Meet the People Behind the Mission

A West Point graduate and former White House Fellow, Dr. Jacobs has a diverse background spanning the Army, national labs, government, and business management.

Brings extensive experience in advocacy, leadership, and foster care. In Kansas, she led a family finding team that doubled kinship placement rates.

Financial executive with asset management experience. Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves, passionate about connecting children to better futures.

20 years’ experience in project management and philanthropic fundraising. Passionate about minimizing family separation and trauma recovery.

Former foster youth, committed to supporting children in foster care. CEO of SlimStrength ActiveWear Inc. Contributor to All Connected: A Place for Belonging.

Brings experience in UX and data analysis, along with a perspective as a former foster youth. She is also a lived-experience contributor behind All Connected: A Place for Belonging.

With extensive experience in visual and written communications for non-profit organizations, both domestically and internationally, Katie is passionate about community building and improving foster care outcomes, especially for sibling groups.

A graphic designer and visual storyteller with experience in developing written, visual, and video content for marketing and social media.

With a background in journalism and foster care, Georgette interviews child welfare professionals nationwide to learn about their programs and how Connect Our Kids’ technology enhances family finding. She also writes stories showcasing the tools’ transformative impact on children and families.

A dedicated social worker with over 33 years of experience, focusing on youth, families, and communities through social justice advocacy.

A lawyer with over 25 years of experience, including roles at the White House, Department of Justice, and in-house counsel for a publicly traded company.

Retired as a Colonel in the Army Reserve after 30+ years of service. She holds degrees from West Point and the U.S. Army War College and is a passionate advocate for kinship families.

A public affairs professional with 14 years of experience in Ohio's legislature and statewide offices, recently focusing on behavioral healthcare advocacy.

With two decades in management, accounting, and government contracting, Cara is dedicated to advancing the foster care system.

Keith Pellegrini is a Partner at McChrystal Group. In previous engagements, he has helped a US state establish a Public Health Fusion Cell to battle the Pandemic, enabled a multinational energy corporation to become a Team of Teams, and advised a city in West Texas, uniting sixteen distinct constituencies across a common vision for the good of the community. Keith is a decorated Army veteran with nearly 3 decades of diverse, practical, National Security experience.

Kristin Farmer is a global pioneer in the field of autism & was the first teacher in California to use a blend of therapeutic, educational & behavioral techniques to achieve the best outcomes for her students. She is the founder of the UNT Autism Center & ACES (Autism Comprehensive Educational Services) that has delivered much-needed autism services to more than 10,000 students across five states that includes professional services that help maximize the potential of individuals with autism from birth to adulthood.

Zachary Venegas, CEO of Helix Technologies Inc., is an experienced entrepreneur, investor, and executive with a track record of leading high-growth companies and advising organizations through complex operational, financial, and strategic challenges. Drawing on more than three decades of leadership experience across diverse industries, Zachary brings expertise in governance, innovation, and sustainable growth to every board he serves.

Mike Figliuolo is managing director of thoughtLEADERS. He is an honor graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and served in the U.S. Army as an armor officer. Before launching his own company, he worked at McKinsey & Co., Capital One, and Scotts Miracle-Gro. He’s the author of three leadership books and has millions of views of his eLearning courses on LinkedIn Learning.

Paul Garrett has been in cyber security for over 15 years and has nearly 30 years of experience in software development. He oversaw classified systems and law enforcement data-sharing solutions for the Department of Justice. He went on to co-found a mobile security company, and he then turned his focus to child family matching. He contributes on both the product side as well implementation.

Dr. Jennifer Jacobs is the CEO and co-founder of Connect Our Kids. Prior to co-founding Connect Our Kids, Jennifer was a fellow and distinguished analyst at the Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute. While there, she led teams of analysts in understanding and improving complex systems and processes within the federal government, particularly around nuclear non-proliferation and border control. Her teams focused on creating operationally useful solutions under conditions sometimes resistant to alternative approaches.

Jaci Tomek, founder of TomahawX Technologies, has more than 20 years of industry experience in cybersecurity, strategic business development, corporate strategy, sales and customer acquisition. Jaci offers an exceptional blend of business strategy acumen and strategic partnering skills. She is known for growing and operating high performing teams, expertise in operational forecast cadence and her “go get ‘em” attitude. She is passionate about what technology can do to improve the way our nation serves its children in foster care.

Rich was introduced to us at a pivotal moment in our development as a nonprofit organization; he was so quick to understand the value and potential of what we do for kids in foster care that he immediately became not just a Board member, but a beacon to us as we navigated new financial and operational terrain. Years prior to meeting Rich, he was actually doing the same work manually, for the youth he was assigned to as a CASA that our tools scale up and make possible to serve many more kids in foster care and their families. It’s a testament to Rich’s combination of brain power, problem-solving drive, and compassion. Connect Our Kids cannot overstate the impact of Rich’s role with us over the 2 years he served as a pivotal board member. He had such great confidence in us and our ability to do the things we needed to do, which gave us confidence in ourselves. He became not just an advisor, but a mentor, an ardent cheerleader, and a friend. The world is so much worse for this loss, but we are so much better for having known him in the short time we had together.

Jevon Wilkes has worked with and advocated on behalf of California’s disconnected youth for more than 14 years. His passion for serving vulnerable youth populations comes from his lived experience with homelessness and the foster care system.

As a community leader, attorney, and motivational speaker who has dedicated his life to helping children, Jelani Freeman’s commitment grew out of his own experience in foster care. He has worked in multiple agencies that serve youth, and volunteers as a CASA in Washington D.C.

Navy Veteran and seasoned cyber security executive passionate about keeping our most vulnerable children safe.

Paul R. Perez is a Founding Partner at Delegate Advisors, LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser serving ultra-high-net-worth families. He advises one family, having previously served on the investment committee and as Chief Compliance Officer at Delegate. Additionally, Paul is Chief Investment Strategist for Conway Partners, LLC, an investment advisor for Asymmetric Growth Partners, LP, and holds various trustee and executor roles for wealthy families. With an impressive academic background and professional affiliations, he is a Chartered Financial Analyst and Stanford Associates designation holder.

Mark Heil is a business development specialist driving sales in the financial services market with expertise in alternative assets. He has served in a variety of roles ranging from capital raising services, investor communications/events, fund administration and investment using qualified dollars.

Marty Secada is the Advisory Chair at AG Analytics. He provides strategic guidance and insights for the analytics technology of the IVY Family Office Network, Deal Sponsors, and Fund Sponsors. He has over 30 years of experience in alternative investments, family office, and institutional investor domains.

Karen, is a seasoned entrepreneur excelling in relationship building and business development. Over 30 years, her unique approach to marketing has driven substantial results. Inspired by Vicky and Jessica, she passionately serves as an Advisor Committee Member for Connect Our Kids, driven by the belief that it’s our duty to nurture foster children and connect them with their extended family for a better life.

After a 4-year tenure at Accenture in China and Australia, Lan Mi arrived in Boston to broaden her life perspective. Passionate about fueling innovation and growth, she dedicates her business efforts to Boston/Cambridge’s vibrant innovation ecosystem. Despite her enjoyment of building partnerships at Cobblestone, Mi’s motivation to aid foster care kids stems from a poignant experience. Witnessing a struggling single mother who aged out of foster care, Mi emphasizes the urgent need for mental health support within the child welfare system.

Ward Ozaeta is the Principal of WBO & Co., an asset management and financial services firm, and the Co-founder of ONE Property Group, a multifamily and commercial real estate investment and asset management firm. Ward is also a US Marine Corps veteran and an active supporter of community organizations in San Diego, CA. He is a passionate advocate for foster care children and families and advocates for Connect Our Kids, leveraging data and technology to transform the lives of teens aging out of foster care.