Our Team
John and Jean Kingston
Founders
John,
Jean and their four children, Caitlin, Annalise, Christopher and William are
the original “SixSeeds”, launching the idea in 2005. The Kingston family makes
their home in Winchester, Massachusetts. John is Vice Chairman of Affiliated Managers Group, an asset management company. Jean
manages the family household,
is an active contributor to our e-zine and websites, and helps oversee SixSeeds
Video. John and Jean met as undergraduates at the University of Pennsylvania.
Jean also has a graduate degree in education from Penn; John received his J.D.
at Harvard.
John,
Jean and their four children, Caitlin, Annalise, Christopher and William are
the original “SixSeeds”, launching the idea in 2005. The Kingston family makes
their home in Winchester, Massachusetts. John is Vice Chairman of Affiliated Managers Group, an asset management company. Jean
manages the family household,
is an active contributor to our e-zine and websites, and helps oversee SixSeeds
Video. John and Jean met as undergraduates at the University of Pennsylvania.
Jean also has a graduate degree in education from Penn; John received his J.D.
at Harvard.Read a news article about the Kingstons here.
Curtis Chang
Director of Giving
Curtis, Jody and their two children, Mei Mei and Ellie are a SixSeeds’ original
partner family. Curtis joined as Executive Director in April, 2007, and leads
the organization’s office on the west coast in San Jose, California, where the
Chang family makes their home. Curtis has a long history in public service, most
recently serving as Executive Pastor and Teaching Pastor of The River Church
in San Jose, and holding various leadership roles in campus ministry. As a Rockefeller
fellow, he did development work in Soweto, South Africa. A graduate of Harvard,
Curtis has authored or contributed to four books.
Curtis, Jody and their two children, Mei Mei and Ellie are a SixSeeds’ original
partner family. Curtis joined as Executive Director in April, 2007, and leads
the organization’s office on the west coast in San Jose, California, where the
Chang family makes their home. Curtis has a long history in public service, most
recently serving as Executive Pastor and Teaching Pastor of The River Church
in San Jose, and holding various leadership roles in campus ministry. As a Rockefeller
fellow, he did development work in Soweto, South Africa. A graduate of Harvard,
Curtis has authored or contributed to four books.Nancy French
Editor and Director of Public Relations
Nancy, David and their two children, Camille and Austin, have been a SixSeeds’
partner family since 2005. Nancy joined as Editor and Director of Public Relations
in July, 2008, bringing her considerable talent to the development of our e-zine
and websites. Nancy is the author of Red State of Mind: How a Catfish Queen Reject
Became a Liberty Belle. Beginning her journalism career at the Philadelphia Inquirer,
her articles have appeared in The New York Sun, Newsmax, Philadelphia Daily News
and National Review Online. Nancy’s husband David, is a member of the SixSeeds’
Board, and recently returned from duty in Iraq as member of the US Army Reserve.
He is a senior counsel at the Alliance Defense Fund, and Director of the Fund’s
Center for Academic Freedom. The French family calls Columbia, Tennessee home.
Nancy, David and their two children, Camille and Austin, have been a SixSeeds’
partner family since 2005. Nancy joined as Editor and Director of Public Relations
in July, 2008, bringing her considerable talent to the development of our e-zine
and websites. Nancy is the author of Red State of Mind: How a Catfish Queen Reject
Became a Liberty Belle. Beginning her journalism career at the Philadelphia Inquirer,
her articles have appeared in The New York Sun, Newsmax, Philadelphia Daily News
and National Review Online. Nancy’s husband David, is a member of the SixSeeds’
Board, and recently returned from duty in Iraq as member of the US Army Reserve.
He is a senior counsel at the Alliance Defense Fund, and Director of the Fund’s
Center for Academic Freedom. The French family calls Columbia, Tennessee home.Helen Chen Kingston
Director of Education
Helen joined the SixSeeds team in June 2009 as Director of Education, bringing
her considerable educational background and experience to the full range of SixSeeds’
activities, including day-to-day management of SixSeeds Video. Helen grew up
in California, spent many years living in New York City and now calls the Boston
area home with her two children, James and Abigail. She received her B.A. in
History from Columbia University, and Ed.D in Human Development & Psychology
from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Helen joined the SixSeeds team in June 2009 as Director of Education, bringing
her considerable educational background and experience to the full range of SixSeeds’
activities, including day-to-day management of SixSeeds Video. Helen grew up
in California, spent many years living in New York City and now calls the Boston
area home with her two children, James and Abigail. She received her B.A. in
History from Columbia University, and Ed.D in Human Development & Psychology
from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.Mark Basnage
Director of Online Content
Mark, a creative and talented longtime friend of SixSeeds, rejoined the team
as Director of Online Content in October 2009. For 20 years, Mark has been creating
and leading innovative programs in education. This work has engaged him in some
of America’s most disadvantaged communities and some its wealthiest; on the East
Coast and the West; in public, private and charter schools, museums, and nonprofits.
Mark has degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University.
He lives in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife Linda, and their four children.
Mark, a creative and talented longtime friend of SixSeeds, rejoined the team
as Director of Online Content in October 2009. For 20 years, Mark has been creating
and leading innovative programs in education. This work has engaged him in some
of America’s most disadvantaged communities and some its wealthiest; on the East
Coast and the West; in public, private and charter schools, museums, and nonprofits.
Mark has degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University.
He lives in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife Linda, and their four children.Our Board:
John Kingston — (Chairman of the Board)
Jean Kingston
Curtis Chang
Kurt Keilhacker:
Kurt Keilhacker is a Managing Partner of TechFund Capital, a Silicon Valley venture capital fund with offices in California and France. He currently focuses on emerging networking, new media, and clean energy technologies. Previously, he worked in the tech sector and in international M&A. Kurt is a graduate of Wheaton and earned an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago, an M.L.A. from Stanford, and an M.T.S. from Harvard. He has also been active in a number of non-profit organizations focused on education or international economic development.
David French
In addition to his recent commission in the U.S. Army Reserve (81st Regional Readiness Command), David is a senior counsel at the Alliance Defense Fund, and director of ADF's Center for Academic Freedom. The former president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, he also taught at Cornell Law School and served as a partner in a large law firm. He is the author of four books, and numerous op-eds. Regularly interviewed by both print and broadcast media, David has appeared on ABC World News Tonight, The Fox Report with Shepard Smith, Special Report with Brit Hume, and Your World with Neil Cavuto, among others, and dozens of radio programs around the country. Hailing from Georgetown, Kentucky, David is a graduate of Harvard Law School and David Lipscomb University. David now lives in Columbia, Tennessee with his wife Nancy, and two children, Camille and Austin. When David isn't defending constitutional liberties, he follows the Kentucky Wildcats and an occasional NASCAR race; he can also often be found online fighting orcs and other foul creatures, and is relishing his new-found rotisserie baseball successes.