Dr. Mitchell Brookins is a nationally recognized practitioner and educational consultant with 20+ years in K–12 as teacher, coach, administrator, district leader, and thought leader. As a school administrator, he led instructional efforts that yielded measurable gains—raising DIBELS scores from 43% to 72%, increasing LEAP state assessment results by 16 points, and improving school letter grades from “D” to “C” within one year at both ReNEW Cultural Arts Academy and Dwight D. Eisenhower Academy.

He has presented at Amplify’s Symposium, PaTTAN Literacy Symposium, Keys to Literacy, The Reading League Summit, the Black Men in Education Convening, the Black Literacy Matters Conference, and the Dyslexia Alliance for Black Children Conference. He also leads a citywide literacy fellowship in partnership with New Schools for New Orleans, supporting over 40 literacy leaders across the city.

As Managing Director at Leading Educators, he drives system-level change in Jackson Public Schools, Baltimore City Schools, San Mateo-Foster City School District, and Omaha Public Schools, and serves on the Board of Directors for The Reading League.

He holds a B.A. in Elementary Education, an M.A. in Teacher Leadership, and a Ph.D. in Educational Administration.

Amanda Silva is a dedicated education professional with expertise in building capacity for meaningful change across school systems. As the Senior Director for the Omaha Public Schools project, she leads strategic initiatives that drive instructional improvement and student achievement.

Over 9 years at Leading Educators, Amanda has served as Senior Director on the Oakland Unified School District project, Director of Content - ELA for Baltimore City Public Schools, Director of Content - District Leadership for Tulsa, and Leadership Coach for LEAP DCPS. She has successfully built capacity across district stakeholders to engage in the change management that enables school districts to design and sustain systems of professional learning that equip educators to translate research-based practices into meaningful classroom impact.

Amanda holds a B.A. in Economics from New York University and an M.A. in Teaching from American University. She holds a deep belief in the power of great teaching to unlock opportunity for all students. In her free time, Amanda enjoys watching the WNBA, crafting, and researching random topics.

Britney Wray is a dedicated education leader with expertise in mathematics instruction, school leadership, and innovation. As the Senior Director of AI-Enabled Instruction, she leads national efforts to examine how artificial intelligence can improve facilitation of high-quality curriculum, deepen teacher pedagogy, and enhance student outcomes.

Over 4 years at Leading Educators, Britney has served as Director of Content and Coaching for both the Detroit and Charleston projects. Her work on the Charleston Project resulted in a remarkable 27% improvement in Algebra 1 test scores in just one year by supporting teachers and creating sustainable conditions for district leaders.

Before joining Leading Educators, Britney was a high school math teacher and school leader in Virginia and Washington DC, where she focused on building instructional capacity in mathematics and driving measurable improvements in student achievement.

Britney holds a B.S. in Mathematics and an M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction, both from Virginia Tech. Outside of work, she enjoys staying active with her husband Nigel and their children Kingston (4) and Ivy (2). A self-described competitive person, Britney loves sports, music (especially Beyoncé), and creating memorable celebrations for all occasions.

Sydney Jenkins is an accomplished education leader with a track record of driving instructional improvement. As the Senior Director of Program Implementation & Growth (NYC), she leads the successful execution of professional learning programming as part of the NYC Reads Initiative, managing and developing a team of instructional coaches to support high-quality literacy program implementation and drive instructional impact at scale.

Before transitioning to Senior Director, Sydney served as an ELA Instructional Leadership Coach. During those two years, she is proud to report that District 5 schools achieved remarkable growth, with ELA proficiency rising from 30% to 46%.

Sydney holds a BA in Psychology from Harvard University and a Masters in Teaching and Learning from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Sydney prioritizes building collaborative, trusting, and empowering relationships with educators across school systems, and believes that every student deserves to be seen, heard, and intellectually challenged. When not working, Sydney enjoys spending time in nature, baking desserts, and traveling.