Global

Carrick Mollenkamp is a Research Analyst at Viking Global, a New York investment firm. He is responsible for helping the investment team conduct differentiated research. Prior to joining Viking in 2013, Carrick was a reporter at Thomson Reuters and The Wall Street Journal in Atlanta, London, and New York. At The Wall Street Journal, he was a member of a finalist team for the Pulitzer Prize and teams that won the Gerald Loeb and Overseas Press Club awards. Mollenkamp attended Randolph-Macon College in Ashland., Virginia. He is from Atlanta, Georgia.

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Michael Paulino

Writer/Producer, CNN’s “The Source with Kaitlan Collins”

Michael Paulino is a proud Dominican-Puerto Rican journalist born and raised in New York City. Currently, Writer/Producer for CNN’s 9pm primetime show “The Source with Kaitlan Collins,” Paulino was previously a part of the CBS News team as an Associate Producer for two national evening news broadcasts, as well as the beloved “CBS Sunday Morning” with Jane Pauley. Paulino is a graduate of St. Lawrence University with a degree in Government/International Relations, attending as part of the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP). He is an avid chess player with a deep love for all New York sports teams, especially the New York Yankees.

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Solution Showcase Speakers

We have some exciting speakers lined up this year. Click on their photos to learn more about them.

Natasha Carrizosa

Poet & Emcee, Natty Roots and Rhyme

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Nadia Lopez

Chief Impact Officer, College and Community Fellowship

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Marlon Peterson

Author, Lecturer, and Doer

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Janice Ross

Superintendent, New York City Department of Education, Brooklyn North High Schools

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Natasha Carrizosa

Poet & Emcee, Natty Roots and Rhyme

Natasha Carrizosa is a poet, writer, creative writing teacher, and speaker. Her work is deeply rooted in her childhood and life experiences. Raised as the daughter of a fierce African-American mother and Mexican father, her writing reflects the dichotomy of these two rich cultures. Carrizosa is the author of mexiafricana, heavy light, and crown. She has performed her work and conducted workshops for audiences in Madrid, Paris, St. Lucia, New York, Chicago, Houston, and many other places. Her love for the arts inspired the creation of natty roots & rhyme, one of the most dynamic poetry open mics in the country.

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Nadia Lopez

Chief Impact Officer, College and Community Fellowship

Dr. Nadia Lopez is Chief Impact Officer at College and Community Fellowship, and is renowned for her transformative and innovative contributions to education. Her journey began when Humans of New York featured her initiative to establish a school aimed at breaking the cycle of incarceration in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and gained viral coverage from media outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Glamour Magazine as well as appearances on Good Morning America and The Today Show.

Recognized as a visionary leader, Lopez's accolades include being named a 2022 Yahoo Maker and LinkedIn's 2019 Top 10 Voices in Education. She was also a finalist for the prestigious Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize in 2016 and received the Black Girls Rock award in 2015, where she shared the stage with former First Lady Michelle Obama. She was invited to the White House to meet with President Obama and delivered a TED Talk on the Education Revolution reaching more than one million viewers.

As a lecturer at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, Lopez sheds light on the pressing issue of the school-to-prison pipeline, and continues to extend her reach as an online professor, teaching on Issues in Global Education at St. George’s University, driven by her commitment to education and community transformation.

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Marlon Peterson

Author, Lecturer, and Doer

Peterson’s TED talk, “Am I not human? A call for criminal justice reform,” has reached over 1.2 million views. Ebony magazine recognizes him as one of 100 most inspiring people in the Black community and his bylines have appeared in publications such as in USA Today, The Nation, Ebony, and Essence. His essays have also been featured in numerous books, including “How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others” by Kiese Laymon, “How We Fight White Supremacy” by Kenrya Rankin & Akiba Solomon, and Colin Kaepernick’s, “Abolition for the: The Movement for a Future without Policing & Prisons People”. Peterson’s work has also been featured on Apple TV’s series, Dear, and he is currently working on his first screenplay, which is an adaptation of his memoir.

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Janice Ross

Superintendent, New York City Department of Education, Brooklyn North High Schools

Janice Ross is the superintendent of New York City Department of Education-Brooklyn North High Schools. After receiving a Bachelor of Education at Stony Brook University, where she graduated cum laude, Ross began her career as an educator in East New York, Brooklyn, teaching social studies. Following a Masters in Guidance and Counseling from Brooklyn College, she was a guidance counselor, and then the founding principal of the School for Classics: An Academy of Thinkers, Writers and Performers. Ross’s pedagogic philosophy is that of critical love, which is about teaching the whole child with a growth mindset. She has worked to introduce equity focused practices such as culturally responsive sustaining practices and advanced literacy into her district, along with improved social and emotional learning. Brooklyn North High Schools continue to improve with more students graduating college and career ready. Ross is a long time resident of New York.

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