Elijah is a high school student with an interest in the intersection between race, education, and social mobility. In school, Elijah serves as the coordinator for No Place For Hate, president of the Speech and Debate club, and as the founder/president of his school's chapter of The National Society of Black Engineers. Outside of school, Elijah volunteers his time to the non-profit he co-founded The State College SDA Diaper Bank: an organization that works to offset the cost of early childcare for low income families. Additionally, Elijah devotes time to his job as an Associate Researcher on the joint PSU NASA Rockets for Extended-Source X-ray Spectroscopy mission.

Esther O. Ohito, Ed.D. is a curriculum and cultural theorist and an educational researcher with a focus on English/literacy education and expertise in (Black) feminist qualitative approaches. Broadly, her lines of inquiry concern the entangled politics of Blackness, gender, race, and knowledge production at the nexus of curriculum, pedagogy, embodiment, and emotion. Dr. Ohito’s research agenda is split into three overlapping strands: 1) the poetics and aesthetics of Black knowledge and cultural production, 2) the gendered geographies of Black girlhoods, and 3) the gendered pedagogies of Black critical educators. Dr. Ohito’s interdisciplinary research is as inspired by Black intellectual traditions as by (memories of) her lived experiences, including herstories as a multilingual, transnational, first-generation Black/African/Kenyan immigrant student in the United States, a teacher in the Chicago Public Schools system, and a U.S-based teacher/educator in various educational spaces across the African diaspora.

Dr. Ty Frederickson is a full-time Assistant Professor in the School of Education and Department of Doctoral Educational Leadership at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Dr. Frederickson has worked in K-12 schools in the United States the Middle East and Southeast Asia for twenty years. He is an experienced advocate for the reduction of human trafficking and forced labor in the Middle East and is personally and professionally invested in building service learning initiatives, educational access programs, including technology integration, micro-financing, and livestock distribution in rural Bangladesh to support resource-rich education opportunities for individuals, schools, and communities.

Dr. Frederickson’s research interests are focused on the acquisition of leadership identities for student-leaders in social justice organizations, the role of pure service learning programs in whole child development, and leading conversations about equity and sustainable education in K-12 schools. Dr. Frederickson teaches Educational Ethics, Social Justice and Diversity Issues, Global Studies, Leadership Theory, and Qualitative Research to educational leaders working in the United States and in the international community.

Brianna Amoscato is a 2021-2022 Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellow who teaches third grade at Hartwood Elementary School in Fox Chapel Area School District in Pittsburgh. Brianna is a current member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and coordinates the TEDxKids@HartwoodElementarySchool yearly event and facilitates the OneDayPGH Social Justice Club at Dorseyville Middle School. She has served as the Program Coordinator for the Elementary Summer Learning Program, was a past fellow of the New Leaders Council, and a 2020 Pittsburgh All Star Teacher. Brianna is currently pursuing National Board Certification. She graduated from The University of Pittsburgh with a BS in Applied Developmental Psychology and received her MEd in Elementary, Special Education and Curriculum and Instruction from The University of Pittsburgh.

Mary Anne has just completed her 26th year in education. She teaches in the Stroudsburg Area School District in Monroe County. Mary Anne works at the middle school as a Reading Specialist. She primarily teaches 7th grade Reading along with classes in Research Writing. She has been an advisor for the SMS Student Council and is currently continuing her professional growth through coursework at East Stroudsburg University.

Originally a Journalism major from Ohio, Mandy moved to Philadelphia to attend University of Pennsylvania's GSE initially to focus on urban and alternative education. Her 23 years of education experience is in a variety of grade levels, but she most recently taught high school English for 14 years. Mandy's 2 favorite classes to teach are Law & Literature and Hip-Hop Studies: Hip-Hop's Social Consciousness.

Donna Reid-Kilgore is a Pre-K Counts teacher at Bloom Early Education Center, where she has taught for 17 years. She is also a former Policy Fellow and now a Senior Policy Fellow for Teach Plus PA. Donna earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from Wilkes University, and is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Early Childhood Education Leadership at Keystone College. Her philosophy is that strong, positive relationships are at the root of all learning and are the key to creating lasting systemic changes.

Katie Motyka (she/her) is a 2021-2022 Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellow who teaches 5th-8th grade math at Freire Charter Middle School. She has been a classroom teacher for the past 8 years in her hometown of Philadelphia, where she previously taught 5th and 6th grade ELA. Katie is a member of FCMS’s Students & Standards Supports Leadership Team and coaches the afterschool Double Dutch club. Katie has been an active member of Building Anti-Racist White Educators (BARWE) since 2016 and co-leads FCMS’s local chapter. Before becoming a teacher, Katie managed UPenn’s Infant Language Center researching how babies acquire language. Her work has been published in the journal “Psychology Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts.” Katie graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Psychology & Fine Art and her MSEd in Elementary Education.

Beth Patten is a 2021-2022 Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellow who teaches 7th-grade social studies at Kutztown Area Middle School in Kutztown. She is the social studies department leader and a co-chair of the secondary literacy committee. In addition to teaching, Beth is a consultant at the Philadelphia Writing Project at the University of Pennsylvania, GSE, and presented at the National Council of English Teachers. She founded peace.love.kutztown, which is a community effort to start a dialogue around social justice issues. She serves as a board member of Kutztown Strong, a grassroots effort to end substance use disorder, and is a facilitator at Princeton, NJ’s Not in Our Town, an interfaith and interracial justice group. Beth earned a BA from Bloomsburg University in history and communication studies and an MEd in curriculum and instruction.

Lisa Phoenix is a 2021-2022 Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellow who is an Intervention Teacher at Great Valley School District in Malvern. She is also a member of the district’s Council for Diversity and Inclusion. She is certified to teach Elementary Education, Special Education and English as a Second Language and also has a Principal K-12 certification. She is the Elementary Vice-President of Great Valley Education Association (GVEA), her local teacher’s union, as well as a member of Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) Professional Rights and Responsibilities Commission. She graduated with a BS in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh and an MS in Instructional Technology from St. Joseph’s University.

Brigitte Tshishimbi is a 2021-2022 Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellow who teaches 6th grade English Language Arts at Freire Charter Middle School in Philadelphia. She is the Lead Literacy Teacher and English Language Learner Coordinator at her school. In addition, Brigitte serves as co-leader of her school and network’s Black Indigenous People of Color organization. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in Political Science and received her MEd in Elementary Education with certification in Teaching English as a Second Language for grades K-12 from DeSales University.

Brianna Amoscato is a 2021-2022 Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellow who teaches third grade at Hartwood Elementary School in Fox Chapel Area School District in Pittsburgh. Brianna is a current member of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and coordinates the TEDxKids@HartwoodElementarySchool yearly event and facilitates the OneDayPGH Social Justice Club at Dorseyville Middle School. She has served as the Program Coordinator for the Elementary Summer Learning Program, was a past fellow of the New Leaders Council, and a 2020 Pittsburgh All Star Teacher. Brianna is currently pursuing National Board Certification. She graduated from The University of Pittsburgh with a BS in Applied Developmental Psychology and received her MEd in Elementary, Special Education and Curriculum and Instruction from The University of Pittsburgh.

Ross Hamilton is a 2021-2022 Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellow and a teacher at Building 21 High School in Philadelphia. He teaches 12th grade Government & Civics and is a member of the Tri-Change committee whose goals are to make sure the school is practicing culturally relevant pedagogy, staying trauma informed, and implementing a system that upholds restorative practices. Spanning a 16-year teaching career in both New York City and Philadelphia, Ross has served as department chair and spearheaded curriculum design at multiple schools. He has been awarded Teacher of the Year and the Lindback Foundation Distinguished Teaching Award. Ross has a BA in Mass Media Arts from Clark Atlanta University, a MS in Adolescent Education from St. John’s University, and is currently pursuing his EdD in Educational Leadership at Arcadia University.

Dr. Erica Hampton is a 2021-2022 Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellow who teaches 8th grade Social Studies at Stewart Middle School in Norristown. Erica sponsors the Student Council, sits on the Cultural Proficiency Committee, is a member of Stewart’s Leadership Team, and serves as the 8th grade team leader. She has previously taught 6th grade English Language Arts and Social Students, served as the 6th grade team leader, and sat on the district Social Studies Curriculum Writing Committee. Erica graduated from Hampton University with a BA in Political Science, MEds in both Education and Educational Leadership from Cheyney University and Gwynedd Mercy College, and her EdD in Educational Leadership from Immaculata University.

Luke Strawser is a 2021-2022 Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellow who teaches 7th grade World Geography at Mount Union Area Junior High School in Mount Union. He is the site coordinator for the Check & Connect mentorship program and serves as a faculty member of his school’s Student Assistance Program. Luke leads the Mount Union Travel Club, and in 2018, he led a group of high school students on a 10-day educational tour of Peru. Luke is a member of the Pennsylvania Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. He graduated with a BSEd in history from Shippensburg University and received his MEd in instructional media from Wilkes University.

Derek Long is a 2021-2022 Pennsylvania Senior Policy Fellow who teaches 10th grade English at Perry Traditional Academy in Pittsburgh. He serves as the English Department Head as well as the cross country, head boys’ basketball, and boys’ volleyball coach. Derek has served on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations’ Teacher Advisory Council and helped to organize national and local Elevating and Celebrating Effective Teaching and Teachers (ECET2) events that sought to empower teachers and elevate the teaching profession. Derek is a second-generation and veteran teacher. Derek graduated from Grove City College with a BA in English, received his MA in Teaching English from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and received his EdD in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California.

Dr. Rhonda Threet (she/her) is a 2021-2022 Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellow who has worked as an educator with the Pittsburgh Public School District for over 20 years. Rhonda currently works as the Learning Environment Specialist where she supports leadership teams and principals with implementing climate and culture frameworks as it relates to equity, socio-emotional learning, and creating and sustaining trauma-informed environments. Previously, Rhonda served as an instructional leader coach and taught in grades first through fifth. In addition to her role with the Pittsburgh Public School District, Dr. Threet is an adjunct professor at Point Park University. Rhonda holds a BA from the University of Pittsburgh in Africana Studies, a MSEd in Elementary Education from Duquesne University and a PhD in Community Engagement from Point Park University.

With over 15 years in the field of early childhood education, Dr. Smith-Rose’s strengths are in the areas of culturally relevant classroom instruction, childcare center management, equitable practices for black and brown children, early childhood classroom management and implicit bias. She holds an undergraduate degree in social sciences from the University of Pittsburgh where she focused on Child Psychology, Sociology and Africana Studies. Crystal continued to study achievement and opportunity gaps by obtaining graduate degrees in early childhood education and special education from Carlow University. She taught in early childhood education classrooms within urban settings around the city of Pittsburgh. Moving beyond the classroom she managed multiple childcare centers focusing on culturally relevant teaching practices before beginning adjunct work in higher education. Crystal earned her doctoral degree in Leadership and Administration at Point Park University in 2021 focusing on the cultural mismatch between teachers and student demographics within the SWPA suburban school districts. Currently, Dr. Smith-Rose serves as the Director of Pre-Apprenticeships and Instructor in the Education Dept at Carlow University where she has dedicated her time to diversifying the teaching profession and preparing culturally responsive educators.

Dr. McMillan has over 20 years of educational leadership and early childhood education. She coordinates Power of One with the goal of diversification by assisting para professionals of color with achieving teacher certification. She embodies a commitment to early childhood education with core strengths in working with diverse populations and specializing in the unique needs of early childhood. Dr. McMillan’s expertise aligns beautifully with Carlow’s mission to nurture and support current and future Carlow Scholar-Practitioners who are reflective in action, capable of creating and serving in High Performance Learning environments, and who support and respect the dignity and diversity of all learners. Dr. McMillan’s goal is to transform tomorrow today, by impacting multiple generations to come. Drawing from her research, Dr. McMillan utilizes Critical Theory, Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, and Urban Education to design and implement multiple professional development modules for teaching staff and children.

Taylor attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she received her bachelor’s degree in public policy. After graduation, she joined Teach for America in San Antonio, Texas where she taught 6th, 7th and 8th grade social studies and coached girls’ basketball. After teaching in the classroom for 3 years, Taylor transitioned to the nonprofit sector where she worked at Teach for America Baltimore in 3 different roles including: Manager of Teacher Leadership and Development, Manager of Classroom Culture and Climate, and Director of Corps Member Programming. During this time, she received her master’s degree in educational policy and leadership from American University.

In 2019 she transitioned from the nonprofit sector to working for the Baltimore City Public School District (BCPSS) where she supported over 40 principals as a Human Capital Partner, and later went on to serve as the Manager of Teacher Recruitment and Selection for BCPSS. She currently serves as the Director of Professional Learning for The Center for Black Educator Development. One of the core principles that guide her both personally and professionally is: “if serving is below you, leadership is beyond you.” In her spare time she enjoys: playing basketball, traveling, cooking new dishes, spending time with loved ones, and continuing to grow as a steward in her faith!

Danielle Thomas is passionate about developing and building individual and community capacity. She’s spent over a decade working in the K-12 setting as an educator, teacher coach, human resource partner, and currently serves as a professional learning associate with the Center. She completed Masters of Education training at The University of Pennsylvania and undergraduate training in Psychology at North Carolina State University. Danielle strives to be a conduit of love through her words, actions, and work with others.

One who has dedicated his life to education and service, Anthony C Stevenson brings over 25 years of experience in public education and community service. He is currently the Director of Human Resources for the Teddyffrin/Easttown School District in Wayne, PA. He is also an adjunct professor of Education Leadership at Villanova University where he is the founding director of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Educators of Color Network. Mr. Stevenson’s research interests include issues related to leadership, equity and affinity groups/support in public education.

Melissa Figueroa-Douglas has served as an educator and educational leader for almost two decades and she is known for being a champion of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Melissa Figueroa-Douglas's diverse experiences in New York, Delaware, and Pennsylvania fuel her passion as an educational change agent for positive student outcomes and inform her most recent role as Supervisor of Equity for the Upper Darby School District. In her role as Supervisor of Equity, Melissa Figueroa-Douglas is furthering the commitment of the district-wide Equity initiative. Melissa Figueroa-Douglas collaborates with Superintendent Dr. Daniel McGarry, Assistant Superintendents, central administrators, building administrators, teachers, students, and community stakeholders. The hallmark of Melissa Figueroa-Douglas’s professional responsibilities includes engaging with stakeholders to ensure the acquisition of optimal support and resources for the large and diverse student population of the Upper Darby School District. Melissa Figueroa-Douglas earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Secondary Education from Lincoln University, and a Master's degree in School Leadership from Wilmington University. Melissa Figueroa-Douglas is currently a Doctoral candidate at Wilmington University. In addition to being a proud wife, Melissa Figueroa-Douglas is the mother of a daughter and a son who she loves immensely.

Leon Smith is a social studies educator in the Haverford School District with twenty one years of experience. He is a life-long learner and passionate about the profession of teaching.

He graduated from the University of Maryland at College Park with a bachelor’s degree in secondary social studies education. He earned his master’s degree from Pennsylvania State University in Instructional Systems. Leon has led district wide professional development initiatives and currently co-chairs the strategic planning committee on diversity and inclusion. Recently, Leon was selected to join the 2022-2023 Teach Plus Pennsylvania Policy Fellowship.

He is extremely passionate about diversifying the educator workforce and learning about the important legacy of black educator activism. Since 2020, Leon has served as a mentor with Project IMPACT, a program at Rowan University designed to increase the representation of males from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds in teaching and respond to persistent opportunity gaps faced by young men from diverse backgrounds.

Christina S. Carter had been an educator for 10 years, in urban and suburban school districts. She served in the classroom as an Art Educator (K-8th), STEM Science Teacher (7th), Secondary Reading Specialist (9th-12th), High School Reading Department Chair, and District-Wide Instructional Coach (3rd-5th). After being a leader in the classroom, she moved to being a Elementary Principal and now serves as the Director of Learning and Assessment, in a district neighboring Philadelphia. In this role she oversees the equity work, ensuring all students feel a sense of belonging, while having access and opportunity to succeed.

Nikole Y. Hollins-Sims, Ed.D., is an educational equity, inclusion and belonging expert. She currently serves as the Special Assistant to the Secretary of Education at the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Dr. Hollins-Sims previously served as an educational consultant for the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN)-Harrisburg Office, where she was the co-statewide lead for the Learning Environment & Engagement initiative. Dr. Hollins-Sims is a Pennsylvania certified school psychologist with a specific interest in equitable practices, multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) and positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS). She has also conducted research around caregivers of children of incarcerated parents and their motivation to engage in family-school partnerships. Dr. Hollins-Sims has been awarded as a Moral and Courageous Leader for Education by Cabrini University in 2021, the recipient of the 2021 American Psychology Association (APA) Anti-Racism School Psychology Emerging Professional Award & was named the 2021 Pennsylvania School Psychologist of the Year.

Dr. Donna-Marie Cole-Malott is Assistant Professor of Professional and Secondary Education at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Cole-Malott also serves as Co-Director of the Pennsylvania Educator Diversity Consortium (PEDC)—an organization dedicated to educator diversity, equity, and culturally relevant education and systems, serving the needs of BIPOC learners throughout the Commonwealth.

Dr. Cole-Malott’s research and work focus and intersects in three areas; the lived experiences and literate lives of Black girls and their social and academic identity development; race, equity, and the factors that support equal access for underrepresented students in schools; educator diversity, equity, and culturally relevant education for all educators. Her work centers on the ecosystem of public education and strategies for dismantling system racism that can improve outcomes for all students.

Laura Boyce (she/her) is Pennsylvania Executive Director of Teach Plus, a national education non-profit that empowers excellent, experienced, and diverse teachers to take leadership over key policy and practice issues that advance equity, opportunity, and student success. In this role, Laura leads Teach Plus' work across Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia-based programs supporting teacher-led professional learning communities, Teach Plus PA's statewide teaching policy fellowship and teacher network, and a soon-to-be-launched new project supporting districts in southwestern PA to diversify their teacher workforces. Laura also serves on PEDC's Acting Circle of Leaders and leads the Policy & Advocacy Committee. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband Jeff, son Julian, and dog Rosie.

John Harper, Managing Director, brings an explicit focus and commitment to racial equity and uplifting the voices of historically marginalized communities. He leverages the principles of adult learning theory to design engagements towards mindset-shift and long-term transformative impact for clients and the communities they serve. At FSG, he has worked across the firm’s client segments, including engagements with the Cleveland Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foundation; two national retailers in the consumer goods and outdoor recreation industries; and a variety of cross-sector collaboratives in communities across the country. Prior to joining FSG, John worked as a consultant with a variety of clients including the New York State Education Department, Facebook Education, and the Roddenberry Fellowship. For more than a decade, he has worked with some of the nation’s leading voices in education reform and youth development, including senior leadership and development roles with America’s Promise Alliance and Turnaround for Children. He began his career in public charter schools, working with Friends of E Prep Schools (now Breakthrough Schools) and Uncommon Schools.

Kizzy Morris has over 24 years of progressive higher education leadership experience in academic programming, admissions, financial aid, student billing, registrar, placement testing, institutional research, and IT systems coordination. Provost Morris’s student-centered philosophy is the driver for her work with different colleges and universities on academic administration, enrollment services, student success pathways, and employee and faculty professional development.

Throughout her career, she has been a member and officer of several professional organizations, often presenting at conferences throughout the US on topics such as student services, enrollment management, financial aid, student information systems, career development, trauma informed healing practices and cultural competencies. She serves on AACRAO’s Black Caucus Executive Council, is a member of the statewide HEAL PA Committee and is a part of the leadership circle for the Pennsylvania Educators’ Diversity Consortium. Her current research emphasis is on mentorship towards the acquisition of cultural capital for Black female educators. Her academic teaching background has revolved around instruction in courses in Business Administration, Communications, Database Management, Management Information Systems and Project Management.