Shari Krull is an impact leader at the nexus of mentoring, workforce development, and driving economic equity nationally. Shari currently serves as CEO of StreetWise Partners, a non-profit organization with a mission to close the employment opportunity gap within disadvantaged communities of New York City, Washington D.C. and Michigan.
After earning her BA in Social Work and Psychology from Miami University, and her Master's Degree in Social Work from Columbia University, Shari dedicated her early career to tackling issues related to mental illness, domestic violence and foster care. She went on to spend 10 years building and leading Catholic Big Sisters and Big Brothers in New York City. She then took on the role as Executive Director at The Grace Institute, spearheading the transformation of a century-old organization into a market leader in workforce development.
Shari serves on the Board of New York City's Employment and Training Coalition and the Advisory Board of The Ready Foundation. She has previously served on the Advisory Board for New York Public Radio's Diversity and Inclusion Initiative, and as an Adjunct Professor at New York University, where she shared her expertise and worked to inspire others to join the non-profit space. A lifelong gender equality advocate, Shari currently lives on Long Island where she is outnumbered by her husband and two sons.
Lauren Silberstein joined StreetWise Partners in November 2015 and oversees all aspects of programming across the three regions we serve. She is a Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW), receiving her Masters degree in Social Work from Columbia University in 2004. Prior to StreetWise Partners, Lauren served as Director of Support Services at Grace Institute, a workforce development organization for women where she worked for 7 years. Overall, she has 15 years of management and program development experience working in organizations that serve disadvantaged communities, both at Grace Institute and Safe Horizon. Lauren lives on Long Island with her husband and three daughters.
Nicole came to StreetWise Partners initially as a one time volunteer in 2016, later serving as a Mentor and Officer in the program before transitioning to a staff member in August 2019. A career fundraiser, Nicole is excited to blend her personal passion for StreetWise Partners’ mission with her professional acumen to help fuel growth for the organization. Most recently, Nicole served as Senior Director of Development at National Kidney Foundation where she helped to establish the Greater New York market’s fundraising strategy, drove revenue growth through volunteer leadership and lead the corporate partnership program. Previously, Nicole spent time at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Make-A-Wish Foundation. Nicole is an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, holds a bachelor’s degree from Sacred Heart University, and a certificate in non-profit executive leadership from Baruch College.
Erica has extensive experience with both nonprofit and governmental audits, including: pre-audit review, engagement planning, internal control testing, and internal auditing. In addition to joining StreetWise in 2020, Erica currently serves as CFP for several nonprofits in the area. Erica is former Parent Trustee for Poughkeepsie Day School and currently serves as Treasurer of the board for Community Family Development. She was also recently elected President of the Dutchess County-Poughkeepsie Land Bank and is excited to apply her experiences with StreetWise to amplify the impact of Land Banks in the region.
Luka joined Streetwise Partners in January 2020 as a mentee in the NYC Program and later became an intern on the Michigan Program team. In July of 2021, he strengthened his ties with the organization and its mission by joining the team full-time. He was raised in Georgia, and since 2013 has been a proud member of the New York City community. The joy he finds in the StreetWise Partners comes from the organization's dedication to growth, both for the people we serve and the people who help us serve.
Dave Font joined Streetwise Partners in January 2019. Prior to Streetwise Partners Dave served as the Executive Director for Push to Walk, a nonprofit gym for people living with paralysis. There he oversaw all financial, outreach, and strategic initiatives for the organization. Previously, he served in various roles over eighteen years with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest New Jersey, ultimately overseeing the day-to-day operations of its largest unit serving over four thousand children a year. Dave holds a Masters Degree in Human Resource Development from Clemson University and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Rutgers University – Newark where he currently serves as a Part-Time Lecturer in the School of Public Affairs and Administration. He loves helping people through his work in nonprofits and is excited to work with mentors and mentees at Streetwise Partners to tackle unemployment.
María Elena joined StreetWise Partners in May of 2017. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Duquesne University and is a New York University certified coach. Previously, she worked at CarCharging Group where she assisted the sales team and at Vme Media where she was in charge of scheduling and promotion. Prior to this she had experience in various administrative, sales and customer service roles in the fashion and beauty industries. Thru her volunteer work, she has gained experience working with human trafficking survivors, children and the elderly. Most recently, she volunteers at Restore NYC where she assists with their Economic Empowerment program for women survivors of human trafficking. She is excited to have made the switch to the non-profit field and to be able to support others in reaching their goals through her work at StreetWise Partners.
Olivia Martinez joined StreetWise Partners in September 2021. She graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelor's Degree in International Political Economy and Minors in Business Administration and Economics. Before joining StreetWise, Olivia completed a year of service through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and AmeriCorps. She worked at St. Joseph the Worker, in Phoenix, Arizona, an employment resource center for people experiencing homelessnes. She was responsible for completing intakes, distributing resources, and conducting interviews for participants interested in the Employment Bridge Program, a transitional housing program for individuals who are working yet still experiencing homelessness. She is excited to be back on the East Coast and work for an organization committed to equity and social justice, values integral to her professional and personal life. She cannot wait to aid in the process of removing systematic barriers to employment that underserved communities face.
Iban Vazquez (he/him/his) is a first-generation Latinx American, with a B.A. in Sociology from Hunter College. He joined StreetWise Partners as a mentee in Spring 2021 and later became the Recruitment Assistant for New York’s Program Team. With a career trajectory that spans from client service in retail to working at the U.S. Census in the government sector, Iban is honored to align his goals with StreetWise Partner’s mission & community as the Employment Services Coordinator. Born & raised in Queens, Iban advocates for the diversity that he sees in his community to translate to the diversity of talent in the workforce. Outside of empowering his community, Iban is a nature enthusiast, Funko Pop Collector, and music aficionado.
De’Andre Anderson joined Streetwise Partners in August 2022 and oversees all aspects of our programming functions in the Washington D.C. metro region. Prior to joining Streetwise Partners, De’Andre served as the Woodley Park Main Street Program Manager, U Street Main Street Program Manager, and Chevy Chase Main Street Program Director at District Bridges where he provided technical assistance to small businesses during the COVID-19 Pandemic. He helped hundreds of businesses with eviction prevention, SBA grant and loan assistance, workforce development, business promotion, internal grant fund awards and external small business grant application assistance, and development of business plans in Washington D.C. Mr. Anderson previously served as a teacher at Bridges Public Charter School. He taught 1st and 3rd grades and worked with special education service providers to help students achieve their IEP goals. He accessed students progress regularly for classroom instruction, and most importantly, made learning fun for his students. De’Andre also served the U.S. House of Representatives for 17 years navigating the legislative process being promoted to four different positions from Bill Clerk to Chief Clerk of Debates. As a legislative process expert, De’Andre kept Members of Congress abreast on the legislation being voted on, and debate procedure on the House floor for the Office of the Clerk. De’Andre’s favorite job is being with his daughter, whose in elementary school. During his free time, he loves volunteering for DCPS advisory boards, going to baseball games, and going to the movies. He hones from both Detroit, MI and Selma, AL. De’Andre holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, IN.
Simitha Kumar joined StreetWise Partners in September 2017. She manages the White & Case and Gallup programs in addition to mentee recruitment for the D.C. region. Prior to StreetWise Partners, she was the Program Specialist at Northern Virginia Family Service in the housing department where she aided homeless and low-income clients to obtain rental assistance. Simitha holds a Master’s degree in Commerce from the University of Mumbai in India. Simitha is enthusiastic about volunteerism and has coordinated special events such as the International Yoga Day on the National Mall. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, meditation and cooking.
Natalia started her StreetWise Partners journey in September 2020 as a mentee, where she experienced first-hand the value of the program for those seeking to enhance their careers. She later became an intern on the DC Program team and in 2022 advanced to the position of Community Outreach and Program Support Manager. Natalia worked as a Head of the Training Department in one of Russia’s largest privately owned banks before emigrating to the United States in 2017 with little knowledge of English and even less about the U.S. job market. After intensive English courses in Las Vegas, she did a short stint at Wells Fargo before moving with her family to Washington DC. Upon arriving in the U.S. capital, Natalia joined one of the largest U.S. residential real estate companies, later turning to StreetWise for career advancement. Natalia now seeks to help others trying to make the leap to a new job and realize their full potential.