Jesus Ayala Jr.
Jesus serves as MetroSquash’s Chief of Program Strategy & Operations, managing programming across two sites and serving hundreds of students. MetroSquash is an out-of-school time program helping students develop life-long skills through the sport of squash.
Pattilyn Beals
Pattilyn currently serves as the Manager of Government and Community Affairs for Noble Schools and works to ensure parents have a voice in the current educational landscape. She is committed to equitable experiences in education for all children in this city.
Cory Cain
Cory is the Dean of Instruction at Pritzker College Prep. He leverages his extensive background, spanning from teacher to principal, to foster academic excellence. He implements innovative instructional methods and maintains elevated standards of educational leadership.
Nidia Carranza
Nidia serves families in the City of Chicago as the Family Engagement Team Lead for the Office of Early Childhood as well as an Adjunct Professor of Human Development/Education for the City Colleges of Chicago. She is a proud product of Chicago Public Schools.
Mykela Collins
Mykela is a parent leader, advocate, volunteer, and parent ambassador, who advocates for children from birth to college level. She sits on about 15 committees and subcommittees throughout the City of Chicago and State of Illinois, advocating for students and their families.
Dr. Carrie Comer-Yates
Carrie is currently the Senior Manager of Early Childhood Instructional Quality, within Chicago Public Schools. She believes collaboration is essential to improving educational outcomes for students, specifically diverse learners.
Dr. Edward C. Davis IV
Edward teaches middle school social studies at a Chicago Public School. Over the years, he has taught college and K-12 around the world. He is originally from Chicago’s South Side and holds a PhD in African American studies.
Marcus Flenaugh
Marcus is an experienced and impassioned Youth Development Director. His extensive professional journey includes leadership roles in various community councils and volunteer work with YMCA Chicago’s Black and Latino Achievers program.
Christina Jensen
Christina is currently serving as the Interim Co-Executive Director for Tutoring English to Advance Change. She believes that public schools belong to those they serve-students and their families- and that their needs should be centered in every decision made for our schools.
Tynisha Jointer
Tynisha is the Founder and Architect of Healing for Invested Consultant Firm, whose mission is to provide solution- base planning and education to organizations seeking to create spaces that promote healing.
Dr. Afina S. Lockhart
Afina spearheads efforts to diversify the educator pool far the Evanston/Skokie School District, directing programs like the CREATE 65 Teacher Residency Program. She is also currently an adjunct professor at Chicago State University, nurturing aspiring teachers and principals.
Felipe Luna
Felipe is a Management Systems Specialist with the Illinois Department of Health and currently serves on the Local School Council at Benito Juarez High School. He plans to continue his doctoral studies at National Louis University.
Mary Nikoo
Mary serves as the Director of Policy and Advocacy at Civitas Education Partners, overseeing three charter schools in Chicago. Her passion lies in cultivating and gathering leaders who seek to dismantle racial. linguistic, and economic inequities both within and beyond the classroom.
Jordan Owens
Jordan is a passionate leader in the field of Special Education who is the Vice President of Educational Services/Director of Special Education/Principal of The Chicago Lighthouse where she oversees multiple, birth to 3 and youth programs and serves as the Principal of The Children’s Development Center.
Noah Pickens
Noah is the Chicago Youth Boxing Club Executive Director in Little Village. This sports-based youth development organization seeks to build up young people in our community through a holistic approach and the sport of boxing.
Sendhil Revuluri
Sendhil has worked at CPS and UIC, where he co-led a collaborative improvement project serv ing over 40,000 students. He serves on the boards of the Bright Promises Foundation and Math Circles of Chicago. He served as VP of the Board of Education from June 2019 until December 2022.
Eric Reyes
Eric is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at CareerVillage.org, an organization whose mission is to democratize career information and advice. His role is to ensure that the day to day operations align with long term strategy decisions.
Carlos Rivas
Carlos serves as Director of Public Affairs with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability where he leads community engagement efforts across Chicago. He is is an alum of Teach For America and leads with a vision of equity, justice and collectivism.
Michael Roy
Michael has been working to advance equity and mental health resources in Chicago Public Schools since 2019. His primary research interests are healing justice, community well-being, race-based trauma, and minority stress.
Jessica Sullivan-Wilson
Jessica is the Managing Director, Partnerships far Teach For America Greater Chicago-Northwest Indiana. With over a decade of experience in the education landscape, she leverages a combination of passion, classroom experience, coaching, and legal expert ise to advocate far educational equity.
Danielle Wallace
Danielle is the founder and executive director of Kingdom Avenue Inc., a non-profit organization focused on unifying community resources to elevate the lives of youth in Englewood. Her experience includes studying and working in the fields of education and social service.