Our Team
Program Team- Not superheros…. but close.
Westside Pipeline
Eastside Pipeline
Pathways to Purpose
Kara Simmons
Teacher-Mentor
Joshua Mendoza
Teacher-Mentor
Allison Banks
Teacher-Mentor
Daniel Jones
Teacher-Mentor
Braylon Myers
Teacher-Mentor
Kaitlyn Akins
Program Administrator
Ben Klinge
Teacher-Mentor
Mandy Schumerth
Teacher-Mentor
Kara Simmons
Kara@elevateindy.org
Teacher-Mentor
George Washington High School
Kara Simmons has served her home community of Indianapolis throughout her career to help develop youth. Kara began working within her local church, where she served as a teen youth leader for two years. She then took her skills to the IPS school system, where she has worked for three years with middle school youth at Emma Donnan as a teachers’ assistant and mentor. Her main goal is to be an aid in positively influencing the lives of Indianapolis youth every day.
Kara is pursuing her BS in Psychology at Indiana Wesleyan University. She plans to utilize her degree to better understand the specific needs and challenges youth face with the hope of making a difference in the lives of all she encounters.
Joshua Mendoza
Joshua@elevateindy.org
Teacher-Mentor
Arsenal Tech High School
Joshua is a native of Denver, CO, where he found his passion for working with youth at the young age of 15. Since then, he has worked as a Paraprofessional, Restorative Practice Coordinator, and Teacher-Mentor. As a leukemia survivor, Joshua learned early on the value of life, which has been his motivation since in working with youth. Joshua was honored as an MBK Honoree in 2019 by Mayor Hancock in Denver for his work with youth; he brings that drive and passion for servant-leadership with him to Elevate Indy. Joshua is pursuing a B.A. in Communication Studies.
Aside from spending time with his wife, Ashley, and two beautiful daughters, Milah & Addie, Joshua enjoys playing sports (mostly basketball), watching the Denver Nuggets, writing, and doing outdoor adventure activities.
Allison Banks
Allison@elevateindy.org
Teacher-Mentor, Lead for Elevate Beyond
Arsenal Tech & George Washington High Schools
Allison Banks is a proud alumna of Arsenal Technical High School, where she played both volleyball and basketball. She continued her education and has received a B.S. from Indiana State University and an M.S. from Indiana Wesleyan University.
As the mother of two teens, Allison continues to find time for her passions to play volleyball and travel. She comes to Elevate with 15+ years of management experience from the restaurant, retail, and travel/transportation industries. Though born in South Carolina, her roots are here in Indianapolis.
Daniel Jones
Daniel@elevateindy.org
Teacher-Mentor
George Washington High School
Daniel Jones was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a graduate of Pike High School and an alum of the University of Illinois where he studied communication.
Daniel has worked with youth for the past 8 years through coaching, teaching, case management and mentoring services and has developed a deep passion for helping youth discover their potential and accomplish their goals. He has a wife of two years and is passionate about photography, track and field, and teaching and learning.
Braylon Myers
Braylon@elevateindy.org
Teacher-Mentor
Arsenal Tech High School
Braylon Myers is from the North Eastside of Indianapolis where he graduated from Lawrence North High School. During high school Braylon was the president of Character Crew and captain of the soccer team.
Braylon went on to play college soccer at Eastern Illinois University where he continued to develop his life skills with local mentoring and volunteering. He transferred to Ball State where he graduated with a Communication Studies degree and seeks to continue to invest in the lives of Indianapolis’ youth.
Kaitlyn Akins
Program Administrator
Kaitlyn was born and raised in Indianapolis and a graduate of North Central High School. She studied art with a focus in Photography at USI, and transferred to IUPUI where she studied Art Education. With nearly 15 years working with non-profits, as an art-teacher and directly with Indy’s youth, she wanted to shift her focus to expand her impact to youth across Indianapolis with Elevate helping organize our Pathways to Purpose programming. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her niece, cross country road trips, photography, fiber arts, and taking on new adventures.
Ben Klinge
Ben@elevateindy.org
Teacher-Mentor
Harshman Middle School & Matchbook Learning at Wendell Phillips 63
Ben Klinge is a native Hoosier returning home from 7 years out in Denver, CO where he spent the last 3 years working for our sister organization, Colorado Uplift as a Teacher-Mentor. Ben holds a Youth Ministry degree from the University of Indianapolis and has served urban youth through many platforms and even in another country.
His passions encompass an array of activities and hobbies, but the heart at each of those is loving people.
Mandy Schumerth
Mandy@elevateindy.org
Teacher-Mentor
Mandy, originally of Culver, IN, is a graduate of Anderson University with a major in Spanish and a minor in Education. She studied abroad in Mérida, Mexico, & loves traveling both internationally & domestically. She has over a decade of youth development experience and planted herself on the East side after a position called her to Indy in 2012.
Mandy enjoys being active and generally spends her time out and about at concerts, athletics, or community events. She’s a passionate Notre Dame fan (for better or worse), loves learning about different cultures, spending time with friends and family, and being outdoors (when it’s warm). Mandy is excited to join the Elevate team and be back in direct youth service!
Coordinators
Jackson Gutierrez
Engagement Coordinator
Mabel Moreno
In-School Program Coordinator
Jackson Gutierrez
Jackson@elevateindy.org
Engagement Coordinator
Jackson Gutierrez is an Indianapolis Near Eastside resident, originally from Los Angeles, California. After attending Bible college at Life Pacific University in San Dimas, CA, and the Emerging Leaders Network in Decatur, IL, Jackson moved to Indianapolis in 2016 to pursue bi-vocational ministry and is currently an active member of Soma Downtown Church, where he met his newly married wife Jessica. In his free time, Jackson enjoys going to concerts at the HiFi in Fountain Square and even works concerts there from time to time. As a life-long learner and someone who enjoys knowledge, Jackson is also pursuing a Communications degree through Purdue University Global along with working on obtaining a Certificate in Fund Raising Leadership (CRFL) from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Mabel Moreno
Mabel@elevateindy.org
In-School Program Coordinator
Mabel is a visionary leader that loves to serve and encourage others. Her heart for the next generation has led her to serve diverse students in California, Texas, and Indiana.
She has extensive mentoring experience in youth service organizations and universities, and has enjoyed being able to support and mentor students to achieve their academic and life goals. Mabel looks forward to serving alongside the Elevate team in Indianapolis, a city that has become her home.
Administration
Aaron Story
President & CEO
Adam Johnson
Pathways to Purpose Manager, Teacher-Mentor
Amy Goldsmith
Operations Manager
Aaron Story
Aaron@elevateindy.org
President & CEO
As an active foster parent, basketball coach (through the BALL 46201 program he founded), community developer, pastor and near eastside resident, Aaron has served and mentored youth living in economically disadvantaged communities for nearly 15 years.
Aaron was born and raised in northern Indiana, and Aaron, Carrie and their 4 children have lived in the Indianapolis area for 20 years. With a history of developing and sharing vision to bring people and organizations together to make community impact for the most marginalized in our city, Aaron has a passionate servant-leader approach.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business from Indiana Wesleyan University, Master’s Degree in Biblical Studies from Moody Seminary, and numerous certificates in leadership, fundraising and organizational management. In 2019, Mr. Story was recognized as a Leadership Fellow by the Tobias Fellow Program of Indiana University Kelly School of Business.
Adam Johnson
Adam@elevateindy.org
Pathways to Purpose Manager, Teacher-Mentor
Adam Johnson is a graduate of Arlington High School, with a BS in Urban Affairs from IUPUI. He is married with four children, ages 12-23.
Adam has worked for the State of Indiana as a budget analyst and also for Lutheran Child & Family Services (a non-profit specializing in the care, treatment and counseling of youth who exhibit behavioral and emotional impairments) as a Classroom Teacher, Mentoring Program Coordinator, and Residential Program Supervisor. Today, Adam serves on the Board of Directors for LCFS. He also serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors for Grit Into Grace, a non-profit that provides counseling, resources, and hope for sexually exploited women in the Indy area.
Amy Goldsmith
Amy@elevateindy.org
Operations Manager
Amy Goldsmith studied Biology at the University of Evansville and earned a Master’s Degree in Health Administration from Indiana University. She and her husband Scott have lived on the eastside of Indy for 25 years and have five children.
Amy began her career as an administrator at the Marion County Health Department, then shifted her focus to education as the Vice President of Operations at Artrageous with Nate, an art education video production company. She is passionate about supporting students and teachers as they learn from one another and grow together. She serves on the board of Love Guatemala, a trade school and ministry in Magdalena, Guatemala, and is a long-time volunteer at Indianapolis Public Schools.