Meet the Team
Haris Kuljancic
Executive Director
Haris’ passion for equity in education stems from his childhood experiences navigating both public and private elementary and high schools in Hartford, Connecticut. Haris credits the Hartford Youth Scholars program for being the catalyst that altered his life trajectory allowing him to attend Loomis Chaffee in Windsor, CT. Haris then graduated from Connecticut College with a B.A. in Sociology and History.
In 2016 Haris joined a ‘sibling program’ of Hartford Youth Scholars, The Steppingstone Foundation as a Support Services Advisor. Haris spent three years supporting students through their middle school, high school and college transitions and invested in their educational success. The Advisor role allowed Haris to mentor students and coach them on becoming stronger self-advocates, particularly when navigating the predominantly white spaces of independent schools.
Haris joined Horizons at DCD in 2019 as the Program Director and was appointed as Executive Director in 2021. Haris’ role at Horizons allows him to continue to combat the widening opportunity gap and support students and families from Boston and Dedham.
Haris is also a proud soccer coach in Newton, MA!
Laura Martinez
Program Director
Laura was born and raised in Boston, MA, and was a Boston Public Schools student all the way through 12th grade. Her career began as an account manager in the telecommunication industry before finding her way to Dedham Country Day. Laura spent six years as the Front Office and Admissions Manager at DCD, and her office quickly became a safe space for everyone to decompress with fidgets, food, and a comfy couch. Being on the admissions team, Laura worked hard with her DEI lens to increase diversity within the community. Her bilingual education helped the admissions process be more equitable and available to everyone.
Shortly after joining DCD, Laura started working with Horizons as the cooking and arts & crafts teacher, and her passion for the program and its Scholars led her to this full-time position.
Laura’s goals as Program Director are to elevate a love of learning, to create a brave space for individuality, and to foster strong, independent Scholars who are ready for the world. As a dog mom of a four-year-old pitbull named Luna, Laura aspires to one day open a Pitbull Rescue to educate people on these lovable creatures.