Staff

Marketea Abbott is the Post-Secondary Transition Coach at Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars. Since joining the team in 2020, Marketea works to engage with students throughout the college enrollment process by providing personalized outreach, coaching, and guidance. Marketea assists in coordinating senior-focused programming and experiences like FAFSA workshops, financial literacy training, comparing aid award letters, and more. As a proud alumni of the Next Level Scholars program herself, she brings highly relatable, first-hand knowledge and experience into her role. Currently, Marketea is a Junior at Hope College, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Work.

Marissa D’Angelo is the Next Level Scholars Program Manager at Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars. Marissa joined the team in 2019 to work alongside the Next Level Scholars Program Director in coordinating targeted experiences to support students as they prepare for life after high school. She is responsible for managing transportation logistics for events, creating event materials, and communicating with students, parents, advisers and other stakeholders. Prior to joining Dollars for Scholars, Marissa worked in higher education where she administered financial aid for students studying abroad, contributed to the First Generation Student Commission, and was a member of the Council for Non-Traditional Students. Marissa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Michigan State University.

Jill Marecki is the Next Level Scholars Program Director at Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars. She is responsible for strategically planning all student programming and events for 10th through 12th grade students, as well as building strong partnerships and enhancing the organization’s data practices. Jill holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Kalamazoo College and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Oakland University. Since 2010, Jill has dedicated her career to education and college access in Detroit. In 2018, Jill was recognized as Detroit 2020 Person of the Week by WXYZ Detroit Channel 7 for starting a scholarship fund and college success program to help her former students enroll and persist in college.

Nadia Shelton is the Operations Specialist at Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars. Nadia joined the organization in the fall of 2021 to work alongside the Executive Director and Next Level Scholars Program Director in assisting with a number of operational and administrative duties across the organization, including data collection and distribution, meeting and program preparation, record keeping as well as documentation of information at all board and committee meetings. Nadia holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications with a focus in Public Relations and a minor in Peace and Justice Studies from the University of Toledo. Before joining DRDFS, Nadia was an active member of her college community having involvement in over 10 student organizations, including Cozy Chatz, a kidney disease service-based organization which she founded in 2020, The National Pan-Hellenic Council, in which she served as president and led the effort to get physical plots on campus, and is a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.