Press Releases | October 25, 2023

The Mind Trust hires four new staff

The Mind Trust, an Indianapolis-based education nonprofit, today announced the hiring of four new staff members, two of whom will support Indiana Learns. Ozmara Arteaga has been hired as Manager of External Communications; Alexis Dunlop has been hired as Manager of Operations; Mikaili Azziz has been hired as Manager of Communications for Indiana Learns; and Karen Friedrich has been hired as Manager of Learning Partner Engagement for Indiana Learns. 

“The Mind Trust is excited to add to our talented team of mission-driven leaders. I am thrilled for Ozmara, Alexis, Mikaili, and Karen to bring their considerable skills to The Mind Trust. Each will create a lasting impact in their new roles,” said Brandon Brown, CEO of The Mind Trust. 

Each of these professionals will support The Mind Trust’s work to grow high-quality schools, deliver more equitable conditions across the Indianapolis education landscape, and triple the number of students in Indianapolis who are academically proficient by 2027. Since 2006, The Mind Trust has supported the launch of 49 public charter and innovation network schools in Indianapolis that currently serve more than 22,000 students

New Hires

Ozmara Arteaga, Manager of External Communications

As Manager of External Communications for The Mind Trust, Arteaga is responsible for supporting the work of The Mind Trust’s communications team with a focus on strategic communications and copywriting.

Before joining The Mind Trust, Arteaga worked at Victory College Prep as the Talent and Communications Coordinator. She comes to us with over four years of experience in communications and community engagement having worked in tech and nonprofits. Arteaga holds a bachelor of arts in journalism with a concentration in public relations and a minor in graphic design from Indiana University Bloomington.

Alexis Dunlop, Manager of Operations

As Manager of Operations at The Mind Trust, Dunlop is responsible for supporting the team with human resources functions and implementing policies and procedures for The Mind Trust.

Previous to joining The Mind Trust, Dunlop worked at Purdue University as a Boiler Mentor while finishing her degree. She has also worked as an intern at RIX Media and Research in London, UK. Dunlop recently graduated with a bachelor of science in Psychological Sciences and a certificate in entrepreneurship and innovation from Purdue University. 

Indiana Learns New Hires

Indiana Learns is a statewide math and reading enrichment grant program operated by The Mind Trust on behalf of the Indiana Department of Education.

Mikaili Azziz, Manager of Communications, Indiana Learns

As Manager of Communications for Indiana Learns, Azziz will be responsible for communications and marketing efforts. Azziz will lead and be a key member in the amplification of Indiana Learns initiatives.

Prior to joining Indiana Learns, Azziz worked at the Central Indiana Community Foundation as a Marketing and Communications Associate. She brings a wealth of communications experience having also worked for several local communications and marketing agencies, as well as Bondry Consulting. Azziz holds a bachelor of arts in journalism with a concentration in public relations from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Karen Friedrich, Manager of Learning Partner Engagement, Indiana Learns

As Manager of Learning Partner Engagement for Indiana Learns, Friedrich will be responsible for building relationships with prospective and current Learning Partners who provide tutoring services for students who qualify for the program. 

Before joining Indiana Learns, Friedrich worked at Invent Learning Hub as a Special Education Teacher for grades 5-8. She has over eight years of experience working in education and is an alum of the Indiana Teaching Fellows program. Friedrich holds a master’s degree in teaching from Marian University and a bachelor of science in child development from Ball State University.

About The Mind Trust

The Mind Trust is an Indianapolis-based education nonprofit that works to build a system of schools that gives every student, no exceptions, access to a high-quality education. The Mind Trust does this by building a supportive environment for schools through policy and community engagement, empowering talented, diverse educators to launch new schools, and providing existing schools with the support they need to hire world-class talent and achieve excellence. Since 2006, The Mind Trust has supported the launch of 49 schools, 15 education nonprofit organizations, and has helped place more than 1,800 teachers and school leaders in Indianapolis classrooms.