Our Team
Meet the women behind this mission.
Board of Directors
Kavin Ramasamy
FOUNDER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Kavin Ramasamy, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, is a junior at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School. As a freshman, he recognized the challenges students face in finding internship opportunities, which inspired him to launch the High School Internship Initiative to bridge the gap between businesses and students.
In addition to leading the High School Internships Club, Kavin serves as the State Secretary for FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America, Illinois). He is also the Chief Technology Officer at the Junior Economic Club of Chicago. Passionate about programming and software development, Kavin creates and maintains mobile and web applications while exploring cutting-edge technologies.
Kavin enjoys writing and reading articles on economics and finance, as well as engaging in discussions about monetary policies. He is also a member of Chicago Teen Mentors, where he tutors sixth graders in math. In his free time, Kavin enjoys running, traveling, spending time with family and friends, and exploring new experiences.
Mentors and Advisors
Nia K. Benton-Roberson, LSW
COLLEGE & CAREER PROGRAM MANAGER
Nia manages and supports several of REACH’s high school and college programs. Her work includes recruiting, onboarding and providing support services and advocacy for students; helping to create professional development curriculum; supporting data collection and REACH marketing; and acting as a liaison inside and outside Rush University Medical Center to help provide students with quality internship experiences.
Nia’s Rush experience began when she was a high school student: She’s an alumna of the SAME Network, the predecessor of REACH. She began her career in youth education and development during her undergraduate study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and also worked to provide professional development workshops for students in SAME/REACH programs.
Nia earned her master’s degree at the University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice in May of 2023. She aims her skills to focus on educational and workplace inequalities; youth and community development; policy analysis and application; and systems change analysis and evaluation in education, healthcare, and the criminal legal justice system
Marketing Committee
Cynthia Swanson
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
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