Alliance Staff
Kori Alston
Kori Alston is the Senior Manager of Implementation for the Alliance.
Prior to this role, Kori held the position of Principal at Veritas Prep High School, a wall-to-wall early college high school in Springfield, MA. In this capacity, he oversaw the development, growth, and implementation of all early college programming, ensuring that every student had the chance to graduate with at least 12 college credits and authentic career learning experiences.
Kori began his career as a 7th grade English and science teacher in Brooklyn, before moving into a role on the talent and recruitment team at Uncommon Schools where he developed his passion for strategic partnerships and operations. Kori holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Northwestern University and a Master of Education in Leadership and Administration from Concordia University.
Marissa Cole
Marissa is the first Director of Policy and Practice for the Alliance.
Prior to this role, Marissa served as the Managing Director for the CERES Institute for Children & Youth and the Center for Promise at Boston University/America’s Promise Alliance. Both entities were focused on supporting policy change and informing practice through high-quality, rigorous research and national strategic initiatives that centered the voices and experiences of children and youth.
Prior to that, Marissa served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Education, supporting the interagency and legislative priorities of the secretariat. Before rejoining state government, Marissa spent two years as the Assistant Director for the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy. Marissa began her career as the Legislative and Budget Director for Massachusetts State Senator Edward M. Augustus, Jr. Marissa has an EdM in Education Policy & Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a BA in Child Development from Tufts University. She is based in Boston, Massachusetts.
Tomás Molfino
Tomás is the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Alliance.
Prior to this role, Tomás served as a Program Manager at WestEd, supporting school districts and state education agencies across the country in designing and implementing strategies grounded in improvement science. In this capacity, Tomás partnered closely with practitioners and policy leaders to build systems and routines of continuous improvement that better serve every student.
Tomás began his career in education as a high school math teacher in Wisconsin before transitioning to Education Resource Strategies, where he worked as a consultant with urban school systems to align their resources and practices toward more equitable student experiences.
Tomás holds a BS and MS in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan, as well as an EdM in Education Policy and Leadership from Marquette University.
Chessye Moseley
Chessye is the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Alliance for Early College.
For the last four years, Chessye has played a role in shaping and leading every facet of the Alliance’s work: policy, program, student engagement, and innovation. She has partnered with leaders across Massachusetts as well as allies nationally and is known as a leader in the college success space. Prior to the Alliance, Chessye built context and expertise through her work on the Early College team at Empower Schools. In this capacity, she supported burgeoning coalition efforts, helped lead key policy and advocacy efforts related to Early College, and provided technical assistance to a group of Early College programs. Prior to her work with Early College, Chessye held roles at Teach For America both on national and regional teams, including recruitment, operations, and development. Chessye proudly began her career as a middle school reading teacher in Colorado, where her passion for excellent and equitable education systems was solidified through her work with students and families. Chessye holds a B.A. in Government from Harvard University and is based in Boston, Massachusetts.
Leslie Peralta
Leslie is the Senior Manager of Engagement for the Alliance.
Before joining the Alliance, Leslie served as the Early College Program Manager for the Lawrence Public Schools (LPS). In this role, her work centered on implementing, expanding, and enhancing the Early College Program, leading a dedicated team of Early College staff, and promoting student and family engagement. Leslie began her career at LPS as a Building Based Educator and then became a Program Coordinator for the GEAR UP Massachusetts Program. As a GEAR UP Coordinator, her focus was on college and financial aid advising, where she strengthened her commitment and passion for student access to post-secondary education. Leslie brings 10 years of experience in education to the Alliance. Leslie received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a concentration on Women’s and Gender Studies from the College of the Holy Cross.
Liz Walczak
Liz is the Director of External Affairs at the Massachusetts Alliance for Early College
Liz joins the Alliance after nearly a decade as a philanthropic advisor and nonprofit management consultant, helping organizations and funders develop strategies, build partnerships, communicate their impact, and turn ideas into action. She brings experience across philanthropy, nonprofit organizations, government, and cross-sector partnerships, along with a longstanding commitment to expanding high-quality college and career pathways for young people.
Most recently, Liz served as Interim Executive Director of the Boston Opportunity Agenda, a cradle-to-career public-private partnership working to create a more just and equitable education system in Boston. Previously, she was Donor Services Officer and Program Officer for Education at The Boston Foundation, where she focused on education grantmaking, strategy, and initiatives, particularly in the area of postsecondary pathways. Prior to TBF, Liz was Director of Partnerships at Boston After School & Beyond, an intermediary organization dedicated to expanding learning opportunities for Boston students. Earlier in her career, she served as a Policy Advisor to Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, working on initiatives spanning education, health, and human services, and began her career as a Public Relations and Policy Specialist at Citizen Schools. Liz holds an MPA in Public & Nonprofit Management & Policy from New York University and a BA from Hamilton College. She lives with her family in Dorchester, Massachusetts.
Early College Policy Fellowship Leaders
Noelle Gregoire
Noelle Gregoire is a graduate student at Merrimack College, pursuing an M.Ed in Moderate Disabilities PK-8. Noelle graduated from Haverhill High School in 2023, where she participated in the Early College program and earned 57 transferable credits. She later earned her BA at Bridgewater State University in Public Relations in May of 2025. The impact Early College had on Noelle led her to become a 2023-24 Early College Policy Fellow for the Massachusetts Alliance for Early College. During her time as a fellow, Noelle advocated for students to join the program with a focus on high-need students.
Noelle is currently an educator for special education in the Haverhill Public School system and hopes to bring her advocacy experience to her current and future students.
Marianny Diaz
Marianny Diaz is a co-leader for the Massachusetts Alliance for Early College Policy Fellowship and a former 2024-2025 Early College Policy Fellow. Her Early College journey began at Lawrence High School, where she participated in the Early College program through Merrimack College. That experience expanded her view of what was possible beyond high school and inspired her commitment to advancing educational opportunities for future students.
As an Early College Policy Fellow, Marianny collaborated with students from across Massachusetts to advocate for expanding access to Early College and strengthening educational opportunities statewide. Today, she is excited to support the next cohort of fellows by mentoring, encouraging, and helping them make the most of their fellowship experience.
Marianny is pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, double concentrating in Marketing and Management, with a second major in Spanish. She is passionate about educational equity, leadership, and using business as a tool to create meaningful social impact. She hopes to develop innovative strategies that strengthen organizations, expand opportunities, and better serve students and underrepresented communities.
Drawing from her own Early College experience, Marianny believes the program equips students with the confidence, skills, and opportunities to succeed in college and beyond. She hopes every fellow leaves the program with meaningful connections, greater confidence, and the belief that their voice has the power to create lasting, positive change in education.
Alliance Board of Directors
State Street Foundation
Latinos for Education
Massachusetts Alliance for Early College
The Richard and Susan Smith Foundation
MassHire North Shore Workforce Board
OneGoal
uAspire