Executive Director, Mary Ann Creamer

Curriculum Director, Jane Kaftan

Staff Biographies

Executive Director: Mary Ann Creamer conceived Teen Leadership Corps on the notion that there is no greater gift that we can give our youth than opportunities to lead and serve others.   She initiated, developed, and taught service- learning for 13 years at the secondary level.  The service-leadership program she taught was the largest in the state of Ohio, and her students were recognized as Ohio’s outstanding peer team. Mary Ann was voted Outstanding Educator of the Year, was chosen by her students to be published in the Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, and was a member of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council.  Mary Ann has coached four state tennis champions, led 18 athletic teams to conference titles, co-owned and managed a teen nightclub, and served as the special events manager for Five Seasons Sports Country Club, where she teamed with 3 other department managers and working together increased club revenue by 39% over a period of two years through innovative programs and events.  Mary Ann holds both a B.A. and M.A. degrees, from Miami University and Ashland University respectively.

Jane Kaftan: Curriculum Director grew up outside of Washington, DC, in Chantilly, Virginia. She graduated from Mary Washington College with a Bachelor’s in sociology. She has worked as a social worker in a number of areas including Head Start, truancy and delinquent teens, adolescent psychiatric treatment, and employment services. Jane became involved in the service-leadership programs as the school-based mentoring coordinator with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Jane’s enthusiasm for service learning grew as she took on a significant role on the Board of Directors of Teen Leadership Corps, which led to her current position as the curriculum director for Teen Leadership Corps.