Concentric brings 450+ years of combined experience in education to the table.
Dr. David Heiber
Founder & CEO
Dr. David L. Heiber is the Chief Executive Officer of Concentric Holdings Incorporated, the parent company of Concentric Educational Solutions, Concentric Wholeness Solutions, and Concentric Ed Tech. Concentric Holdings is a Baltimore-based organization that supports schools with implementing Concentricity, a theory that puts students at the center of transformation with an emphasis on home visits, mentoring, tutoring, and mental health. Since 2010, David has led Concentric to be recognized as an innovator in education and has expanded its reach to over 250 schools and 30 districts in 8 states.
Dr. Heiber’s passion is working with young people in general, but specifically with African American and Latino students. Dr. Heiber uses his personal story of grief, poverty, incarceration, and redemption to connect with students and challenge them to recognize their potential, honor their promise, and fulfill their purpose. He is currently working on his memoir, From Prisoner to Principal: Only God Can Judge Me, and has been sharing his story in schools and universities nationwide.
Prior to creating Concentric, Dr. Heiber served for three years as the Senior Director of Student Support Services for a Charter Management Organization (CMO) consisting of four secondary schools serving 1,400 students in Washington, D.C. In this capacity, Dr. Heiber was responsible for all aspects of student culture, special education, and mental health services. During his tenure, Dr. Heiber led the redesign of central office staff to better align with student achievement and growth. He and his team created a framework that engaged all stakeholders in the educational processes of students and helped significantly reduce suspensions and discipline referrals.
Most recently, CES secured an $8 million Series A investment from the New Markets Venture Partners to continue amplifying their reach nationwide. The funding will be used to expand Concentric’s work in addressing student engagement and achievement, student wholeness, and Ed Tech in urban districts. Dr. Heiber’s successes were featured in Forbes magazine, The New Yorker and he was recognized as one of the 25 Black Marylanders to Watch For in 2024.
Born in Wilmington, Delaware, Dr. Heiber graduated from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania with a triple major. He furthered his education and earned his M.A. in African American Studies from Temple University and his Ed.D. in Urban Education from Morgan State University. He has five children who are the purpose of his life.
Max Altmark
Chief Financial Officer
As the Chief Financial Officer, Maksim (Max) Altmark leads the accounting and finance functions at Concentric, overseeing optimal financial resource allocation and operational efficiencies in support of the company’s strategic objectives and the overall mission. Max, a Baltimore native, is a trusted financial professional who has leveraged his financial management competencies combined with his strong business acumen to drive growth, impact and sustainability results across many companies and organizations. With his passion for education that started during his tenure at Georgetown University, Max is dedicated to the important work beyond the numbers. After the birth of his second daughter, Max knew he wanted to take his passion for impact investing and play a larger role in advancing educational equity, in Maryland, the broader United States, as well as around the globe.
He most recently served as an Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Project Lead The Way (PLTW). Prior to PLTW, Max led the investment operations and fund accounting teams at Strategic Investment Group (SIG), an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) asset management firm in Arlington, VA that provides customized investment solutions to global institutional investors. Prior to joining SIG, Max was a Director of Investment Operations at Georgetown University where he was responsible for investment operations, performance analytics, risk monitoring, compliance, as well as accounting and financial reporting. Max started his career in his hometown of Baltimore, in the assurance practice at KPMG, where he performed financial statement audits of public and private companies in education, manufacturing, healthcare, non-profit, and financial services industries.
Max holds an MBA from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University, a Global Executive MBA from ESADE Business School in Barcelona, and a BS in Accounting from Towson University. He is a Certified Public Accountant holding a CGMA designation from the American Institute of CPAs.
Dr. Ivory Toldson
Chief of Research
Dr. Ivory A. Toldson is a renowned research scholar, policy expert, and advocate for education, particularly within the African-American community. He currently serves as Chief of Research for Concentric Educational Solutions, professor of counseling psychology at Howard University, and editor-in-chief of The Journal of Negro Education. His influence spans research, government, and media, making him a leading voice in addressing education equity and excellence.
Dr. Toldson’s research centers on critical issues in African-American education, including factors influencing achievement, educational policies, and culturally responsive approaches. His insights have been widely disseminated through over 100 publications, including 4 books. Notably, his book, No BS (Bad Stats): Black People Need People Who Believe in Black People Enough Not to Believe Every Bad Thing They Hear about Black People became a Brill bestseller. Dr. Toldson’s dedication to scholarship is further evidenced by his editorship of The Journal of Negro Education and his executive editorship of the Journal of Policy Analysis and Research, published by the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. His contributions have earned him national recognition, including being named one of the top education scholars in the nation by Education Week’s Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings.
Beyond academia, Dr. Toldson has held influential leadership positions. His service as the national director of Education Innovation and Research for the NAACP exemplifies his commitment to advocacy on national platforms. He has also served as president and CEO of the QEM Network. President Barack Obama recognized Dr. Toldson’s expertise, appointing him as executive director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (WHIHBCUs). In this role, he played a crucial part in shaping federal strategies to support and strengthen HBCUs across the nation.
Dr. Toldson’s dedication to dismantling harmful myths surrounding African-American achievement is evident in his role as contributing education editor for The Root. His “Show Me the Numbers” column became a public source for evidence-based perspectives on educational issues. His appearances on platforms such as MSNBC, CNN, and NPR further solidify his commitment to public discourse and knowledge dissemination.
Dr. Toldson’s impact extends beyond traditional scholarship. A prolific scholar, he is active on social media and has delivered more than 200 research presentations across the United States (in 41 states and Puerto Rico), and across the world in Canada, the Dominican Republic, Scotland, South Africa, France, and Spain. This extensive outreach demonstrates his unwavering commitment to sharing knowledge and sparking dialogue on a global scale.
Dr. Toldson holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Temple University, a M.A from Penn State, and a B.S. from Louisiana State University. His extensive career includes faculty and research positions at Southern University, Howard University, Emory University, Drexel University, and Morehouse School of Medicine.
Dr. Toldson is married to Marshella Toldson, and they are the proud parents of their daughter, Makena, and their son, Ivory Kaleb.
Dr. Starletta Jackson
Chief of Learning Operations & Strategy
Starletta Jackson, Ph.D., a seasoned advocate for children and families with over 25 years of experience, is passionately devoted to advancing the potential of young minds through quality education and support. Having held multiple administrative and supervisory roles, including that of a founding school principal, Dr. Jackson is keen to identify resources, forge partnerships with businesses, communities, and educational institutions, and effectively manage multi-million-dollar budgets to ensure the well-being of children and families.
In her most recent role as the Instructional Leadership Executive Director at Baltimore City Public School System, Dr. Jackson demonstrated exceptional leadership by successfully supervising and supporting the Community Learning Network, encompassing several schools and special education centers. She fosters a culture of inquiry and mutual accountability, centering on instruction and equity.
With an unwavering commitment to fostering a supportive learning environment for students, staff, and the community, Dr. Jackson has embraced a distributive leadership style to develop and empower organizational leadership capacity. Her exceptional efforts have earned her recognition as a Certified Facilitator for the National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) (former) and The Fund For Educational Excellence facilitator (former). Furthermore, she has been honored with multiple prestigious awards, including two consecutive acknowledgments as the College Bound Foundation Administrator of the Year.
Fuelled by an unwavering passion for creating a supportive learning environment, Dr. Jackson has started a new role as Chief of Schools at Concentric Educational Solutions, starting in August 2023. Her exceptional dedication to educational excellence and unwavering commitment to the success of children and families make her an invaluable asset in shaping the future of education for generations to come.
Dr. Jackson’s educational background is rooted in science, with a Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology from Howard University, Washington, DC, a Master of Science in Biology from North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC, and a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Franklin Pierce University, Rindge, NH. Additionally, she has received advanced education in Administration and Supervision from Johns Hopkins University and completed the Aspiring Leaders Program, further bolstering her expertise as a leader in the field of education.
Dr. Michael Gary Jr.
Chief of Staff
Dr. Michael Gary Jr. has thirteen years of experience in higher education and made the transition to serving K-12 education in 2018. Throughout his career, Dr. Gary has established a reputation as a transformational leader skillful in establishing student program models, procedures, and initiatives within education that are focused on furthering standards of excellence. His expertise encompasses all aspects of student support programs oversight and expansion as well as streamlining operational systems that effectively enhance student support performance.
Dr. Gary has extensive knowledge in student retention and enrollment growth strategy development, diversity and inclusion program implementation, and continuous improvement initiative planning that is centered on creating positive and vivacious school-based communities. He has the ability to build consensus amongst stakeholders and administrators as well as meet the diverse needs of student populations and influence positive change.
A native of Philadelphia, PA, Dr. Gary was educated at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania where he received a B.S. in Computer Science and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where he received a M. Ed. in Higher Education Administration. Dr. Gary completed his doctoral studies in Educational Leadership at Mercer University. Michael is happily married to Laronda Stevens Gary and together they have a son, Michael Tripp Gary III.
Anthony Morris
Executive Director,
Concentric Wholeness Solutions
Anthony Morris is a native of Brooklyn, N.Y. He is currently enrolled at the University of the District of Columbia pursuing his master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling with a concentration in mental health. Serving in the role as the Director of School Support & Behavioral Services for Concentric Educational Solutions, Anthony enjoys mentoring students to improve their academic and attendance goals, developing the leadership capacity of Professional Student Advocates, and creating the conditions conducive to student success. Anthony is passionate about his work with students because he knows that his work is helping to build and improve our society.
Alejandro Jones
DIRECTOR OF People Operations & Systems
Alejandro was born and raised in Los Angeles. He graduated from Lincoln University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. Alejandro works as a Professional Student Advocate for Concentric where he assists students with standardized assessments. He also mentors and tutors students one on one and in small groups to help assess short and long-term academic goals, provide individualized learning support, and develop self-awareness. Alejandro enjoys spending summers volunteering as a camp counselor and youth baseball coach.
Nina Hoffpauir
Data Strategist
Nina Hoffpauir is a southern girl from Lafayette, Louisiana. She received her B.S. in microbiology, with a minor in chemistry, from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. In undergrad, she worked as a supplemental instructor and fell in love with teaching. After graduating, she worked for the U.S. Geological Survey as a research assistant, conducting basic and applied research in a microbiology laboratory. Nina moved to Baltimore to continue her education and train as a scientist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. At Hopkins, she received her Master of Science (ScM) in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology with a certificate in environmental and occupational health. Nina’s passion for teaching led her to join the Concentric team as a PSA. Nina now serves as the Director of Data and Accountability, where she applies her knowledge and expertise in research, data management, and data presentation.
Himanshi Sharma
Director of Strategy and Innovation
Himanshi Sharma is a result-oriented, innovative, and future-thinking education entrepreneur with expertise in project management, business operations, and networking. At Concentric Educational Solutions, she is the Director of Strategy and Innovation. She is committed to designing solutions to meet the needs of the 21st century and accessible learning for every student. Passionate for the convergence in education, tech, and innovation, she has founded and executed three startups, each catering to support and uplift the underserved and at-risk community. This includes her current work — co-founder at Edansh, an online career readiness platform for at-risk middle and higher school students. As a female entrepreneur, Himanshi believes in making learning accessible to all.
She is originally from India and moved to the US for her studies — B.A in psychology and communication from Florida International University and M.S education from Johns Hopkins University.
Evalyn Waller
Director of Teaching and Learning
Eva Waller, the Director of Teaching and Learning at Concentric Educational Solutions holds an undergraduate degree with honors from Morgan State University and a Master of Education in Learning & Technology from Western Governor’s University. She works to emphasize competence, adaptability, and meticulous attention to detail, allowing herself and her team to excel in fast-paced educational environments. With a passion for fostering positive learning environments and a proven track record in mentoring and tutoring, she is dedicated to connecting students with their community and empowering them to reach their full potential. Her commitment to education has been recognized through nominations and awards, and she continues to make a meaningful impact as an educator and leader in the field.
Miles Armstrong
Director of School Engagement & Program Delivery
Miles Armstrong, a transformational educator hailing from Baltimore, Maryland, has dedicated seven years to shaping the future of public education. With a steadfast commitment to providing access and nurturing students’ passions, dreams, and purpose, Miles has evolved from a professional student advocate to a dynamic leader within Concentric Educational Solutions. As the Director of Schools, he’s driven unprecedented results, including leading the tutoring program with the highest math gains in Baltimore City. A history graduate from Morgan State University, Miles is now on a path to obtain an executive coaching certification. His exceptional leadership, successful collaborations, and unwavering dedication have poisitioned him to strategically expand Concentric’s reach, ensuring his impact reverberates far and wide.
Chanda McPherson
Director of People Operations & Culture
Chanda McPherson is a native of Detroit, MI. She graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Public Relations in 2012. In 2018 Chanda obtained her Master of Science in Administration, Human Resources from Central Michigan University. Chanda has over eight years of leadership experience in the areas of customer service and Human Resources.
Shepria Johnson
Regional Director
Student Engagement
Shepria was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. She has over 10 years of leadership experience. Shepria is currently studying at Oakland University for her Bachelor’s in Business Administration. She enjoys spending time with her children and making a difference in the communities we serve.
Raiana Davis
Cluster Lead
Raiana Davis, a Baltimore-based professional, is a dynamic and interdisciplinary expert with a background in sociology, anthropology, and biology. A proud alumna of a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), Raiana holds both a Master of Public Health and a Master of Science degrees, exemplifying her commitment to multidisciplinary excellence.
With a rich tapestry of civic work, Raiana has proven herself as a catalyst for positive change. Her portfolio includes community-based research, crisis intervention, project management, and a specialized focus on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and process development. Recognized as a Blueprint Awardee, Raiana has left an indelible mark on the Baltimore City Public School system, showcasing her dedication to advancing educational outcomes.
Notably, Raiana is a certified Youth Mental Health First Aid instructor, embodying her passion for fostering well-being among the younger generation. Currently, she dons multiple hats, demonstrating her versatility and commitment to community empowerment.
In her role as an off-campus advisor for the EAGER Inc. Mentoring Program, Raiana plays a pivotal role in a collegiate-led organization dedicated to mentoring 8th-grade girls in Baltimore, MD. Simultaneously, she serves as a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) instructor, further underscoring her commitment to nurturing holistic development.
As a Concentric Educational Solutions Cluster Lead, Raiana takes on the challenge of transforming vision into reality for her team and the students at her school sites. Her leadership is characterized by a proactive approach, strategic thinking, and an unwavering commitment to educational excellence.
Raiana Davis is not just a professional; she is a dedicated advocate for positive change, a mentor, and a leader, shaping the future of education and community well-being in Baltimore and beyond.
Saquon Frazier
Cluster Lead | Anne Arundel Meade
Saquon Frazier was born and raised in Queens, N.Y. He relocated to Baltimore, MD in 2012 to attend Morgan State University. There, he joined the Alpha Iota Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in communications in 2016. He transitioned from a full time elementary school teacher to a Building Lead and Professional Student Advocate. Since joining Concentric Educational Solutions in 2021, he has worked diligently to keep improving and providing value to the company. “I have a passion for helping people, both children and adults. Concentric has provided me the space and confidence to do both.”
Dominick Jusino
Cluster Lead | Baltimore
Dominick Jusino was born in Brooklyn, NY and moved to Baltimore, MD in 2005. His love for track and field prompted him to enroll at Morgan State University to study sports administration. During his matriculation at Morgan, he coached the Northwood Little League baseball team. This was where he discovered his passion for inspiring the children of the future. As a Cluster Lead, he works to maintain a standard of excellence for all the schools he serves. Dominick also owns a jewelry business and uses his entrepreneurial skills to motivate his students. He shares about his jewelry business, “it has been a dream of mine to be able to inspire more children to venture into different forms of art. Jewelry making and working at Concentric has given me the opportunity to connect with students in a variety of ways.”
Brittany Ross
Cluster Lead | Baltimore
Brittany Ross is a Baltimore City native. She is a proud Baltimore City College Knight alumna and a graduate of Coppin State University, where she received her Bachelors of Arts in English Literature. Her passion for reading drives her purpose as a tutor and mentor. For the last few years, Brittany has tutored elementary students in Baltimore, helping them to develop better reading strategies to become stronger readers. She believes that students shown consistency, love, and additional support have the potential to thrive academically.
Justin Vasquez
Cluster Lead | Baltimore
Justin Vasquez is a Building Lead and Professional Student Advocate at Harford Height Elementary School. As an English Language Arts Tutor, Justin has been able to teach 4th and 5th graders within a diverse socioeconomic group. On a daily basis, he’s given the opportunity to learn the best strategies and implement them in the classroom such as creative writing, explanatory short response writing, and reading comprehension. Justin has always loved working with kids and always looks forward to all of their aha moments. He graduated from Morgan State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management.