Fellows Program

Morgan Vazquez is currently a Vice President of Campus Strategy and Pipeline Development at BNY Mellon in New York City. She is leading the redesign of the firm’s campus strategy with a focus on recruiting, developing and retaining a strong pipeline of future leaders. Prior to joining BNY Mellon in August 2015, Morgan spent six years at JPMorgan Chase in a variety of human resources roles, including compensation, HR business partner and employee relations. Morgan graduated Summa Cum Laude from Fordham University (Bronx, NY) in May 2013 as a double major in Communications & Media Studies and Sociology. While at Fordham, Morgan was President of Lambda Pi Eta (the National Communications Honor Society) and a member of Alpha Sigma Nu, Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies. She was also a news anchor on Fordham Nightly News TV, as well as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council and the Fordham Orchestra. Morgan has been a proud member of the National Society of High School Scholars since 2007 and most recently served as the Vice President of Special Events on the inaugural Fellows Program Executive Board. She is very excited to work with Fellows Program members on various new and exciting initiatives aimed at cultivating a thriving alumni network for NSHSS.

Kolby is a manager at The Harbour Group where he manages public diplomacy programming, exchange opportunities and strategic communications for international clients. He previously led external engagement for the University of California Washington Center (UCDC) where he founded and launched the UCDC Mentorship Program. Kolby started his time in Washington as a legislative aide in the United States Congress, proudly working for his hometown representative. Kolby is the immediate past president of the global nonprofit Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP). He is also the board secretary of YNPNdc, vice president of the UC Irvine Alumni Association DC Chapter, a 15-year volunteer for the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), and a Power Lunch Reading Mentor with Everybody Wins DC. From 2013-2015, he was appointed a city commissioner for his hometown, Garden Grove, California. Before relocating to Washington, DC, Kolby was raised and schooled in Southern California. He received his BA in political science with a focus in comparative politics from the University of California, Irvine. After failing classes during his very 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 class of over 7,000 graduates. He is a proud transfer alum from Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, California, where he served as student body president, district trustee, and held regional and statewide offices representing and advocating for California’s community college students. Kolby is proud to be a part of the NSHSS community and is dedicated to fostering better collaboration and mentorship opportunities within our network of high school, college and professional members.

Elizabeth Blanchette is a graduate of Liberty University, where she received her Master of Arts in Executive Leadership. Her achievements include inductions into several graduate business honor societies and recognition as a gold medallion recipient with a 4.00 grade point average. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Eastern Nazarene College (ENC). During her undergraduate studies at ENC, Ms. Blanchette was awarded numerous scholarships, inducted into the Phi Delta Lambda international honor society, and named one of five outstanding seniors in her graduating class. Ms. Blanchette is honored to serve as Vice President of Alumni Relations for the National Society of High School Scholars Executive Fellows Board. Elizabeth has been a member of the NSHSS since 2010, serving as an NSHSS Ambassador, a four-year member of the NSHSS Student Council, and a member of the College 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. She is passionate about changing lives through investing and inspiring the youth of the world. 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 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 is a Colombian American who has been living here in the D.C. area for the past 19 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.