Board

Steve Abraham, WILL Founder and President. When Steve left his 18-year career as a trial attorney to found WILL in 2003, he understood on a deep, personal level what it means to be inspired by an experience powerful enough to change your life. Two years earlier, Steve had participated in a National Outdoor Leadership School program in the Rocky Mountains in Wyoming. It was during his own transformation that he began forming the vision of providing a similar experience and opportunity for inner-city youth to challenge their perceived limitations. Steve, who is a native Washingtonian and former varsity football coach in DC, founded WILL in July 2003 based on his belief that young people are our greatest resource and that the wilderness offers the perfect classroom to foster self-confidence, self-esteem, trust in others, and the benefits of teamwork.

Steve has volunteered and assisted with programs at Bell Multicultural Senior High School, at the Parkside campus of César Chávez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy, and Wilson Senior High School. Steve also served as a volunteer tutor for local elementary school children at Calvary Bilingual Multicultural Youth Center. Steve is a graduate of Washington and Lee University (W&L), where he was student body president his senior year, and of the W&L School of Law. He served as president of the Washington, DC Chapter of the W&L Alumni Association and on the W&L Alumni Board of Directors for four years, and on the Board of The Decade Society. Steve currently serves on the Boards of The Aaron Straus and Lillie Straus Foundation, The Camp Airy and Camp Louise Foundation, and the Multicultural Intern Program. On June 6, 2008, Steve was presented the Amigo of the Year Award by Principal Maria Tukeva at the Bell Multicultural High School's 23rd Annual Scholarship Benefit Gala at the World Bank. (2003 to present)

Jim Vines, WILL Board Chair, is a partner in King & Spalding’s Tort and Environmental Litigation Practice in the Washington, D.C. office where he serves as the office’s E-Discovery coordinator. Jim has had a distinguished legal career – he clerked for The Hon. William H. Rehnquist, the late Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court; held a leadership position in a global manufacturing firm, taught at the Vanderbilt Law School; and served for five years as the US Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Prior to attending law school, Jim worked for several years as a CPA and financial analyst. (2008 to present)

Steve A. Best, WILL Vice-President, is co-chair of the white-collar criminal defense practice at Dewey LeBoeuf. Steve's practice entails representing companies and executives before all federal regulatory agencies including the Department of Justice and the Securities Exchange Commission. A native Washingtonian, Steve has dedicated approximately ten years of his life to public service in the DC area. He clerked for DC Superior Court before becoming a state and federal prosecutor. Steve has a special understanding of the socio-economic pressures that face today's inner-city youth and is committed to ensuring that each child have an equal opportunity to succeed in life. (2006 to present)

Felda K. Looper, WILL Secretary, is a native of Oklahoma, who has made DC her home for more than 25 years. Felda has more than 20 years of international and domestic business experience, with an emphasis in market and business development, strategic planning, international trade, and technical, contract, and promotional writing. She was instrumental in the founding of WILL and is dedicated to its principles and to the youth of Washington, DC. (2003 to present)

Cathi Coridan, WILL Treasurer, is the Executive Director of Girls Incorporated of Worcester, MA. Cathi brings over 35 years of experience in youth development, until recently working as a consultant to WILL and other youth serving nonprofits in DC and Southern New England. From 2002 to 2007, Cathi served as Executive Director of Mount Saint John, a residential treatment center for adolescent males in southern Connecticut. Before moving to New England in 2001, Cathi lived and worked in the DC area, and remains committed to enhancing services to underserved youth in the National Capital area. (2008 to present)

Sandra Baker is the Director of Guidance at the Bell Multicultural Senior High School, Washington, DC. 2008. Ms. Baker is an accomplished After School Program Director and Senior Guidance Counselor with over 20 years of combined experience in the areas of teaching, counseling, mentoring, staff and program development and administration. She possesses extensive knowledge of secondary education and has broad-based experience creating, implementing and managing dynamic programs for at-risk youths in DC Public Schools. (2008 to present)

Leah Galvin is a Learning and Evaluation Specialist at the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) in Washington, DC where she oversees research and evaluation efforts including the design, implementation, and maintenance of a center-wide database system to track demographic and outcome information on all youth attending LAYC programs. Leah also conducts program evaluations at LAYC and research in youth development. Leah’s background in Sociology helps her understand the diverse needs and challenges faced by urban youth today. Growing up in the mountains of Colorado, Leah understands the positive long lasting impacts that nature can have on youth. (2009 to present).

Nicole DuPont Latimer is a principal with the Advisory Board Company and the Executive Director of its H*Works Consulting, as well as its Nursing Compass and Quality Compass business intelligence divisions. Nicole’s areas of expertise and interest include public health, quality of care, change management and leadership development. Prior to joining the Advisory Board Company, she held positions with Deloitte Consulting and IBM. Nicole holds two Master’s degrees from the University of Michigan, one in Business Administration and one in Health Services Administration, as well as a Bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College. As the beneficiary of outdoor leadership and environmental education programs at both of her schools, Nicole is committed to bringing those experiences to underserved youth in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Consultant - Dave Starnes. Dave served on the WILL Board until taking a job overseas in 2008; at which time he agreed to become a consultant to and for WILL. Dave has been in the outdoor learning field for over 25 years; 19 of which were in senior leadership roles at the oldest and most successful urban Outward Bound Center in the United States. He has assisted in the development of the national Outward Bound USA strategy for growing urban centers; led the development and implementation of the longest running staff Diversity Leadership Program within Outward Bound USA; and has raised over $1 Million to enhance the presence of Outward Bound in the Chesapeake region.

"Everywhere we went I learned something. I also have met and made new friends." — Miguel   "I gained knowledge about the environment and equally self-assurance.  I learned that I can do whatever I want to do, no matter how difficult the circumstances are." — Mankah