Dannyelle is a mother of three and a passionate advocate for young people. She began her work with Launchpad as the first Executive Director in 2021, after having spent over ten years in education and workforce spaces. Growing up in a single parent home in Philadelphia first sparked Dannyelle’s interest in helping young people rise above their circumstances and become something greater than society’s expectations. From an early age, she knew she wanted to spend her life dedicated to helping young adults develop and achieve their dreams. Dannyelle graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls and went on to earn her Bachelor’s Degree from Franklin & Marshall College. Dannyelle holds two Master’s Degrees – Higher Educational & Organizational Development & Leadership. Her personal journey along with her professional and educational experiences have helped to shape the future that Dannyelle has imagined for herself. When not working, you can find Dannyelle spending time with her family, in a spin studio, group fitness class, nail salon, or doing hair in her spare time.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

My first dream was to be Allen Iverson’s traveling hair braider. Then, I thought I wanted to be a lawyer and that was mainly influenced by my love of the show, A Different World. Ultimately, I landed exactly where I was supposed to be.

What album can you listen to on repeat?

4 by Beyonce – I am a huge Beyonce fan and this is definitely my favorite album of hers and of all time.

Favorite hoagie or cheesesteak spot?

I grew up in Nicetown so I would have to say Max’s for the cheesesteak. Now that I am living in the Northeast, Marinucci’s for the hoagie.

What is something you would tell your 16-year-old self?

Have fun. There is always going to be a lot going on around you. Learn to dance in the rain and stay present in the moments that bring you joy. Most importantly, take every advantage available to just have fun.

As a Career Success Coach at Launchpad Philly, I bring years of hands-on experience in workforce development, case management, and career coaching to help young adults build strong, sustainable pathways into the tech industry and beyond.

Prior to joining Launchpad, I served as a Workforce Development Advisor with PA CareerLink, where I conducted in-depth eligibility assessments, developed individualized employment plans, and connected participants with training and job opportunities aligned with high-priority occupations. My work also included strategic case management and cross-sector collaboration with local employers, educators, and support service providers.

I’ve held multiple roles across the public and nonprofit sectors including Program Administrator at Tech Impact; where I managed cohort-based training programs, handled federal and state audits, and led data-driven reporting to maintain compliance and drive continuous improvement. Whether I was helping participants access IT training, assisting clients with disabilities, or producing quality assurance reports, my focus has always been the same: empower people to reach their goals through support, structure, and skills-building.

At Launchpad, I continue this mission by guiding students through career exploration, resume development, mock interviews, and real-world problem-solving. I approach this work with a strengths-based, culturally responsive lens; helping students not just get their first job, but cultivate confidence, agency, and long-term resilience.

Every student deserves more than a short-term solution; they deserve a career built on purpose, dignity, and their full potential. I’m here to help make that future possible!

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A teacher.

What album can you listen to on repeat?

What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye

Favorite hoagie or cheesesteak spot?

Ishkabibbles on South Street

What is something you would tell your 16 year old self?

You must crawl before you walk… Meaning: You’ve have to start with the basics before you can master the big moves.

Sanaa Igbokwe (they/them) began their tech journey in 2021, studying Applied Data Analytics at Syracuse University in New York. Graduating in 2023, they moved back to New Jersey with a toolkit in Python, R, SQL, and a talent for problem-solving. Passionate about community and peer support, Sanaa joined Hopeworks to build a career that connects their skills with their passions. From their journey at Hopeworks, Sanaa has found an admiration for the resources and support that career development and educational non-profits provide for underrepresented communities. Now as a Technology Instructor at Launchpad, Sanaa is excited to continue growing as an educator and community member, as they embark on this new chapter in their career. In their free time, Sanaa enjoys painting, making zines, journaling, spoken word poetry, and getting involved with the Philly queer community.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

An artist, a pop star, a dancer, a computer technician, a DJ, a comedian, a forensic psychologist, an educator, a poet… Most of these are still true!

What album can you listen to on repeat?

Butterfly Boy by Ryan Caraveo

Favorite hoagie or cheesesteak spot?

Jersey Mike’s and Primo Hoagies

What is something you would tell your 16 year old self?

Follow your intuition with confidence; you know yourself even more than you could possibly imagine.

Nick is the Program Director for Launchpad and has been with Building 21 since 2022. He was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and a proud alumnus of the Baltimore City Public Schools system. Since earning his BA from Pomona College, Nick has dedicated his career to working with young people as a technology instructor and algebra tutor. He is moved by the mission of workforce development and eager to equip the young people of Philadelphia with resources, job experience, and a creative outlet. Outside of his work, Nick enjoys biking, vintage clothing, club music, and playing with his cat, Stache.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was little I wanted to be a conductor—train or orchestra—I just wanted the title!

What album can you listen to on repeat?

Donuts by J Dilla

Favorite hoagie or cheesesteak spot?

I live near Little Saigon and nothing beats a Banh Mi sandwich from Ba Le Bakery.

What is something you would tell your 16-year-old self?

Spend less time thinking about following in other people’s footsteps and more time looking inward and deciding what you want for yourself.

Christian is driven to leverage students’ intrinsic motivation and interests to accelerate skill development. He has taught entrepreneurship to high school students for over 15 years, initially as a co-founder of Startup Corps and now with Schoolyard Ventures. He later served as CEO of Slate, an open-source learning management system and skills-based gradebook, which was co-built with Building21. At Nerd Street, he encouraged students’ passion for video games and esports careers as a pathway to personal and professional development. His own intrinsic interests include reading, SciFi, trusting the Process, superheros, exploring new places (and foods), and celebrating Super Bowl victories.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

Lots of things. A doctor, international businessman, architect, or entrepreneur. The only way to figure it out is to try them all.

What album can you listen to on repeat?

Kanye, Graduation

Favorite hoagie or cheesesteak spot?

Joe’s

What is something you would tell your 16 year old self?

Doing hard things makes you better at nearly everything you do. So keep doing lots of hard things.

Franceska is a writer turned software engineer whose journey into tech grew out of a passion for creativity, problem-solving, and community. An alumna and mentor of Resilient Coders, she has built a career helping others break into technology while continuously expanding her own craft. Her technical toolkit includes (but is not limited to) React, JavaScript, PostgreSQL, Node.js, and modern web frameworks. In addition to being a tech educator, Franceska runs her own web and application development agency, full stack french, where she partners with organizations and entrepreneurs to bring digital visions from imagination into fruition. Her work is deeply informed by a commitment to movement-building and community-centered projects, blending technology with purpose.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I wanted to be a screenplay writer.

What album can you listen to on repeat?

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Favorite hoagie or cheesesteak spot?

The best hoagie/cheesesteak spot is Lee’s Deli in Southwest Philly.

What is something you would tell your 16 year old self?

Surround yourself with people whose eyes light up when they see you.

Rob is from Saint Louis, Missouri and has a developer’s background from the early days of the internet with HTML, CSS, JavaScript. He’s developed custom JavaScript libraries, Microsoft Azure DevOps pipelines, Amazon Web Services, Full-Stack Web Applications with Machine Learning (ML), custom SharePoint 2016 and Nintex 2016 solutions for both medium and large sized businesses. He has worked with Jenkins, Azure DevOps and GitLab CI/CD platforms. He worked as a bootcamp instructor teaching Data Analytics offered by Washington University Saint Louis. He enjoys learning about new technology, gaming and unplugging from it all and living in the moment when he can.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I had aspirations to be a lawyer something about the idea of helping people fight back intellectually was appealing to me.

What album can you listen to on repeat?

Any Alica Keys album. Her songs just flow together harmoniously.

Favorite hoagie or cheesesteak spot?

Hmmm…I am new to Philly area so TBD.

What is something you would tell your 16-year-old self?

People will judge you before they know you, make no mistake; that’s their fault and loss.

Isaiah Wright is a dedicated and creative professional passionate about teaching, storytelling, and technology. A recent graduate, he strives to make a positive impact by sharing knowledge, uplifting others, and building meaningful connections. Isaiah has experience in project development, social media strategy, and user-centered design, thriving at the intersection of education and technology.

He has contributed to projects ranging from web development and interface design to outreach and recruitment strategies, demonstrating both technical expertise and an ability to engage communities. Known for his thoughtful and supportive approach to collaboration, Isaiah is guided by empathy, clear communication, and a genuine desire to help others grow.

Outside of work, he explores writing, psychology, and storytelling across media, reflecting on human growth and resilience. Isaiah’s long-term goal is to combine teaching and technology to inspire and empower future generations.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A Voice Actor

What album can you listen to on repeat?

Harbor – Tomppabeats

Favorite hoagie or cheesesteak spot?

Stella’s Pizza – Northeast Philadelphia

What is something you would tell your 16-year-old self?

Hey, that program you just joined, you’re going to work for them, you’re going to discover yourself and bring something new to yourself.

Inspired by her former students and relentlessly optimistic about the future of education, Stacy E. Holland, Ed.D., has nearly 30 years of experience developing and implementing educational solutions for children.

As Executive Director of Philadelphia School Partnership, Stacy is fostering a positive approach to aligning the education community of Philadelphia on a common vision and working to ensure every student has the modern learning experience that builds the skills needed to thrive and reach long-term economic security.

Prior to Philadelphia School Partnership, Stacy was founder and principal of The Holland Group, a boutique consulting firm that served as a strategic advisor to public/private educational systems and philanthropic organizations and supported the development of investment portfolios focused on high school redesign to career pathway models for young adults. Previously, as Executive Director of The Lenfest Foundation, Stacy managed the foundation’s endowment and annual grant budget, and was a content expert and leader within national, regional and local civic and philanthropic communities on the areas of education, youth workforce, career pathways, career and technical education, and philanthropic strategies. Before The Lenfest Foundation, she served as Chief of Strategic Partnerships for the School District of Philadelphia, where she built a new system for promoting the District’s fundraising initiatives and external relationships. Stacy also co-founded the Philadelphia Youth Network, growing the organization to a citywide entity dedicated to integrating services across more than 100 partners providing programming to nearly 20,000 youth annually.

Stacy earned a doctoral degree in learning and development from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. She also holds a bachelor’s in marketing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s in student personnel administration in higher education from Columbia University.