LEGACY FOUNDATION STAFF BIOS

Lynne Bossart

Legacy’s College Coach, began her career in college advising as an independent educational consultant in 2012, offering comprehensive college counseling services to high school students and their families around the country. She is committed to helping students achieve their post-secondary goals through informed guidance and individualized college admission and financial aid planning. A lifelong advocate of literacy, arts integration, and higher education, she joined Legacy in 2017 to pursue her commitment to college access and work with students who are underserved in higher education.

In order to stay current with the changing landscape of college admissions, Lynne regularly attends professional conferences and tours numerous college campuses every year. She holds a certificate in College Counseling, with distinction, from the University of California-Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts in Music History & Theory from Hunter College of the City University of New York. She is a professional member of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), formerly serving on its Subcommittee on College Affordability and Financial Aid. She is also a member of the National Association for College Admissions Counselors (NACAC) and its regional affiliate, NEACAC.

Lynne lives in Simsbury, Connecticut with her cat, Marcel. She is an avid traveler and speaks fluent French. She also loves to cook and read, is a medieval history nerd, and an arts devotee.

Linda Cummins

As Legacy’s Director of Development,  Linda Cummins helps ensure the continued viability and financial sustainability of the Legacy Foundation.

Linda brings more than 25 years of experience in the field but Legacy Foundation has her heart. She says that after just one visit to the Saturday Academy, “I was instantly hooked!”

“It’s truly run like a venture philanthropy,” she says. “The Board and staff of The Legacy Foundation are willing to take calculated risks in pursuit of innovative solutions for social change which has proven to be effective for them over and over.”

Over the course of her career, Linda has helped raise over $5 million through special events, year-end appeals, capital campaigns, and membership drives for various nonprofit organizations. Through her extensive work experience, education, and professional practice, she earned the internationally-recognized Certified Fund Raising Executive certification. She also holds a number of other professional certifications, including Fundraising Essentials Certificate; Certificate in Financial Management Essentials; and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Certificate, University of South Florida Muma College of Business; as well as being a founding member of the DEI Committee for The Center for Empowerment and Education.

Linda enjoys traveling during her down time, and has visited more than 50 countries so far. A Friends of the Ives Board member, she is also a volunteer with the Wells Valley Cat Rescue and the Cultural Alliance of Greater Danbury.

Kenneth Estelle

Kenneth Estelle, who has taught Reading for the Legacy Foundation of Hartford for about six years, discovered the Legacy Foundation by chance while earning his master’s degree. Kenneth says that when he joined the Legacy Foundation he was initially simply looking for education-related employment while earning his degree; happily, he also found a home.

“I found a community and support system that was dedicated to supporting the overall advancement of students with equal talent but limited access and opportunities,” says Kenneth, a humanities teacher at John F. Kennedy School in Windsor, where he received the distinction of Teacher of the Year for the 2021-2022 school year. “I quickly learned that I wanted to dedicate more time to supporting the work done at Legacy.”

Kenneth says that what separates the Legacy Foundation from other organizations is its staff. “I’m sure there are many organizations with dedicated staff members. However, I feel that the staff at Legacy works constantly in close collaboration with students, helping to create strong relationships that help students to tap into the potential that they may not know they yet possess,” he says. “We are small enough where students know the names of every single employee of Legacy, and call on each of them for help whenever appropriate.”

A resident of Bloomfield, Kenneth teaches Sunday school at his Hartford church, First Church of the Living God, where he also sings as part of the praise team. He received his master’s degree from the University of Saint Joseph in Special Education Literacy, and his undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and American Studies from Saint Peter’s University in New Jersey.  Kenneth is a movie and television buff who also enjoys reading and working out at the gym. Kenneth has an adventurous spirit and enjoys tasting new foods as well as trying new experiences – including going skiing for the first time as part of a Legacy Foundation student excursion in early 2023.

Ashley Jackson

Hartford native Ashley Jackson joined the Legacy Foundation of Hartford in 2021 as a Program Coordinator. With a decade of youth development experience, Ashley is motivated to teach young girls about self-esteem and self-confidence in a caring and safe space, while also supporting Legacy programs more broadly.

Ashley is currently the Regional Program Manager at TEACH Connecticut, helping recruit and support prospective teachers in the state by working in tandem with local school districts and educator prep programs. Previous positions included Student Engagement Specialist for Hartford Public Schools and Program & Family Coordinator for the Boys & Girls Club of Hartford. Ashley was selected among the region’s civic, education, and business leaders as a 2023 June Archer/Eleven28 Entertainment 100 Women of Color recipient. She also serves as a Sunday school teacher at Hartford’s Restoration Church of Worship, and in 2023 published Curl Esteem: The Natural Hair Workbook — A Guide To Natural Hair & Self-Confidence.

She says Legacy’s nurturing atmosphere and dedication to students is what attracted her to serve here. “I’ve worked in a lot of after school programs prior to Legacy, and I’ve never seen a program create such a college-going culture like Legacy does,” says Ashley, who holds a B.A. in Urban and Community Studies from the University of Connecticut. “Every scholar that walks through the doors knows that college is attainable and achievable for them.”

Growing up in Hartford but going to school in Simsbury, Ashley says attending college was always the expectation, but admits that she received little guidance on how to accomplish that task. She says the Legacy Foundation lays out the blueprint for students. “My parents weren’t talking about colleges, and my Hartford friends weren’t talking about colleges. So besides the expectation of going, I had no idea what I was doing,” she said. “But Legacy helps students in the process, even before that process, and after.”

Rayna Northcutt

Rayna Northcutt, who joined the Legacy Foundation of Hartford in 2016, currently serves as Legacy’s Saturday Academy’s Lead Science Teacher. An educator for the past eight years, Rayna is in her second year as Principal of Teachers’ Memorial Global Studies Magnet School for Norwich Public Schools. She has also served in other roles, including science teacher, dean, and adjunct professor, as well as a contributing writer of district science curriculum. Rayna holds a Master’s in Education, and she received a High Honor distinction in earning her Doctorate with a 4.0 grade point average , both from Central Connecticut State University.

Rayna says she initially met Legacy founder Greg Jones while accompanying a student to a Greater Hartford Think HBCU College Fair. She said during his talk with the student, he mentioned his foundation and its goal to effect positive change within the community. When Jones learned that she was a science teacher, he immediately asked if she was interested in teaching at Legacy. After querying the students about the organization and hearing their effusive praise, she was swayed.

A recipient of the June Archer 100 Women of Color Award and Google Black History Month Pay It Forward Challenge, Rayna says part of what attracted her to the Legacy Foundation was its recognition of the achievement and opportunity gaps for the area’s most vulnerable students and its commitment to closing those gaps. “Legacy actively provides students with opportunities by creating a program that champions scholarship and promotes a college-going culture. Moreover, all teachers at Legacy hold advanced degrees, teaching certifications, and serve as educators in educational institutions,” she said.

The Legacy Foundation of Hartford doesn’t just impact students’ lives; it also changes the lives of those who serve the organization, she adds. “I attribute Legacy to my growth as a leader, educator, and overall person,” said Rayna. “Legacy is more than a program, and the teachers are more than my colleagues; they have become family.”

Jordan Romine

After relocating to Hartford from Birmingham, Ala. in 2018, Jordan Romine already knew he wanted to connect with a local organization where he could both learn more about and serve the community. A serendipitous introduction by a friend to Legacy Foundation of Hartford Founder and Executive Director Greg Jones proved to be just the connection he had envisioned. Wasting no time, Jordan spent his very first Saturday in town attending Legacy’s Saturday Academy to see the program in action. He was immediately hooked.

Since joining the Legacy Foundation in the fall of 2018 as its math teacher, Jordan has helped develop and implement the organization’s mathematics tutoring model, in partnership with other community organizations. “As we have grown, the need for the supports we provide continue to keep me motivated to serve with Legacy,” said Jordan, who had previously worked as a high school math teacher for five years before taking on his current position at the start of 2023 as Program Coordinator for the Wesleyan University Upward Bound Math-Science college prep program. Jordan holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Montevallo and received his master’s degree and teacher certification through the two-year Teach for America Corps program at Johns Hopkins University.

Having previously taught in the city’s schools, Jordan has a direct understanding of the challenges facing many students in underrepresented communities. “As a farmer educator in Hartford, I have witnessed the overwhelming opportunity gap that exists for our students in the Greater Hartford area,” he said. “Students find themselves in a pipeline that perpetuates this gap for years to come.

“Legacy is the leader in the force for change in our community,” Jordan continued. “The opportunities that Legacy provides and exploration of new experiences for students to reach above and beyond their goals is unmatched.” He adds that the organization’s 2:1 student/teacher ratio allows for a differentiated and customized mathematics curriculum that helps fuel student success both at the Saturday Academy and in school. In addition, Legacy’s community and corporate partnerships also elevate the student experience, he said.

Jordan, who resides in Hartford, is an avid LEGO collector and enjoys building LEGO projects. He also serves as treasurer of the Connecticut Association of Educational Opportunity program and is an active leader at the Rehoboth Church of God in Bloomfield.

Victoria Szantyr

With a background in advocacy and public health, Victoria Szantyr joined the Legacy Foundation of Hartford as its Open Choice Program Coordinator in February of 2023. In this new role, Victoria’s responsibilities include helping to facilitate Legacy’s Open Choice program and serving as a liaison between the organization, parents, and school administrators.

The purpose of the Legacy Choice Program is to create safe cultural spaces for choice students in their schools and provide targeted academic support. We provide complete wrap-around services including but not limited to academic tutoring, family support, and experiential learning opportunities that assist in their overall development.

Victoria, who holds a Master of Social Work (Policy Practice) degree and a Master of Public Policy degree from UConn along with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Anthropology from UConn said she became involved with the Legacy Foundation in Hartford after observing a Saturday Academy class in session and being inspired by both the student engagement and evident staff devotion to them.

“Not only were the students enjoying the lessons, but it was very obvious to me that the teachers and staff enjoyed their jobs,” says Victoria of her initial impression of the Legacy Academy. “I wanted to work somewhere where I knew I could make a difference in people’s lives and enjoy myself.”

Victoria says the strength of the Legacy Foundation is the sheer breath and scope of its programs. “I think Legacy Foundation’s mission is important to the Greater Hartford community because it does not set limitations on Hartford students and encourages a college-going atmosphere. They build their students up academically and personally and support students and families.”

A resident of New Britain, Victoria enjoys cultivating her creative and artistic talents through digital drawing; creating home-made body butter/lotions, soaps, and hair products; and crocheting. She also enjoys reading and watching documentaries about true crime, history, social issues, public health, and global issues, as well as reality tv.

Our description of Legacy Choice: The purpose of the Legacy Choice Program is to create safe cultural spaces for choice students in their schools and provide targeted academic support. We provide complete wrap-around services including but not limited to academic tutoring, family support, and experiential learning opportunities that assist in their overall development.

Not about enabling more students to participate in Open Choice, but about supporting the students in those schools, who are Hartford residents but attend suburban schools.

OK, thanks for clarifying. I copied and pasted your description into the body, but I don’t know if you want to remove the reference to Sheff v. O’Neill. Not sure it’s needed, but could provide context.