Clark County Team

Kelvin Thomas is the Vice President of Acelero Learning Head Start in Clark County, one of Nevada’s largest Head Start providers. Prior to joining Acelero Learning, Thomas was the Director of Early Childhood Education and Family Services at Enrichment Services Program (ESP), a nonprofit community action agency serving children enrolled in Head Start, Early Head Start, PreK, and Child-Care Partnership Programs. Before joining ESP, he held several administrative roles in K-12 education. Kelvin has a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership (ABD) and an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership, as well as a Master of Social Work (MSW) and a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW). He is a graduate of the UCLA New Director’s Academy and Head Start Management Fellows Program.

Koami Attila was born in Lomé, Togo, and moved to Las Vegas at the age of five.  A graduate of Valley High School, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from the University of Nevada, Reno, and later completed his MBA with a Finance concentration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Koami began his career in accounting and finance, gaining experience with Caesars Entertainment and later with a nationwide tech startup based in Seattle, Washington.  He joined Acelero Learning Clark County in 2021 as Finance Manager and now serves as the Director of Finance. In his current role, Koami oversees all fiscal operations for the delegate and ensures that financial systems, compliance, and reporting meet the highest standards.

Katy A. Freeman moved to Las Vegas after graduating from Western Michigan University with a BA in Criminal Justice and Social Psychology. During her undergraduate career she gained a strong foundation in statistical research with a focus on pedagogical methods.

In 2018, Katy  joined the Acelero Learning team as a teacher’s assistant. She then moved into a lead teaching role, where she discovered the critical need for quality early childhood education. In 2023, she became co-director of the Strong Start Wardelle Center, bringing her experience and energy to a new leadership role.

Now, as Director of Analysis, Katy blends her background in data with her heart for education. Her creative and critical approach helps support the Clark County team strive to live our core value of data informed learning. Her goal is to help teams use information in meaningful ways that lead to better outcomes for children, families, and our community.

Dale Furukawa joined Acelero Learning Clark County in 2008 as the Director of Operations, responsible for overseeing the successful transition of twelve centers through licensing and facility improvement plans to meet Acelero standards. As the Director of Operations, she manages our facility portfolio, our information technology infrastructure, and all facility and food operations. In 2013, Acelero Learning fully integrated Monitoring and Compliance measures to ensure that all systems and services met and exceeded all compliance requirements, with a primary focus on health, safety, and regulatory adherence.

Dale serves as a member of the Nevada Head Start Association and is a member of the Southern Nevada Housing Regional Authority Family Self-Sufficiency Program Coordinating Committee.
Before joining Acelero Learning Clark County, she worked for Sprint as a Senior Technical Applications Consultant focusing on the design, development, and implementation of services for major hotels/casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Dale has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Hawaii, with a major in Business Economics and Quantitative Methods, emphasizing management systems, operations research techniques, and the application of statistical analysis for decision-making.

Damon Mattison has a Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Development from Eastern Michigan University. Damon’s career began in the mental health industry, where he gained valuable experience in working with individuals and families facing a range of challenges.

In 2015, Damon transitioned to Acelero Learning. Over the course of 10 years, he has held several key roles, starting as a Family Advocate, then advancing to ERSEA (Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance), then Extended Services Coordinator. His hands-on experience with family engagement and operations at Acelero Learning eventually led to his current position as Director of Extended Services, where he oversees the planning and coordination of extended day programs, ensuring that children and families continue to receive high-quality services beyond the standard school hours.

David McComb is the Human Resources Business Partner for Clark County.  A native Philadelphian, David comes to Acelero Learning with over 15 years of HR and Operational Leadership with various Industry Leading Organizations.

David holds a Masters Degree in Organizational leadership from Wilmington University.  He relocated to Las Vegas in 2022, and joined Acelero in 2024.  His passion for dismantling inequities, leadership development, and change management algins with our goals towards acquiring and retaining the best talent to support the children we service and their families.

Rose Moten-Collins is the Director of Family Services for Acelero Learning Clark County.  In this role, she monitors enrollment, recruitment, selection and attendance and provides services to enrolled families.  Rose received her M.A. in Organizational Management and started with Acelero Learning in April 2008.  Prior to joining Acelero Learning, she worked in Head Start in various capacities since 1991.  Rose is passionate about Acelero Learning’s mission.

Deborah Payne has advocated for low-income children and families in the Head Start Program for the last 19 years. Starting her career as an Office Manager, in 2006 with Community Development Institute, she is currently the Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Acelero Learning Clark County Head Start. Deborah believes that Head Start is essential in our communities positively impacting the most vulnerable.

Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, Deborah obtained her education completing high school and is currently a student at CSN. Deborah is certified in Administration. She has also completed several courses in Bible College including Effective Leadership. Deborah has attended countless leadership trainings over the years including The Situational Leader, which presents a practical framework for developing people and increasing productivity and most recently completed LION – Leadership Institute of Nevada. Deborah appreciates our value of transparent & open communication where integrity is demonstrated and decision making spaces are welcoming.

Tameka Henry is the Executive Director of The Obodo Collective and a mother of four, whose experience with Head Start began as a parent at the Acelero Learning – Clark County program in 2007. Ms. Henry quickly became one of our most vocal advocates on the importance of Head Start, on continued funding, and on closing the achievement gap. She is a former Policy Committee chair as well. She has organized and led several advocacy events, including sending over 1,000 letters to Congress on behalf of Head Start families and speaking to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and his staff on the benefits of the program. Her work in ECE advocacy earned her the Martin Luther King Diversity Award in Education presented by the College of Southern Nevada. Ms. Henry is also an Ascend Ambassador with The Aspen Institute whose nationwide focus is on working with dual generations to move families beyond poverty. She is also a proud board member of the Region IX and National Head Start Associations, the Southern Nevada Association for the Education of the Young Child, and the Children’s Advocacy Alliances Strong Start Committee. She completed her associate’s degree at the College of Southern Nevada with the majority of her coursework in early childhood education.

Dr. Rutu Ezhuthachan is the Medical Directorat United HealthCare/Health Plan of Nevada. Prior to her role as Medical Director at United HealthCare/Health Plan, Rutu Ezhuthachan was Chief of Pediatrics from 2005 to 2013 at Southwest Medical Associates. In addition to her role on the Acelero Learning – Clark County board, Dr. Ezhuthachan is also a board member at Immunize Nevada, the Public Education Foundation, and Baby’s Bounty. Dr. Ezhuthachan holds a BA from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and an MD from the American University of the Caribbean. Additionally, she earned a master’s degree in medical management from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business in 2015. In 2014, she won the CDC immunization champion award for the state of Nevada.

Dr. Jeffrey Gelfer is a Professor of Education at the University of Nevada. Dr. Jeff Gelfer is a professor and served as the coordinator of early childhood programs at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for 31 years. He teaches courses in early education programs, play theory development, curriculum development, strategies in early childhood education, program administration, child development, literacy, parent education and early childhood special education. He serves as the program editor for the Early Childhood Education Journal Teacher Education Division. He has been a school psychologist, learning disability specialist, kindergarten teacher, and administrator for the Easter Seal Society. He has also published over 70 articles, co-authored one textbook, and developed administrative program manuals for early childhood programs, and he is on the ACELERO Board of Directors, Nevada Teach Board of Directors and served 15 years on the Nevada Easter Seals Board of Directors.

Mariah Graves is a Las Vegas native and graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Mariah holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and is owner of All Things Business, a local accounting and consulting firm, and works as a Business Manager providing back-office support to Charter schools in the Las Vegas area. Mariah is dedicated to bridging the gap in minority communities related to income and financial resources. In 2021, Mariah founded the Against All Odds Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to encourage entrepreneurship and the establishment of minority-owned businesses. The Against All Odds Foundation offers start-up grants, consulting services and financial literacy guidance to minority business owners. Mariah is also a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.

Debbie Harpster is a Community Child Advocate. Ms. Harpster brings strong relationship-building, fund development, and program administration skills to the board, acquired over 15 years of working in the local nonprofit sector. Upon moving to Nevada in 2003, Ms. Harpster lead the Nevada chapter of Prevent Child Abuse America (PCA) for 5 years to promote awareness and prevention measures throughout the state. She has since worked at various Clark County nonprofit organizations providing violence prevention programs for youth; and serving those in need with homelessness prevention and food distribution programs. In her current role as Training Specialist with the Rape Crisis Center, she offers presentations to members of the community on child sexual abuse prevention, human trafficking recognition and response and provides child assault prevention programs to elementary aged children. Ms. Harpster also serves as the Chairperson of the Advisory board of PCA Nevada. She received her bachelor’s degree in English from California State University, Long Beach.

Dr. Juanita (Jany) Ortiz-Robinson is the Project Facilitator in the Pre-K Title I program, Clark County School District. Dr. Jany Ortiz Robinson has over 20 years of experience in the early childhood education field and has presented at conferences across the country and internationally on education. She is currently a Project Facilitator in the Pre-K Title I program at the Clark County School District. Dr. Ortiz holds a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of San Francisco, a master’s degree in early childhood special education from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a PhD in special education with a research emphasis in early childhood and cultural diversity from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Dr. Ortiz Robinson serves as the board’s Early Childhood Education expert.

Brian L. Pauling, CPA, CGMA, CCEP, DCP CFE, is Founder and CEO of Strategic Business Foundations, LLC. For over a decade, as Chief Executive Officer at Strategic Business Foundations, he has been a consultant, trainer, and keynote speaker for organizations across the country in the areas of diversity awareness, leadership development, and process improvement. Mr. Pauling also served in the gas and electric utility industry for over fifteen years in a variety of executive, management, and consulting capacities. Most recently he served as the Executive – Ethics and Corporate Compliance for NV Energy, Inc, where he was responsible for the company’s ethics and corporate compliance initiatives. Additionally, he spent six years performing assurance and advisory services at Ernst & Young, LLP. Mr. Pauling also serves on the board of 100 Black Men of America, Inc. and 100 Black Men of Las Vegas; the United Way of Southern Nevada’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program; the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce; and Boardroom Bound, Inc. He graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Hampton University.

Amy Tosi is the Director of Product Development for Native Path, LLC. Amy founded Paleo Angel, a specialty superfood business that was acquired by Native Path in 2021. Amy launched Paleo Angel in 2015 as a side business while working full-time as a litigation attorney. Six months later, she left the litigation world and went all in with the mission to educate people on the benefits of eating real food and making a commitment to their health. Paleo Angel quickly gained popularity producing natural snack food products in a niche market.

Since then, Amy’s products have won awards from the prestigious Paleo Magazine and found its place in the  natural foods industry, eventually attracting the perfect buyer. Amy now develops new products at Native Path, where she utilizes her entrepreneurial experience to generate innovation and growth. Amy is a Las Vegas native and attended UNLV Law School, where she served as the Notes Editor to the Nevada Law Journal, was a Teaching Assistant in legal writing and research, and volunteered with the Nevada Immigrant Resource Project.  Amy was an associate at a national trial firm prior to creating Paleo Angel.

Vivian Wright-Bolton is the Executive Director of Leverage Las Vegas. Vivian Wright-Bolton is a first generation Cuban-American, an activist, a local business owner, and a 19-year resident of Las Vegas. Ms. Wright-Bolton is community activist supporting and advancing issues affecting the Latino and LGBT communities on both local and national levels. She currently serves as the Executive Director for Leverage Las Vegas and is the Editor at Large of Proud to Be Out, a national LGBT online magazine. She is also a staunch supporter of HIV/AIDS advocacy and is an Executive Board member of ActionRED, a Las Vegas-based grassroots agency supporting people living with HIV/AIDS. She is also a founding member of the Las Vegas Steering Committee of the Human Rights Campaign. Wright became a foster parent in 2004, and is the mother of four biological and adopted children. She continues to champion efforts to improve the foster care system in Clark County and volunteers to help recruit prospective parents.