2022 Aspen Institute Ascend Fellows

Meet 22 leaders from across the United States who are primed to transform systems so that our youngest children and families can thrive.

Erin Arango-Escalante
Founder & Principal

All Children Thrive

Jovanna Archuleta
Early Childhood Community Outreach Director

LANL Foundation

Deana Around Him
Research Scholar

Child Trends

Katherine Beckmann
Program Officer and Manager for the Children, Families & Communities program

The David & Lucile Packard Foundation

Chris Bennett
CEO & Co-Founder

Wonderschool

Rashida Brown
Program Director, Health and Human Services, Counties Futures Lab

National Association of Counties

Nathan T. Chomilo
Medical Director, Medicaid and MinnesotaCare

Minnesota Department of Human Services

Mary Alice Cohen
Deputy Executive Director

Colorado Department of Early Childhood

Twylla Dillion
Executive Director

HealthConnect One

Ciara Garcia
President and CEO

Social Venture Partners Tucson

Blythe Keeler Robinson
President and CEO

Sheltering Arms Early Education and Family Centers

Lucy Marcil
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Boston University

Emily Miller
Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Division Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine

The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Women and Infants Hospital

Roxana Norouzi
Executive Director

OneAmerica

Adrián A. Pedroza
National Executive Director

Abriendo Puertas | Opening Doors

Teresa Ramos
First Assistant, Deputy Governor for Education

Office of Governor J.B. Pritzker

Tonja Rucker
Director for Early Childhood Success in the Institute for Youth Education and Families

National League of Cities

Kimberly Seals Allers
Founder

Irth

Jessica Saniguq Ullrich
Assistant Professor

Washington State University

Leseliey Welch
Co-Founder

Birth Detroit and Birth Center Equity

Layla Zaidane
President & Chief Executive Officer

Millenial Action Project