Welcome to the Transform Mid-Atlantic Alumni VISTA Vault
Meet TMA's exceptional AmeriCorps VISTA alumni, hear their stories, and discover how they're continuing on their paths of service and leadership.
"TMA's AmeriCorps alumni took an oath to strengthen our communities and to take action. It is moving and remarkable to see that so many of our alumni have kept that promise well beyond their service year, as they continue to catalyze change and serve society."
-Madeline Yates,
Executive Director
Our Alumni All Stars - The TMA VISTA Alumni Network
The TMA Alumni Network was established to help TMA's AmeriCorps VISTA alumni members connect, provide an advisory resource for currently serving VISTAs, and give alumni continued access to TMA's programming, while spotlighting alumni members' leadership and transformational work.
Over 200 TMA alumni continue to work in service, including roles in nonprofits, government, higher education, and other mission-based organizations. Their achievements are a testament to the quality of those who participate in TMA VISTA cohorts and the programs of TMA's member campuses and community partners.
Angela Serwaa-Marfo
Class 2025 VISTA Member
VISTA Spotlight: Angela Serwaa-Marfo's Legacy at IRC Baltimore
When Angela Serwaa-Marfo served as an AmeriCorps VISTA at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Baltimore, she didn't just fill a position—she built a legacy.
She transformed a complex list of community support into a vital monthly resource lifeline, streamlining service for staff and clients alike. Simultaneously, she stepped out of her comfort zone to manage the office's internship program, developing her own leadership skills while future-proofing the IRC's volunteer pipeline.
Discover how Angela's dedication to capacity building created enduring positive change and launched her own professional growth.
Jared McLean
Class 2024 VISTA Member
From Hands-On Service to Leadership: My AmeriCorps Journey, by Jared McLean
Jared joined TMA in January 2023, as a VISTA Leader. He in now finishing up his service journey with TMA and moving onto his next BEST opportunity! Serving in both AmeriCorps NCCC and as a TMA VISTA Leader provided a transformative journey, from hands-on direct service to honing leadership and technical skills. The unexpected challenges, such as relearning software proficiency, were overshadowed by the profound highlight of connecting with dedicated VISTAs and witnessing their impactful projects.
This journey not only fostered personal growth and self-worth but also cemented a commitment to lifelong service. Now, as a Success Coach for the Maryland Department of Service and Civic Innovation, there is an eagerness to help others embrace the value of service years and change the perception of their importance. Read more >
Jen McKenzie
Jen embodies the TMA spirit of connection - first as a VISTA leader at Maryland Out of School Time Network; then with Everybody Wins DC working with corporate partners, to her current role at Fusion Partnerships.
Maggie Eckerson
Maggie is a winner of multiple volunteer service awards, including the Presidential Volunterer Service Award - both Bronze and Gold, and the United States President's Lifetime Achievement award.
On a Mission
In addition to those working in the nonprofit and government sectors, many alumni are pursuing mission-based work in corporations and graduate school programs. Current alumni positions include founders of nonprofits, college Community Engagement Program directors, business owners, social workers, professors, and more.
Data was collected from over 250 Transform Mid-Atlantic VISTA alumni from 2008-2023.
Vasu Moodley
Before joining TMA, Vasu had already spent 17 years working in the nonprofit sector across the world, including serving as the Acting Director of an organization that was awarded the 2008 UNESCO Confucius prize work in Adult Literacy.
Salma Rashid
Salma worked as an Alumni Affairs VISTA with Friendship Public Charter Schools. After an internship in Ghana, Salma became interested in local government and now works for the City of Durham.
Alumni Spotlight: Maggie Eckerson
And the Awards Go to...
United States Presidential Volunteer Service Award - Gold
Issued by Points of Light Foundation · June 2022 ; Associated with AmeriCorps VISTA
United States President's Lifetime Achievement Award
Issued by Points of Light Foundation · June 2022; Associated with AmeriCorps VISTA
AmeriCorps Health Coordinator of the Year
Issued by AmeriCorps · May 2021
United States Presidential Volunteer Service Award - Bronze
Issued by Points of Light Foundation · May 2021
Academic Achievement and Community Involvement: Exceptional Academic Excellence
Issued by Ithaca's Office of Student Engagement · Sep 2017
Building Trust
Maggie discusses the challenges the pandemic posed during her VISTA project and how she overcame them, as she created a mentor program pairing college students with middle schoolers. Over time, the student mentees began to turn their cameras on, a symbolic gesture of trust and engagement.
Zandra Cuff
Zandra is a five-time AmeriCorps VISTA! Joined the TMA team and worked on verious projects that focused on poverty relief, TMA member network engagement and other special project.
Courtney Insley
After spending her VISTA year starting the FoodShare at Towson University in Northeastern Maryland, Courtney has continued to work in food insecurity at the Harford Community Action Agency.
Shani McLean
Shani used her experience from her year of service with the Food Security Initiative at Towson to propel her toward a career as a dietician. She is currently pursuing her Masters Degree in Nutrition at Georgia State University.
Number of TMA VISTA Alumni...
Who Are Nonprofit Leaders
Working in Education (Higher and K-12)
Working in Government
Katlin Gray
Katlin Gray is a senior program manager at UMD's Do Good Institute, a campus-wide initiative that seeks to provide education, opportunities, and resources to develop the next generation of nonprofit leaders, social innovators, and civic-minded students. She also serves as an adjunct professor.
Jackie Searle
A two-time AmeriCorps member, most recently serving a the Cardinal Cupboard at Catholic University, Jackie used her non-competitive elgibility to enter the federal government. She will soon be joining HUD to help with their disaster relief program.
Jared McLean
After graduating from the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) program, Jared joined Transform Mid-Atlantic's AmeriCorps VISTA program as a VISTA Leader, where he helps support, mentor, and advise the program's 30+ AmeriCorps VISTA members across the region.
Kristina Pickering
Kristina served as a VISTA for the York Road Education and Service (YES) Program, expanding it from a traditional tutoring service to a robust and creative after-school program with mentoring for students at Tunbridge Public Charter School and Govans Elementary in Baltimore City.
Alumni Spotlight: Vasu Moodley
Not all VISTAs come to TMA at the start of their careers.
Before coming to TMA, Vasu had already worked in the non-profit world for more than 17 years in South Africa, India, and the US, with an emphasis on adult basic education and community development.
Vasu also served as the Acting Director of Operation Upgrade of South Africa, a nonprofit focused on adult literacy in South Africa that was awarded the 2008 UNESCO Confucius Prize in Adult Literacy.
In addition, Vasu oversaw the creation of the Ikusasa Development Trust, a nonprofit that oversaw the S3Village Integrated Development Project. Vasu sits on the advisory boards of the Family Literacy Project and the James Nxumalo Education Trust.
Vasu now works as Operations Manager at the University of Maryland SAFE Center for Human Trafficking Survivors, where he served as a TMA VISTA in 2019 as an Economic and Empowerment Volunteer Coordinator.
Brian Meko
Brian is currently interning at the White House, while pursuing a dual master's degree in Business Administration and Global Environmental Policy. Brian spent his VISTA year working at the University of Maryland, College Park's Food Pantry.
Mary Kate Luft
Mary was a VISTA for the Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES) program - a partnership between the Universities at Shady Grove (USG), Montgomery County Public Schools, and Montgomery College promoting career readiness among students. Post-VISTA, she continues to work at USG.
Catherine Clark
Catherine spent two years as a VISTA working in Economic Empowerment at Prince George's Community College, developing and expanding a financial coaching program.
Asia Fortune
Asia first served as a VISTA for Bowie State University's Feed the Need program. She returned to TMA for a second service year as a VISTA leader, helping to supervise and mentor TMA's cohort of AmeriCorps VISTAs.