Executive Board

AMSEL President
Chief Equity Officer, Cambridge Public Schools
mfernandez@cpsd.us • (857) 235-2994
M. Ed. Educational Leadership, University of Massachusetts Boston
B.A. Sociology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Pronouns: he/him

Manuel J Fernandez is the founding President of the Association of Massachusetts School Equity Leaders. He currently serves as the inaugural Chief Equity Officer for the Cambridge Public Schools in Cambridge, MA. He previously served for eight years as the founding Head of School of Cambridge Street Upper School. Fernandez has worked for over forty years in public education as an elementary school assistant principal, high school principal, middle school principal, school counselor, and humanities teacher. He is the founder and President of the ManDez Group. ManDez Group provides transformative development on equity and inclusion issues in schools, organizations, municipalities, and community groups. He has over 30 years of experience as a skilled facilitator of equity-related topics and themes. He has consulted with municipalities, private and public schools, community groups, and workplace institutions, providing services to advance equity and inclusion. He is well-versed in equity and inclusion, anti-racism and cultural proficiency, youth advocacy, teacher education, school leadership, community organizing, organizational development, and centering and advancing equity in schools and the workplace. Fernandez earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Massachusetts/Dartmouth, an M. Ed. in Educational Leadership from the University of Massachusetts/Boston, and a Certificate in Race, Equity, and Leadership from Harvard University. He graduated from the Lorraine Monroe Leadership Academy, the National Institute of School Leadership, and the Boston Principal Fellows Program. He is the former Director of the Wayland METCO Program, two-term President of the METCO Directors’ Association, and founding Executive Director of Empowering Multicultural Initiatives (now IDEAS), a professional development collaborative of suburban school districts established in 1995 and focused on promoting anti-racist education in schools and classrooms. He is also co-founder of DESE award-winning Students United for Racial Equality.  He has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts/Dartmouth, Northeastern University, Wheelock College, and for the Teachers 21 leadership preparation program. In addition, he has developed and facilitated professional development workshops, seminars, and symposiums and delivered keynote addresses for numerous educational conferences and community and municipal gatherings. He is the recipient of the 2018 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drum Major for Education Award from the Cambridge NAACP. He has been recognized with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Massachusetts/Dartmouth and for Social Justice in Education by the Massachusetts House of Representatives. In addition, he has been awarded the Armond Munoz-Bennett Leadership Award by the METCO Directors Association, the Outstanding Leadership Award from Empowering Multicultural Initiatives, and the Multicultural Leadership Award from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. He currently serves as a Community Advisor for the Nellie Mae Education Foundation and as an Advisory Board Member for the Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University. His efforts on behalf of Educational Equity have been profiled in the Learning for Justice Magazine, Cambridge Day News, the Hechinger Report, the Christian Science Monitor, and Edutopia.

AMSEL 1st Vice President
Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Newton Public Schools
lopesk@newton.k12.ma.us
M.S.W., Simmons University
B.A. Sociology, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Pronouns: she/her

Kathy Lopes is the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Newton Public Schools and the current President of the Association of Black Social Workers (ABSW) – Greater Boston Chapter. Formerly appointed as the Assistant Commissioner at the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, Lopes has a demonstrated history of administrative and clinical experience within education, child welfare, mental health, and non-profit sectors. She holds a long-standing adjunct faculty position at her alma mater, Simmons University School of Social Work, teaching courses on racism, social policy and leadership. Lopes is also the co-author of the recently published book, Change the Narrative: How to Foster an Antiracist School Culture in Your School.

AMSEL 2nd Vice President
Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Scituate Public Schools
jadams@scit.org
M.A. Higher Ed & Multicultural Counseling, Bowling Green State University
B.A. Psychology, Penn State University
Pronouns: he/him

Proudly embracing membership in the community of Scituate and the educational family of its schools, jamele serves as the DEI Director for the District of Scituate Public Schools. Spelling his name with lower case letters, he does so to signal that he is a piece in life’s grand landscape for us all. Arriving to Scituate from Brandeis University, where he served as Dean of Students, along with specific responsibilities for student’s campus life experience, he pioneered and supported programs that celebrated and enhanced campus pluralism. jamele also served as the Director for New York Yankees Derek Jeter’s “Jeter’s Leaders,” a program in the Derek Jeter Turn 2 Foundation. In this role jamele oversaw a unique leadership program that supports high school age students in New York City. Recipient of many awards and recognitions for his work in higher education with young scholars interested in law and creative writing workshops, he is also a nationally celebrated poet. jamele remains well known for his work engaging issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. Through his L.I.T. platform and model, love, inclusion and trust serve as the basis for human connection while addressing h8 and bias. jamele is often called to high schools to assist in the navigation of complex terrains of injustice and help student communities after bias incidents have occurred. Known for his work, jamele is often asked to be a panelist or to give presentations on a broad range of topics regarding diversity, equity, inclusion and pluralism. Accompanying the aforementioned are requests for him to prepare presentations in response to very specific incidents or conditions regarding diversity, equity and inclusion. jamele appears at multitudes of public and private schools, school districts and college campuses every year. Consider this a brief biography into the evolving professional narrative and life calling for jamele adams. jamele subscribes to the mantra “ALWAYS WE, never me.” You might also check out jamele’s TED Talk. 

AMSEL Treasuer
Director of Equity, Integration, and Community Partnerships, Westwood Public Schools
lfranck@westwood.k12.ma.us • 781-326-7500 x3368
C.A.G.S., Simmons University
M.Ed. Lesley University
B.A. Boston University
Pronouns: she/her

Lateefah has been in the education field for over 20 years. Originally from Washington D.C., Lateefah came to Boston as an undergraduate where she earned a B.A. from Boston University, M.Ed. from Lesley University, and a C.A.G.S. from Simmons University. She began her educational journey in inclusion and ELL classrooms as a first, third, and fourth grade classroom teacher. She then became a literacy specialist at the upper elementary school level, before solidly placing her feet in roles of school leadership. She was an instructional coach for teachers before becoming the upper Elementary School Principal at the Boston Renaissance Charter Public School. Lateefah continued to serve Boston resident students and families as a METCO Director in Lincoln and then Westwood, MA. Currently, she supports urban and suburban education as the inaugural Director of Equity, Integration, and Community Partnerships for Westwood Public Schools. Lateefah has been instructing fellow educators in strategies for becoming a more equitable educator through IDEAS (Initiatives for Developing Equity and Achievement for Students)  since 2019. She currently serves as the President of the METCO Directors Association.

AMSEL Secretary
Assistant Superintendent of Opportunity Gaps, Boston Public Schools
ydraper@bostonpublicschools.org  • (617) 635-9000
Ed.D. Vanderbilt University
M.Ed. University of Maryland Baltimore County
B.S. Stevenson University

Dr. Yozmin Gay is an experienced educator, systems leader, executive coach, multiplier, and advocate for underrepresented children and families. She is currently the Assistant Superintendent for the Office of Opportunity Gaps in Boston Public Schools where she oversees the implementation of Boston Public School’s Opportunity and Achievement Gaps Policy, which ensures that all school and system-wide decisions and practices are culturally, and linguistically affirming for racial equity and high quality student experiences. Dr. Gay was a leadership coach with Insight Education Group partnering providing targeted support around educator effectiveness, leadership initiatives, and curriculum & instruction for various school districts around the country. Dr. Gay is the Co-Founder and Vice President of Flight 22 Foundation where she leads the creation and implementation of equitable entrepreneurship programming for middle and high school students and their communities in Baltimore City, Washington, D.C., and surrounding areas. Dr. Gay began her career in Baltimore City as a first-grade teacher, an instructional coach, and eventually served as principal for many years, including principal advisor to the Superintendent. She’s had the privilege of serving as a School Support Network Lead where she provided instructional and operational leadership for a network of Baltimore City schools. While serving as principal, Dr. Gay received a citation from the Mayor and City Council in 2014 for achieving the highest increase in student attendance and highest decrease in student chronic absence in Baltimore City Schools. Dr. Gay received her undergraduate degree from Stevenson University in Stevenson, Maryland and then a Master of Teaching from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Yozmin completed a Doctor of Education from Vanderbilt University Peabody College in Leadership and Learning in Organizations. Dr. Gay is a proud member of Alpha Kapp Alpha Sorority Inc., Vanderbilt University Peabody’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, Education Leaders of Color, and has served on many boards. Most recently, Dr. Gay has been named an awardee of the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award for her dedication to equity and access in education and community advancement nationally.

AMSEL Clerk
Director of Equity & Student Support, Lexington Public Schools
jcole@lexington.ma.org • (781) 861-2580 x68052
Ph.D. Educational Studies, Lesley University
M.A.T. Secondary English, State University of New York at Cortland
B.S.  Communication, Boston University
Pronouns: he/him

Johnny serves as the Director of Equity & Student Support for the Lexington Public Schools, in Lexington, MA, as well as an adjunct faculty member at Stonehill College and a facilitator and instructor with Initiatives for Developing Equity & Achievement for Students (IDEAS). He is a proud member of an interracial family, lovingly built with his husband and their two adopted children. Prior to his current role in Lexington, he spent more than a dozen years as a high school English teacher and four years as a high school assistant principal. His family’s experiences have been featured with the Huffington Post and the Outspoken Voices podcast, among others. His published work includes “‘He Can’t Be Your Dad!’: The Intersection of Race, Adoption, and Gay Marriage,” a chapter in the book Adoption Matters: Teacher Educators Share Their Stories and Strategies for Adoption-Inclusive Curriculum and Pedagogy, and “How We Talk to Children about the Attack on Capitol Hill Matters” for Fortune.com. Twitter: @LexingtonDEI

AMSEL Membership Committee Chair
Director of Equity & Excellence, Somerville Public Schools
cgallitano@k12.somerville.ma.us • (617)625.6600 x6042
M.S.W., Wheelock College
B.A. Social Work, Ohio State University
Pronouns: she/her

Mrs. Gallitano grew up in Sudbury, MA, and attended THE Ohio State University where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, with a minor in Sociology, and she was the recipient of the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence for the College of Social Work.  After attending Ohio State, Caeli worked for Franklin County Children’s Services (FCCS) as a caseworker in the ongoing unit.  After some years at FCCS, Caeli returned to the Boston area and entered the Boston Public School (BPS) System as a counselor at TechBoston Academy in Dorchester.  After completing her Master’s Degree in Social Work, with a graduate certificate in Organizational Leadership from Wheelock College, Caeli continued her clinical work in the BPS at the Dearborn School and Boston Community Leadership Academy.  In 2016, Caeli joined the Somerville Public Schools (SPS) as a clinician in a therapeutic inclusion program at a K-8 school, and later held an administrative position as the director of a substantially separate therapeutic program for grades 1-6 in SPS. In 2022, Caeli earned a Graduate Certificate in Education Law from the University of Connecticut. She currently holds the position of Director of Equity & Excellence for the Somerville Public Schools.  For Caeli, equity is not just a job or position. It is woven into the fabric of her being; it is who she is.  She and her husband enjoy traveling and taking adventures around New England and beyond.  Caeli is “Auntie” to 20 nieces and nephews (between her siblings’ kids and her husband's siblings' kids), and of all the positions she has held, Auntie is by far her favorite - and best - one!

AMSEL Professional Development Committee Chair
Assistant Superintendent of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Brockton Public Schools
reneeheywood@bpsma.org • 508-894-4541
Ph.D. Education, University of Massachusetts Amherst
M.Ed. Educational Leadership, Bridgewater State University
B.A. Spanish Language & Literature, Brandeis University
Pronouns: she/her

Renée Heywood began her career in education over 25 years ago as a Spanish language teacher in public, private, and graduate school settings. She served 11 years as an educational leader in juvenile justice education for the Department of Youth Services. In 2018, she was appointed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as the Director of Educational Services, overseeing educational programming for all incarcerated youth for the state. As an internationally published writer, recording artist and speaker, Renée has traveled the world to support education and music in places like Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Australia and has presented her work on racism in education at multiple venues including the Social Justice Conference in Finland. Renée co-authored a book on marriage with her husband entitled, I Said, I do to All That? Unpacking Life's Baggage, and a weekly blog on marriage and family issues. She and her teenage daughter co-authored a chapter of poetry called “Keisha vs. Karen – We ain’t doing this no more” about their mother/daughter experiences navigating racism and adultification in education. Renée has a B.A. in Spanish Language & Literature from Brandeis University, a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Bridgewater State University, and a Ph.D. from UMass Amherst where she served as the School of Education Fellow. Her concentration was Language, Literacy and Culture with a focus on racial and equity issues in education. She is the Assistant Superintendent of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion for Brockton Public Schools, Advisor to the PLEDJJ (Preparing Leaders in Education, Disability, and Juvenile Justice) Consortium and is a leadership consultant.

AMSEL Professional Partnerships & Networking Committee Chair
Senior Director of Educational Equity, Brookline Public Schools
claire_gallowayjones@psbma.org
Ed.M. Urban Education and Leadership, Wheelock College
B.S. Human Services, University of Massachusetts Boston
Pronouns: she/her

Claire Galloway-Jones is a Licensed Education Leader with a strong background in improving instructional practices and program reviews leading to school success, focusing on racial equity, social welfare policy, and advocacy. With 26 years of experience spanning Kindergarten through grade 12. Currently serving as the Senior Director of Educational Equity in Brookline Public Schools. In this role, she oversees all aspects of ensuring an inclusive, anti-racist, anti-bias, academically rigorous, and dynamic school culture, focusing on eliminating systemic barriers and closing achievement and opportunity gaps. With a proven track record of building strategic partnerships, she is successfully launching and facilitating diversity and inclusion professional development workshops dedicated to developing quality educational settings. Her specialized training and facilitation experiences include public speaking on cultural competency and equity. A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., with a passion for community service and servant leadership.

AMSEL Social Vibes Committee Chair
Coordinator of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Bridgewater-Raynham Public Schools
kberrios@bridge-rayn.org • (508) 279-2140 x 131
M.Ed Higher Education Counseling, Providence College
B.A. Gender and Women's Studies, University of Rhode Island.
Pronouns: she/her

Kayla Berrios is currently serving in her role as the Coordinator of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District. Before her start in August of 2021, she served as the Program Coordinator for the Marshall Center for Intercultural Learning at Wheaton College of Massachusetts.