Breakthrough Atlanta

Monica Rodgers is the Executive Director of Breakthrough Atlanta. Monica is a graduate of Spelman College and has worked in a variety of leadership posts at her alma mater.

For almost eight years of her close-to-fifteen-year tenure at Spelman, Monica worked in the Admissions Office, serving most recently as the Associate Director of Admission and Orientation Services. For six years, she had significant responsibility for residential life at Spelman. In that capacity, she supervised residence halls and advised students concerning hall government and leadership. She has had significant responsibility orienting, training, and developing student leaders at Spelman. For three years at Spelman, Monica served as the Early College Program Coordinator. In that position, she coordinated academic and extracurricular activities for high school juniors and seniors during a six-week residential program designed to help them garner college credit and to gain additional preparation for college. And while at Spelman, she also did some substituting in the Atlanta Public School System.

Monica belongs to a number of professional organizations including the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC), and the College Board. She has attended the Harvard Summer Institute on College Admission. She has served as a class agent for her Class of 1991 at Spelman and while at Spelman, has been a member of the Bonner Scholarship Committee. Monica is a 2010-2011 fellow in the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education's Educational Policy Fellowship Program.

(404) 262-3032 ext. 1444

Jamar Jeffers

Jamar Jeffers is the Director of Development and a native of Wilmington, Delaware. Prior to joining Breakthrough Atlanta, Jamar served for nearly five year as the Membership Director with the Georgia Center for Nonprofits. Aside from serving in the private and nonprofit sectors he also served on the faculty in the School of Business at American Intercontinental University (Atlanta Campus), and he is currently serving on the faculty in the School of Business at Westwood College Northlake Campus and Strayer University online instructing classes in Marketing, Management, and International Business. Jamar holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Public Relations and Masters of Business Administration degree in Management both from Delaware State University and he is currently completing his Doctor of Business Administration degree with a dual concentration in International Business and Marketing at Argosy University Atlanta Campus.

Jamar is very active within the Atlanta community where he is member of the Atlanta Nonprofit Professionals, Atlanta Urban League Young Professionals, Delaware State University Alumni Association, Georgia Aquarium Next Wave Society, President Barack Obama’s Generation Forty Four (Gen44) Atlanta, National Black MBA Association Atlanta Chapter, and Jamar is also a proud Member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated.

Jill van Leesten is a New England native from Providence, Rhode Island and is the Program Director for Breakthrough Atlanta. Before joining Breakthrough Atlanta, Jill was the Field Supervisor for Communities In Schools of Atlanta for five years and the Program of Operations for the Performance Learning Centers with Communities In Schools of Georgia for one year. Jill is very active in her community and is a mentor to several high school girls.

Jill graduated from Virginia State University with a B.S. degree in Public Administration and studied abroad for a year at Regent's College of London. She also received her MSW from Clark Atlanta University, and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Instructional Leadership at Argosy University.

(404) 262-3032 ext. 1450

Kristin Wyckoff joined the team in June 2008. In her role as Director of College Prep Programs, she serves as a resource to eighth grade students and families for high school placement. Additionally, she works closely with high school students to provide college counseling summer program opportunities, college preparation seminars and spearheads the ninth grade school year program.

Kristin is a native of Huntsville, Alabama who graduated from Spelman College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Prior to working with Breakthrough Atlanta, Kristin served as Associate Director of Admission at Spelman College. She brings nearly a decade of college admissions experience, including professional affiliations with the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and the Southern Association for College Admissions Counseling (SACAC). Since 2008, Kristin has been a mentor in the Coca-Cola/Spelman College Intergenerational Leadership Mentoring Program. Additionally, she serves as a mentor in the Student Development and Mentoring Program at The Lovett School.

(404) 262-3032 ext. 1173

Jeremy Crane joined Breakthrough Atlanta from the field of education, as a junior high/high school classroom teacher. He graduated Cum Laude from Fort Valley State University, where he acquired his B.S. degree in Middle Grades Education and competed in NCAA athletics for four years. He served as a NCAA student-athlete ambassador and was an active member of the student government during undergrad studies. Jeremy is a native of College Park, GA and is a graduate of The Lovett School (2001). Currently, Jeremy serves as the Site Director for the Breakthrough Atlanta site at Atlanta Youth Academy.

(404) 262-3032 ext. 1443

Al Johnson is a California native born to two Christian ministers in Los Angeles. He relocated to Atlanta, Georgia in 2004. Al started working with youth programs at St. Philip A.M.E. Church, which sparked his interest in continuing to change the lives of young people across the city. Al heard about the Breakthrough Collaborative and began working with Breakthrough Atlanta in December 2007. His duties as Program Associate include office management, event coordination and marketing.

(404) 262-3032 ext. 1447

Courtney Moss joined the Breakthrough Atlanta (BTA) staff in the Fall of 2008. As the Curriculum Specialist for BTA, she is responsible for providing the school year curriculum for ninth grade students. Courtney works very closely with Kristin Wyckoff to make sure the students are receiving an enriched experience during their Saturdays spent with Breakthrough Atlanta.

Courtney is a native of Washington, DC, but grew up in Atlanta, GA. She has a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics from Hampton University and is currently working on her Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Georgia State University. Courtney has five years of classroom teaching experience in both the public and private sectors. In addition to her role as the Curriculum Specialist for BTA, Courtney serves as the chair of the Math Department in the Upper School at The Lovett School.

(404) 262-3032