Engineering Protection: Where Trauma-Informed AI Support Meets Human Connection
We train case workers, guidance counselors, teachers, police officers, and other public servants to become highly effective mentors in career readiness.
AAI re-envisions the transition from high-risk environments to adulthood by providing a robust safety net against the dangers of aging out. We stabilize the trajectory of vulnerable youth aged 14-24 through a three-pillared delivery model.
- Mentorship Technology (Catapult): We provide a proprietary learning management system that, among other necessary trainings, animates real-life mentors via USC’s MentorPal technology, providing 24/7 access to relatable guidance. This AI-driven interface utilizes a trauma-informed methodology to ensure every interaction prioritizes the psychological safety and emotional stability of the youth we serve.
- Professional Development: We provide educators and community leaders with the tools to intervene effectively through live and virtual Train the Trainers events and our proprietary Mentor Guide. These resources establish a standardized, high-fidelity approach to mentorship that honors the lived experiences of our participants.
- Backend Data Analytics: We anchor our mission in empirical evidence by tracking backend research outcomes and student progress. This data infrastructure allows us to validate the efficacy of our interventions and ensure no child slips through the cracks of the system.
Partner Organizations We Serve
1. Title 1 Schools: Supporting students in high-poverty areas to bridge the achievement and opportunity gap.
2. Foster Care Organizations and Homes: Providing continuity of care and mentorship for youth transitioning toward independent living.
3. Juvenile Justice Programs: Delivering rehabilitative mentorship to reduce recidivism and foster successful societal reintegration.
4. Sobriety and Recovery Support Systems: Guiding youth through the complexities of maintaining long-term recovery and personal health.
5. Teen Pregnancy and Parenting Programs: Empowering young parents with the life skills and resources necessary to break cycles of instability.
We do more than mentor; we help partner organizations secure stable futures for those the world too often leaves behind.
Meet the Board of Directors
Dr. Pamela M. Donnelly
Founder & Interim Executive Director
Dr. Pamela M. Donnelly has been an equitable education visionary for more than two decades in her mission to increase college access. She graduated with her PhD in Global Leadership and Change from Pepperdine University, and holds an MA degree in Literature as well as a BA in Literature and Secondary Education from Columbia University in the City of New York. She is a four-time business founder committed to championing teens in foster care, having built her professional reputation as a performance-focused executive. Her specialization in higher education for over twenty years has provided processes optimizing individual and organizational objectives. Data-driven, her leadership aligns people and resources to consistently deliver exceptional student outcomes.
Dr. Donnelly has been widely featured in the national media, including Time Magazine, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. She is conversant in Spanish and committed to ensuring language barriers do not impede student aspiration in AAI’s programs. A first-generation college student and second-generation CASA, she has built a solid network of influential stakeholders across federal, state, and local educational entities. Her values-based expertise is based on carefully curated research, theoretical foundations, and real-life experience in classrooms, board rooms, and offices up to and including advisory for divisions within the U.S. Department of Education.
Jason Palmer
Co-Founder, Founding Donor, and Honorary Board Member Emeritus
Jason Palmer is co-founder and founding donor of American Access Institute. Recognized as a leader in the conscious capitalism movement, Jason previously held leadership roles at the Gates Foundation, Kaplan Education, and New Markets, where he invested in twenty companies that serve 70 million learners worldwide, including Credly, Climb Credit, LearnPlatform, Mursion, Socrait, CreatorUp and Nepris. Jason also was a former Democratic presidential candidate focused on expanding economic opportunity through innovation. Jason serves as a Senior Advisor to Renaissance Philanthropy, the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), and climate change venture fund Bay Bridge Ventures. He holds degrees from the University of Virginia and Harvard Business School, and lives in Baltimore, Maryland, where he is a proud father.
Dr. Sandra T. Elliott
Board Secretary
Dr. Sandra T. Elliott is an internationally recognized education leader with over four decades of experience improving student outcomes across K–12 systems. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Innovation from the University of Colorado, Denver, and holds an M.Ed. in Special Education and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Florida. Her work began in the classroom as a special education teacher and evolved through five principalships, district administration, board service, and state-level consulting. She has led initiatives in both public education and the private sector, consistently advancing inclusive learning models.
She played a key role in the launch of national education efforts, including the Edison Project and Engage NY’s Eureka Math. She also led the development of the DySc, a free dyscalculia screening tool now widely used. Her expertise in mathematics instruction for struggling learners and dyscalculia has earned her invitations to present at major national and international conferences. Dr. Elliott serves on the Board of the Dyscalculia Training and Research Institute and participates in EDUsummIT, a UNESCO-affiliated group that contributes to global education policy. A published author, her recent book Sum Things Up! A Practical Guide to Dyscalculia shares classroom strategies grounded in research and experience. She continues to champion equity in education, working to ensure that every student has access to effective instruction aligned with their individual learning needs.
Alyssa Harvey Dawson
Board Member
Alyssa Harvey Dawson brings decades of legal and strategic leadership to her role as a board member for technology-driven and mission-aligned organizations. With deep expertise in governance, cybersecurity, AI ethics, privacy, and financial oversight, she helps companies grow responsibly and sustainably. Dawson’s passion for collaboration has allowed her to successfully integrate legal, compliance, and security functions into product development, engineering, and business operations—bridging often-siloed departments to support innovation at scale.
Her career spans Fortune 500 companies, high-growth startups, and nonprofit organizations. She currently serves on the boards of AppLovin (Audit and Nom/Gov Committees), Make-A-Wish® Connecticut, and the Georgetown University Law Center Board of Visitors. In each of these roles, Dawson helps guide ethical decision-making, sound governance, and long-term strategic vision. She also serves as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary at HubSpot, where she advises on key legal and regulatory matters while championing inclusive, forward-thinking innovation.
Dawson earned her JD from Georgetown University Law Center and remains actively engaged in legal education and policy conversations. A champion of responsible technology, she advocates for equity, education, and inclusive access to innovation, especially for historically marginalized communities. Her leadership philosophy centers on the belief that business success and social responsibility are not at odds, but rather must go hand in hand.
Alyssa Harvey Dawson’s breadth of experience and steadfast commitment to ethical, human-centered technology make her an invaluable advisor and leader for American Access Institute. In today’s evolving digital landscape, her contributions will help us shape a future in which innovation uplifts people, protects privacy, and strengthens communities.
William R. Swartout, PhD
Board Member
Dr. William R. Swartout is a nationally recognized leader in artificial intelligence, education technology, and human-centered computing. He serves as Chief Science Officer of the USC Institute for Creative Technologies and Co-Director of the USC Center for Generative AI and Society, where his work focuses on using AI to strengthen learning, critical thinking, and equitable access to opportunity.
A founding member of the USC Institute for Creative Technologies, Dr. Swartout has spent more than two decades leading large-scale, federally funded research initiatives that apply AI to education, training, and workforce > readiness. His work has helped shape AI-driven mentoring, career exploration, and writing-support tools now used in both civilian and military education settings.
Dr. Swartout currently leads research examining how generative AI can support—rather than replace—student thinking, with particular attention to underserved learners. His projects emphasize explainability, ethics, and scalable > support systems that expand access to high-quality guidance.
He earned his PhD in Computer Science from MIT and is a Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence. His work has been featured nationally, including on 60 Minutes, and recognized with numerous awards for innovation and public impact
AAI is grateful for his deep expertise in AI-enabled career readiness, mentoring, and educational equity.
Altrese Hawkins-Gopie, MBA, MS
Board Member
Altrese Hawkins-Gopie, MBA, MS, brings years of expertise at the intersection of Responsible AI, risk management, and inclusive innovation to the AAI Board of Directors. As a Senior Operations Program Manager at Microsoft, she leads enterprise-wide implementation of Responsible AI frameworks, ensuring generative AI technologies are safe, secure, and trustworthy for more than two million users. She has driven a 457% increase in adoption of Responsible AI practices across 19 Microsoft organizations and created automation tools that save over 900 hours annually. Her leadership spans engineering, legal, and product teams, and she serves as Chief of Staff for Black at Microsoft, supporting over 7,000 global members.
Previously, she held leadership roles at Magic Leap, managing multimillion-dollar R&D portfolios and improving delivery and quality through systems thinking and operational innovation. Ms. Hawkins-Gopie holds an MBA from the University of Florida and an M.S. in Biomedical Sciences from Barry University. She earned three undergraduate degrees from the University of Memphis: a B.S. in Biology, a B.S. in Chemistry (Biochemistry), and a B.A. in Psychology (Behavioral Neuroscience), with a minor in Spanish.
“I am genuinely inspired by the mission of the American Access Institute,” she says. “Building a community that educates, elevates, and empowers itself and others—especially in the age of AI—is why I serve.”
Dr. Vicki L. Holmes
Honorary Board Member Emeritus
Dr. Vicki L. Holmes is an experienced Director with a demonstrated history of working in the higher education industry. She graduated with a Doctorate of Adult Literacy degree from UNLV, and holds a Master’s degree from Arizona State University in Educational/Instructional Technology. A Professor Emeritus from UNLV, she is skilled in e-learning, instructional design, and curriculum development. She is an avid reader, dog mom, wife, and community activist. Volunteerism includes participating on the Board for Anthem Country Club,
Dr. Holmes is an expert in ESOL training, and certified to instruct in Spanish by the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, a skill which will come in handy given the fact that a large percentage of teens in the Nevada foster care system are from Latino homes and speak English as their second language. During her tenure working toward her doctorate focused in Adult Literacy from University of Nevada Las Vegas, she witnessed firsthand the incredible hurdles faced by young adults who have not benefited from proper educational support and career pathways mentorship. In addition to her other work at UNLV, she has worked for the College of Education as a facilitator for Alternative Route to Licensing (ARL) teachers who are working in the Clark County School District.
AAI’s Leadership Collective
Dr. Laura McReavy Hearnsberger
Curriculum Systems Architect
Dr. Laura McReavy Hearnsberger, holds her Doctor of Education Career in Organizational Leadership and is a seasoned educator and sought-after data strategist. A specialist in data visualization, she provides easy-to understand graphics distilling even the most complex subjects. Professional experience includes early time as a classroom teacher coach that evolved toward a career as a technology curriculum integration specialist. She has worked at both the district and state levels in senior management overseeing data and accountability, and director of innovative programs.
It was during her doctoral pursuit that she recognized the need to democratize analytics, leading her to found her cutting-edge consulting firm called Reflect, Plan, Do. Notable accomplishments include creating the Engagement Culture Construct, which measures the value schools place on intrinsic motivation and develops an interactive school map that has been used thousands of times by lawmakers, advocates, and educators to gain quick insights on public schools in Texas.
Dr. Hearnsberger co-creates American Access Institute’s curriculum with Dr. Leon. She oversees Tableau content, a digital tool which empowers users to interactively understand the college admissions process, job trends, career readiness, and more.
Bernadine Murphy
Director of Communications & Engagement
With two decades of experience at Nevada State Bank, Bernadine Murphy is a seasoned business professional who rose through the ranks with remarkable dedication and drive. Her journey began as a bank teller, and she worked her way up to her final position as Vice President of Corporate & Real Estate Commercial Banking. She accomplished this while putting herself through the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Finance.
Bernadine's commitment to empowering foster and other vulnerable youth through financial literacy and hard work reflects her belief that the right tools can change lives and open doors to opportunity. She excels in financial analysis, relationship building, and strategic planning. She is committed to leveraging her skills and experience to support American Access Institute’s mission of providing career education and employment resources to vulnerable youth. As a strong advocate for community engagement, she believes in the power of collaboration to create meaningful and lasting change.
Aside from her professional life, Bernadine enjoys cooking, fitness classes with friends, and spending quality time with her family. She is also much beloved for her baking—and has been known to provide baskets of homemade delicacies as she meets in person to form AAI partnerships with aligned nonprofits in the region.
Dr. Lisa DeLeon
Curriculum Team Member
Google and Apple are just two of the tech giants who have relied upon Dr. Lisa De Leon to create and develop top tier educational content. A PhD in Global Leadership and Change, Dr. DeLeon has accrued experience including university-level consulting, including co-authoring the Gender-Lensed Curriculum at Texas A&M. As a Guest Lecturer at San Diego State University, she offers engaging instruction in Leadership to diverse students.
After earning her M.Ed, her international teaching expanded to the Fiji Islands and Uganda. Cross-cultural work continued at the Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture spanning research, policy writing, and curriculum development for foreign universities.
Dr. DeLeon oversees American Access Institute’s UX for its digital platform, which is specifically designed for use by foster youth in grades 9-12. At the forefront of equitable education and committed to measurable student outcomes, she applies her experience as an in-demand User Experience Writer from Silicon Valley to perfecting the simplification of complex information for specific audiences. In AAI’s case, our focus includes a Lexile level of 7 within a gamified, interactive series of student trainings.
A Grateful Tribute
Blueprint of the Beginning