Meet our leadership
Our Staff
Jennifer Townsend
Jennifer is the Executive Director of Northstar Tutoring. She oversees the organization's strategic planning, fundraising, community partnerships, program development, and day-to-day operations to ensure that more students have access to individualized tutoring and mentoring.
Coming from a family of educators, Jennifer is passionate about the difference education can make in a student's life. While she loves seeing students grow over the years, she also enjoys bringing people together to make that growth possible through new school partnerships, community collaborations, and fundraising efforts that help Northstar reach more students.
Outside of Northstar, Jennifer enjoys reading, traveling, cooking, playing the piano, and spending time with her pets. She especially enjoys visiting her home state of Maine, exploring new cities, and learning about history through books and documentaries.
Saarah Cottone
Saarah is the Director of Programs at Northstar Tutoring, where she oversees program operations curriculum development, and volunteer support across the organization. She also serves as site coordinator at the Center City campuses, Columbia Heights Village, and Amidon-Bowen Elementary School.
Her path to Northstar is rooted in more than a decade of community-based work. After earning a degree in Cultural Anthropology from Peace College and serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA supporting public service initiatives across North Carolina, she spent seven years with the City of Hyattsville, where she launched and led the Hyattsville Teen Center while supporting a range of youth development and recreational programs. Through that role, she first partnered with Northstar to bring tutoring and mentorship to teen center students, and in 2022 she joined the organization full-time.
Saarah is passionate about creating meaningful opportunities for young people to grow and thrive. Having seen firsthand the impact that consistent, caring support can have on a student's confidence and success, she brings that perspective to every aspect of her work from curriculum development and volunteer training to building strong relationships with students, families and tutors.
Outside of Northstar, Saarah is an interior design enthusiast with a love for thoughtful, story-filled spaces. She also enjoys reading, film, building Lego sets, antiquing and exploring the museums, neighborhoods, and hidden gems of the DMV.
Sayeemah Ahmed
Sayeemah is the Volunteer Site Coordinator at Northstar Tutoring. She is passionate about expanding educational opportunities for low-income students and connecting them with mentors who make a lasting impact. She believes there is a strong intersection between social justice issues and educational equity, and that challenges such as poverty, housing instability, and violence can significantly impact a child's ability to access a high-quality education. She believes every child deserves equitable access to educational resources and support they need to succeed.
Throughout her career, Sayeemah has been committed to advocating for underserved communities. She previously worked as a contract tutor with Family Learning Solutions in Montgomery County, Maryland, providing academic support to low-income students, minority students, and students with disabilities. Her professional experience also includes serving as a Business Analyst supporting the development of the Federal Anti-Trafficking Information Management System (ATIMS), a Case Manager at Sasha Bruce Youthwork, and a Sexual Assault Advocate at the DC Rape Crisis Center. She has also spoken out at various panels related to sexual assault and youth homelessness. In recognition of her survivor-centered advocacy and youth empowerment, Sayeemah received the Alpha Theta Kappa Award for "Protecting the Youth".
Outside of work, Sayeemah enjoys spending quality time with her two children, exploring new restaurants, and solving puzzles. If you're ever planning an escape room adventure, she's the teammate you'll want by your side!
Diana Coreas
Diana is the Program Coordinator at the Hyattsville Driskell Park, Hyattsville Middle School and Online site. She started her journey with MD Corp, where she saw how programs could change lives—and that’s when she knew she wanted to be part of building something meaningful. Now, she’s earning her degree in agriculture because she loves working with the earth as much as she loves working with people.
Fluent in both English and Spanish, she focuses on breaking down barriers and ensuring everyone has a seat at the table. When she’s not coordinating programs, you’ll find her growing plants from seedlings, painting and drawing, collecting Pokémon cards, or baking. Passionate, organized, and always ready to lend a hand, she turns ideas into action.
Hannah Thompson
Hannah is the Program Coordinator for Northstar’s Hyattsville Driskell Park Teen Center site. She has her Bachelor’s in Information Science from the University of Maryland, College Park. She has worked with children for multiple years. In 2019, she took a gap year to serve in AmeriCorps' City Year program in Washington, D.C. In 2024, she spent a year overseas teaching students English in the Valencia region of Spain.
Having worked with students from all backgrounds, Hannah cares deeply about students’ wellbeing and believes in a holistic approach to supporting them. Her greatest motivation is to see young learners thrive, build confidence in themselves, and succeed both in and out of the classroom. She has witnessed firsthand the impact of supporting students through tutoring and mentoring, and she works to continue creating positive experiences and opportunities for the students that Northstar serves.
In her free time Hannah has endeavored to become fluent in Spanish, building on her past experience. She watches every WNBA game either in-person, or on the couch with her two cats by her side.
