Our Team
Our Board
Helayne Jones
Independent Education Consultant & Throughline Learning Board Chair
Soumangue Basse
Chief Executive Officer, Akamai Brands LLC
Melanie Dukes
Founder, EdVenture Lab
Travonnie Mackey
Executive Coach | Talent & DEI Consultant
Noah Wepman
Senior Director, Alvarez & Marsal
Karl Rectanus
Educator | Entrepreneur | Advisor | Investor
Dr. Arun Ramanathan
Chief Executive Officer, PowerMyLearning
Sean Lane
SVP Portfolio Operations, PSG
Dr. Davion Lewis
Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, South Bend Community School Corporation
Dr. Paula Talty
Interim Dean, Central Connecticut State University
Our Staff
Shawn Rubin
Executive Director
Malika Ali
Chief Innovation Officer
Stephanie Castilla
Chief Operating Officer
Cathy Sanford
Director of Communications
Karina Rodriguez
Director of Impact
Michaelle Larracuente
Program Manager
Heidi Vazquez
Program Manager
Rebecca Roberts
Data Analyst
Maeve Murray
Communications Manager
Helayne Jones
Independent Education Consultant & Throughline Learning Board ChairBIO
Soumangue Basse
Chief Executive Officer, Akamai Brands LLCBIO
Melanie Dukes
Associate Program Director, K-9 Education at Overdeck Family FoundationBIO
Travonnie Mackey
Executive Coach | Talent & DEI ConsultantBIO
Noah Wepman
Senior Director at Alvarez & MarsalBIO
Karl Rectanus
Educator | Entrepreneur | Advisor | InvestorBIO
Shawn Rubin
Executive DirectorShawn Rubin is the Executive Director of Throughline Learning (formerly Highlander Institute) in Providence, RI. He is an internationally recognized thought leader and speaker with deep expertise in classroom coaching and change management strategies for building and district leaders. In 2018 Shawn co-authored the book Pathways to Personalization: A Framework for School Change, which details Throughline Learning's community driven, school improvement approach.
Shawn began his career in 2000 as founding faculty of Highlander Charter School, a K-8 school designed around student interest, personalization and mentorship. His 10 years of classroom teaching, including four years teaching kindergarten, informed his understanding of the challenges that leaders and teachers face when aspiring to implement student-centered pedagogy. As Executive Director, Shawn prioritizes supporting at least one of Throughline’s portfolio schools every year to stay connected to the classroom and build connectivity between the organization’s on the ground implementations and its national field building efforts.
Over the years, Shawn has founded and managed multiple nonprofit and for-profit organizations. In 2006, he founded a nonprofit, volunteer organization called Longitude, which supported grassroots human rights and education efforts in Abeka, Ghana and Hyderabad, India. In 2011, he co-founded an edtech startup called Metryx, which built mobile formative assessment applications for schools and universities. Shawn currently serves as league president for his local Little League, which supports 300 Providence students annually. He has won several innovation awards for his work in the nonprofit sector, including Aurora Institute’s annual award for Outstanding Individual Contribution to Personalized Learning in 2017. He holds a Master's Degree in Education from Lesley University. Shawn lives in Providence, RI with his two boys.
Malika Ali
Chief Innovation OfficerMalika is passionate about community-driven change management to scale and sustain culturally responsive education, driven by a liberatory data approach. As the Chief Innovation Officer at Throughline Learning (formerly Highlander Institute), she leads program visioning and R&D initiatives across all partner schools and districts. She was a Rhode Island District Teacher of the Year, served on Governor Raimondo’s STEAM and Equity in Educator Preparation Committee, and was named one of the nation’s top emerging and inspirational Black leaders in education innovation by LearnLaunch.
Malika holds an M.Ed. in Education Policy and Management from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. in Public Health from Brown University. As a daughter of strong and brilliant Eritrean refugees, Malika has spent her life critiquing the systems that perpetuate educational inequity, and she is proud to be a part of the struggle to ensure that all children have access to, and can take advantage of, an empowering education.
Stephanie Castilla
Chief Operating OfficerAs Chief Operating Officer at Throughline Learning, Stephanie leads the design and management of the organization’s operational processes and information technology systems. Through the refinement of workflows, tools, and procedures, Stephanie works to ensure alignment between our organization’s vision and our operational effectiveness. She is passionate about making information more accessible through visual design and organizational structure and strives to ensure productivity tools are usable, maintained, and well-documented.
Stephanie joined Throughline Learning in 2011 as a co-founder of the organization’s first incubated startup software product, Metryx. She holds degrees from RISD, where she is an adjunct professor. Stephanie lives in Cranston, RI with her husband, son, and dog.
Cathy Sanford
Director of CommunicationsCathy is an experienced educator, education consultant, and nonprofit administrator. As the Director of Communications at Throughline Learning, she leads efforts related to marketing, communications, and grant writing and reporting. She also leads organizational writing projects including blog posts, white papers and publications. Cathy is the co-author of the first Highlander Institute book, Pathways to Personalization: A Framework for School Change (2018).
As the founding Director of Programs for Highlander Institute, Cathy launched programming and strategic priorities for the organization and built a regional network of educators spanning multiple states. Before her move to the Institute, Cathy coordinated curriculum at Highlander Charter School, a Pre-K-12 urban school that specializes in supporting students with diverse learning styles. Prior to this role, she was the co-director of Breakthrough Providence; and taught math at the Oundle School in Northamptonshire, England. Cathy holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Virginia and an MA in Education Policy Analysis from Stanford University. She lives with her husband and two daughters in southeastern Massachusetts.
Erin Brouillette
Director of FinanceAs the Director of Finance, Erin ensures the financial health of Throughline Learning through day-to-day fiscal operations and long term financial planning for the organization. Erin is responsible for overseeing the financial functions of the organization including development and management of the budget, preparation of the financial statements and reporting. Erin marries the best practices in monitoring, reporting and strategy with her passion for education.
Erin brings almost 20 years of experience in the accounting field including experience in public accounting, school finance and working with nonprofits. Active in her community, she sits on various committees and organizations, including having served on her town’s School Committee. Erin lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three children.
Karina Rodriguez
Director of Research and AnalyticsAs Throughline Learning’s Director of Research and Analytics, Karina leads the charge to strengthen the organization’s impact and effectiveness through continuous improvement and data. Karina creates the data and analysis systems and protocols, and translates learnings into iterative actions for the organization.
Born and raised in New York City, Karina graduated from the University of Chicago and received her masters from Brown University in Urban Education Policy. Karina has had great opportunities working and teaching students from Chicago and from her hometown in Brooklyn. She previously interned at PPSD with the Ethnic Studies program assisting with the development of the program and its curriculum during their pilot year. She also worked with the New York office of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform as their Data and Research Analyst, worked alongside community organizations across the United States on projects around equity and culturally responsive education, and served as a Data Fellow through The Learning Accelerator.
Michaelle Larracuente
Director of Program and ImplementationEducator. Activist. Lifelong Learner. Michaelle Larracuente is a fierce child advocate who believes the key to establishing equitable and nurturing spaces for students lies in cultivating and sustaining high-quality professional learning communities for adults. As Director of Program and Implementation, Michaelle manages school partners and the team of Instructional Equity Partners; including but not limited to professional development, coaching, implementation support, and creative problem solving to address issues as they arise with the implementation process. All efforts driving toward meaningful partnerships grounded in the deep belief that all students can and will achieve. Together, coaches, teachers, and district and building level administration reflect, collaborate, and better their pedagogical practices ensuring academically rich experiences for their institutions. With alignment and an unwavering commitment to continuous improvement, we can create the conditions for all learners to develop the skills and competencies necessary to live full and enriching lives.
Prior to joining the Throughline Learning team, Michaelle served as the founding Head of school for Excel Academy’s first Rhode Island campus. She was a Rhode Island District Teacher of the Year and has 10+ years of experience in both public charter and independent schools. Her strengths include working with community partners to create powerful opportunities for students and developing dynamic relationships with families. In addition to her educational career, Michaelle has continued her passion as a civil servant, having supported philanthropic endeavors in over fifteen countries. She is unapologetic in her pursuit of educational equity and believes wholeheartedly that it’s our collective responsibility as global citizens — and as humane people — to take an active role in building a more just world.
Heidi Vazquez
Instructional Equity PartnerAs an Instructional Equity Partner at Throughline Learning, Heidi collaborates with educators, leaders, and community members in pursuit of an equitable, joyful, and authentic learning environment for students and teachers. A skilled coach, content creator, and facilitator Heidi applies Throughline’s Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Pedagogy Framework to each school or district’s unique context. She provides expertise in the development and implementation of high quality professional development, classroom modeling, and individual coaching sessions for teachers and leaders on practices that create identity affirming spaces, build students’ mindsets, and cognitive skills so that students can transform their own lives and the lives of their community.. Through our Inclusion Change Model, Heidi facilitates school improvement processes that empower stakeholders to use holistic data and feedback structures to make evidence-based decisions that enable all students to thrive.
In 1994, Heidi began her career as a community educator in before/after school programs. Heidi taught at The Compass School and the Charles River School. As a teacher for 19 years, she aspired to teach the whole child through a student-centered learning environment that adjusted for the individual and connected to the real world through projects that promoted social and environmental justice. She joined the Throughline team in 2018. Heidi received her BA in Elementary Education and Sociology from Stonehill College and her Masters in School Counseling from the University of Hartford. She lives in Providence with her husband, daughter, and son.
Stephanie Garcia
Instructional Equity PartnerStephanie knows that all students can succeed with the right tools in their toolboxes. She believes deeply in the power of different perspectives and is a strong advocate of co-creating a curious, trusting academic community as a catalyst for increasing rigor and relevance in the classroom and beyond. As a coach, Stephanie provides instructional and change management coaching to support positive shifts at the classroom, school, and district levels. She delivers professional development series, facilitates professional learning communities, and builds capacity for teachers and leaders who are committed to fully empowering all students.
Prior to working at Throughline Learning, Stephanie taught General Education and Special Education in Upper Elementary and High School in New York City. She holds a Masters in General Education and Special Education from Lehman College and a Masters in Educational Technology. Before finding her purpose in Education, she worked in the field of real estate in the big apple. Born in Manhattan and raised in Brooklyn, Stephanie enjoys the city life and vast cultures found in NYC. You can catch Stephanie spending time with her husband helping her church and running her small business during her spare time.
Danielle Lavoie
Instructional Equity PartnerDanielle has been serving students in the New England and Midwest regions of the United States since 2012 upon graduating from the University of Rhode Island. She had over 8 years of experience teaching English before switching to the nonprofit world in 2019. Her teaching philosophy focuses primarily on relationship based pedagogy, creating lasting partnerships with students and families, and empowering learners by highlighting their natural competencies.
In her current role at Throughline Learning she is looking forward to working with educators by collaboratively learning about their students on an individualized and contextualized level to disrupt and critique complex systemic inequities through thoughtful reflection of school-wide and classroom practices.
Rebecca Roberts
Data AnalystRebecca took a circuitous path to join the Throughline Learning team in 2022, but systems thinking has been the common thread of their work. First studying algal blooms in Wisconsin, then a master's thesis on nitrogen runoff at Iowa State University, then working on and managing organic vegetable farms for nine years, Rebecca loves envisioning sustainable systems, streamlining longitudinal data collection, and using data to understand root causes and inform decision-making. Rebecca has over eight years of experience in statistical analysis and completed an MBA with a certificate in data analytics certificate from Providence College in 2023 to learn new database and visualization skills. Rebecca has been thrilled to bring this experience with data to the amazing Throughline team as we support educators in creating systemic change.
Rebecca loves collecting, visualizing, and breaking down data to facilitate meaningful discussions and actionable steps. Their favorite thing is creating a safe environment for students to share thoughts and feelings during student focus groups, opening a window into student experiences. Rebecca loves to cook, grow things, travel with husband, play music, crack jokes, and generally learn new things.
Cindy Kenney
Office ManagerAs Office Manager, Cindy provides the backbone functions needed for continued excellence and growth. She uses her extensive experience to support executive level leadership as well as overall office management for the organization. Prior to joining Throughline Learning, Cindy spent over ten years working in the financial industry in both Administrative and Client Service roles. Cindy holds a B.A. in Communications with a Minor in Writing. She lives in Attleboro with her husband, two children and their dog.
Maeve Murray
Communications ManagerMaeve supports marketing, development, storytelling, school and district partnerships, and network-building efforts. Since joining the team in 2015, she has worked across multiple organization verticals, including professional learning, conference and event planning, pipeline, and open source programming like our distance learning helpline and substitute teaching online course. A gifted facilitator and coach, Maeve previously worked as a member of the Program team as a coach and as project manager of the nationally recognized Fuse RI program, a fellowship that trained educators as lead change agents. The six year, grant funded program trained over 100 fellows, created cross-district partnerships, and scaled to other states under Maeve’s leadership.
Before starting at Throughline Learning, Maeve was a founding high school math teacher at Village Green Virtual Charter School in downtown Providence, and also taught English as a Second Language through Fulbright Bulgaria. She was born in Saratoga Springs, NY and moved to Rhode Island in 2013. She studied Economics and Comparative Literature at Binghamton University and lives in Providence, RI.