Staff

Kristin received her BA in English from The College of the Holy Cross and her MA in Clinical Mental Health and School Counseling from Lesley University. Prior to joining Steppingstone, she worked in a therapeutic program at Arlington High School.

Hi! My name is Caroline Bittrich and I am the Social Emotional Learning Associate. I have had a life long passion for education, graduating from Providence College in 2017 with a B.A. in History and Business Certificate. After graduation I moved to Chicago to work in the public schools, and eventually found my way back to Boston where I worked in international education. My passion for student emotional support and growth pushed me to pursue my M.Ed in School Counseling at Providence College and graduated in 2021. I am so excited to be supporting Scholars and staff at Steppingstone!

Tramel received his BA from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in English/Communications. Prior to joining Steppingstone, he served two years as an educator at a charter school through an AmeriCorps program in Bridgeport, CT. Outside of work, he is most likely writing, reading, watching old films, and enjoying time with friends.

Romina graduated with a Masters degree from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Social Work in 2021 with a certificate in Children, Youth and Families. Over the years, she has worked with various community organizations that serve children and families from predominantly Latinx backgrounds. Romina also has a passion for community organizing, social justice movements and sustainability. In her free time she enjoys hiking, listening to music and working on her next arts and crafts project. Romina is honored to be joining the Steppingstone Foundation in this new year!

Chris is an experienced educator with a demonstrated history of leading start-up initiatives in the field of education. Skilled in program development, Chris' expertise lies in the development and management of innovation within ​the social sector. Prior to joining Steppingstone, Chris served as Academic Dean for the Trinity Boston Foundation's TEEP program, as well as band and orchestra director at the Boston Arts Academy. Chris received his B.M. in Music Education from the Berklee College of Music and M.S. Ed. in Education Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania.​ Chris sits on the Board of Directors of the Trinity Boston Foundation and is a member of the Advisory Team of Neverbore.​

Luisa recently graduated with her MS in Learning Sciences & Technologies from WPI. She also received her BS in Psychological Science from WPI. Luisa was previously a 2009 scholar of the Foundation! Outside of work, she usually spends her time finding new restaurants to try or listening to true crime.

Mary Lou graduated with a B.A, in Economics from Boston College and received a Masters in Public Policy from Brandeis University with an emphasis on monitoring and evaluation. Prior to her work at Steppingstone, she worked as a Research Assistant at Universidad de San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador and tutored Math, Economics, Spanish and Test Prep online. In her spare time, Mary Lou loves to travel, hike, cook, and tutor.

Mary received her B.A. in Sociology and Spanish Literature from Colgate University and her M.A. in Elementary Education from Sacred Heart University. Mary worked at TSA for three years as a Reading and Writing teacher prior to joining the Steppingstone staff full time. Most recently, Mary was the Library and Technology Coordinator at The Advent School in Beacon Hill.

Jane Ventrone began her career at Steppingstone as an Advisor with The Steppingstone Academy in 2006. Before moving into the Vice President of Academic Programs role, she served as the Senior Director of Teaching and Learning. Prior to joining Steppingstone, Jane taught 7th grade Language Arts as a Teach for America corps member in Philadelphia. She has a B.A. in Psychology from Boston College, an M.S. in Elementary Education from Saint Joseph's University, and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University. Jane serves on the Board of Directors of Riverbend School in Natick, MA and she also enjoys reading, gardening, and traveling.

Born in a storm in the Way-Back-When, Ivy Wagner spent her youth in the city, her twenties trying any and everything, and more than a few years teaching. When not helping scholars advance on a path towards college, she can be found exploring a slew of interests, from gardening and carpentry to illustrating and writing. She loves the art of Beatrix Potter, the fables of ancient peoples, and making the time to cherish the people around her.

Joanna is a Boston native with a BA in International Relations and East Asian Studies from Connecticut College. After graduation, she decided to explore her interests in teaching and went to China, where she taught English for several years at various educational institutes at the middle , high school and college level. Her experience in education led her to pursue a Masters in Teaching at the Beijing Normal University where she further developed her skills in teaching and working with young learners. Before joining Steppingstone, she worked at a local academic enrichment center as the program manager and curriculum developer for middle and high school youth. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, traveling and exploring different types of restaurants in Boston.