Start Early
Donations deductibleRevenue
$115.2m
year to 30 June 2025
Expenses
$116.5m
year to 30 June 2025
Total assets
$124.4m
$25.7m liabilities
Net assets
$98.8m
assets less liabilities
Directors and trustees
34
1.5 years on average
Staff
513
34 volunteers
Left since last filing
0
no seats appear to have opened
Officers and senior staff
38
named in Part VII
Start Early's network
34 people16 organisationsi34 people and 16 organisations on this map.The large node is the subject of this page. Solid lines are what the register itself records (34). Violet dotted lines (17) are likely: the same full name sits on the current board of another organisation in the same register and region. Form 990 filings give names without a person identifier; SEC insider filings carry a CIK. It may be a different person.The board
34 listediTime on the board is observed from the annual filings: the IRS files no appointment date, so the bar counts years from the first filing the person appears on - a lower bound, not a filed start date. Names are exactly as filed. The IRS publishes no person identifier, so this edition does not yet link a person across organisations in the tables. The network map shows same-name matches as likely links only, never as confirmed.Time served and departures are observed across annual filings. Observed time served is a lower bound - a member may have joined before the first year on record. The organisation reported 34 voting members of its governing body on its latest Form 990 Part VI, which matches the board listed here.| Name | Role as filed | Since | On the board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mary Hasten Chair | Board Chair | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Adam Waltuch | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Bill Friend | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Billie Wright Adams MD | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Charles Matthews | Board Vice Chair | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Claudia Teran | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Curt R Bailey | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Dan O'Keefe | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| David Casper | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Deborah Daro PHD | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Diana Sands | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Diane Schanzenbach | Board Secretary | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Garrett M Young EDD | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Helen Zell | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Isabel Navarrete Polsky MD | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| John G Schreiber | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Keith Kiley Goldstein | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Kelly King Dibble | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Laura Thonn | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Linda K Smith | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Lula Ford | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Maria Castro | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Marilyn Fields | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Marquia Fields | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Mawiyah Coates | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Michael Rapelyea | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Nancy Carrington Crown | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Raul I Raymundo | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Richard E Rothkopf | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Sam Yagan | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Sheila Ater Capestany (also filed as Sheila Capestany) | Director | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| SUK Shah | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Tom Gimbel | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
| Vicki Escarra | Director | 2025 | 1 yr |
Officers and senior leadership
38 listediNamed in Part VII as officers, key employees or highest-compensated staff - not board members, shown for completeness.| Name | Title as filed | On the filings |
|---|---|---|
| Aisha Gayle Turner | Chief Development Officer | 2025 |
| Clarissa Love | Senior VP, People & Culture | 2025 |
| Cynthia Jackson | Executive Director, Eln Until 1/25 | 2025 |
| Diana Rauner | President | 2025 |
| Donna Iwanski | Chief Financial Officer Until 12/24 | 2025 |
| Johanna Vetter | Chief Marketing Officer | 2025 |
| Michael Hoffman | Chief Operating Officer | 2025 |
| Michael Owens | VP, Information Technology | 2025 |
| Mr Cynthia Jackson | Executive Director, ELN | since 2019 |
| Ms Claire Dunham | Senior Vice President | since 2018 |
| Ms Daphne Logan | Senior Vice President until 8/23 | since 2019 |
| Ms Diana Rauner | President | since 2018 |
| Ms Debra P Wagner | Vice President | 2018 |
| Ms Johanna Vetter | Chief Marketing Officer | since 2019 |
| Ms Margery Wallen | Vice President, Np | 2019 |
| Ms Sarah Rittling | National Director, FFYF | since 2018 |
| Ms Susan Ben | Vice President, IT | since 2018 |
| Mr Anthony S Raden | Senior Vice President | since 2018 |
| Mr Ashon McKenzie | Executive Dir, Illinois until 3/24 | 2024 |
| Mr Elliot Regenstein | Senior Vice President | 2018 |
| Mr Matthew Davis | COO - Thru 03/2018 | 2018 |
| Mr Michael Hoffman | Chief Operating Officer | since 2021 |
| Mr Michael Owens | VP, Information Technology | 2024 |
| Ms Aisha Gayle Turner | Chief Development Officer | 2024 |
| Ms April Wozniak | Vice President, Development | since 2021 |
| Ms Bridget Byville | VP, Strategy & Impact | 2024 |
| Ms Cynthia Jackson | Executive Director, ELN | since 2018 |
| Ms Diana McClarien | Vice President, EHSN | 2023 |
| Ms Donna M Iwanski | Vice President, Finance | since 2018 |
| Ms Kristin Bernhard | Senior Vice President | since 2021 |
| Ms Kristin Perry | Executive Director, FFYF | 2018 |
| Ms Rebecca Berlin | Chief Learning Officer until 12/22 | since 2021 |
| Ms Sheetal Singh | Executive Director, ELL | 2024 |
| Ms Valisa Smith | Executive Director | since 2021 |
| Sarah Rittling | Executive Director, Ffyf | 2025 |
| Terrence Roche | VP, Professional Services Until 11/24 | 2025 |
| Valisa Smith | Executive Director, Sewa Until 05/25 | 2025 |
| Yvette Sanchez Fuentes | Senior VP, Govt Relations and Research | 2025 |
Pay and hours
year to 30 June 2025iFrom Part VII of the Form 990: compensation reported for each officer, director, trustee, key employee and highest-paid staff member, and the average hours a week they report. Most board members are unpaid; a blank means nothing was reported. Pay from related organisations is shown separately.| Name | Title as filed | Hours a week | Pay from the organisation | Related organisations | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Hoffman | Chief Operating Officer | 37.5 | $360k | $26k | |
| Sarah Rittling | Executive Director, Ffyf | 37.5 | $343k | $85k | |
| Donna Iwanski | Chief Financial Officer Until 12/24 | 37.5 | $334k | $31k | |
| Aisha Gayle Turner | Chief Development Officer | 37.5 | $293k | $37k | |
| Terrence Roche | VP, Professional Services Until 11/24 | 37.5 | $286k | $29k | |
| Cynthia Jackson | Executive Director, Eln Until 1/25 | 37.5 | $268k | $27k | |
| Johanna Vetter | Chief Marketing Officer | 37.5 | $260k | $19k | |
| Yvette Sanchez Fuentes | Senior VP, Govt Relations and Research | 37.5 | $237k | $19k | |
| Valisa Smith | Executive Director, Sewa Until 05/25 | 37.5 | $221k | $56k | |
| Michael Owens | VP, Information Technology | 37.5 | $212k | $18k | |
| Clarissa Love | Senior VP, People & Culture | 37.5 | $211k | $56k | |
| Bill Friend | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Tom Gimbel | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Keith Kiley Goldstein | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Mary Hasten | Board Chair | 1 | $0 | ||
| Charles Matthews | Board Vice Chair | 1 | $0 | ||
| Dan O'keefe | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Isabel Navarrete Polsky MD | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Michael Rapelyea | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Raul I Raymundo | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Richard E Rothkopf | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Diana Sands | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Diane Schanzenbach | Board Secretary | 1 | $0 | ||
| John G Schreiber | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Suk Shah | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Linda K Smith | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Claudia Teran | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Laura Thonn | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Adam Waltuch | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Sam Yagan | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Lula Ford | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Marquia Fields | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Helen Zell | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Marilyn Fields | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Garrett M Young Edd | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Billie Wright Adams MD | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Curt R Bailey | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Sheila Ater Capestany | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| David Casper | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Mawiyah Coates | Director | 1 | $0 |
Colorado roster
11 listediOfficers, directors and trustees from the latest filing with the Colorado Secretary of State (document 20263015130). Titles are as filed; some entries are registered agents or custodians of records rather than board members. Source: data.colorado.gov, public domain.| Name | Title as filed |
|---|---|
| Curt Bailey | President |
| Neil Shah | CFO |
| Mary Hasten | Chair |
| Michael Hoffman | COO |
| Mary Hasten | President |
| Neil Shah | |
| Charles Matthews | Vice Chair |
| Johanna Vetter | CMO |
| Diane Schanzenbach | Secretary |
| Diana Rauner | President |
| Laura Thonn | Treasurer |
About
- Legal name
- Start Early
- EIN
- 363186328
- Address
- 33 W Monroe St Ste 1200, Chicago, IL, 60603-5316
- State
- Illinois
- Mission
- Start early advances quality early learning for families with children, before birth through their earliest years, to help close the opportunity gap. (as filed on the Form 990)
- IRS classification
- 501(c)03 (tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) where shown)
- Size band
- 9 (IRS master file code)
- Formed
- 1982
- Principal officer
- Diana Rauner (as named on the Form 990)
- IRS ruling date
- 1 July 1982
- Status
- Code 01 (unconditional exemption)
- Form 990 filings on record
- 7, latest 2025
- IRS Publication 78
- PC (contributions deductible)
Most connected
Related organisations (Schedule R)
Longest observed on the filings
≥4years on the filingsSheila Ater Capestany
≥1years on the filingsMary Hasten
≥1years on the filingsAdam Waltuch
≥1years on the filingsBill Friend
Latest return
year to 30 June 2025iFigures from the newest Form 990 or 990-EZ in the IRS e-file releases of 2025 and 2026, for the year ending 30 June 2025. US dollars, as filed.- Total assets
- $124.4m
- Total liabilities
- $25.7m
- Net assets or fund balances
- $98.8m
- Contributions and grants received
- $108.8m
- Program service revenue
- $2.4m
- Grants and similar paid out
- $36.8m
- Employees
- 513
- Volunteers
- 34
Filed finances
1 yeariTotals as filed on the IRS Form 990 (revenue and expenses), by tax year.| Tax year | Total revenue | Total expenses | Surplus or deficit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $134.9m | $113.8m | $21.1m |
As filed on the IRS Form 990. US dollars.
Grants paid
25+ listediFrom Schedule I of the Form 990: grants and assistance to organisations in the United States, largest first (up to 25). Schedule I is filed only by organisations that gave more than $5,000 to any one recipient.| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Marillac Social Center | Comm based family services | $3.7m |
| Chicago Child Care Society | Comm based family services | $3.3m |
| El Hogar | Program support | $3.1m |
| One Hope United | Hs/ehs & comm based family services | $2.5m |
| Family Focus Inc | Comm based family services | $2.3m |
| Casa Central | Hs/ehs program | $2.2m |
| Sga Youth & Family Services | Comm based family services | $1.4m |
| The Children's Home | Comm based family services | $1.4m |
| Children's Home Aidchildren's Society of Il | Hs/ehs & comm based family services | $1.3m |
| Asian Human Services | Program support | $1.2m |
| The Children's Place Association | Hs/ehs program | $1.1m |
| Catholic Charities | Comm based family services | $1.1m |
| United Methodist Children's Home | Comm based family services | $918k |
| Public Health Foundation of Nw Il | Comm based family services | $794k |
| YMCA of Chicago | Program support | $780k |
| Metropolitan Family Services | Comm based family services | $738k |
| Academy for Global Citizenship | Program support | $672k |
| First Step Child Care Center | Hs/ehs program | $650k |
| YWCA - Harris | Comm based family services | $648k |
| Children's Development Center | Comm based family services | $641k |
| Teen Parent Connection | Comm based family services | $631k |
| Sangamon County Dept of Public Health | Comm based family services | $623k |
| New Moms | Comm based family services | $603k |
| Aunt Martha's Ysp | Hs/ehs & comm based family services | $424k |
| Macon-Piatt | Program support | $403k |