Dear Friends of College Visions,
After three years leading College Visions, Nick Figueroa will be transitioning out of his role as Executive Director. As a former first-generation student himself, Nick has brought passion and drive to the work of providing young people with the information and support they need to get to college and thrive. I have tremendous respect for Nick’s commitment to true educational equity for low-income, first-generation students and thank him for his commitment to both College Visions and the larger field. We know he will continue to be a great advocate for both College Visions and the students we serve long after his tenure as Executive Director. The Providence Public School Department, under the current direction of the Rhode Island Department of Education, will benefit greatly from Nick’s passion, skills and experiences, as will the students and families served by the district. We wish him well in his new role as Chief of Family and Community Engagement and look forward to working with him as an engaged community partner.
College Visions has long made staff professional development a priority of the organization, and we are in the enviable position of having a fantastic team of leaders within the organization. In light of that commitment and in recognition of the talent already within the organization, I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Acting Co-Directors Tina Meetran and Moira Hinderer. Together Tina and Moira have ten years of experience at College Visions in programmatic, fundraising, and administrative roles, and are highly engaged in the Rhode Island non-profit community. Tina is a College Visions alum, who was born and raised in Providence. She holds a B.A. and M.A. from Clark University and serves as Board Chair of Providence youth organization PrYsm. Moira holds a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College and a M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. Prior to College Visions, she worked at Johns Hopkins University and Harvard University. She is a founding member of Rhode Islanders for Parentage Equality.
As a friend, donor, and now Board Chair, I have had the privilege of watching College Visions grow over the past 15 years. Under Nick’s leadership, College Visions has created new strategic partnerships, increased the number of students served, and improved already stellar student outcomes. The organization is both fiscally strong and investing in innovative programs. Board, staff, and students are excited to embark on this next phase of organizational growth and development.
In the coming months, College Visions will undertake a search for new executive leadership. We are confident that we will identify a candidate who will build on the existing strengths of the organization and lead us to a new level of achievement toward our mission.
During this interim period at College Visions, Moira will be our communications point person. You are welcome to reach out to her at moira@collegevisions or (401) 490-3996. She can connect you if you wish to speak with me or Tina. The board and staff of College Visions love to share our story, and we certainly welcome visits and conversations. If you have questions or want to see our programs in action, I hope you will reach out.
Sincerely,
Deborah Obalil
Board Chair
