Our Team
David Bromley, Executive Director
David Bromley is the Executive Director and founder of Big Picture Philadelphia. Prior to starting Big Picture Philadelphia, David was a co-founder of MetWest High School, the Big Picture school in Oakland, CA and more recently, served as a Big Picture coach to MetEast High School, located in Camden, New Jersey. Before coming to Big Picture, David co-founded the Association of National Scholastic Excellence and Reform (ANSER) in Santa Monica, CA, a not-for-profit corporation designed to foster a greater awareness of and commitment to public schools. David also worked as a social studies teacher at Jefferson High School in South Central, Los Angeles. He holds a Masters Degree in education from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles.
Jennifer Ghidiu, Academic Principal of El Centro
Jennifer Ghidiu serves as the Academic Principal for El Centro de Estudiantes. Prior to this role, Jenn was the full-time school coach for El Centro del Estudiantes and the Eastern University Academy Charter. Jennifer served for four years as an Advisor at Big Picture’s MetEast High School in Camden, New Jersey. 100% of Jennifer’s group of seniors graduated and are currently in college. While at MetEast, Jennifer was in charge of coordinating professional development activities. Jennifer is originally from Seattle, WA where she worked with at risk-students in a number of capacities. She is a Teach for America alumnus.
Gabe Guindon, Director of Post-Secondary Supports
Gabe is responsible for setting up partnerships with local colleges in order to offer college level course opportunities and college exposure to Big Picture students. Gabe also works with students to foster their interest in dual enrollment opportunities at colleges and to encourage their confidence to achieve in such an environment. Gabe is proficient in Spanish, having studied Latin American studies in the US and abroad in Mexico. Prior to joining Big Picture Philadelphia, Gabe served as a Coordinator for Guilford College’s Study Abroad partnership with the University of Guadalajara. Gabe has experience working with individuals from all walks of life, having lead a reading and discussion group with prison inmates, as a Tutor in an afterschool program serving youth from various countries and as a coach with youth in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Zeelyna Wise, Director of Support Services >
Zeelyna is responsible for implementation of social service support services through a combination of student testing, teacher coaching, and clinical oversight. Zeelyna provides leadership and supervision for serving sensitive client needs such as domestic violence, child abuse, HIV/AIDS, mental health, and substance abuse. She has a key role in referring students to the vast menu of services to various agencies, is a liaison to parents when conflicts arise in the life of a student, whether family-related, school-related
or otherwise, and is responsible for the development of an in-house Wellness Center. Zeelyna has extensive experience working with and advocating for the needs of at-risk youth, having been involved in the development of several after-school programs providing life-skills workshops, and counseling services. She is adept at creating linkages within the community for the service of her students and has partnered with community groups and businesses to showcase her students through cultural programs in the arts and sciences. Zeelyna brings additional skills through her certifications in Restorative Justice, Violence Prevention, and Parent/Teacher training.
Sylvie Gallier Howard, Development & Communications Director >
Over her fifteen year career in the non-profit world, Sylvie has built significant expertise in the areas of fundraising, board development, strategic planning, financial planning, executive management and leadership transition. Sylvie began her working career in Ecuador where she spent 3 years working with non-governmental organizations. Upon returning to the U.S. she became Executive Director of Empowerment Group (EG), an economic development organization in Philadelphia. During her five year tenure at EG the organization transformed from a start-up non-profit focused on job training into the premiere entrepreneurship training organization serving the Philadelphia Latino community. Most recently, Sylvie founded an organizational development consulting company called Clementine Consulting. Through this business, she has been working as an organizational development consultant, assisting non-profits in increasing capacity through strategic planning, board development and leadership development. Big Picture Philadelphia has been one of her most treasured non-profit clients since June 2009.
Laura House Kelly, Development Coordinator >
Laura holds a masters degree in social work from the University of Michigan, a degree that has led her into an exciting and varied 15-year career in non-profit fundraising and administration. Laura began her career at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, handling a variety of administrative and clinical duties. It was here that she first began honing her grant-writing skills. After leaving Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, Laura served several Boston and Philadelphia non-profits in project management and grant-writing. Most recently, Laura served as a board member for a start-up non-profit and then served as the executive director. During her tenure, Laura established key funding relationships in the community, built internal programmatic and operational structures, and led the agency through a dramatic strategic turn-around plan. She is thrilled to be teaming up with Sylvie, providing fundraising support for Big Picture Philadelphia.
