History

Summer Search New York City was founded in 2003 by Eden Werring, the former Executive Director of the North San Francisco Bay office and National Director of Strategic Partnerships, and Stacey Thompson, an alumna of the San Francisco office and currently the National Program Director. Janice Yang joined the Summer Search team soon afterward and became Executive Director in 2006.

In 2008, Summer Search will celebrate the fifth anniversary as an organization in New York City. In accordance with this milestone, we are planning a major program expansion over the next three years that will enable us to triple the number of deserving students served throughout New York City. 

Staff

Janice Yang, Executive Director
Karina Kirsch, Program Director
Jill Kantrowitz, Program Associate
Iliza Bershad, Program Associate
Emily FitzGerald, Program Associate
Caitlin Hinz, Program Associate

Janice Yang, Executive Director
Janice received a B.A. in Art History from Cornell University and a M.A. in Arts and Humanities Education from New York University. She joined the Summer Search staff in 2003, became the Program Director in 2004, and stepped up as the Executive Director in 2006. Before joining Summer Search, Janice worked with the Arts Education Initiative of the East Bay Community Foundation in Oakland, CA. She also has worked in the curatorial department at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and served as a tutor for public school students in Manhattan.

Karina Kirsch, Program Director
Karina received a B.A. in Portuguese and Brazilian Studies from Brown University. After graduating from Brown, Karina went on to the New York City Teaching Fellows Program where she taught 3rd and 4th grade in the South Bronx while also receiving an M.A. in Early Childhood Education from Lehman College. After completing the Fellows program, Karina joined the Summer Search team as a Program Associate. She became the Program Director in 2006 and is excited to be a part of such a terrific organization.

Jill Kantrowitz, Program Associate
Jill received a B.A. in Psychology-Sociology from Wesleyan University in 1998 and a M.A. in Public Health in Health Behavior from University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill in 2005. Following Wesleyan, Jill worked as a Health Educator, and then the Director of Education and Training both at the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. In graduate school, Jill worked in the North Carolina Department of Correction providing medication adherence counseling to prisoners living with HIV/AIDS. Jill joined Summer Search as a Program Associate in 2006. In 1994 Jill completed a NOLS semester course in Mexico and has previously lived in Greece, Israel and Spain.

Iliza Bershad, Program Associate
Iliza received her B.A. in Journalism from New York University in 2007. While seeking her degree, she taught health education in New York City public high schools through Peer Health Exchange. She also managed 60 Peer Health Exchange volunteers at NYU, and in June 2007, she helped launch their new volunteer site at Northwestern University in Chicago. Iliza has organized special programming with an office at NYU's Steinhardt School, and worked with a women's rights NGO in rural Peru. Iliza enthusiastically joined Summer Search as a Program Associate in September of 2007.

Emily FitzGerald, Program Associate
Emily received a B.A. in Classical Languages from Hamilton College in 2000. After graduating, she served in AmeriCorps as a Literacy Tutor at an elementary school in Oakland, CA. During her year of service, she taught environmental education and helped start an after-school program. Her love of languages and curiosity led her to the jungle town of Iquitos, Peru, where she taught English in two schools along the Amazon River. Prior to joining Summer Search in 2007, Emily spent five years with NYC Audubon as the Membership Director and Development Associate. In her spare time, she volunteers as a trip leader for the Sierra Club's Inner City Outings. As a native New Yorker, Emily is excited to be working with students in her hometown.

Caitlin Hinz, Program Associate
Caitlin was born in Wyoming and raised in Iowa. She attended Skidmore College in upstate New York, earning her Bachelor’s degree in Art History and Literature. While in college, Caitlin worked in the curatorial and education departments at the Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum. With a desire to share her love of art, she developed several projects which facilitated rich and interactive experiences in the museum for a diverse public. In college, Caitlin discovered a love of learning languages and exploring different cultures, and had the opportunity to live and study abroad in India, Italy, Argentina, and Peru. In the summer of 2005, Caitlin worked at Longacre Leadership, a program in which young people work and play on a farm while developing their leadership and communication skills. Here, Caitlin learned of Summer Search and realized her passion for creating positive change in the lives of young people. Caitlin joined Summer Search in October of 2007 as a Program Associate and is thrilled to be a part of the team.