Middle School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member 401-400-1899 ariannad@onwardwelearn.org Arianna is a graduate of Shea High School in Pawtucket and went on to earned her Bachelor of Arts in English with a Theater Literature focus from Providence College. She was a part of various clubs such as the Poetry Club and a Peer Mentor Club. She is an alumna of our program and has completed over 1,000+ hours of programs. She also works on costume maintenance for the Wilbury Theater Group in Providence.
High School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member 401-400-1802dclement@onwardwelearn.org Dwayne Clement graduated from Central High School in 1997. He went on to attend Rhode Island College and graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology.
High School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member 401-400-1898eitkin@onwardwelearn.org Eli Itkin, a graduate of Shea High School in Pawtucket, earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Rhode Island College and previously attended Husson University in Maine. He has coached basketball and tennis, including at Shea, and brings a commitment to youth development and college access to his advising role.
Middle School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member 401-519-0205ewelborn@onwardwelearn.org Ellie Welborn comes to Onward We Learn from City Year Providence, where she worked at Delsesto Middle School for the past two years after being an AmeriCorps member and team leader. She graduated from Cameron University in her native Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts in international languages and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Indonesia.
High School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member 401-400-1872ekhiev@onwardwelearn.org Eric Khiev earned his Bachelor of Science degree in health studies with a minor in thanatology at the University of Rhode Island in 2019 as a Talent Development scholar. Prior to joining the organization, Eric worked in roles such as residential advising, administrative/clerical work, providing behavioral therapy to neurodivergent youth and as former board member and secretary at the Providence Youth Student Movement.
High School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Memberframos@onwardwelearn.org Faith is a recent graduate of Boston University, where she majored in Political Science and minored in Sociology. Prior to attending BU, Faith was a member of the first graduating class at Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy. She is an active community member and volunteers in many capacities which includes cheerleading and basketball coaching.
Middle School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member 401-400-1875jalonzo@onwardwelearn.org Jeimmy Alonzo graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a Bachelor of Health Science, majoring in psychology and Spanish and minoring in human development and family studies. At URI, she worked part time as a tutor in the Spanish department and became a general manager at the Ram’s Den retail food court. She is alumna of our program.
High School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member (401) 484-8566jsaab@onwardwelearn.org Jimmy H. Saab earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Community Health & Wellness at Curry College in 2020. He also earned his Master's of Exercise Sports Science in Strength & Conditioning at Merrimack College in 2022. Prior to joining the organization, Jimmy worked in roles such as a youth sports coaching, sports performance specialist, and as a research assistant at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Boston
High School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member 401-400-1902mgonzalez@onwardwelearn.org Maria Gonzalez was born and raised in Providence, graduating from E-Cubed Academy High School in 2017. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication at Rhode Island College in 2021, becoming the first in her family to hold a college degree. Before joining the organization, Maria gained experience in student affairs while working at the Undergraduate Admissions Office at Rhode Island College and Enrollment Services at the Community College of Rhode Island.
High School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member (401) 400-1930mcontreras@onwardwelearn.org Marisleysis was born and raised in Providence. She attended Hope High School and continued as a first-generation student in Rhode Island College's preparatory enrollment program (PEP) and graduated in 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. Prior to joining the organization, Marisleysis worked for the undergraduate Admissions Office at Rhode Island College as a student worker, admissions specialist, and intern for admissions marketing and communications.
High School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member 401-400-1935mgambardella@onwardwelearn.org Matt Gambardella, a graduate from Rhode Island College with a degree in English and Communication, joins Onward We Learn having held a variety of education related roles, spanning from the middle school classroom setting all the way to a college admissions office. These experiences, along with coaching high school tennis, have progressed his passion for working in roles in which he can be a supportive and resourceful advocate for youth.
Middle School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member 401-400-1810mperez@onwardwelearn.org Maura Perez recently graduated from Rhode Island College with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. She is bilingual and has experience with translating for young students and their families. As an undergraduate, she worked for the U.S. Census Bureau and engaged in volunteer work within her community. Maura grew up in South Providence and was the first person in her family to graduate from college.
Middle School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Memberpgoico@onwardwelearn.org In 2016, Paloma Goico graduated from Paul Cuffee High School, and received a BA in Psychology from Rhode Island College in 2020. Paloma has worked in PASS and ABA while gaining experience in social work and counseling throughout her career journey.
High School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member 401-400-1833sleimer@onwardwelearn.org Sage Leimer graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 2021 with her bachelor’s in psychology and a concentration in Peace and Conflict Studies. Before joining Onward We Learn as a High School Advisor, Sage previously worked in Central Falls with their Multilingual Learners programs, at Federal Hill House as a Teen Summer Program Leader, and at Holy Cross with their Passport program for first-generation college students.
Middle School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member 401-400-1805sgoncalves@onwardwelearn.org Shanice Goncalves earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science with a concentration in justice studies and international nongovernmental studies from Rhode Island College. She previously worked as volunteer coordinator at Dorcas International, where she managed supplementary volunteer workforce from corporate, religious, academic, and community partnerships such as Brown University, Providence College, Bank of America, and Hasbro. Her passion for youth and community development drives the work that she does.
High School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member (401) 519-0218scepeda@onwardwelearn.org Steven Cepeda is a passionate high school advisor and Onward alumni at Onward We Learn with a strong commitment to supporting underserved and under-resourced communities. As a first-generation Dominican, Steven holds a Bachelor's degree in Communications, specializing in Public Relations and Mass Media, complemented by a minor in Computer Science and Web Development from Rhode Island College (RIC). He formally served as the Volunteer and Intern Coordinator at The Empowerment Factory (TEF) and an Orientation Leader at RIC forging meaningful connections with both students and families. Steven finds joy in cherishing moments with his family, exploring new travel destinations, and embarking on culinary adventures.
Middle School Advisor Onward We Learn Staff Member 401-400-1794tcosta@onwardwelearn.org Tim Costa graduated from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy. Before joining Onward We Learn, he worked for City Year Providence for two years and was assigned to Roger Williams Middle School in Providence as an Americorps member and then a team leader, which shifted his responsibilities from classroom management to leading a team and serving as the liaison between City Year and the school’s administrators.
