Our Founders

Carly Partridge graduated from Dartmouth College with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Education. She earned her M.A. from the University of Denver in Curriculum and Instruction. Her perspectives on education and desire to help children and families have been influenced by a variety of professional experiences. Carly has taught overseas in a developing nation, at an award-winning Washington D.C. public charter school, in Stanford University’s laboratory preschool, and at a Colorado independent school. She has been a classroom teacher for students ranging from preschool through sixth grade. Carly has invested most of her professional career creating and modifying curriculum to best fit the needs of her students and families. She is convinced that If Not You, Who? can create a strong foundation for any child to begin a successful educational journey.

Elissa Sungar earned a B.A. in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Gustavus Adolphus College. Since college, she has taken a number of post-graduate courses focusing on the psychological foundation of education at Notre Dame de Namur and Stanford University. Elissa’s teaching experience has focused on early childhood and preschool-aged children. She worked at Bing Nursery School, Stanford University’s laboratory preschool. Elissa has also spent a number of years working as a private teacher with multiple families, designing in-home curriculums for children ranging in age from two to ten years old. From these experiences, Elissa has first-hand experience proving the power and effect of at-home preparatory education. She is passionate that the curriculum offered by If Not You, Who? provides children with an excellent opportunity for growth and exploration in their early years.

Debi Dutton earned her B.S. in Education from Valparaiso University and did graduate work at the University of Nebraska - Omaha and Kent State University. Her classroom teaching experience ranged from preschool through fourth grade in Indiana, Illinois, Nebraska and Ohio. Debi authored a newspaper column for parents that included ideas to help them educate their young children. She also created and appeared in a series of educational segments for Wisconsin television. Debi developed these brief vignettes in response to the Children’s Television Act, which required television stations to air educational content for young children. These segments earned the honored Parent’s Choice Award, and more than 450 original segments aired over 12 years. If Not You, Who? has evolved into what has long been Debi’s vision: Reaching the widest and broadest range of children and their nurturing parents and friends to help educate young children in their early years.

Jim Bashleben earned his B.S. in Marketing and Managment from Valparaiso University and a MBA from Baldwin Wallace University. His business experience included co-founding Alta Resources serving as President. Alta is a business-process outsourcing company offering a wide range of customer relationship solutions. Prior to that, he was with Kimberly-Clark Corporation's Consumer Products sector working in marketing and sales. Jim strongly believes that the purpose of If Not You, Who? captures the spirit of nurturing children with meaningful educational content while helping them develop curious intellect and responsible social behaviors.