we're a nonprofit
Our mission is to help public high schools build vibrant alumni communities, to provide every student with the inspiration, support and resources they need to succeed.
The Alumni Toolkit is part of a global mission. In the United States, we are part of Future First USA. In Britain, where we operate in 500 schools, we are Future First UK. Around the world, we are Future First Global.
In the 2017-2018 school year, the Alumni Toolkit, 20 public high schools across 4 states, and the University of California San Diego are leading a national research pilot to help launch a new generation of high school alumni program- focused on student success.
Respecting the privacy of educators, alumni and students is important to us. Alumni Toolkit adheres to the standards and policies of the Student Privacy Pledge.
Join the movement of a new generation in alumni engagement.
The Future First USA team
Board of Directors
Michael Funck
Michael Funck was President and Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Trust Company, Connecticut from 1993 to 2006. Since 2000, he has served on numerous non-profit boards, notably as Board Chairman of the Fairfield County Community Foundation and as Chairman of the Fairchester Advisory Board of the Network For Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE).
Steve Sheiner
Steve Sheiner is Chief Revenue Officer of Chalk Digital. He is a serial entrepreneur with 25 years experience in direct marketing, advertising and the internet. He is co- founder of MP3 and a director or advisor to numerous start-ups and turnarounds.
Gary A. Kraut
Gary A. Kraut is founder and Board Chair of Future First USA. His firm, G.A. Kraut Company, helped pioneer the field of Investor Relations. He has been an early stage investor in a number of start-ups, has served on many non-profit boards, and is Board Chair of Impact Young Lives Foundation.
Gary Workman
Gary Workman is a lean manufacturing and quality control specialist now serving as Vice President, Global Quality at Illumina. Previously he was Vice President, Quality at Bloom Energy and General Manager of New United Motor Manufacturing, a Toyota-General Motors joint venture. He is a member of the ISE Systems Advisory Board at San Jose State University.
J. David Nelson
J. David Nelson concluded his 33 year career with IBM as manager of their largest business unit in China. He then became Chief Operating Officer of The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). He recently concluded his term as an AARP board member and Chair of the AARP Foundation.
Board of Advisors
Gary Reiner
Gary Reiner is the former Chief Information Officer at General Electric and is now Operating Partner at General Atlantic. He is a director of Citigroup, Hewlett Packard Enterprises, Box and other notable technology companies.
Larry Perondi
Larry Perondi has worked in public education since 1975 most recently as Superintendent of the Oceanside (CA) School District. He has been a classroom teacher, principal and district level administrator. Mr. Perondi currently serves school districts and superintendents as an executive coach specializing in building leadership capacity.
William Lewis
William Lewis is Co-Chair, Investment Banking at Lazard, and a Board Member for the New York Philharmonic, Ariel Investment Trust, Partnership for New York City and Darden Restaurants.
Alan Daly
Alan Daly is Professor and Chair of the Department of Education Studies at The University of California San Diego. His research focuses on social network analysis, educational reform and social capital development. He has been a classroom teacher, a district psychologist and a school principal. He is author of over 150 articles and three books on education.
Aria Finger
Aria Finger is the CEO of Do Something, a non-profit serving 5.5 million teenagers. She is a New York University Adjunct Professor, a World Forum Global Shaper and Young Global Leader.
David Levinson
David Levinson is the President of Norwalk (CT) Community College. He is the Co- Chair of the American Sociological Association Task Force on Community College Faculty, and the General Editor of American Sociology, an encyclopedia.
Management
Marilyn Ondrasik
Marilyn Ondrasik heads the East Coast efforts of Future First USA. Ms. Ondrasik has 35 years of nonprofit experience- including 17 years as Executive Director of the Bridgeport (CT) Child Advocacy Coalition.
Colin Lieu
Colin Lieu is Digital Marketing Manager of The Alumni Toolkit. He previously served as a segment producer for an Australian television show and as publicist for an Australian breast cancer charity.
Jeffrey Stein
Jeffrey Stein is the Managing Director of Future First USA and the designer of the Alumni Toolkit. Previously Mr. Stein was a school administrator, high school teacher and founder of TeenJobs.org, a social-enterprise internship program that counted Amazon, Expeditors, Starbucks, Microsoft, and the Seattle Seahawks as clients.