Keerthi Sugumaran | Board President

Keerthi Sugumaran has been a member of X-Cel's marketing committee since 2014 and a member of X-Cel's Board since 2017. Currently, Keerthi is an Associate in the Boston, Massachusetts, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Her practice focuses on representing and defending employers in workplace legal issues, including preventive advice and counsel.

Keerthi holds a B.A. from Bowdoin College (2006) and a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School (2011).

Dudney Sylla | Board Vice-President

Dudney Sylla serves as Program Manager at MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership overseeing and supporting special projects including MENTOR’s work on informal mentoring, education, and guide on the intersections of mentoring and masculinity. Previously Dudney worked as a Design Consultant for the Office of Human Capital – Diversity Programs at Boston Public Schools and as a Program Manager at Jobs for the Future. Dudney holds a Bachelor’s in Sociology and a Master’s in Education from the University of Washington.

Sean Ebanks | Board Treasurer

Sean Ebanks joined X-Cel's Board in 2002, after teaching College Prep classes for several semesters, and is an IT security, risk management & audit professional. Sean founded and is the President and Principal at GB Consulting, which focuses on helping companies and individuals to plan, undergo and respond to critical security & risk management compliance audits in healthcare, technology & financial services.

Sean holds a B.S. in finance from Bentley University. He is an INROADS alumnus, a YMCA Black Achiever, and a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA). Outside of work, Sean enjoys church, spending time with family, playing percussion, youth work, community service, athletic competition, teaching and mentoring.

Cynthia Rallis | Board Clerk

Cynthia Rallis is a nonprofit executive and volunteer leader with over 30 years of experience in the arts and cultural sector. Prior to retiring and returning to her home state, Cynthia held senior management and fundraising positions in museums in Los Angeles, Cleveland, London, and Indianapolis. She has been a volunteer tutor in reading and writing at X-Cel since 2019. Her other volunteer activities include serving on the board of the Boston Ballet Volunteer Association.

Cynthia holds an MA in the history of art from the Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London, an MBA from the Anderson Graduate School of Management, UCLA, and a BA in theatre from Smith College.

Richard Barretto | Board Member

Richard Barretto is currently Director of Information Security at Progress Software and previously has held other cybersecurity leadership roles at companies like Cimpress/Vistaprint. Richard brings 20 years of technology and business experience from various industries.

Richard, of Filipino descent, was born and grew up in New York City during his formative years. Richard holds a B.S. in Business Management from Oakland City University, Indiana. Richard enjoys spending time with family, playing tennis, reading, and mentoring.

Denise Guzman | Board Member

Denise Guzman is a Senior Executive Assistant at Fidelity Investments. She is currently the Boston Regional Lead for Fidelity’s Aspire Employee Resource Group for Latinos and Blacks as well as Events and Logistics Co-Lead for Enable, a company-wide employee resource group focused on creating a positive and inclusive work environment for employees of all abilities.

Denise is Vice President of Membership for the Boston Board of Directors for the Association of Latino Professionals For America. Since 2003, she has been the treasurer for the Committee to Elect State Representative Jeffrey Sanchez.

A single mother of three, Denise was born and raised in Mission Hill and is of Puerto Rican descent. She graduated from Northeastern University where she was a recipient of a scholarship reserved for Boston Housing Authority tenants.

Paulette Durrett | Board Member

Paulette was born and raised in Boston, attended the Boston Public Schools and received a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Massachusetts in addition to an M.S.W. from Boston College. She is a licensed social worker and certified mediator and paralegal. She worked for the Boston Public Schools and the Greater Boston Regional Education Center.

After 25 years of service as an Assistant Dean for Students with Disabilities she retired from Boston College. Additionally she is active in the community serving on the (PFAC) Patient and Family Advisory Council of Harvard Vanguard and the newly formed (HEAC) the Health Equity Advisory Committee of the Boston Public Health Commission, Elder Health Care Disparities (EHCD)committee and the local AARP chapter.

For many years she also volunteers and worships at the Salvation Army Ray and Joan Kroc Worship Corps (Church) and Community Center and serves on the Corp Council and the Worship Committee. The Kroc, as it is affectionately known in the community, provides affordable recreation and community services to the Dorchester community. She is interested in and committed to using her skills and abilities in retirement in a meaningful way to assist progressive organizations.

Jim Berkman | Board Member

Jim Berkman is a new member of the X-Cel board of trustees since early 2022, but he has been an X-Cel tutor in reading-&-writing since 2015, first at the STEC site in Dorchester and now at the Mission Hill center. Briefly a lawyer, Jim switched to becoming a secondary school English teacher over 35 years ago, and eventually also became a school administrator. He retired in 2015 as head of school at Boston University Academy, the high school where students take university courses at B.U.

Jim holds a B.A. from Harvard College, an M.Phi. in History from Oxford University, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. He met his wife in college, and they have four children and three grandchildren. Since retiring, Jim has published two novels, is working on his third novel, and tutors two mornings each week at X-Cel. He also enjoys sculpting (marble, bronze) and serving on a number of community boards, including the Mayor's Back Bay Architecture Commission.

Don Sands | Co-Founder and Executive Director

Don Sands co-founded X-Cel Education in 2000, motivated by the vision of creating an organization to bring free, flexible education to youth and adults in underserved neighborhoods in Boston, without any waiting lists. Don has served as X-Cel’s Executive Director for the past 21 years and overseen the growth of X-Cel from one GED class with a volunteer instructor to an organization annually serving over 300 youth and adult students at four locations in Boston. Don has developed HSE curricula and worked as a trainer for teachers and program directors. He has 35 years of experience in youth and adult education with extensive experience as an instructor and administrator in High School Equivalency (HSE) and English for Speakers of Other Language (ESOL) programs.