Leadership

Paul Kappel President & CEO - Leadership

Paul Kappel, Jr. has been involved in education for over 30 years. Paul initially joined Junior Achievement with the Georgia office in 1997 and transitioned to the Greater Washington office in 2003. Paul started as President in Philadelphia in 2007. During his tenure in Southeastern Pennsylvania, JA received five Summit Awards for operating excellence. In 2014 and 2016, the JASEPA Team was honored with the Peak Performance Team Award, the highest honor given to an area office by JA USA. In 2015 and 2016, he was a finalist for the Charles R. Hook award. In 2022, Paul accepted the position of President and CEO with Junior Achievement of Central Maryland.

Prior to joining JA, he worked for Bloomsburg University from 1990-1997 in the Student Life department. Paul earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bloomsburg in 1989 and received his Master of Science in Human Resources in 1993 from the University of Scranton. Prior to moving to Maryland, Paul has served as a Board Member for the Downingtown/Thorndale Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Downingtown Regional Education Foundation.

Kim Denis SVP/ Chief Operating Officer - Leadership

Email
(410)753-3288

Kim's career at Junior Achievement spans 20 years and three offices. She began as an intern and part-time staff member at JA of Delaware before spending six years as a member of the JA of Greater Washington team, where among her many responsibilities, she ran all aspects of the Greater Washington Business Hall of Fame, an event that raises more than $1.5 million annually. Kim joined JA of Central Maryland in 2009. As SVP/COO, she oversees facility operations, IT management, HR, and finances for the organization. She earned her B.S. in Communications from the University of Delaware and a Master's of Tourism Administration from George Washington University.

Jonayé Ford SVP/Chief Academic Officer - Leadership

Email
(410)753-3289

Jonayé has more than 20 years of senior management experience across a range of industries. Prior to joining JA in 2013, she served as director of operations and business development for the Y of Central Maryland, where she managed 41 before- and after-school programs. She previously worked at Educate Inc. (formerly a Sylvan Learning Systems Company), starting as executive director of in-school programs and ultimately becoming area manager of adult programs. In these roles, she provided oversight for initiatives related to No Child Left Behind, Welfare-to-Work, and At-Risk Youth Programs. At JA, Jonayé leads a staff of six and oversees the strategic direction for K-12 program implementation and volunteer engagement that annually impacts the lives of over 46,000 students in Central Maryland. Jonayé earned a B.A. in Public Administration from Virginia State University and currently serves on the Maryland State Department of Education Business Management Finance Advisory Council and the JA USA Diversity Council.

Dawn Edwards Senior Vice President, Development - Leadership

Email
410-517-6112

As the Senior Vice President of Development, Dawn Edwards brings over 20 years of fundraising experience in Central Maryland with a strategic approach and passion for inspiring and preparing students for future success.

Dawn oversees Junior Achievement’s fundraising efforts, including donor relations, grant writing, and special events, with a focus on expanding the organization’s donor base and increasing revenue to support the mission. Rejoining the organization in 2024, she previously served as Director of Foundations and Individuals in 2022 and oversaw the submission and stewardship of over 70 grants for the organization. Previously, she was the Director of Partners in Excellence Scholarship Program and Director of Foundation and Corporate Relations at the Archdiocese of Baltimore, where she consistently raised $2 million to $3 million annually.

Her previous experience in nonprofit fundraising extends to local organizations such as Maryland Nonprofits, BoardSource, and the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, which helped equip Dawn with a holistic approach to donor engagement, building mutually rewarding relationships, and deepening engagement.

Edwards graduated from Mount St. Mary’s University with a B.A. in Political Science and holds a Master of Public Administration, degree from the University of Delaware.