STAFF
Masiel Rodriquez-Vars
Executive Director
Masiel is deeply passionate about education. She comes from a family of public school advocates, and she was an elementary public school teacher in the early 90s. She pursued a circuitous path to MFEE - law school, program associate at a family foundation, director of a youth philanthropy program, amateur filmmaker, and nonprofit consultant with organizations serving vulnerable youth.
Dory Hack
Director of Innovative Programs
Dory joined MFEE in February 2020. After spending nearly 20 years working at the intersection of the justice system, youth development, and community programs, Dory is excited to put her energy and experience to use in her own community. She is a strong advcoate for public education and a self-proclaimed policy dork, systems nerd, and compulsive problem-solver. Prior to joining MFEE, Dory worked at the Center for Justice Innovation. She has two children in Montclair Public Schools. Dory also has a background in theater design and production, which unexpectedly prepared her for most of what parenting and professional life asks of her.
Erin Madigan White
Director of Communications
Erin is thrilled to put her journalism and communications background to work in support of public education. She has more than 15 years of experience at media organizations including The Associated Press, TIME and Fortune. She holds a journalism degree, an MFA in creative writing, and teaches writing workshops for young people. Erin also served as PTA co-president at Northeast Elementary School, and her three children attend Montclair Public Schools.
Rachell Arteaga
Director of Learning Design
Rachell started her journey with MFEE as a volunteer after school tutor with the Oruguitas program in 2022. She then began designing after-school programming for Oruguitas as the Interim Program Coordinator in 2023 and is now the Director of Learning Design for both Oruguitas and Entrenadores Escolares! She has over a decade of experience working with children from kindergarten through high school in a variety of capacities as a teacher and administrator including in schools, museums, and camps. She is passionate about affirming students in their experiences, empowering them to succeed and looks forward to continuing this work with the amazing community at MFEE!
Najla Nazeemudeen
Administrative Coordinator
Najla serves as the Administrative Coordinator at MFEE. With two children in the public school system, she helped coordinate after-school enrichment programs and volunteered as a school liaison for MFEE before officially joining in 2020. She is energised by seeing the positive impact MFEE’s work has with children and the school community. She has a background in Psychology.
Anyily Agudelo
Program Coordinator, Navegadores Escolares
Anyi is the point person for all the familias and Navegadores. She is getting her MSW at Rutgers, and before working at MFEE, she was a Parent Educator for the Parents as Teachers program in Passaic County. Now, you can find her doing everything from helping kids get their required school vaccinations to helping parents fill out rental assistance forms to sitting with a high school senior to plan for the future. She is the first face of MFEE that new families meet, and she connects our families to other resources in the community.
Lesley Xicotencatl
Weekend Coordinator, Entrenadores Escolares
Lesley joined MFEE as program coordinator in November 2021 and helped launch the Entrenadores Escolares program. She is focused on creating a safe, inclusive environment for students while providing the support they need to thrive academically. Lesley works full-time as a second grade teacher at HOLA - Hoboken Dual Language School. She has over 7 years of experience in the education field and is proud of how much MFEE's after-school programs have grown.
Kathy Maloy
Grants Coordinator
Kathy began volunteering as an MFEE school grant liaison in 2015 and formally joined MFEE in February 2020. As the daughter of a retired public school teacher, she is passionate about supporting educators, and she truly enjoys seeing their magical ideas come to life in MFEE's annual grants. Kathy has a background in marketing and public relations. She has three children in Montclair Public Schools, and she was a past head of SEPAC (Special Educational Parent Advisory Council).
OUR BOARD
MFEE's Board of Directors draws from a broad base of the Montclair community. Board members include parents, alumni, and community members, but mostly importantly, passionate advocates for public education. Board members serve two year terms.
