Our Team

Chong-Hao works to expand teachers’ access to high-impact, curriculum specific professional learning support, building a national movement to ensure all students have the opportunity to succeed in school and life.

Chong-Hao is a national thought leader on teacher leadership and professional learning and has presented to the Council of Chief State School Officers, American Federation of Teachers, the Aspen Institute, and the Department of Education.

In his previous role as Chief Learning Officer, Chong-Hao led Leading Educators’ partnership, thought leadership, and district consulting teams. Before his time at Leading Educators, Chong-Hao was the founding principal at KIPP Sharpstown in Houston, Texas and a middle and high school math teacher in Houston and Greenville, Mississippi. He holds a B.A. from Yale University and a M.Ed. from National Louis University.

Throughout her 22 years as an educator, Dr. LaKimbre Brown has made ensuring equity, fairness, and belonging for every student her personal mission.

Dr. Brown began her career as a Teach for America corps member (Phoenix ‘99), later becoming a coach, principal, and chief of schools. Most recently, she served as Chief of Schools for Lorain City Schools in Ohio, where 12 out of 15 schools showed gains on the state assessment and access to high-quality Pre-K programs tripled under her leadership. Previously as an Instructional Superintendent at District of Columbia Public Schools, she managed and coached principals for all dual-language campuses.

Dr. Brown earned her doctorate in educational leadership from Mills College, writing her dissertation on developing teacher leadership. She is the 2010 Newark Unified Elementary Principal of the Year, a National Board Certified teacher and coach, and a two-time Fulbright Scholar.

Simone is an educator and operational leader who enjoys proving the possible. As the Chief Operating Officer, she oversees strategic planning, people, technology systems and facilities operations for the organization.

Before she joined Leading Educators, Simone was a principal in KIPP Texas (formerly KIPP Houston). Prior to that she was an assistant principal, a science teacher, and a Teach for America corps member. Before taking on her current role at Leading Educators, she served as a Program Director and a Managing Director of Program. She holds a Masters of Education Administration from National Louis University and an MBA from Tulane University.

As a first generation college student, Simone understands first hand the transformative impact of equitable educational access on individuals, families, and generations. She believes that all students- regardless of demographics - deserve access to high quality education to build the lives they desire. Having dedicated her career to working with and for students of color, her mission is to contribute to work that aims to make that a reality.

She currently lives in Sacramento, California with her husband and her dog, Penny. She spends her free time finding new dog parks, binge watching Netflix, and exploring the beauty of northern California.

Laura is an expert in content and program design who loves creating adult learning that leads to student learning. She leads efforts to create, share, learn from, and improve current and future programming. She has been part of the Leading Educators team since 2014.

Previously, Laura led the redesign of Leading Educators’ programming focused on the Common Core State Standards, teaching and leading for equity, instructional leadership, and content cycles. Before joining Leading Educators, she worked in the Office of Professional Learning at the Chicago Public Schools. Laura started her career teaching reading and writing to middle school students on Chicago’s south side.

Laura graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in Psychology and earned her M.Ed. in Literacy, Language, and Culture from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She lives in Chicago where she spends her free time playing volleyball, doing yoga, and reading too many books at once.

Bethany is a nonprofit strategist with fifteen years of leadership experience in strategic planning, partnerships, and philanthropic engagement. She joins Leading Educators as Chief External Relations Officer, leading LE's Development Team, Communications Team, and growing Advocacy efforts. She serves as an organizational leader, supporting strong values-aligned leadership and fostering strong cross-team collaboration. She is focused on advancing LE's collective mission via clear and compelling communication that centers racial equity.

She most recently served as Director of Development with the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law where she led fundraising and marketing efforts, resulting in revenue growth by 30% each year. Prior to her tenure with the Lawyers’ Committee, she served as Managing Director of Development with The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and as National Director of Membership with the National Office of the NAACP. She is a proud alumnus of Northwestern University and lives her commitment to education and equity by serving on the Board of Trustees of The Barrie School.

When not working, she can be found kitchen adjacent, nose in a book and surrounded by music while something delicious bakes in the oven.

Marishka grew up in East Los Angeles and Whittier, CA. As a first-generation college student, she was inspired by her parents to overcome obstacles and pursue higher education to pursue personal and professional aspirations. She has dedicated her career to working with communities and schools in historically marginalized and under-resourced communities at a national level.

She began her teaching career in LAUSD schools in South LA and Southeast LA neighborhoods and continued serving in public schools for nine years as a K – 2 teacher, a school-based, intervention coach serving teachers and students across grades K – 5, and a middle school Assistant Principal.

She then served as the Director of Teacher Development at the Partnership for LA Schools serving seventeen urban public schools that ranged from grades K-12 and was a key member of PLAS' central support instructional team. In this capacity, she supported principals to drive teacher effectiveness and to grow and leverage teacher leaders to become strong members of Instructional Leadership Teams. She continued to focus on areas of school leadership, teacher development, teacher leadership, school transformation, and systems level change while at TNTP as a project director supporting principals and teachers to implement standards based instruction primarily in school turnaround settings.

Most recently at New Teacher Center, she served as a founding leader of a national school leadership program as a senior director and led the program strategy for the federally awarded Education Innovation and Research grant across 120 rural and urban schools.

A former school leader and instructional coach, Marishka attended Scripps College (undergrad), Harvard Graduate (Education policy and management), UCLA Graduate (school leadership). She currently lives in Shaker Heights, OH and enjoys spending time with her husband and 2-year old daughter, riding her Peloton bike, cooking, and gardening.

Sarah Heaton leads Leading Educators' partnerships in Tulsa, Charleston, and Richmond.

Sarah is a “school-systems person” with nearly a decade of experience working within Baltimore City Schools in positions in Academics, Information Technology, Human Capital, and the Chief of Staff’s Office. In these roles, she’s had the opportunity to understand how a school system works and has the capacity to perpetuate or disrupt current outcomes. In her most recent role as the Director of Strategy and Continuous Improvement, she organized internal projects and external support for the system’s strategic plan. In this capacity, she launched a continuous improvement office which aims to bring stronger focus, coherence, and alignment to high-priority, complex projects. She also led a $30 million fundraising effort and served as a primary external relations contact for national education partners.

Sarah began her career as a Teach for America corps member and was a high school English teacher. She holds a B.A. from Oberlin College and earned her education doctorate from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University where she focused her studies on the history of K12 policy.

Sarah believes that lasting educational improvements happen through focused school-level practices and optimized system-level conditions. With that in mind, she has a deep interest in supporting partner school districts identify ways their current practices enable or inhibit school-level change. She lives in Maryland where she and her husband are slowly renovating the house they share with their two children, two cats, and a dog.

Maggie is a seasoned instructional and systems leader who oversees project implementation across the country, also leading the teams that support Baltimore City Public Schools and Oakland Unified School District.

Prior to this role, Maggie led LE’s thought leadership strategy and our partnership with DC Public Schools. With her team, Maggie transitioned DC’s small pilot to a full-scale professional learning system, resulting in sustained positive impact on student outcomes.

Maggie grew up wanting to be part of a movement that helped to create a more just and equitable society. With many of her own teachers as models, particularly her high school government teacher, Maggie became convinced that education could be a means to cultivating justice. She became a teacher in 1999 and subsequently served as a literacy coach, assistant principal, and central office director before coming to LE six years ago.

Maggie holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia and an M.Ed. and C.A.E.S. from Boston College. She lives in the D.C. area with her husband and children and enjoys creating traditions with her family, crocheting, volunteering in her community, and earning splat points at Orangetheory Fitness.

Katie is an academic strategist and problem solver who is deeply committed to supporting educators at all levels translate their aspirations for students to all students. She leads the teams working in partnership with schools in Louisiana and Atlanta.

Before joining Leading Educators, Katie worked alongside and coached school leaders in New Orleans and Baltimore. Most recently, she designed school review processes that provided school-wide data to identify challenges, illuminate solutions, and inform continuous improvement.

Katie holds an M.B.A. from Brandeis University. A Louisiana native, she recently moved to Indianapolis with her husband and three sons. She and her family love attending Louisiana festivals and taking beach trips on long weekends.

David works to establish strong partnerships with state departments of education, school districts, and networks of schools that focus on educational equity and helping teachers transform their practice and improve student outcomes.

Previously David served for over ten years as a Partner on the Client Team at TNTP. There he supervised projects focused on building instructional leadership capacity, effectively managing and developing teacher talent, connecting professional learning to rigorous standards, and educator evaluation policy. He has led this work with charter schools and districts in Washington, DC; New Orleans, LA; Providence, RI; and Florida; as well as with the Achievement Schools in Memphis, TN. On TNTP’s Strategy, Systems and Policy Team, David also focused on supporting state-level efforts to develop educator evaluation policies and systems and support district-level implementation. From 2001-2005 he led TNTP’s first strategic partnership with the DC Public Schools focused on improving the district’s teacher recruitment, selection and staffing efforts.

David has served as a Principal Associate for District Redesign at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform where he worked on school turnaround efforts in RI, led the Institute’s Central Office Reviews for Results and Equity, and advised the Metro Nashville Public Schools on reforming its human capital systems.

David taught second grade in the DC Public Schools and worked as a Program Director at Teach For America. David holds a BA in Philosophy from Creighton University and a Master's in Moral and Political Philosophy from the University of Illinois.

Michelle is a lifelong teacher. She leads professional learning design, systems strategy, and coaching support for educators in Detroit.

Before joining Leading Educators, Michelle was the Vice Principal of Academics at the New Orleans Charter Science and Math High School, the same school where she learned that teaching is the best career in the world. She was previously a teacher educator at Southeastern Louisiana University and the Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP). She began her career in education as a high school English and reading teacher in New Orleans.

Michelle holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education. Her graduate work focused on classroom observation and effective literacy practices in secondary ELA classrooms. She earned a B.A. from New College of Florida where she pursued a dual concentration in Literature and Hispanic Language and Literature.

Mary Kay is a passionate Michigan educator dedicated to elevating the role of teacher leaders and creating equity-focused schools. She leads program implementation and growth in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Before joining Leading Educators, Mary Kay taught grades K-8, was a building principal, and was an instructional coach. In addition to school system work, she also gained experience working at national non-profits as a leadership coach at Partners in School Innovation and Associate Director at The Education Trust-Midwest.

Mary Kay holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Aquinas College and a M.Ed in Educational Leadership from Grand Valley State University. She lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with her husband, three children, and fur baby Miss Scout.

As the Senior Director, Monique leads our work alongside leaders in three local districts within LAUSD. Monique returns to LE after a year back in the classroom and an additional year coaching teachers and leaders across the country. Previously at LE, Monique was a leader in our DC Public Schools partnership, the launch of the Atlanta Public Schools partnership, and programming design in our Louisiana region.

Monique’s commitment to dismantling systemic inequities in education has led her to teach, lead, and coach in New York City and Washington, DC. She’s driven by a relentless pursuit to ensure that every student experiences an excellent education every day. Over the course of her career, Monique has worked for noteworthy charter management and non-profit organizations.

Monique is a Teach For America alumna and has earned an undergraduate degree from Temple University and a M.S. in Teaching and Early Childhood Leadership from Pace University and Bank Street College of Education.

Monique lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and three children. In between family dance parties, Monique loves indoor cycling and cooking new recipes.

Lauren oversees partnerships with schools, districts, states, and organizations, and builds upon new opportunities for partnership around the country.

Lauren came to Leading Educators following her post as the Academic Director of Bard Early College in New Orleans, where she recruited and supported students and faculty. Her work in teaching began with her 9th grade English students at New Orleans Charter Math and Science High School in 2007, but Lauren's interest in education has been with her from a young age as a student in New Orleans public schools.

Lauren holds a B.A. in English Literature from Smith College and an M.A. in Education Policy from Brown University.

Elizabeth Hemphill is an educator and former district leader who leads a team working in partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools.

Prior to joining Leading Educators, Elizabeth worked for Teach For America Washington as the Director of Alumni Affairs and in the Office of Human Capital at DC Public Schools where she led the design and implementation of the district’s Teacher Leadership Innovation initiative. Elizabeth began her career as an elementary school teacher in San Jose, CA as a Teach For America corps member.

Elizabeth holds a B.A. in Business Administration and Entrepreneurial Leadership from Gonzaga University. She lives in Snoqualmie, Washington, a small town outside of Seattle with her husband Brandon and daughter Alice. Despite an average of 152 rainy days, Elizabeth enjoys spending time outside and cheering on the high school baseball team that her husband coaches.

Sara is a lifelong learner and educator committed to empowering schools to do their best work. She manages client partnerships, programming, content creation, and development for schools in Atlanta and Louisiana


Sara is an alumnus of the inaugural Leading Educators class of fellows in New Orleans and brings 20 years of experience working in education. She holds a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an M.Ed from Teacher's College at Columbia University.

Heather designs and facilitates learning experiences.

Before joining Leading Educators, Heather worked at Teach For America-Detroit, where she led professional development for instructional leaders and teachers. She began her career teaching reading at Long Middle School in St. Louis, where she was recognized as Teacher of the Year and was also a Sue Lehmann Excellence in Teaching Award Semi-Finalist, a Pettus Award of Excellence recipient, and a Finalist for St. Louis Public School District Teacher of the Year.

Heather holds a B.A. in Political Science and Social Welfare from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an M.Ed. from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Amanda leads design and facilitates professional learning for district and teacher leaders in Oakland and Baltimore. She is passionate about grounding folks in their vision and creating spaces that encourage innovation while keeping students at the center.

Previously, Amanda coached instructional leaders in District of Columbia Public Schools as a Leadership Coach through LEAP. Before joining Leading Educators, Amanda was a middle school special education teacher, English Language Arts instructional coach, and department chair.

Amanda holds a B.A. in Economics & Sociology from New York University & a MAT in Elementary Education from American University. She loves staying on top of the most current news and pop culture phenomena, road tripping while listening to podcasts, and finding the best places to visit in the new cities she passes through.

Tina collaborates with school and district partners to promote standards-based instruction, equity awareness and robust adult learning communities. She enjoys facilitating workshops, designing content, leading observations and coaching with educators in Greater Grands Rapids.

Previously, Tina was an instructional coach and ELA teacher in South Florida, including two years as a Teach for America corps member. She also taught Math and Verbal post-secondary exam courses at Florida Atlantic University. While in the U.S. Peace Corps in the West Indies, Tina worked on projects including after-school learning centers, libraries and adult education classes.

Tina holds a Masters of Education from Florida Atlantic University and a B.A. in English-Journalism/Communications from Averett College. She holds certifications in English, Reading and School Guidance Counseling, and was proud to be a finalist for the 2016 GLSEN Educator of the Year Award.

Sandra is a former and forever teacher who continues to be motivated by her experiences in the classroom. She is a systems leader driven by her belief in the power of self-determination as a right for every child. She designs ELA professional learning content for our partnership in Yakima, WA.

Before joining Leading Educators, Sandra spent seven years teaching students from third through eighth grade in Washington, DC, serving as a classroom teacher, reading interventionist, and intervention coordinator.

Sandra holds an M.Ed from George Mason University and a B.A. in Sociology from Wheaton College (IL). She currently lives in New Hampshire with her husband and three children. She spends her free time trying to imitate creative play activities designed by Instagram-moms (with varying levels of failure and success).

Britney Wray leads design for Secondary Math in support of our Detroit partnership.

Prior to joining Leading Educators, Britney was a dedicated teacher turned school leader. Beginning her career as a high school math teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools, Britney enjoyed seeing the growth in both student success and student mindset. After 5 years, Britney became a founding teacher at Washington Leadership Academy, a Tier 1 public charter school in Washington, DC.

At WLA, Britney grew from founding math teacher to math instructional coach and assistant principal helping the school achieve its Tier 1 status through her development of the math program. Britney enjoys designing and facilitating professional developments and has partnered with organizations across the country to help educators achieve success in their classrooms. Britney enjoys vinyl crafting using her Silhouette Cameo machine and all things Virginia Tech! Go Hokies!

Araceli Flores leads design of math professional learning for our Baltimore partnership.

Previously with Leading Educators, Araceli supported design and facilitation for a series of statewide content-based learning sessions in Kentucky, also leading design of custom content cycles and providing coaching to district leaders. In support of Baltimore City Public Schools, she has designed Eureka Math-based content cycles, led internalization sessions with content leaders, and worked side-by-side with district staff to co-construct future professional learning.

Araceli taught elementary and middle school math in Washington, DC where she also served as the Deputy Director of Math Instruction for Friendship Public Charter Schools, as well as the Deputy Chief of Math Professional Development for DC Public Schools. Araceli loves applying ratios and proportional reasoning to her two main hobbies - baking and home improvement projects.

Emily designs and facilitates professional development to build the capacity of teacher leaders.

Before joining Leading Educators, Emily worked as a coach and facilitator supporting district and school leaders and teachers to create systems and structures to transform teaching and learning to ensure equity for students. She has also designed experiences for online and social learning platforms and loves to think about different ways of supporting adult learning to deepen practice.

Emily started her career as an elementary teacher in San Jose, California, and her students continue to provide focus, inspiration and guidance for her work for equity, even though they’re all grown up. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and History from the University of New Mexico.

Ana grew up in Lansing, Michigan as a first-generation, Argentinian, immigrant. Witnessing educational inequities during her own grade school experience, specifically around math education and high school attrition, was the catalyst for deciding to dedicate her life and career to educational equity.

Ana began her teaching career working in state prisons in Michigan providing GED instruction to those incarcerated. She then shifted to teaching in youth detention centers and teaching GED classes at community centers in Lansing. Ana moved to Indianapolis in 2010 and taught traditional middle and high school math for a few years before becoming the lead teacher and instructional coach at the Excel Center; a high school diploma program for students who had previously discontinued high school and are returning to earn their diplomas.

Ana has also served as a program coordinator in the Indianapolis community focusing on building more equitable education systems for families experiencing homelessness. She is currently a PhD candidate in Indiana University's Urban Education Studies program. Her research focus is investigating how systemic racism impacts math education, the construction of learner identities in math classrooms, and high school attrition. In my free time, Ana loves to paint, podcast, cook, spend time with friends and family, play with her 3-year-old son, and travel to Lake Michigan as often as possible.

Rachel is an analytical, data-driven educator who is passionate about math education and its connection to building equitable schools for all students. She leads the development of math professional learning.

Previously, Rachel was a founding math teacher and instructional coach at a turnaround school that posted the highest gains in New Orleans in its founding year. Rachel worked as a math content specialist at Achievement Network. Most recently, she served as a network-based math director where she led the adoption and implementation of high-quality math curricula and coached school leaders and teachers in content and use of data.

Rachel holds an Ed.M. in Education Policy & Management from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. in American Studies from Lafayette College. She enjoys spending time with her pup, Cluckers.

Alisha Watts Burr is a teacher development specialist and educator who is driven by her love of learning and commitment to high-quality education for all students. She supports math teacher leaders through the development of professional learning content cycles for teachers in Tulsa.

Prior to her current role, Alisha supported math and science school leaders in District of Columbia Public Schools and Leading Educators’ LEAP program as a Leadership Coach. Previously, she served as a special education math teacher and Dean of Academic Support at DC Prep Academy. She began her career as a special education teacher at the SEED Public Charter School of Washington, DC.

Alisha holds an A.B. in Psychology from Princeton University and an M.A. in Social Psychology from the University of Arizona. She lives in the Washington, DC area with her husband, two sons, and tiny dog. Alisha enjoys spending time with her family, creating and enjoying good food, and traveling (ideally, to sunny places).

Chavon VanHooks is driven to make a difference in the field of Education. Through her 15 years of service, she worked as a teacher of middle and high school students and a professional learning coach for K-8 Title I schools within the Shelby County Schools System in Memphis, TN. Following that work, Chavon served as a district level middle school math coach for IZone priority schools also in Memphis, TN.

Born and raised in Flint, MI, Chavon discovered her passion for education at an early age. She would always “play school” with her family and friends. That passion drove her to earn her Education Specialist degree – emphasis in Educational Leadership and Master of Education degree - majoring in curriculum and instruction both from Union University and her Bachelor of Science in Education degree – majoring in mathematics from Central Michigan University.

When Chavon is not changing lives through her work in education, she enjoys spending time with family, decorating, and solving puzzles.

Lindsay is a professional learning designer and coach who is inspired by the capacity of children for curiosity, creativity, and growth. She endeavors to embody these traits as she partners with schools to create equitable classrooms that affirm and nurture the success of every student. Lindsay works alongside teachers and school district staff members to build capacity for professional learning design and facilitation, as well as implementation of rigorous ELA standards and curricula. Currently, she leads the design of ELA professional development in partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools.

Prior to joining Leading Educators, Lindsay contributed to school transformation efforts at TNTP, where she coached school leaders, instructional coaches, and teachers on academic strategy, professional learning structures, curriculum, and classroom instruction. She began her career as a middle school ELA teacher in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and has also worked as a Design Specialist for DC Public Schools, where she supported school leaders with conducting consistent classroom observations and providing high-quality feedback to teachers.

Lindsay holds a B.A. in English Language and Literature from the University of Maryland and an M.A. in Education Policy from The George Washington University. She lives outside of Boston in Waltham, Massachusetts with her husband, son, and cat. Outside of work she enjoys traveling, as well as spending time in her neighborhood walking along the Charles River, doing yoga, and attending her neighborhood church.

April is an educator who believes in the power of education and how it can be used as a tool to transform individual lives and communities. As a Director of Content for Secondary Math, she leads design of professional learning for Detroit schools.

Prior to her current role at Leading Educators, April was a Math Content Lead with Instruction Partners. April made her way to New Orleans by way of KIPP New Orleans, where she had been an assistant principal but itching to focus more time on math instruction every day. Prior to that, she was a math department lead, academic data analyst, instructional coach, academic dean, and eventually director of Uplift Mighty Preparatory in Fort Worth, Texas.

April holds a Master's in Educational Leadership from Southern Methodist University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Hollins University.

Brielle is a passionate and innovative education leader committed to high standards, equity, and access for all students. She leads strategic planning for partnerships in Baltimore and Oakland.

Previously, Brielle led strategic planning for partnerships in Grand Rapids and Chicago and managed logistics and operations for national events as the National Delivery Manager at Leading Educators. Before joining Leading Educators, she supported teacher leadership initiatives with the Partnership for Los Angeles schools and managed several large scale professional learning opportunities for educators across LAUSD. Prior to joining the non-profit sector, Brielle worked as an elementary special education teacher at a turnaround school in the Bronx, NY.

Brielle holds an M.A. in Elementary Special Education from Hunter College and a B.A. in Sociology from Fordham University. She lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with her husband and dog and spends her free time reading, hiking and traveling.

Paige is a systems builder who is driven to translate the priorities of school-based leaders into systemic supports. She believes every student should have a fair shot at a boundless future and that elevating the voices of teachers is a surefire way to ensure it. She leads strategic planning, ongoing data collection, and evaluation for Leading Educators' partnerships with Tulsa Public Schools and Charleston County School District.

Prior to moving into her current role, Paige managed projects in Michigan, New York, Colorado, and our nation's capital. Preceding her tenure with Leading Educators, Paige served the DC Public Schools community working on new teacher training, teacher evaluation, and teacher leadership and development.

Paige hails from Sacramento, CA and holds a B.A. in Sociocultural Anthropology from UC Davis. She currently lives in Brooklyn and spends her free time exploring NYC’s food scene, traveling, listening to podcasts, and watching baseball (Go Giants!).

Candice is a critical thinker who anticipates and resolves issues while strategically executing tasks. She leads operations, event logistics, client management, and data evaluation for the Greater Grand Rapids region. She is a proud Grand Rapids Public Schools alum!

Before joining Leading Educators, Candice worked with college students as she created and executed programs to retain students of color.

Candice holds an M.S. in Student Affairs/College Student Personnel Administration from Illinois State University and a B.A. in Business Administration from Grand Valley State University.

Kelley is responsible for the execution of New Orleans-based programming, including project management, event planning, communications, and data management.

For over 6 years, Kelley worked in fund development and volunteer management, having most recently served as the Development Director with Boys Hope Girls Hope of Greater New Orleans. Kelley’s experience as part of the inaugural class of the Greater New Orleans Foundation’s Emerging Leaders program was a driving force behind her passion to work with Leading Educators. The program, designed to develop the leadership skills of middle managers with non-profit organizations, was life changing.

Kelley holds a B.S. in Magazine Journalism from Boston University. She currently lives in New Orleans.

As a member of the Chicago team, Claudine uses her content knowledge and experience in and out of schools to build teacher capacity and develop their instructional practices as it relates to Common Core State Standards and shifts for math.

Before joining Leading Educators, Claudine provided targeted, individualized coaching supports for new and experienced teachers in schools within the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) network of Chicago Public Schools. Prior to her work at AUSL, Claudine was a Middle School teacher through the Inner City Teaching Corps, and a teacher and Math Coach at the University of Chicago Charter School - Donoghue Campus.

Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Claudine currently lives outside of Chicago with her husband, Sam III, and their two children, Mara and Sam IV, is a member of her local school board, and enjoys spending time with her friends and family.

Erin is an education strategist who is passionate about working with school districts to reimagine their professional development model to ensure all students receive an excellent education. She leads the Tulsa team in providing professional development that advances Tulsa Public School teachers’ leadership skills and opportunities.

Erin has worked to support teachers and students in a variety of roles throughout her career, including as an instructional coach, a senior district leader, a school building leader, and an associate professor. She began her career in education as part of the inaugural cohort of Teach For America corps members in Tulsa, OK, and remains dedicated to serving students in Oklahoma and beyond.

Erin is currently pursuing her PhD in Social Foundations of Education at Oklahoma State University. She holds an M.Ed in Educational Administration, Curriculum and Supervision from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University.

Michelle is a lifelong teacher. She leads professional learning design, systems strategy, and coaching support for educators in Detroit.

Before joining Leading Educators, Michelle was the Vice Principal of Academics at the New Orleans Charter Science and Math High School, the same school where she learned that teaching is the best career in the world. She was previously a teacher educator at Southeastern Louisiana University and the Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP). She began her career in education as a high school English and reading teacher in New Orleans.

Michelle holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education. Her graduate work focused on classroom observation and effective literacy practices in secondary ELA classrooms. She earned a B.A. from New College of Florida where she pursued a dual concentration in Literature and Hispanic Language and Literature.

Michael leads our partnership with Charleston County School District.

Prior to joining Leading Educators, Michael served as a K-8 Common Core Math Subject Matter Expert for LearningList.com. Michael also worked in the DeKalb County Schools System, serving as a Coach and Curriculum Leader.

Michael earned his Master of Science in Education degree—majoring in Learning Design and Technology—at Purdue University, and his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Morehouse College. He is committed to providing opportunities for students in his community, leading college tours that have taken over 1700 students to tour local HBCUs. When not working, Michael enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and coaching youth football.

Mitchell Brookins is a teacher first, and he has spent years studying, exploring, and refining his practices to yield student learning. As an expert in instructional leadership, he leads implementation for our partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools.

Mitchell has taught on the Southside of Chicago, been a district leader of RtI and literacy in Chicago Public Schools, and served as a school administrator in Chicago Public Schools and New Orleans. Mitchell’s professional engagements include: Literacy Content Reviewer for EdReports, Professional Learning Facilitator for the National Board Professional Teaching Standards, Professional Development Facilitator for UnboundEd, and a member of the Board of Directors for The Reading League.

Mitchell's instructional leadership as a school administrator has yielded the following results: 19-point growth in the School Performance Score, which moved ReNEW Cultural Arts Academy from a “D” to a “C” in one year, an average of 24% growth in Math and 16% growth in Reading over two years at ARISE Academy, and finally, Dwight Eisenhower was recognized for having the greatest growth gains of all open-enrollment charters in New Orleans and the School Performance Score increased by 12 points which resulted in the school’s letter grade moving from a “D” to a “C” in one year.

Mitchell has a B.A. in Elementary Education and Religious Studies from Illinois Wesleyan University, a M.A. in Teacher Leadership from Roosevelt University, and is currently working on his dissertation to attain a PhD in Educational Administration at the University of New Orleans.

Mary Kay is a passionate Michigan educator dedicated to elevating the role of teacher leaders and creating equity-focused schools. She leads program implementation and growth in Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Before joining Leading Educators, Mary Kay taught grades K-8, was a building principal, and was an instructional coach. In addition to school system work, she also gained experience working at national non-profits as a leadership coach at Partners in School Innovation and Associate Director at The Education Trust-Midwest.

Mary Kay holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Aquinas College and a M.Ed in Educational Leadership from Grand Valley State University. She lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan with her husband, three children, and fur baby Miss Scout.

Sara is a lifelong learner and educator committed to empowering schools to do their best work. She manages client partnerships, programming, content creation, and development for schools in Atlanta and Louisiana


Sara is an alumnus of the inaugural Leading Educators class of fellows in New Orleans and brings 20 years of experience working in education. She holds a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an M.Ed from Teacher's College at Columbia University.

Cristle is an Instructional Leadership Coach in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Before joining Leading Educators, Cristle worked as a Lead ELA and Social Studies Middle School Teacher at school in a rural community in Scott, Arkansas. Her very first lead teaching experience was at Celia Clinton Elementary School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Throughout her career as a teacher she has had the opportunity to develop and facilitate professional development for staff members and administration.

Cristle holds BA. in Studio Art with a Minor in Marketing from Florida State University, and a M.Ed from Arkansas State University. Cristle is a Florida girl through and through and nothing excites her more than a trip to the beach. During her free time you can find her creating in an array of mediums or just spending time in nature.

George Werres is an instructional leadership coach for educators in our Louisiana partnerships.

Formerly a 2012 Leading Educators Fellow in New Orleans, George has been an educator for 14 years. He worked his way from classroom teacher, to team leader, to Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Harriet Tubman Charter School in New Orleans, and most recently was a Director of Teacher Leadership Development at Teach for America. He is excited to continue to push for equity in education at Leading Educators.

George is originally from Greenwood, IN, and he has called New Orleans home since 2010. He graduated from Indiana University with a B.S. in Psychology and a Master’s Degree in Education. In his free time, he enjoys playing strategy games, kayaking on Bayou St. John, and playing kickball with the Stonewall Sports League.

Olivia is a content specialist and coach fueled by the belief that literacy is a basic human right. She supports instructional leaders in Baltimore by leading ELA professional learning experiences and coaching.

Prior to joining Leading Educators, Olivia spent the last decade as a kindergarten teacher, curriculum specialist, and instructional coach for New Orleans public schools. She also facilitates ELA and Leadership development centered on educational equity for UnboundEd. Her impact was most recently highlighted in supporting instructional initiatives that yielded Eisenhower Elementary's “highest gains” recognition for all open-enrollment charter schools in New Orleans.

Olivia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Louisiana State University and is nearing completion of a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Xavier University in New Orleans. Olivia lives just outside of the city with her husband and toddler. She enjoys festivals, boating, and makeup artistry.

Tori supports school leaders and teachers in their professional development aiming to provide students with equitable standards-based math instruction. Tori partners with several schools in the Chicago area.

Before joining Leading Educators, Tori worked as an instructional coach with a charter school in Chicago.

Tori holds a B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Tufts University and a M.A. in School Leadership from Concordia University. She lives in a suburb of Chicago where she enjoys exploring the different neighborhoods of Chicago, reading, baking, and spending time with friends and family.

Tina collaborates with school and district partners to promote standards-based instruction, equity awareness and robust adult learning communities. She enjoys facilitating workshops, designing content, leading observations and coaching with educators in Greater Grands Rapids.

Previously, Tina was an instructional coach and ELA teacher in South Florida, including two years as a Teach for America corps member. She also taught Math and Verbal post-secondary exam courses at Florida Atlantic University. While in the U.S. Peace Corps in the West Indies, Tina worked on projects including after-school learning centers, libraries and adult education classes.

Tina holds a Masters of Education from Florida Atlantic University and a B.A. in English-Journalism/Communications from Averett College. She holds certifications in English, Reading and School Guidance Counseling, and was proud to be a finalist for the 2016 GLSEN Educator of the Year Award.

Rebecca enjoys working with complex teams to help improve the delivery of programs and strategies. As the Program Manager for our partnership with Charleston County School District, she supports implementation of curriculum-based professional learning and teacher leadership development.

Prior to joining Leading Educators, Rebecca worked at a large community foundation supporting grantmaking across the Chicago region and an environmental organization leading coalitions of nonprofits, businesses, and governmental entities to protect natural resources. Rebecca taught reading in Ghana for a semester as a volunteer and has also volunteered as a running coach and an adult literacy tutor. She is currently an associate board member of a workforce development organization.

Rebecca holds a Masters of Public Service Management from DePaul University and a B.S. in geology. She lives in Chicago and enjoys biking in and out of the city and travels abroad to hike, scuba dive, and eat new foods.

Nick is a human catalyst who is passionate about empowering teachers and supporting them to lead the charge in educational equity. He coaches teacher leaders and supports Tulsa Public Schools as an Instructional Leadership Coach.

Previously, Nick coached 1st and 2nd year elementary teachers as a Manager of Teacher Leadership Development at Teach For America Greater Tulsa. His passion for supporting teachers came from his experience teaching 2nd grade in Tulsa Public Schools, coaching teachers at TFA Summer Institutes, and facilitating content sessions for multiple grade levels.

Nick holds a BFA in Theater and a minor in Broadcast Journalism from Southern Methodist University. He lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with the fluffiest cat named Harvey. Nick still loves to perform in plays and is pursuing a Master’s of Education degree from The University of Oklahoma-Tulsa.

Britney Wray leads design for Secondary Math in support of our Detroit partnership.

Prior to joining Leading Educators, Britney was a dedicated teacher turned school leader. Beginning her career as a high school math teacher in Fairfax County Public Schools, Britney enjoyed seeing the growth in both student success and student mindset. After 5 years, Britney became a founding teacher at Washington Leadership Academy, a Tier 1 public charter school in Washington, DC.

At WLA, Britney grew from founding math teacher to math instructional coach and assistant principal helping the school achieve its Tier 1 status through her development of the math program. Britney enjoys designing and facilitating professional developments and has partnered with organizations across the country to help educators achieve success in their classrooms. Britney enjoys vinyl crafting using her Silhouette Cameo machine and all things Virginia Tech! Go Hokies!

Lenna is an operations and project management specialist who strives to ensure each member of her team has what they need to be successful. She leads program event execution and serves as the interface between program staff and leaders in Louisiana.

Previously, Lenna served as Program Manager for YouthForce NOLA where she led the operations and logistics for an internship program for rising high school seniors focused on career-readiness. Before that, she served as the Dean of Enrichment at Akili Academy of New Orleans where she led the vision and daily execution of the school’s enrichment classes.

Lenna holds a B.A. in World Arts and Cultures from the University of California, Los Angeles, with minors in Education and LGBT Studies. She lives in New Orleans, LA and spends her free time being creative in the kitchen, crafting costumes for Mardi Gras, and sharing New Orleans culture with all of her friends and family who regularly visit.

LeAnita is a partner and guide for educators who works to make schools more equitable. She builds teacher capacity and understanding of instructional practices as it relates to Common Core State Standards and shifts for math.

Previously, LeAnita provided targeted, individualized coaching supports for new teachers in schools within the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) network of Chicago Public Schools. Prior to her work at AUSL, LeAnita was a primary and intermediate classroom teacher with Atlanta Public Schools and more recently at the University of Chicago Charter School-Donoghue Campus.

LeAnita holds a B.S. in Early Childhood Development from Northern Illinois University and a M.A.Ed in Instructional Leadership from Argosy University. She lives in Chicago, Il, with her husband Eric and son Logan and spends her free time exploring Chicago for and through the eyes of her toddler, binge-watching shows on Netflix, and occasionally cozying up with a good book.

Kristine is a passionate educator determined to make a positive impact on the educational landscape. She supports several schools in the Greater Grand Rapids areas.

Previously, Kristine worked as an elementary teacher in the Grand Rapids Area. She also spent time as a School Innovation Partner working closely with building leaders in schools with historically underserved students to develop systems of improvement to foster sustainable building transformation. Most recently, Kristine held the role of Curriculum Director where she developed systems of professional learning, supported the district instructional vision and established coaching structures to support teachers.

Kristine holds an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from Michigan State University and a B.A. in Elementary Education from Bethel University. She lives in Lake Odessa, Michigan, with her husband and three children. Kristine enjoys hiking, reading and being a parent cheerleader at her childrens’ events.

Kelsey is a coach and educator who is driven by her passion for making schools equitable and exceptional for every student. She works with schools in Louisiana to advance educational equity through leadership coaching aimed at optimizing rigorous classroom instruction.

Kelsey’s career in education began as a teacher in Chicago Public Schools. After moving back to New Orleans, Kelsey worked for Teach for America coaching grade 3-8 teachers in all subjects. In 2011, Kelsey became the Founding Assistant Principal at KIPP Leadership Primary and remained there until the school was fully founded.

Kelsey holds an M.S. in Education from Northwestern University, a B.A. in Theater from Tulane University, and a High School Drama degree from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Born in North Carolina, Kelsey now calls the charming city of New Orleans home and gets to enjoy the wonders of it with her husband and two amazing kids.

Jennifer is an educator who is driven to ensure that all students have access to a positive and impactful school experience, and she is especially passionate about early childhood education. She coaches, designs content, and facilitates professional learning for educators in the Greater Grand Rapids region.

Before joining Leading Educators, Jennifer spent four years supporting school transformation with Partners in School Innovation. Prior to that, she was a classroom teacher in Godwin Heights Public Schools, teaching early elementary for ten years before moving into the non-profit world.

Jennifer holds a B.S. in Child Development and an M.A. in Teaching and Curriculum, both from Michigan State University. She lives in Grand Rapids, MI, with her husband and 3 kids. Jen’s other interests are going to concerts, movies and comedy shows, spending time outside, cooking, and enjoying an occasional Netflix binge.

Ashley is a passionate and effective educator who adores children and living out her zeal for educational equity for all students. She contributes to programming, communication, and data management in her region and participates in national cross-collaboration projects within the organization.

Before joining Leading Educators, Ashley was an educator who was known for drastically turning around classroom environments and believing strongly in the JOY factor in her interactions with others. She also acted as a leader for other teachers through various leadership positions ranging from Leadership Cohort to a Grade Level Chair.

Ashley holds a B.A. in English Education from Northeastern State University. She lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma and spends her free time enjoying music and movies, hanging with her husband and chasing her toddler daughter through life.

Ashley believes all students deserve access to equitable instruction. Ashley leads ELA schools in the Chicago Collaborative and provides coaching and professional learning to each school’s teacher leaders and school leaders.

Ashley began her career as a 5th grade teacher in her hometown of Rockford, IL. She moved to pursue her graduate studies at Western Michigan University, where she served as a reading specialist in the university’s reading clinic and taught content area literacy upon graduation. Before joining Leading Educators, Ashley served as a Literacy Coach for two Chicago charter school campuses.

Ashley holds a M.A.Ed. in Literacy Studies from Western Michigan University and a B.S. in Elementary Education from Western Illinois University. Ashley lives in Chicago with her husband Daniel and her two sons Daniel Jr. and Dylan.

Ikecia Sigh is a Math Instructional Leadership Coach for educators in Charleston County School District. An educator for 13 years, she has served as a Director of Math, Instructional Math Coach, and classroom teacher in Memphis, Tennessee.

Ikecia earned a Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Education: Math and Science from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, a Master's of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix, and an endorsement in Educational Leadership from Christian Brothers University. She aims to coach and support school leaders to provide students with top notch math instruction that will motivate students to be critical thinkers and problem solvers.

Candice is a critical thinker who anticipates and resolves issues while strategically executing tasks. She leads operations, event logistics, client management, and data evaluation for the Greater Grand Rapids region. She is a proud Grand Rapids Public Schools alum!

Before joining Leading Educators, Candice worked with college students as she created and executed programs to retain students of color.

Candice holds an M.S. in Student Affairs/College Student Personnel Administration from Illinois State University and a B.A. in Business Administration from Grand Valley State University.

As a Program Manager, Jessie Mae serves as the primary interface for event and logistics staff. She offers expertise in leadership principles, Public Assistance programs, and training coordination while advancing progress towards organizational goals. Capturing high-levels of customer satisfaction for the programs she manages has been an important part of her program management roles.

Jessie Mae has always worked for organizations with a mission she could get behind. She was a Program Manager for Weld County Human Services in the Assistance Payments division which was responsible for processing applications for Public Assistance programs, such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP formerly known as Food Stamps), Medicaid, TANF, and Child Care assistance. She managed the Second Chance program at the Larimer County Workforce Center which helps ex-offenders with job readiness skills and placement into internships that could lead to permanent employment. She was the Training Manager for IDEA Public Schools which focused on ensuring every student enrolled in college.

She has a Masters in Organizational Leadership degree with a minor in Human Resource Management through Colorado State University-Global Campus. She has certifications in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), Leadership Facilitation, and Spanish.

She is a mother of two children who currently lives in San Antonio, Texas. In her free time, she enjoys writing, reading, and playing games with her kids.

Albert is a father, partner, and lifelong Lakers fan. As the Managing Director, Albert leads the Program Strategy team’s innovation and cross-team systems work in close collaboration with projects, networks, and the Data and Evaluation team.

He most recently served as the program director for The Broad Residency, where he was responsible for the strategy, design, and execution of the learning experiences that developed K-12 leaders, ensuring they have the skills and mindsets necessary to lead effectively and equitably. Prior to The Broad Center, served as deputy director of operations and program expansion for Ramapo for Children, managing director of program design for iMentor, and national director of education for YouthBuild USA.

Albert holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in philosophy from Boston College and a Masters of Education in Education Leadership from Boston University with a graduate certificate in program planning, management, monitoring and evaluation. He is also a proud graduate of Los Angeles Unified School District.

Alex is a committed early education advocate, leader, and constant learner, driven by our youngest learners who are our future. She leads the design of ECE-specific professional development, previously leading similar partnership with the Early Childhood Education team at Tulsa Public Schools.

Before joining Leading Educators Alex advised and coached district leaders on academic strategy, goals, and progress-monitoring approaches for early childhood education and early literacy. Alex began her career teaching in California and has since spent her time leading teams coaching and training both novice and veteran teachers and leaders.

When Alex was in college, one of her favorite professors had a sign on his door that read, “Students don’t interrupt my work; they are my work.” She tries to keep students, both those in the districts she currently works with and the ones she has taught, top of mind each day.

Kara Hayes is an Executive Support Coordinator, supporting the Leading Educators Leadership, Program, and Operations teams.

Kara was born and raised in the New Orleans area, attending and ultimately teaching in the city’s public schools. After a brief hiatus from the classroom to open a cafe geared toward families and children, Kara returned to teaching in 2020 just as schools were being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Witnessing firsthand the vast inequities in how students, schools, and families were supported to manage and facilitate online learning, she was drawn to Leading Educators’ work to change that reality. Kara loves travel and interior design, and is eager to begin exploring the world again once we are all able to venture further from our homes!

Adan is a communications and public policy strategist who is driven to elevate educator and student voices in social change. He leads LE’s storytelling, advocacy, and community engagement efforts.

Previously, Adan served as Associate Director and Manager of Communications at Leading Educators. He also supported 30 open-enrollment public charter schools in Washington, D.C. to strengthen teacher leadership as a regional Program Manager and served on the steering committee for two national institutes. Before that, Adan developed evaluation strategies for educator voice programs in NY, CO, and MI at America Achieves. He has also coached social entrepreneurs and co-instructed courses in public leadership with the College Park Scholars and Rawlings Undergraduate Leadership Fellows programs at the University of Maryland.

Adan holds a M.P.P in social policy and nonprofit management from the University of Maryland and a B.A. with Honors in political science from the University of Arizona. He lives in Washington, D.C. and spends his free time volunteering as a board member for NewMexicoKidsCAN, taking in the arts, playing intramural kickball, and performing the occasional karaoke solo.

Brittney is a bridge-builder who is dedicated to building champions for educational equity. She leads fundraising efforts.

Before joining Leading Educators, Brittney worked with the School Support Center for KIPP New Orleans Schools where she served in a number of roles focused on network-level operations and fundraising support. Most recently as Director of Development with Teach For America - South Louisiana, she led fundraising efforts across the seven parish region to ensure that schools in traditionally underserved communities had the teacher and leadership talent necessary to lead students to excellent academic outcomes.

Brittney holds an M.S. in Management Information Systems and a B.S. in Business Entrepreneurship, both from Southern University at New Orleans. She lives in New Orleans, LA, and absolutely loves designing coordinating t-shirts for her family.

Kami manages cultivation and stewardship to a robust community of philanthropic partners. Her experiences as a Louisiana public school student and as an award-winning television news producer in Baton Rouge who covered education-related stories sparked her desire to serve an education-focused nonprofit.

Kami joined Leading Educators in May 2016 as Executive Assistant and Special Projects Coordinator to the CEO. Before joining Leading Educators, Kami served as Louisiana Logistics Coordinator for the Black Alliance for Educational Options. In this role, she supported a statewide team that worked to inform parents on the best practices to increase relationships with their child's teacher and how to navigate the education changes in New Orleans.

Kami earned her undergraduate from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She is a native of Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana and lives in New Orleans.

Venecia is an experienced office professional with over a decade of experience in administration. She supports both the CEO & CERO, providing administrative and management support as well as partnering with the broader Leading Educators team.

Before joining Leading Educators,Venecia worked for Memorial Hermann Healthcare System where she provided administrative support to senior leadership. Her primary role provided full support of the executive office including assistance with operational, financial, and strategic project management.

Venecia is a Certified Administrative Professional by the International Association of Administrative Professionals. She has 3 daughters ages 10, 12, and 17. In her leisure time, she enjoys the outdoors, yoga and spa treatments.

Melissa is a project manager who supports the identification, cultivation, and stewardship of donors.

Before joining LE in March 2019, Melissa worked as a system administrator.

Melissa holds a BS in Computer Science from Spelman College. She lives in metro Atlanta, and spends her free time reading, crafting, and trying new recipes.

Rebecca believes school systems deserve access to strong evidence and useful data about what will serve their students and communities. She leads the design of the overall evaluation strategy and focuses on measurement of instructional knowledge and practice.

Over the past six years, Rebecca has worked to increase the rigor and usefulness of data at Leading Educators. Recently, she led a partnership with the RAND Corporation to adopt a tool for student impact analysis using quasi-experimental methods to support districts and school systems in having access to evidence they can trust about what works for their students. She also designed a yearlong action research project to engage teacher leaders in collaboratively collecting and analyzing evidence of change in teacher practice.

Rebecca holds an M.A. in Anthropology from Tulane University and a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of California, Berkeley.

Tim is a proud data nerd with a passion for making evidence accessible to all stakeholders. He supports network teams to adapt our national evaluation strategy to their local contexts and unique partnership needs. He also designs tools for evaluating the school- and system-level conditions that enable effective teacher professional learning.

Before joining Leading Educators, Tim served as Project Director for a three-year, collaborative grant focused on bullying prevention and school climate improvement. Prior to that, he spent nearly a decade conducting research and evaluation within the education and mental health fields.

Tim holds a B.A. in Psychology from Northwestern University and later earned his Ph.D. in Community and Prevention Research from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is a current Fellow with the Strategic Data Project at the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University.

Dawnell is a project and database manager who is compelled by supporting the lived experiences of underrepresented communities through data. She leads our national program data capture strategy, contributes to analyses of teacher knowledge and practice, and builds the capacity of our network teams to access and make meaning of data.

Before joining Leading Educators, Dawnell worked on network engagement, operations and events management at Education Pioneers as a member of the Leadership Development team. Before that she supported high-achieving students of color navigate the independent school admissions process at A Better Chance.

Dawnell holds a B.A. in Psychology and Education from Mount Holyoke College. She lives in Washington, D.C. and spends her free time playing tennis, visiting museums, and exploring D.C.’s food scene.

Ariana is a research analyst who strongly believes in the power of education as an instrument for liberation and happiness. She leads the student impact analysis and data storytelling of impact across regions.

Before joining Leading Educators, Ariana worked as a Pre-K-6 Spanish teacher and was an advocate and volunteer at her childrens’ schools. She also worked as a research assistant on rural development and poverty issues at the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research.

Ariana holds an M.S. in Government Analytics from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. in Economics from the Andrés Bello Catholic University. She lives in Rockville and spends her free time enjoying the company of her three children, husband, and dog.

Jernell is responsible for fiscal operations, control, and administration. She brings over 18 years of non-profit financial management experience.

Prior to joining Leading Educators, Jernell has served in various financial leadership positions with non-profit organizations including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Safe Kids USA (a subsidiary of Children’s National Health System) and most recently, NACCHO.

Jernell is very active in her community. As the former chair of a volunteer mentoring program, she was responsible for program planning, curriculum development, and outreach. She has also served as Treasurer on the board of the Rosemount Center, a dual language early childhood education center in Washington, DC.

She holds an MBA from Howard University School of Business. In her spare time she enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Marques designs and drives the organization’s national talent acquisition strategy with a strategic focus on equity, inclusion and employee engagement.

His corporate experience ranges from highly matrixed multinational corporations to small startups and entrepreneurial endeavors. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with degrees in both Finance and Japanese and spent a year of immersive study in Japanese language, culture and business at Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan. He and his family are proud to call New Orleans home.

Saya is a people person who loves to support others to make the change they want to see. She supports internal communications structures, organization retreat planning, and manager development.

In her prior role at LE, Saya worked on the LEAP project with DC Public Schools. In that role, she was responsible for the operations and event management of LE national and DC’s LEAP summer training conferences. She also supported DC LEAP team operations. Before joining Leading Educators, Saya worked for Teach For America’s South Carolina region for two years as the Managing Director of Strategy, Talent and Operations.

Saya holds a B.A. in International Studies and Spanish from Trinity University. She lives in Washington D.C. Saya spends her free time training for an upcoming running race, trying out a new recipe, listening to pop culture podcasts, and facetiming with her nephews.

Yaa is a finance professional with an affinity for mission oriented work. She works with the finance team focused on financial reporting, receivables and all other areas that facilitate the smooth functioning of the financial team. Before joining Leading Educators, Yaa has served as Director of a school and supported the financial operations of non-profit organizations.

Yaa holds a J.D and an MBA (finance) from Howard University and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Morgans State University.

Yaa loves to be in the outdoors learning, hiking and preserving the environment. She is a novice gardener and enjoys traveling near and far to new and favorite places.

Lisa is a human capital leader who is committed to dismantling systems of oppression so that all children can thrive in schools. She leads hiring and onboarding efforts.

Prior to joining Leading Educators, Lisa served as the Director of Talent on the South Carolina Regional Team of Teach For America. Before moving down South, Lisa worked as an Associate Director of Recruitment at Uncommon Schools for two years after being promoted from the Recruitment Coordinator Role. She began her career in education support work serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA member at North Star Academy, part of the Uncommon Schools network in Newark, NJ.

Lisa holds a B.A. in Sociology from The George Washington University. She lives in Goose Creek, South Carolina, and enjoys spending time with family and friends, frequent trips to Folly Beach and listening to really loud music on long car drives.

Ty works in technology and operations developing onboarding, systems and technology training, and supporting virtual staff. She manages technology and office vendor relationships across all LE cities and leads strategic processes to meet new and emerging partnership needs with technology innovations.

Before joining Leading Educators, Ty worked with undergraduate and graduate students as a tutor in the Writing Resource Center at Xavier University of Louisiana.

Ty received her B.A. in English from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, and attended public, private, and charter schools throughout Orleans Parish. As a poet and New Orleans native, her primary influences have been jazz, superstition, and local colloquialisms. Ty now lives in the Lower 9th Ward with her labradors, Parish and DeLille, and takes some promising amateur photographs.

Alexandra is a problem solver and systems builder who is inspired by what’s possible when smart people come together to solve complex problems. She leads internal projects.

As a student, Alexandra found belonging through theater. After college she became a theater teaching artist to cultivate environments where all students could find community and share their stories. Struck by the disparity in access to arts programs that she saw, Alexandra was driven to ensure all students have access to the resources they need to thrive. She is excited to support Leading Educators’ staff as they partner with schools across the nation.

Previously, Alexandra was a member of the LEAP D.C. team as a Program Coordinator at Leading Educators. Alexandra holds a degree from Mount Holyoke College. She lives in Washington, D.C.