ABOUT US
Qumran Family Foundation was founded in 2013 when our founder, Hilary Thomas, noticed that emancipated foster youths in her local community were severely underserved. She made it QFF's goal to provide former foster youths, ages 18 to 28, a transformative learning environment that supports dramatic personal and professional growth. Our staff strives to provide the motivated EFYs who join our program with opportunities for professionalization training and mindset coaching, which are needed for sustained professional success. The services we provide help them focus on learning the skills they need for independent living, successful job interviewing, and thriving on and off the job. The training we provide helps these young men and women clarify their professional and personal goals, establish a plan for goal achievement, and prepare to become a resource and role model to other EFYs and their broader communities. ​
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OUR TEAM
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President and Executive Director: Hilary Thomas, MBA
Qumran Family Foundation was founded by Hilary Thomas in 2013. As a professional coach and retired human resources professional and higher education instructor, she established this organization to address a critical problem that she observed in her local community: former foster-care youths were not receiving adequate supports to meet their essential job training, higher education preparation, and social support needs. Having extensive experience in teaching and training young adults, and having worked for Fortune 500 companies as well as K-12 and higher education public schools, Mrs. Thomas recognized that she could help make a positive impact in the lives of this underrepresented, at-risk population. She leads the charge on all activities related to job interview preparation, independent living training, and job retention training.
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Director of Programs: Heather K. Martinez, Ph.D.
Heather is a teacher and curriculum designer, social researcher, and coach. In her work with Qumran Family Foundation, she employs the skills she acquired teaching, conducting research, coaching and mentoring university students, and serving as board and staff member for various organizations, including those related to education, disability, and academic research organizations. Heather works with Hilary Thomas, our executive director, to design and administer programs and services for Qumran Family Foundation. In addition, she directs QFF's Homeschool Instruction Program (HIP) and EFY coaching and higher education transition services. Furthermore, she leads and reports on our organization's research efforts.
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OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Hilary Thomas, President & Executive Director
Margaret McCleary, Treasurer
Patricia C. Callaway, Secretary
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