Our Team

Our people are at the heart of what we do. Our work wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of The Fishing School’s leadership, staff, and instructors.

Our Team

Our people are at the heart of what we do. Our work wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of The Fishing School’s leadership, staff, and instructors.

Senior Leadership

Meeta Sharma-Holt
Meeta Sharma-Holt

Executive Director

Emmanuel Gbajobi

Director of Programs

Meeta has used positive youth development, her background in social work, and a commitment to social justice for over 30 years in her work with youth from underserved communities. Before scaling national programs to 18 states and developing national STEM programs at Techbridge Girls, she established the system of afterschool programs for Washington, DC. In New York City, she led a large, multi-site, community-based afterschool and summer program and expanded corporate mentoring programs with 20 Fortune 500 companies at Big Brothers Big Sisters. Meeta is a consultant to intermediaries, nonprofits, and school districts to guide their informal education programs for children and youth. In her consulting practice, Meeta provides strategic guidance, updates program design, conducts research, and facilitates meetings. Meeta holds a BS in Marketing and Management from Penn State University and an MSW from Columbia University in New York City.

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Emmanuel brings to our team a decade of experience in coordinating, directing, and implementing afterschool programs. He began his career as a soccer tots' instructor, merging his passion for sports with his dedication to youth advocacy. He later ascended to the role of Program Director of Teen Services at Jubilee Housing, where he was instrumental in overseeing programs that offered teenagers academic support, social-emotional enrichment, and pathways to college and career readiness. Initially focusing on elementary-aged children at Jubilee Housing, Emmanuel soon transitioned to managing the Teen Center. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Bowie State University and is currently pursuing his Master's in Industrial and Organizational Psychology at Grand Canyon University.

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We are a passionate team who understands the value of heart and hard work. Together we work every day to provide children and youth the skills they need to succeed in school and in life.

- Meeta Sharma-Holt, Executive Director

Staff

Nicholas Marshall

Senior Program Manager

Sasha Brown

Senior Operations Manager

Leslie Hamburger

Development Operations Manager

Bria Shields

Operations Assistant

Kevin McDonald

High-Impact Tutoring Manager

Nicholas Marshall joined TFS in July of 2022. Nicholas’ professional experience includes community engagement, curriculum development, crisis management, student engagement, advocacy, program support, and event planning. Previously, Nicholas served as an Area Director at Yoke Youth, where he facilitated programming and program components across multiple sites. Nicholas was the liaison between school leadership and the site program teams, organized and helped implement after school clubs, and trained site staff. Nicholas has also served as Restorative Interventionist at Vine Middle School in Knoxville, TN, and as Teaching Partner at DCPS. Nicholas is actively involved with Tru2form hoops as a lead trainer and head coach and is passionate about mentoring young people through coaching. Nicholas received his Master’s degree in Sports Administration with a focus in educational leadership from Southeastern Oklahoma State; he received his Bachelor’s in Management of Non-Profits from Johnson University.

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Sasha joined The Fishing School in August of 2021. Sasha has worked in several operations and administrative roles throughout her career, building professional expertise in several critical functions including bookkeeping and accounting, expense reporting, document management and event planning. Previously, Sasha served as the Operations Coordinator for BASIS DC Public Charter School, where, outside of her role, she started the BDC Dance Team and served as their Coach. She also served as the Office Manager for Seraaj Family Homes, Inc, a foster care agency in Maryland. Sasha enjoys working with mission-driven organizations focused on improving the lives of children and helping them meet their full potential. She is actively involved with Outreach Christian Center’s Dance Ministry and has served as the dance teacher for children ages 3-8 years old for 12 years. Sasha studied Political Science at Towson University.

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Leslie brings more than two decades of professional fundraising experience, leveraging database records to drive donor cultivation and stewardship. Previously, Leslie served as Development Manager at Dress for Success and as Development Coordinator for Building Bridges Across the River, two local organizations. Her passion for youth development and community volunteering began at her daughter’s elementary school, where she served in various volunteer roles, including PTO President and second-grade leader for the Jr. Great Books program. Leslie has also volunteered with the Empty Bowls project, a local community arts organization that addresses food insecurity, and as a coach for a marathon training team that helps raise money for afterschool programs. Leslie was born and raised in Los Angeles and received her Bachelor’s in Television & Film from California State University, Long Beach.

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Bria joined TFS in April of 2023. Bria’s professional experience includes office management, retail management, customer service, data entry, and communications. She has worked mostly within the customer service industry and enjoys being a part of organizations that work to advance everyone’s quality of life and self-efficacy. Previously, Bria has served as the Kid's Department Manager for ZARA. Bria is passionate about children and helping them succeed, especially those who are underprivileged and live in single parent households. She is currently studying to complete several Information Technology certificates as a student at Prince George’s Community College.

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Kevin joined the Fishing School in February of 2024. His professional experience includes curriculum development, elementary education, literacy tutoring, and volunteer management. He has worked extensively within Washington, DC’s educational landscape, bringing several years of classroom and tutoring experience from his roles as the 5th and 6th grade English Language Arts and Social Studies teacher at the Children’s Guild PCS and as the 1st grade Urban Teachers Resident at Early Childhood Academy. Kevin previously served as the Curriculum Development Fellow at Population Education and as Literacy Tutor with Reading Partners. He will leverage these skills to lead our high-impact tutoring program and support our students in developing the academic skills they need to thrive. Kevin received his Master of Education from Johns Hopkins University and his Bachelor’s in English from the George Washington University.

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Site Managers

Our SY 24-25 Site Managers are:

Board of Directors

Our Board members serve as vital support to achieve our goals and empower the communities we serve. They represent diverse backgrounds and fields but are connected by their passion for service to youth. We have maintained a commitment to a diverse board of directors and staff since our inception over 31 years ago. We consistently recruit directors and staff of varying races, ethnicities, genders, professions, and affiliations.

Eric Causey – Chair

Partner

KPMG, LLP

Sheila Harley – Vice Chair

President/Founder

Harley Business Group

Terry Lineberger – Secretary

Community Outreach Advocate

Tsitsi Batia – Treasurer

Strategy and Operations Manager

Deloitte

Larry Bank

Executive Vice President

Matador Capital Management

Ronald Bozant

Managing Director, Audit

KPMG, LLP

Gretchen Brainard

Principal

Deloitte Digital

Michelle Davis

COO

National Bankers Association

Dr. Tisha Lewis Ellison

Professor

University of Georgia

Kate Holman
Senior Manager, Customer and Marketing

Deloitte Digital

Dave Watts

Chief Digital Advisor

World Wide Technology

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