Staff & Board

As a former Teach for America teacher, Kayla has a deep understanding of the value of education and the adversity students often need to overcome to achieve their educational goals. Since her time in the classroom, she has committed herself to expanding educational opportunity, and enjoys working with students and families to help them reach their highest potential. She holds a Masters of Public Administration with a concentration in nonprofit management and education policy from Cornell University, and a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from Hamilton College.

Abby joined Central Scholarship in 2018 and comes with 15 years of fundraising experience. She received her bachelors at Shenandoah University and is pursuing her masters at the University of Baltimore. She strongly believes in the enduring value of education and is looking forward to working with CS’s many partners to help students go higher.

Nancy Fenton is a first-generation college graduate with a Bachelor of Science from Towson University and a Master of Arts from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Nancy is a native of Baltimore City and graduated from Western High School. She has more than 25 years experience in the nonprofit sector, serving in various leadership positions in the fields of social service and education. Through her work, she appreciates the role of education as a major influence in providing stability and achievement in life.

Nancy is a 2015 / 2016 participant in the Weinberg Sector Skills Academy (WSSA). She also has a Certificate in Nonprofit Studies from The Johns Hopkins University Institute for Policy Studies. Nancy is the parent of a son who attended the University of Maryland College Park and a daughter who graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art.

Roberta Goldman has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a Master’s Degree in Counseling. After beginning her career as a rehabilitation counselor and then an employment counselor, Roberta found her professional home at Central Scholarship.

With over two decades of experience in scholarship management at Central Scholarship, Roberta is passionate about education at all levels and is inspired and energized every year by each new group of students and their stories. As a first-generation college graduate herself and the proud mother of two graduates of the University of Maryland, College Park, Roberta has a personal familiarity with the financial aid and college experience from the point of view of both a student and a parent. Her career with Central Scholarship has enabled her to mesh her professional growth with the personal belief that giving someone the tools to become self-reliant is the greatest way to offer support.

Roberta is a member of the National Scholarship Providers Association and has served as a scholarship application reader for the Association of Universities and College of Canada. A native of England, Roberta can frequently be found with a cup of tea in hand, and can be relied upon to keep the Central Scholarship team supplied with English chocolate.

Kim Haley is in her seventh year as Central Scholarship’s Operations Assistant. She enjoys being the first contact for students and donors on the phone, and the first face they see when they walk into Central Scholarship. Kim also manages receipt of student payments and checks from donors. As someone working to complete her own higher education, and saving for her son’s future, Kim understands firsthand the challenges that students and parents face in today’s education market, and is passionate about helping everyone access the education they need to succeed.

Angela Harrison has been with Central Scholarship since 2006, when she began as the Operations Assistant. Growing along with us, she helped to design our e-mail outreach program and online application, and is now the Senior Program Manager, administering our scholarships for career and technology training. From her own experience, Angie knows how difficult it can be to finance an education, and she loves to be a helping hand for students navigating the same process. She holds a B.A. in English from Washington College, where she received the Sophie Kerr Prize for her poetry.

Michele Waxman Johnson is Vice President at Central Scholarship. Before joining Central Scholarship in February 2011, she served as Executive Director of Leadership Frederick County for 11 years, and previously held positions in transportation planning and college admissions. Michele leads our Program team in administering our $1 million-plus annual scholarship and interest-free loan program, and also leads our advocacy efforts on scholarship award displacement which resulted in a first in the nation law, and our College Cash® financial education series. Additionally, she chairs the Board of Directors of Congressman Elijah Cummings’ Youth Program (ECYP), serves on the National Scholarship Providers Association (NSPA) Research and Advocacy Committee, serves as a mentor in the NSPA national mentorship program, and has run for political office and managed local political campaigns. Michele earned a Master’s degree in Planning from the University of Virginia, a B.A. in Urban Studies from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a certificate in non-profit governance from the State University at Albany. As a first-generation college graduate who paid her own way for a Master’s degree while working full-time, Michele understands the value of a good education, and recognizes how education transforms, lives, families, and communities.

Jan Wagner spent 14 years at Johns Hopkins University as a senior director before joining Central Scholarship in 2001. She earned an MBA at the University of Baltimore and a BS in Business from Towson University. Jan’s father died when she was just 17 and she had to figure out how to pay for higher education. She understands the challenge of persisting through college and the rewards that await students who finish.

Lucille Margulis, Controller of Central Scholarship, has over 30 years of experience in accounting. She has a deep understanding of financial reporting for non-profit organizations. Prior to joining the Central Scholarship team, Lucille managed accounting functions for for-profit and non-profit organizations.