Shannon Babe-Thomas
Executive Director
sbabethomas@communitybridges-md.org
Office: (301) 585-7155 ext. 108
Shannon Babe-Thomas joined Community Bridges as the Executive Director on June 7, 2016. Shannon is an incredibly loyal nonprofit leader with over 20 years nonprofit experience. Prior to joining Community Bridges Shannon led the Membership Initiatives Department at the largest Girl Scout council in the country. Shannon was responsible for several of GSCNC’s strategic funding and programmatic partnerships. Shannon is a civic leader and believes in being involved in her community. Shannon serves on the Nonprofit Montgomery Board, the Committee for Montgomery Board and the Montgomery Women Board. Shannon is the President of the Rotary Club of Downtown Silver Spring, the past Board President of the Small Savers Child Development Center, a graduate of the Leadership Montgomery 2018 Core Class and served on the transition team for County Executive Elrich. Shannon graduated from Towson University with a BS in Communications and now lives in Bethesda with her husband and children.
Isabel Argoti
Deputy Director of Programs
iargoti@communitybridges-md.org
Isabel Argoti is a first-generation professional with proud roots from Ecuador. Isabel holds a strong passion for developing youth programs, helping first-generation students, advocating for women and girls, and continuing her local involvement in Montgomery County, Maryland, where she grew up. Previously, Isabel worked at the National Park Service and U.S. Department of Interior managing the Every Kid in a Park program. She established the Career Mentoring Initiative at Collegiate Directions Inc. She credits much of her leadership to her community involvements including helping form the LADYS-CVILLE mentorship program, serving as a team LEAD for the Hispanic College Institute, and her various roles at Sigma Lambda Upsilon (SLU) Sorority. Currently, Isabel serves on the Montgomery County Commission for Women, is a Board Member for AMP Global Youth, and is Vice President for FlanCake by Gaby, a family-run business. Isabel graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Architecture and earned her Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate from Georgetown University. In her free time, Isabel enjoys spending time with her family and pups, traveling, and splurging on iced coffee!
Jane De Angeli
College Access and Success Director
jdeangeli@communitybridges-md.org
Jane De Angeli serves as Director of the Community Bridges’ College Access and Success Program, supporting seniors in the college and financial aid applications process, as well as facilitating internship applications for qualified juniors, seniors, and alumnae. Jane previously has served as College Access Advisor for three years with Community Bridges. Jane also supports Community Bridges alumnae intending to help them succeed in getting not to but through college. Before this role, Jane has held a variety of youth nonprofit roles over a 15 year span, with the last five in college access. Previously Jane was a senior manager for Accenture and served as quality program manager, supervising two successful software capability evaluations, as well as a technical manager, responsible for team supervision, client support, deliverable creation and technical program management for system platform migrations. Jane earned an MBA from Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business and a BA in English from Cornell University. Jane participated in Leadership Montgomery’s SLM Program in 2020. Professional Memberships: NCAN, NACAC, PCACAC and Associate Membership in the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA).
Michelle Haughton
College Access and Success Advisor
mhaughton@communitybridges-md.org
As College Access advisor, Ms. Haughton guides and supports seniors in the college and financial aid applications process. Ms. Haughton serves as a Common App Advisor and leads students through Common App as well as resume and essay writing. Born and raised in Kingston Jamaica, Michelle has been working in the field of education for 10+ years. Her experience includes working in the classroom, creating treatment plans for students with limited social/emotional skills and working in a residential program for underserved teens. In her free time, Michelle enjoys hiking, watching movies, reading and baking.
Charlain Bailey
College Access and Success Consultant
cbailey@communitybridges-md.org
Charlain Bailey has been an educator and student advocate for over thirty years. She has worked as a school counselor at the primary and secondary levels and spent her last eighteen years at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring Maryland. In June of 2018, Ms. Bailey retired from Montgomery County Public School System and established Bailey’s Dream: First Generation Scholarship Fund (501-C-3) and Going To College: First Generation Educational Consulting Practice.
Ms. Bailey leads PCACAC newly formed Special Interest Group for CBO’s that support first generation and low-income students through the College access and attainment process. Ms. Bailey holds a B.A. in Art Education and a M.Ed. in School Counseling. She is a National Board Certified Counselor, member of National College Attainment Network (NCAN), National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) and the Local affiliate (PCACAC). In 2018 she was Awarded PCACAC Counselor of the Year and serves as Summer Institute Faculty Member.
Dèjá Taylor
High School Program Manager
dtaylor@communitybridges-md.org
Dèjá is a graduate from The Pennsylvania State University where she studied Political Science with double minors in Spanish and Women’s Studies. She then went on to get her Masters of Public Policy degree from the same university. She was born in Washington, D.C. but was raised in Prince George’s County. Being raised in such a diverse county is what led her to work for public service organizations. She always knew she wanted to work in the public service sector to make a positive impact on people’s lives and their futures. In her downtime, she likes to watch tv shows, movies and play Animal Crossing on her Switch.
Marianne Hope
High School Program Specialist
mhope@communitybridges-md.org
Office: (301) 585-7155 ext. 106
Marianne Hope is a PG county native and joined the Community Bridges staff in 2013. She is one of four children and also the middle child. She is extremely proud of her Puerto Rican heritage. She holds a B.A. in Studio Art and Dance from the University of Maryland. Her passion for the arts developed during high school and has continued ever since. Growing up in a single-parent household, Marianne learned the struggle of financial hardships and the value of hard work. While working three jobs to pay college tuition, she joined the National Honor Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Golden Key International Honor Society. She dedicates her success and college completion to the love and support of her mother and siblings. She firmly believes that with hard work, dedication, and support any girl can live her dreams. She celebrates her completion of the Montgomery County Collaboration Council 2018 Mentoring Fellowship and Leadership Montgomery 2019 Emerging Leaders Class. During her free time, Marianne enjoys teaching Sabbath school, playing the ukulele, and dancing in the living room with her husband and three children.
Isha Sarr
Middle School Program Manager
isarr@communitybridges-md.org
Isha Sarr is of Gambian descent, born and raised in Montgomery County. She is a first-generation college graduate. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Gerontology with a minor in Health Science from Towson University. On weekends she works with Kulture Shock Movement where she provides West-African traditional and Afrofusion dance to children ages 6-18 and adults. She previously had the opportunity to intern at BAYADA Home Health Care last spring, where she recruited a home health aide to provide care to older patients in the comfort of their own homes. In the future, she plans on working in the health field. Thanks to her mentors and high school counselor, she vowed that she will give other young girls an opportunity she was given and even more. I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration. With this degree, she plans on helping the aging population receive better health care and hopefully improve how care is delivered in nursing homes. In the near future, she plans to use her experience to open a dance program for young girls and a free clinic for single parents in the Gambia as a way to give back to her community. During her free time, she likes to dance, watch movies, hang out with family or friends, cook, and travel.
Shelley Sams
Middle School and Mentor Program Manager
ssams@communitybridges-md.org
Shelley Sams first joined Community Bridges as a volunteer mentor. As the Middle School and Mentor Program Manager, Shelley is committed to creating inclusive, holistic, and impactful programs that foster personal and community growth. She brings an eclectic professional background in global and arts education with youth and adult program management experience in the US, Malawi, and Tanzania. A native of North Carolina, Shelley holds a Master of Education in Comparative and International Education from Columbia University’s Teachers College. In her free time, she is a docent at the National Museum of Women in the Arts and enjoys family time, playing tennis, practicing yoga, and crafting.
Erin Lee
Elementary School Program Manager
elee@communitybridges-md.org
Erin is a graduate of Trinity Washington University, where she studied Human Relations with concentration in Social Justice. She is a proud Montgomery County native, born and raised in Silver Spring. Erin’s studies focused on encouraging equitable and responsive educational environments for students across all intersections. She believes that cross-cultural understanding and empathy are essential aspects of empowering the person. Erin is excited to support the girls of Montgomery County to reach their goals and progress their leadership skills. She is excited to facilitate inclusive, safe and interactive Community Bridges’ communities. In her free time Erin enjoys creating music, thrift shopping and relaxing with her two dogs.
Katie Manyin
Education and Elementary School Program Specialist
kmanyin@communitybridges-md.org
Cathariya Chanthaboun
Development and Operations Consultant
cchanthaboun@communitybridges-md.org
(240) 863-3802 ext. 103
Cathariya is a first-generation college graduate from Towson University with a B.S in Sociology and a minor in Mass Communication. Born and raised in Montgomery County, she has witnessed firsthand the inequity of education based on socioeconomic status. She strongly believes that with the right resources and support, every girl can become strong leaders and agents of change in the community. With internship and volunteer experience at Maryland CASA, Rosemary Hills Lacrosse and the Nonprofit Village, she is passionate about serving individuals in the community. Cathariya first joined Community Bridges in 2017 through its Mentor Program. She enjoys binge-watching The Office, traveling, and finding new places to eat.
Etsube Yitbarek
AmeriCorps Member
eyitbarek@communitybridges-md.org
Etsube, a recent graduate of the University of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in Communication, hails from Ethiopia and was raised in Montgomery County. She attributes her achievements to the support she received during her school years from Community Bridges and ACES (Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success), which fuelled her determination to give back to the community that aided in shaping her academic success. Etsube served as a non-voting board member at Community Bridges from 2019 to 2021 to offer perspective from a participant in the organization. In the upcoming 2023-2024 school year, Etsube will closely collaborate with high school students at Community Bridges as an AmeriCorps Member, reflecting her commitment to making a positive impact.
Beyond her dedicated endeavors, she finds delight in traveling and crafting engaging content for her substantial TikTok and Instagram following. With 200k+ TikTok followers and 36k on Instagram, she produces entertaining and educational videos in Amharic, addressing essential social topics. Etsube’s aspirations include pursuing a master’s degree, exploring the world, and inspiring younger generations through education, all of which herald a bright and promising future.
Taylor Anaba
AmeriCorps Member
tanaba@communitybridges-md.org
Taylor was born in Detroit, Michigan, and raised in Maryland, where she has attended Montgomery County Public Schools for most of her academic career. She recently graduated from Montgomery College with an Associate of Arts degree in Business. Taylor first joined Community Bridges while attending James Hubert Blake High School and is excited to return as an AmeriCorps member. She previously worked as a caregiver to individuals with developmental disabilities. Her past work experiences serve as a source of inspiration for her unwavering commitment to inclusivity, actively integrating this principle into her daily life. In her free time, she enjoys going camping, watching cartoons, traveling to new countries, and caring for her two dogs, Kingsley and Baela.
Courtney Fookes
AmeriCorps Member
cfookes@communitybridges-md.org
Courtney was born and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland. She loves getting to know others around her and helping people as much as she can. Courtney played competitive softball where she learned she loved to connect with people and to work with others. She graduated with a Bachelors of Science from Towson University where she majored in Psychology and minored in Family Studies. Her previous work experiences include volunteering and babysitting in her community. Through these experiences she learned that she loved to help provide any support she can for people that need it. In her free time, she loves going to the beach, hanging out with her family and friends, and cuddling with her cat Monty.
Amelia Lindsay-Kaufman
AmeriCorps VISTA Member
alindsaykaufman@communitybridges-md.org
Originally from North Carolina, Amelia got her undergraduate degree in Russian studies and geology at McGill University in Montreal, and her master’s degree in Geology from the University of Missouri. In between, she served as an AmeriCorps volunteer in Baltimore, where she supported STEM outreach programs at Barclay Elementary/Middle School. She has also worked for eight summers as a language instructor at Russian immersion summer camp through Concordia Language Villages. Of all the places she has lived, Amelia loves DC the most, and she hopes to gain skills to support community building in the DC area. In her free time, she likes to do arts and crafts projects and go contra dancing at Glen Echo.