NATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers.

Regina was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and can’t imagine living anywhere else. Growing up in the liberal melting pot that is the Bay, Regina had an inclination toward social and racial justice at an early age, attending rallies and protests as young as 7 years old. She went to CSU Monterey Bay where she got her B.A. in Social and Behavioral Sciences. After spending several soul crushing years in the corporate world, Regina found Summer Search and was inspired by the mission of empowering young people to thrive through meaningful mentorships and experiences.  Now as the Talent Manager, she loves enabling people to join in on that mission.

In her free time, she loves reading, karaoke, live music, tending to her dozens of plants and being the fun auntie.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers.

Jillian is a passionate educator and advocate for youth empowerment, having spent most of her adult life connecting with, learning from, and supporting young people in various classroom and community spaces across Boston, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis. Jillian is excited to join the Summer Search Philadelphia team and eager to contribute her skills and passion to serve the Summer Search mission and make a lasting impact on the lives of young people.

Proudly born and raised in Southeastern Minnesota, Jillian earned a BFA in Photography from Viterbo University and an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Minnesota. Outside of work, she enjoys knitting, cooking, and walking around Philadelphia.

Pronouns: He/Him/His.

Dr. Marc Spencer has devoted his 25 plus year career to organizations that promote educational and economic opportunities to young people and communities. Marc’s leadership is defined by a commitment to social justice and equity, paired with an entrepreneurial spirit and drive.

Marc joined Summer Search as Chief Executive Officer in 2017 and lead the organization’s growth and change under a bold and visionary strategic direction. In 2022, Marc transitioned from CEO and joined Summer Search’s National Board of Directors.

Prior to Summer Search, Marc served as Chief Executive Officer of Juma Ventures, a national organization that strives to break the cycle of poverty by paving the way to work, education, and financial capability for youth. Marc’s achievements include development of a San Francisco African American independent school, the design and directorship of the nation’s first Upward Bound Visual and Performing Arts program, the creation of CollegeSet.org, a national matched college savings platform for students, and the creation of YouthMade, a manufacturing internship program. He has been an adviser for the Aspen Institute and served on the boards of the National Youth Employment Coalition, Social Enterprise Alliance, Evergreen Lodge, City of San Francisco Youth Council, Oakland Workforce Investment Board, and the Museum of the African Diaspora. He holds an Ed.D. and an MA in Education from USF, and a BA in Anthropology from UCLA.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers.

Kristie believes passionately in providing equal access to educational opportunities.

Prior to joining Summer Search, Kristie led development efforts for Breakthrough Greater Boston, an educational non-profit providing out-of-school time programming, and City on a Hill Charter Public Schools, a charter school network in Boston and New Bedford. It was through City on a Hill students who were involved with Summer Search that she first began her admiration for the organization ten years before joining the team.

Kristie holds a B.A. in Sociology from Villanova University. Outside of the office, she can be found running, snowboarding, and having a blast with her husband and two boys. She and her family live in Milton.

Nicole Mejia – Pronouns: She/Her/Hers.

Nicole is passionate about encouraging young people to dream big when it comes to their future, and she strives to be a mentor and resource for them as they achieve their goals. Her personal experiences navigating the education system as a first-generation college student and daughter of immigrants showed her the significant impact mentors and culturally relevant resources have on historically underserved students. As a result, Nicole committed herself to giving back the same support and services that allowed her to experience lots of personal, educational, and professional growth. She has always been motivated to explore diversity and social justice as it relates to education, and she is very proud and excited to serve as Summer Search’s Career Navigator and Internship Coordinator.

Nicole graduated from the University of Delaware with an Honors B.S. in Elementary Education and teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), and a Master’s through the university’s 4+1 Program. She is a proud alumnus of the McNair Scholars Program. In her free time, she enjoys working out, eating at her favorite food spots in Delaware, designing graphics, and watching Netflix.

Kenyon DeVault is honored to serve as Bay Area Executive Director since January 2023, Summer Search’s founding and largest program site. Kenyon has been part of the Summer Search community since 2014, including serving as Bay Area Director of Development and then Deputy Director for nearly five years. A San Francisco Bay Area native, Kenyon has spent his career in nonprofit management and resource development, leveraging his lifelong propensity for relationship- and community-building into service of his values of social justice and equity. Prior to Summer Search, he held development leadership roles with youth-serving national nonprofits, Jumpstart and Peer Health Exchange. Kenyon is an enthusiastic alumnus of Macalester College and earned his Master of Nonprofit Administration degree through the University of San Francisco School of Management. He lives in San Francisco’s Castro District with his rescue pup, Levi.