Meet Our Team

Reylene Robinson

Executive Director

Thomas Williams, Jr., PhD.

Director of Programs

Alma Aldana

Family Navigation Manager

Ashley Novak Butler

Executive Director of Lift a Life Novak Family Foundation

Thrive By 5 Louisville Board of Directors Chairperson

Tony Peyton

Executive VP of Policy & Chief of Staff of National Center for Families

Thrive By 5 Louisville Board of Directors Vice Chair

Lisa DeJaco Crutcher

CEO of Catholic Charities of Louisville

Thrive By 5 Louisville Board of Directors Secretary

David Calzi

Thrive By 5 Louisville Board of Directors Treasurer

Former CEO/Executive Director of St. Vincent de Paul Louisville

Mariana Barzun

Executive Director of Mayor Greenberg’s Office of Strategic Initiatives

Kristen Byrd

Regional President of PNC Bank, Kentucky

David Nicklies

President & CEO of Nicklies Development

Douglas Craddock

Vice President of Community Engagement, University of Louisville

Lisa Dischinger

Founder & Co-owner of LDG Development

Michael Gritton

Executive Director of KentuckianaWorks

Allie Cowan Holtz

Adria Johnson

President & CEO of Metro United Way

Izmene Peredo Martinez

Co-founder & Co-owner of Con Huevos

Angie McDonald

Vice President, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for PPL Corporation

Lopa Mehrotra

Social Entrepreneur

Diane Scardino

Chief Administrative Officer of Norton Children’s Hospital & Norton Children’s Medical Center

Rose Smith

Executive Director of The Ace Project

Susan Allen

Program Coordinator, Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education, JCTC

Brett Bachmann

CEO, Heuser Hearing Institute

Jon Lee

Associate Dean of Research, Innovation and Community Engaged Scholarship: Your solution partners
CEHD Endowed chair of Early Childhood and Director of the Early Childhood Research Center, University of Louisville

Sarah Vanover

Policy and Advocacy Director, Kentucky Youth Advocates

Cori Gadansky

Executive Director, Community Coordinated Child Care (4C)

Ashley Brandt

Director, Thriving Kids, Metro United Way

Rina Gratz

Director, Early Childhood and Primary Education Policy and Practice, The Prichard Committee

Terry Tolan

Consultant, CNPE

Deve Collins

Executive Director, Our Angels Childcare Center

Mary Jolly

Strategic Partnerships Administrator, LMPHCS

Dr. Asia Rivers

President, The Career Center for Early Educators, Inc.

Carlissa Gibson

Executive Director of Early Learning, JCPS

Kim Chevalier

Chief of Exceptional Child Education, JCPS

Hans Petersen

Regional Child Care Aware Administrator, Child Care Aware of KY, Jefferson region

Roni Witherspoon

Greater Louisville Headstart Director, Family and Children’s Place

Josie Raymond

Louisville Metro Council Member, District 10

Manager, Student Success, University of Louisville

Kathy Mullen

Director of Education, Vision Interventions and Parental Supports

Lisa Thompson

Chief Impact Officer, Louisville Urban League

Karina Barillas

Executive Director, La Casita Center

Dr. Annette Bridges

Professor of Early Childhood Teacher Education, Simmons College

Austin Nikolich

Reliability Specialist – Documentation with the National Association for the Education of Young Children