Meet our
passionately driven
team & donors.
Board of Directors
View complete listing of SYF
Board of Directors members.
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Simon’s
charity of choice since 1998.
Learn more about our relationship to Simon.
Deborah J. Simon, Chairperson
Jacqué Ellis
Vice President
Development Marketing and Corporate Events
Simon Property Group
Matthew Impink
Independent Consultant
Workforce and Social Policy Consultant
Stephen E. Kingsley
Senior Vice President of Operations
Simon Property Group
Danielle Parker
General Manager
Simon Property Group
Michael Romstad
Executive Vice President
Simon Management Group
Simon Property Group
Dr. Anita Silverman
Executive Director, Indianapolis
GEO Academies
Hannah Simon Shaaya
Director of Partnerships
Atria Health
Jeremy S. Smith
Senior Stewardship and Development Director
Live Like Lou Foundation
Tanya Walton Pratt
Chief Judge
US District Court, Southern Indiana
Committee Advisors
Honorary Board Members
David Simon
Herbert Simon
Melvin Simon (1926-2009)
Board Members Emeritus
Michelle Bellej
Ron Hanson
Richard O. Kissel, II
Michael E. McCarty
Shari Simon Greenberg (1963 -2020)
Stephen A. Stitle
Dr. Mike Gustin
President
Dr. Mike Gustin brings more than 32 years of experience in education and nonprofit leadership, with a career spanning classroom teaching, school administration, charter school leadership, and foundation management. Throughout his work, he has remained deeply focused on supporting students who benefit from alternative learning environments and on strengthening the partnerships that expand access to meaningful pathways to graduation.
Most recently, Dr. Gustin served as President and CEO of Options Schools, Inc. and the Options in Education Foundation, where he oversaw organizational operations, finance, and governance. During his tenure, the organization experienced significant growth, expanded student reach, and achieved long-term financial stability through a successful financial turnaround that eliminated debt and strengthened fundraising efforts.
Dr. Gustin holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Ball State University, with doctoral research focused on alternative education and state accountability. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and the Indiana Air National Guard, experiences that continue to shape his approach to leadership, service, and mission-driven work. His leadership philosophy emphasizes intentional planning, strong relationships, and high expectations, creating environments where both students and educators are positioned to succeed.
Email: Mike.Gustin@simon.com
Phone: (463) 315-4670
Le-Angela Thompson-Burgess
Chief Operating Officer
In this newly created role, Le-Angela is responsible for helping shape and deliver the strategic imperatives of the Simon Youth Foundation. She is known as a highly motivated and strategic leader who inspires exceptional team performance through data-driven continuous improvement and defining a clear vision for her organization.
Prior to joining the Simon Youth Foundation, Le-Angela worked at Rolls-Royce in its Defense organization and Xerox Corporation where she held multiple Leadership roles. Le-Angela is a Six Sigma Greenbelt, with many years of experience in contract and P&L management, solution services, customer experience, retention and growth, and human resources.
Le-Angela is a servant leader who works with multiple non-profits, giving of her time and talents supporting mission advancement and fund raising. Additionally, she has worked behind the scenes by participating in developing standard operating procedure documentation, process improvement and as well youth program facilitation. Le-Angela holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Management from Indiana Institute of Technology.
Email: LeAngela.Thompson-Burgess@simon.com
Phone: (317) 263-7785
Judi Taylor
Vice President of Advancement
Judi Taylor is joining the Simon Youth Foundation as our Vice President of Advancement. She brings over two decades of experience in strategic management, leadership, and fundraising across both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Notably, she spent ten years at Planned Parenthood, where she skillfully secured essential funding for educational programs in underserved communities despite a challenging and often controversial environment. As an integral member of the leadership team, she steered the affiliate through strategic planning and execution, aligning with Board-directed goals for expansive impact.
Judi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Wright State University. As the Vice President of Advancement, she is responsible for the strategic growth of a development program encompassing corporate support, foundation giving, annual giving, major gifts, and special events. Working closely with the President & CEO, Judi will develop and execute long-term strategies to elevate the organization’s fundraising efforts, building a strong fundraising culture across all levels of the foundation.
In her spare time, Judi serves on the Indiana Family Health Council board, volunteers for local non-profits, enjoys taking long walks with her dog Coco, reading, and traveling.
Email: Judi.Taylor@simon.com
Phone: (463) 426-7804
Tim Clark
Vice President, Program Services
In his role, Tim oversees the Foundation’s recruitment and retention of its school district partners and the execution of services to students, teachers, and administrators in the Simon Youth Academies. He joined the staff at SYF in 2016, after spending several years supporting Indiana student’s success in the secondary and post-secondary levels for the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE). Tim has worked in the not-for-profit space for other organizations such as the Indiana Youth Institute, Starfish Mentoring Initiative, and the National Youth Sports Corporation (NYSC). Tim started his professional career in college athletics in which he spent over 20 years as a college coach, administrator and programs manager for several colleges and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). He received his bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Education from Hobart College, located in Geneva, New York. Tim’s hometown is Syracuse, NY, where he grew up finding success in playing football and lacrosse in high school and college. In his spare time, Tim enjoys travelling and spending quality time with his wife and son. He also enjoys being active in the community as a volunteer, coaching high school lacrosse, serving on a variety of organization’s Boards, and engaging in and supporting numerous initiatives in Indianapolis’ Near Northwest Community.
Email: tim.clark@simon.com
Phone: (317) 263-7648
Kimb Stewart
Director, Program Services
Kimb returned to SYF as the Director, Program Services in April 2022 after serving as the Alternative Education and Homeschool Specialist at the Indiana Department of Education. From 2015 to 2018 she was the Education Services Coordinator for the Foundation. The daughter of educators and a lifelong Hoosier, Kimb has spent most of her career in public education, focusing on programs for underserved populations. Kimb is an alumna of the University of Evansville where she majored in political science. Kimb is an avid sports fan and loves spending her free time watching her niece and nephew compete in their chosen sports and announcing local auto races.
Email: kimb.stewart@simon.com
Phone: (317) 263-7716
Alexia Evans
Foundation Administration Coordinator
Born and raised in West Michigan, Alexia moved to Indianapolis in 2018 after earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids. Alexia joined Simon Property Group as an Administrative Assistant for Marketing in 2019. She then made her introduction into the non-profit space by joining Simon Youth Foundation in 2022 as the Foundation Coordinator. Alexia supports the President & CEO, COO, and Vice President of Advancement. In her spare time, Alexia enjoys watching football, traveling, and playing with her favorite pup Prince.
Email: alexia.evans@simon.com
Phone: (317) 263-8193
Jessica Lowery
Manager, Program Services
Jessica joins the team as Manager, Program Services. She is committed to serving vulnerable populations and increasing equity in education. Jessica brings to Program Services a wealth of experience in education as a teacher, coach, data-driven leader, problem solver, and change catalyst.
Jessica holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology, Spanish & Portuguese from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. She also has a Master of Arts degree in Urban Bilingual Education from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, WI. She served as a bilingual teacher for 2nd and 3rd graders in English and Spanish via Teach for America. She also has taught and tutored Spanish for a wide range of students aged 3 and up. Jessica comes to SYF after serving as an Instructional Technology Coach where she supported 40+ staff at the middle school Lincoln Center of the Arts in Milwaukee, WI.
Originally from Indianapolis, IN, Jessica has returned home. Some of her hobbies include traveling, home improvement projects, language learning, and kayaking. Additionally, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and their two cats.
Email: Jessica.Lowery@simon.com
Phone: (463) 426-7806
Raven Harvey
Coordinator-Administration, Program Services
Raven Harvey is joining the Simon Youth Foundation as our Coordinator -Administration, Program Services. Coming from the Indiana Department of Child Services as a Family Case Manager and Beckman Coulter Diagnostics as a Field Service Coordinator, Raven is excited to combine her experiences in both youth and family engagement and coordination to fulfill the mission of Simon Youth Foundation (SYF). As the Coordinator of Program Services, Raven is responsible for the organization of the Programs Services Team (PST) assisting in the management and execution of Foundation programs and projects, scholarships, and partner relationships in support of SYF leadership. Raven also serves as a liaison between the Foundation and Academy staff and students.
Raven is an Indiana University-Bloomington alumna, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs, majoring in Law and Public Policy; as well as a Masters of Public Affairs, concentrating in Information Systems. In her spare time, Raven serves as a Big Sister for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana and a mentor for Girl Code Mentoring, and enjoys spending time with her dog Nova, staying active, reading, and traveling.
Email: Raven.Harvey@Simon.com
Phone: (317) 263-2282
Championing Student Success: Our Partnership with Simon Property Group
Simon Youth Foundation was founded by a small group of enterprising Simon Property Group (SPG) employees, and SYF has been Simon’s “charity of choice” since 1998 when the Foundation was formed.
SYF is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, but SPG is our largest corporate donor. Simon employees demonstrate remarkable generosity, contributing around $400,000 each year through an employee giving campaign and Simon Malls® , The Mills® , and Premium Outlets® bolster our mission by hosting regional fundraising events across the country, collectively raising over $1 million each year.
While Simon is a crucial supporter, no one company can solely fund these efforts alone. That’s why SYF invites partners and donors everywhere to join us in transforming the lives of young people through education. Whether a donation of treasure, time, or talent, all gifts to SYF are of great value and deeply appreciated. Contact us to partner with SYF.
Donors
We value the support of Simon Youth Foundation’s individual donors. Their gifts of personal treasure to benefit at-risk students in Simon Youth Academies and would-be first-generation college students who qualify for Simon Youth Scholarships are crucial to the success.
For a full list of SYF’s 2024 donors, please visit this link.
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