Meet the Leadership Team
Staff
Amber Scott is Founder and Executive Director of Leap Year. A child of first-generation college students, the importance of higher education and the power that it can have to raise a family out of poverty was instilled in Amber at a young age. She believes that the opportunity for higher education should be open to everyone, regardless of where they are born. After working in the nonprofit sector for ten years, she founded Leap Year to challenge the status quo. Amber is a 2018 Echoing Green Fellow, the 2019 winner of the $100,000 Jaffe Grand Prize, and was recognized by Black Enterprise as one of “25 Black Women Who Are Changing the World.” She holds a BA in neuroscience from Smith College, and an MBA in marketing from The Ohio State University.
Anastasia Edouard serves as the Literacy and Academic Program Manager at Leap Year. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and Master’s degree in Education Technology from the University of West Georgia. After her undergraduate career, she went on to teach Elementary school for almost 7 years. After stepping out of the classroom, Anastasia began working behind the scenes in curriculum and instruction. This is where she discovered her love for working in literacy and instruction. As a first generation college graduate herself, she knows the value in a proper education. Anastasia looks forward to aiding other first generation students in becoming successful and college/career ready.
Sam Medile serves as the Literacy and Academic Prep Program Manager. Sam moved to Atlanta to attend Emory University where she studied Psychology. After graduating, she had the opportunity to serve in AmeriCorps in local elementary schools supporting students in literacy. This sparked an interest in teaching and she decided to pursue a Master's degree in Early Childhood Education at Georgia State. She taught for six years in both Atlanta Public Schools and Dekalb County in which she shared her love of literacy with elementary aged students. Sam is passionate about education and the opportunity to support first generation students succeed in their first year of college.
Kanaya Starling serves as the Recruiting and Community Engagement Program Associate at Leap Year. Kanaya is a small town Georgia native who moved to Atlanta to study Biochemistry at Spelman College. While at Spelman College, she volunteered in various educational programs throughout the Atlanta Public School system, participated in educational research, and was actively involved in the planning and execution of events for students within the Spelman College Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Kanaya looks most forward to learning more about nonprofit space and helping Leap Year address the educational disparities in the metro Atlanta area.
Charity Davis serves as the Recruiting and Community Engagement Program Associate at Leap Year. Charity is a recent graduate of Fort Valley State University. She is from College Park, Georgia and enjoys art and fashion. Charity prides herself on being a solution-driven, self-motivated, community engagement specialist. She has professional experience in client/donor relations, community engagement, political organizing, and student affairs. She looks forward to connecting with students across the Atlanta area to share the great things Leap Year has to offer.