People

Simon Moore

Executive Director
Simon@collegevisions.org

Simon Moore, the founder of CV, was born and raised in Providence, growing up on the East Side. He attended Providence public schools-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, Nathan Bishop Middle School, and Classical High School-and then went to Brown University, where he co-coordinated the Pre-College Enrichment Program at the Swearer Center for Public Service. After college, Simon briefly escaped Providence and moved to New York where he was a classroom teacher before running the college-advising program at Banana Kelly High School. While living in New York, he was still caught in the Providence tractor beam and returned home each summer to work at Providence Summerbridge. Simon now lives in Washington Park, is a fanatic tea drinker, half-heartedly collects used records, and loves competitive games, especially basketball and Boggle.

Deborah Steinberg

Assistant Director
Deborah@collegevisions.org

Deborah Steinberg began as College Visions' first Assistant Director in January 2008. Deborah brings experience in the fields of philanthropy and education, having worked as a Program Assistant at the Nathan Cummings Foundation, a family foundation in NYC, and as a teacher, volunteer, and office manager at Providence Summerbridge, a year-round education program in Providence, RI. Originally from New Jersey, Deborah is graduate of Brown University, as well as an amateur potter, runner, and cook.

Claire Harlan Orsi

Program Coordinator
Claire@collegevisions.org

Claire Harlan Orsi, the College Visions Program Coordinator/AmeriCorps VISTA, is both a college advisor for a group of students and responsible for a variety of other organizational duties. A recent graduate of Brown University, she joined College Visions as a way to translate her academic background into an experience where she could grow as a teacher. Claire is a native of Bloomington, Indiana and still carries a strong affection for the beautiful Midwest. When not at College Visions, you might find her stenciling words onto her walls, playing the accordion, or looking longingly at a pair of brightly colored sneakers.

Hannah Lewis

College Guide
Hannah@collegevisions.org

Hannah Lewis joined College Visions by way of the College Guides program at the Swearer Center for Public Service at Brown University, a new initiative that pairs seven college guides with local high schools. She works with two Central High School groups, and divides her time between the College Visions office and the Central library, hallways, and classrooms. Originally from Albany, NY, Hannah recently graduated from Brown with a degree in music. When not at College Visions, you may find her singing with her new band, acting in the Manton Avenue Project plays, or somewhere else in the murky underbelly of the arts scene in Providence.

Stesha Emmanuel

Program Assistant
Stesha_Emmanuel@brown.edu

Stesha Emmanuel is a Program Assistant at College Visions and can often be found at the CV office calling students and editing essays. Stesha is studying Political Science and Africana Studies at Brown University. Born and raised in Boston, MA in a Haitian-American family, Stesha is the first in her family to attend college and is currently applying to law school. She also loves dancing, stepping, going to church, mentoring, and reading.

Sandra Valenciano

Program Assistant
sjvalenciano@gmail.com

Sandra Valenciano, a College Visions Program Assistant, spends many afternoons editing college essays with CV students. Sandra is a native of Miami, FL of Colombian origin and a first-generation college student, currently studying Community Health at Brown University. She is planning to study Public Health when she graduates and then apply to medical school. Aside from health and medicine, Sandra loves photography and learning languages.

Advisory Committee

Garry Bliss

Mayor's Policy Director, City of Providence

William Hurry

Executive Director, Rhode Island Higher Education Assistance Authority

Elaine Fersh

Director, Community Matters

Angela Romans

Associate Director of Admission and Director of Minority Recruitment, Brown University

College Visions would like to thank:

Abel Hernandez for designing the College Visions logo. Abel is a College Visions alumnus (Central High School '07) and currently attends the Rhode Island School of Design.

AS220's Photographic Memory program for taking most of the photos on this website. Photographic Memory, or Photo Mem, is a unique program in which Rhode Island's underserved youth learn the craft of photography while gaining real-world experience by working as an apprentice to a professional photographer. Photo Mem's services are for hire: www.as220.org/photographicmemory.

Design Providence for website and material design. Design Providence is a community-based design approach from AS220.