Executive Director

Robert M. Ponichtera

Dr. Robert M. Ponichtera oversees the organization’s day-to-day operations, devoting his time to creating a network of partners, generating publicity, and cultivating donors. Ponichtera has more than a decade of experience working for nonprofit organizations, guiding program direction and fundraising activities. Before founding Liberty’s Promise, Ponichtera worked at Freedom House and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, where he wrote grants, coordinated program activities, and conducted research. Ponichtera earned a Ph.D. in East European History from Yale University in 1995 and has taught at Yale, Quinnipiac College, and Albertus Magnus College. He currently serves as an adjunct professor of history at George Mason University. A native English speaker, Dr. Ponichtera is fluent in Polish. He and his wife, Renata, reside in Alexandria, Virginia with their son, Anthony.

Dr. Ponichtera can be reached at rponichtera@libertyspromise.org.

Fun Fact:  Bob is the proud owner of more than 2,100 baseball cards.

Program Officers

Allison Bouley
Program Officer, Fairfax County, Virginia and Prince George’s County, Maryland

Allison Bouley is responsible for the implementation of the internship and civic education programs in Fairfax County, VA and at Parkdale High School in Riverdale, MD. Ms. Bouley grew up in Fairfax County and attended James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA where she earned a Bachelor degree in Social Work and a minor in religion. Upon completing her degree, Ms. Bouley spent three years as a full-time volunteer with Brethren Volunteer Service. She worked as a Case Manager at a transitional housing shelter in Fremont, CA and then moved to Belfast, Northern Ireland where she spent two years working with children and young people at a cross community center on a “peace line” in West Belfast.

Ms. Bouley can be reached at abouley@libertyspromise.org.

Fun Fact: Allison took tap dancing classes for ten years.

Pamela Daley
Program Officer, Alexandria City, Virginia and Prince George’s County, Maryland

Pamela Daley is responsible for the implementation of the civic education and internship program in Alexandria City, Virginia and at High Point High School in Beltsville, MD. She holds a Master of International Development focused on non-governmental organizations and civil society from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to completing her master, she served with Literacy*AmeriCorps, tutoring and teaching ESOL and life skills to immigrant and refugee populations in Dayton, OH. She has lived in Spain and Ecuador. While in Ecuador, she lived and worked in a rural, indigenous community helping local teachers improve their teaching methods and materials. Ms. Daley holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Studies from Wright State University in Dayton, OH. A native English speaker, Ms. Daley is fluent in Spanish.

Ms. Daley can be reached at pdaley@libertyspromise.org

Fun Fact: Pam speaks elementary Quichua, the Ecuadoran version of Quechua.  Imasnara kangui? (How are you?)

Julien Labiche
Program Officer, Montgomery County, Maryland

Julien Labiche is responsible for the implementation of the internship and civic education programs in Montgomery County, specifically in Gaithersburg and at John F. Kennedy High School (Silver Spring). Mr. Labiche was born in the rural town of Mende in central France. After high school, his interest in foreign languages and humanities led him to pursue studies in English. He studied at Université Paul Valéry in Montpellier, where he obtained a degree in English Studies, and another one in French as a Second Language. He studied abroad for one year at Wittenberg University in Springfield, OH, where he happily immersed himself in American culture. Upon returning to France, Mr. Labiche earned certification to teach English as a Second Language. For the next three years, he taught at various public schools in the south of France. He then decided to move to the United States, where he got married. He taught high school French in Virginia, and eventually moved to the Washington DC area, teaching French in a language institute before joining Liberty’s Promise. A native French speaker, Mr. Labiche is fluent in English.

Mr. Labiche can be reached at jlabiche@libertyspromise.org.

Fun Fact:  When Julien lived inVirginia Beach, VA, he played lead guitar in a rock band called Bad Cap Rockets.

Austin Morris
Officer, Montgomery County, Maryland

Austin Morris is responsible for the implementation of the internship and civic education programs in Montgomery County, specifically at Downtown Silver Spring and Wheaton High School. Ms. Morris returns to Liberty’s Promise as the Program Officer for Silver Spring and Wheaton, MD, after serving with the organization for eight months as an intern in 2008. During her internship, she worked directly with immigrant youth in Montgomery County on our internship and civics programs. Ms. Morris holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA). At Dickinson, she had the opportunity to live in community service housing that deepened the campus-community relationship with a focus on connecting the immigrant population of Carlisle to the Dickinson community. She has experience working with at risk youth as she completed a semester of service learning at the Carlisle School for children with emotional disorders. Ms. Morris has also worked as an administrative assistant in the Office of Student Affairs at the School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ms. Morris can be reached at amorris@libertyspromise.org.

Fun Fact:  Austin has broken more than five bones in her body (she was a gymnast).

VOLUNTEERS

Daphne Steinberg, Development
Mrs. Steinberg joined our office staff in January 2012 and has extensive experience in research, writing, and journalism.  To find out more about Daphne, read our interview with her in early 2012 here. Mrs. Steinberg can be reached at dsteinberg@libertyspromise.org.

Wanda Salinas, Finance
Ms. Salinas is currently a sophomore at George Mason University majoring in finance. She joined our office in mid-March 2012, and we’re excited to have her on board!