News

Big News at 518 ElevatED: Announcing Our New Executive Director

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Tamara McCallum is stepping into the role of Executive Director at 518 ElevatED!

Many of you already know Tamara from her incredible work over the past two years as our Director of Programs, where she has been instrumental in rebuilding and strengthening our program framework with a growing emphasis on college, career, and workforce development pathways.

As we step into this exciting next chapter, we also want to express our deepest gratitude to Peter Gabak for his dedicated leadership and service as our previous Executive Director. Peter’s commitment to our mission has left a lasting mark on 518 ElevatED, strengthening our foundation and positioning us perfectly for continued growth. We thank Peter for his advocacy on behalf of our scholars and wish him the absolute best in his next endeavors.

Tamara brings over 15 years of deep expertise in education and nonprofit management to this role. A proud native of Mount Vernon, NY, a first-generation college graduate, and the daughter of a Jamaican immigrant, Tamara’s journey informs her profound commitment to educational equity. She earned her A.S. from SUNY Westchester Community College, and her BA in Liberal Studies from SUNY Purchase College as a non-traditional student while working full-time and raising a family.

Before joining 518 ElevatED, Tamara led equity-centered postsecondary access and success programs across Westchester County, NYC, and the Capital Region. She recently served as an Assistant Director for Academic Community Engagement at Siena University and continues to work as an Adjunct Lecturer in Multicultural Studies and Liberal Arts at the institution. Today, she lives in Troy, NY, with her three amazing children—Tristyn, Adonis, and August—and is passionate about community building, self-advocacy, and anti-perfectionism work.

“As I step into the role of Executive Director of 518 ElevatED, I am deeply grateful to our mentors, sponsors, donors, school partners, and supporters who make this work possible.

My work in community engagement, college and career counseling, and intergroup dialogue continues to shape how I approach leadership and how we support scholars while partnering with families, schools, and the broader community. These experiences ground my belief that success looks different for every scholar and that our role is to meet young people where they are as they define what success means for themselves.

I am committed to ensuring that 518 ElevatED continues to provide the relationships, guidance, and opportunities scholars need to navigate their educational journeys and pursue meaningful pathways to their futures.”

We are incredibly excited for the future of 518 ElevatED under her guidance as we continue to meet our scholars where they are and support them in defining their own success.