Our Team
Lydia Wims
Sr. Managing Partner & Sr. Executive VP
Lydia Wims is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, who believes in educating our children and providing ways
for them to progress beyond high school. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Kent
State University. She has worked with students over the last 30+ years, as an educator and
program developer, primarily with first-generation and other students to achieve the goal of a college
degree, trade school, and/or preparation for the Military.
Having worked in higher education with incoming freshmen towards graduation, Lydia increased the
graduation rate of first-generation students and others by 70%. Lydia is passionate about helping
students who are transitioning from foster/guardianship, single parents, etc., to become their best selves.
Her ability to connect with students and guide them using her expertise as an educator and mentor
gave students the ability to seek and experiment with career/wages, along with learning how to
create a budget, and assisted the students in becoming more financially literate.
Lydia was active in her professional organizations as the chairperson for three different conferences,
treasure, and scholarship coordinator. These roles allowed her to develop the necessary skills to
offer and assist her in working with students. She utilized her roles as a mentor to aid in career
development and budget management in encouraging students to participate in student
organizations, and student professional (career) development for the potential roles they would
encounter upon graduating.
Aaron Quarles
Sr. VP & Director Health Sciences Education Programs
Aaron Quarles, MD, MPP, is an emergency physician, educator, and civic-minded health strategist whose work bridges medicine, public policy, and community impact. He brings experience in medical education, clinical leadership, and equity-focused systems change, with a professional background that helps students see how service, scholarship, and leadership can come together across multiple career paths. Through teaching and mentorship, he is committed to expanding students’ sense of what is possible by exposing them to roles and institutions they may not otherwise encounter.
He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he studied psychology on the premedical track with a minor in Africana Studies. He went on to earn both his MD from Harvard Medical School and his MPP from Harvard, Kennedy School, and completed his emergency medicine residency at Northwestern. He now lives and works in his hometown of Cleveland.
Richanda Birks
Sr. VP & Director Strategic Community Initiatives & Trauma Services
Richanda Birks is an educator, mentor, and trauma-informed practitioner with experience across public education, workforce preparation, and student support. Her work focuses on trauma education and advocacy, helping students and families recognize and change patterns that impact growth, stability, and long-term success. She brings both instructional experience and community-based leadership into every space she serves.
She has worked with middle and high school students, as well as recent graduates, supporting key academic and postsecondary transitions.
Her background as a first-generation college graduate and a public school graduate shapes her approach to student and family support.
Aylwin Bridges
Managing Partner and Senior Executive VP Finance
Aylwin Bridges was reared in Cleveland, OH. His early education
was within the Cleveland Public School system. He is a former
Navy Officer.
He has undergraduate degrees from the University of Akron and Park College. His Masters degree is from Central Michigan University and post graduate degree from LaSalle University. Aylwin’s faculty appointments include the University of Maryland, Columbia Union College and Southern Illinois University, schools of Business Management and Healthcare Administration.
While at Maryland, he was the founder of the Health Policy Institute. He served as the Associate Dean, Finance and Administration of a southern-based HBCU medical college. Aylwin’s specific academic areas include program development and implementation and academic achievement of all minority students.