Fellows
If you’re looking to contribute to the success of other NSHSS alum, our Fellows program might be a great way to stay involved with us while giving back. NSHSS Fellows dedicate themselves to connecting our alumni members with resources and opportunities to further our alum’s academic and career aspirations.
Fellows are involved in bettering their communities through corporate efforts, their work with nonprofits, academics, or the arts. They truly are committed to bettering themselves and the communities they work and live in. Our Fellows community is made up of nearly 700 members who further the NSHSS mission of world betterment by bringing together alum members and current scholars through networking events, NSHSS member events, and mentorship.
Interested in becoming a Fellow? You must be an NSHSS member with an undergraduate degree or three years work experience in your chosen field.
To connect with one of our Fellows or to find out more about joining, email us at fellows@nshss.org.
Image: Elizabeth Blanchette (Fellows Vice President of Alumni Relations), Kolby Keo (Fellows Board Trustee), Morgan Vazquez (Fellows Board Trustee), Laura Amortegui (Fellows Executive Board Member), and April Kalinski (Fellows Secretary)
NSHSS Fellows Executive Board
Elizabeth Blanchette
Elizabeth Blanchette is a graduate of Liberty University, where she received a 4.00 grade point average for her Master of Arts in Executive Leadership. She is also a summa cum laude graduate of Eastern Nazarene College (ENC). As a leader in corporate training for AAA, Ms. Blanchette is a strong proponent of education without social limitations. Her belief that all people are valuable children of God, fuels her passion to change lives through investing in the visions and goals of the world’s youth. Ms. Blanchette is honored to serve as Vice President of Alumni Relations for the NSHSS Executive Fellows Board. Elizabeth has been a member of NSHSS since 2010, serving as an NSHSS Ambassador and a four-year member of the (formerly) NSHSS Student Council before joining the Executive Fellows Board. Ms. Blanchette has traveled extensively, interning with youth programs – in management positions - in England, France, Ireland, and Wales. Through developing relationships and connections with NSHSS alumni, fellows, high school members, educators, and families, Ms. Blanchette hopes to assist and advance the alumni in their pursuit of excellence, while fostering a lifelong and worldwide NSHSS community based on fellowship and engagement.
April Kalinski
April Kalinski is a graduate from the University of Nebraska. While getting her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and International Business, she was a member of the University’s Women in Business group as well as the accounting honor society, Beta Alpha Psi. After graduating in 2014, she was a member of the Board of Directors for a local Nature Center and park in Lincoln Nebraska. In 2016, she moved to the Chicago area where she continues her work in accounting with a manufacturing company. In her free time, she volunteers her time between managing the finances for a local cat rescue, planning Habitat for Humanity builds for her company, and fundraising with the Habitat for Humanity Young Professionals group.
Laura Amortegui
Laura Amortegui is a Colombian American who has been living in the D.C. area for the past 20 years. She currently works at Cambium Assessment Inc. in business development and finances, working on writing and developing proposals. Previously, American Institutes for Research, and at Georgetown University, at the Center for Intercultural Development and Education, to coordinate the learning exchange between international students, Georgetown professors, and businesses in the area. She earned her M.B.A and B.A of Communications at Loyola University Maryland. Laura is also the proud current President of the NSHSS Fellows Executive Board.
Josie Pearce
Josie graduated cum laude from Dartmouth College in 2020. She works as a public relations assistant at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and as a Senior Advisor at CollegeAdvisor.com. Josie is pursuing a JD/MD joint degree and is currently enrolled in the Harvard Premedical Program. In her free time, Josie loves to travel, bake, and spend time with friends.
NSHSS Fellows Trustees
Morgan Vazquez
Morgan Vazquez is the Head of Early Career Talent Acquisition and Programs at Walmart. In her role at the world’s largest retailer, Morgan leads a team of over 30 Human Resources professionals who recruit high-potential, diverse early career talent for the enterprise and develop robust intern and new associate programs aligned with the company’s strategic business needs. Morgan joined Walmart in August 2020 from the Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon) where she was in a similar role as the Global Head of Campus Recruiting and Emerging Talent Programs. In her five years at BNY Mellon, she led the redesign of their campus recruiting function with a focus on attracting, developing, and retaining a strong pipeline of future leaders. Prior to BNY Mellon, Morgan spent six years at JPMorgan Chase in a variety of Human Resources roles. Morgan is a graduate of Fordham University (Bronx, New York) where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology and Communications summa cum laude. Aside from being a passionate alumna at her alma mater and serving on the Fordham University Alumni Association Advisory Board, she is also the proud National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) Fellow. Furthermore, Morgan is a steadfast champion of Diversity & Inclusion and has been named to EMpower/Yahoo Finance’s list of Top 50 Ethnic Minority Future Leaders.
Kolby Keo
Kolby is a manager at The Harbour Group where he advises international clients on public diplomacy initiatives and strategic communications. He previously led external engagement for the University of California Washington Center (UCDC) and also served as a legislative aide for his hometown congressman. Kolby is the immediate past president of the global nonprofit Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP). He is board secretary of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of DC, on the board of the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL), vice president of the UC Irvine Alumni Chapter in DC, and a 16-year volunteer for the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). From 2013-2015, he was an appointed city commissioner for the city of Garden Grove, California. Kolby received his BA in political science from the University of California, Irvine. After failing classes during his first year of college, Kolby graduated summa cum laude and received the Chancellor’s Award of Distinction recognizing the top 48 student leaders in a graduating class of over 7,000. He is a proud transfer alum from Orange Coast College where he served as student body president, district trustee, and held regional and statewide offices representing and advocating for California’s community college students.
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