Our Team

Vickie L. Allen joined Educational First Steps in June of 2019.

Previously, Vickie was senior vice president of development at United Way of Tarrant County. She has also worked for WiNGS and consulted in Texas and St. Paul, Minnesota. In St. Paul, she was an assistant professor/co-chair of the business department at St. Catherine University, co-founded Team Pact Consulting Group, which partnered with nonprofits, foundations and businesses; and worked for the Girl Scout Council of St. Croix Valley.

Vickie also led the Jeremiah Program, a nationally recognized non-profit focused on eliminating generational poverty through education and employment. She led fundraising efforts, built relationships with philanthropic leaders, and secured the organization financially. She has also consulted for the Bush Foundation’s Leadership Fellows Program, mentoring more than 20 fellows to navigate and lead systemic change.

Vickie started her career in sales for Fortune 500 companies and began using those skills in the nonprofit industry when she volunteered and served on boards for various nonprofits.

Originally from Syracuse, New York, Vickie received her bachelor’s degree in business and sociology from Ithaca College and a master’s in public administration from Harvard University.

Dominique S. McCain is a change management expert and organizational solutions maven. She’s spent over twenty-years capacity building and working directly with influencers and thought leaders in identifying and implementing solutions to some of their most thorny challenges.

A proven cartographer of connection with diverse, educational leadership experience in both large urban educational systems and the non-profit sector, her knowledge and expertise of building equity within systems has helped to challenge and equip partners to attain their desired outcomes. She centers the work on the facilitation of self-actualization to improve outcomes and impact.

As a career strategist, Dominique has led transformational projects including full re-designs and re-orgs, collective impact work with a historical early childhood coalition in North Texas, and leadership development and training. Her natural ability to successfully navigate the terrains of people systems and organizational design for mission driven impact has proven to be effective and lead to impact. She has deep knowledge and expertise in literacy and literacy instruction as a social justice impact play, pedagogical best practice, and teacher development.

As a leader at the Commit Partnership, she positively impacts the organization’s overall approach to their work. Her core value of “students first” led to her playing a critical role in supporting the advocacy efforts for the landmark 2019 Texas legislative session. She has led teams throughout her career and has a proven method for team development, cohesion, and impact. She is dedicated to continually increasing her impact and influence to serve as many stakeholders as possible.

David Smith is a professionally trained historian, educator, and development leader with over fifteen years of experience, inside academia as well as the local nonprofit sector, in advancing education as a means to help build economic opportunity and greater social equity for communities across North Texas. At Educational First Steps, David directs all fundraising, marketing, foundation relations, corporate partnerships, and donor engagement programs. He joined EFS in 2019 from the University of Dallas, where he formerly served as the Executive Director of Advancement Services and Operations and presently continues to teach in the History Department as an Adjunct Assistant Professor.

Teel Wilkinson is an accomplished Human Resources professional with over five years’ experience and has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration HR from Texas Women’s University. She is knowledgeable in recruiting, talent development, and employee relations. Wilkinson joins Educational First Steps as the Director of Human Resources.

takers@educationalfirststeps.org

sbell@educationalfirststeps.org

ccheatham@educationalfirststeps.org

sespiritu@educationalfirststeps.org

Savannah Espiritu is an effective Events and Marketing professional with over five years of experience and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Child, Adult, and Family Services from Iowa State University. She consistently utilizes her expertise in marketing communications, fundraising, and event management to surpass goals and increase the impact of the organization. Savannah joined the Educational First Steps team in December of 2021 as the Communications and Events Manager. In this role, she supports the Development Team in planning and executing EFS’ annual gala, North Texas Giving Day, volunteer events, as well as external marketing and communications including social media posts, press releases, monthly partner center spotlight interviews, and much more.

cevans@educationalfirststeps.org

Chris began her development career while interning at a support center for eating disorders and earning her BA in Psychology. Originally from western New York, she has worked on development teams in Colorado, North Carolina, and most recently Texas. Specializing in database management, special events, and donor relations, Chris enjoys helping donors invest in their community. As Senior Director of Development at EFS, Chris is engaged with Tarrant County constituents. She’s sharing the value of quality early childhood education and how EFS impacts underinvested communities and their children.

Her passion for serving her community doesn’t stop with her development career; she serves on the board of the Fort Worth Metro Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She volunteers with their IDEA committee and is the 2023 DFW Philanthropy in Action Conference Chair. She also volunteers with the Junior League of Fort Worth. Through published articles and speaking engagements, Chris advocates for the rights and equity of women and children. Her inspiration and motivation for everything are her three children, Mia, Charleigh, and Benjamin, and her husband, Adam.

thaggerty@educationalfirststeps.org

mhenyard@educationalfirststeps.org

khughes@educationalfirststeps.org

ljackson@educationalfirststeps.org

akelly@educationalfirststeps.org

slewis@educationalfirststeps.org

Sharmetra Lewis is a dedicated and enthusiastic educator with years of experience in fostering a love for literacy among early learners in the classroom. With a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a Teacher certification in Early Childhood through sixth grade, Sharmetra has been instrumental in nurturing the reading and writing skills of countless students.

Beyond the classroom, Sharmetra has actively engaged with parents and community members, emphasizing the importance of literacy in a child’s overall development. She has organized writing workshops, book clubs, and even assisted 20 students in becoming young, published authors during the 22-23 school year. In August 2023, Sharmetra joined the Educational First Steps team as an Assessment and Training Specialist. She is excited to learn and share effective strategies for fostering literacy at home and forging strong partnerships between educators and families.

ologan@educationalfirststeps.org

alynch@educationalfirststeps.org

smatlock@educationalfirststeps.org

lrather@educationalfirststeps.org

Edward Rogers is a highly accomplished professional with extensive experience in project management, process improvement, and business management. With his Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification in project management and expertise as a Scrum Master, Edward brings a data-driven and agile approach to his work. He possesses a keen eye for identifying inefficiencies and implementing streamlined processes to optimize project outcomes and maximize efficiency.

Edward holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, which has equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of strategic planning, organizational development, and operational excellence. Edward joined the Educational First Steps team in May of 2023 as Program Associate and in his role, he leverages his knowledge to develop and execute robust project plans, ensuring the successful delivery of initiatives aligned with EFS’ mission and goals.

Edward’s passion for educational excellence and commitment to community impact extend beyond his professional role. He actively engages in volunteering initiatives that promote educational opportunities and empower youth. Through mentoring programs and community outreach, he aims to make a lasting difference in the lives of those he serves.

vrosas@educationalfirststeps.org

rrivera@educationalfirststeps.org

Ronald has nearly a decade of experience in the field of education with a passion for literacy learning. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Literature from the University of Puerto Rico and a Master’s Degree in Education from Johns Hopkin’s University. His journey in education began in the nonprofit sector through a service year in Miami with City Year (an AmeriCorp program), followed by four years in the initial Dallas cohort of Urban Teachers (Americorp) where he served as a teacher of record for title 1 schools. Before going back into nonprofit work he worked at another title 1 school in downtown Dallas as a dyslexia interventionist giving personalized instruction to over 30 children. Ronald joined the Educational First Steps team in August 2023 as a Training & Assessment Specialist.

mwatts-paul@educationalfirststeps.org