Responsible for leading a synergistic network of professionals with the expertise to provide comprehensive consultative services, and professional development for schools as well as nonprofit, community-based, and youth-serving organizations. Area of specialty includes the end-to-end grant life cycle—grant readiness, writing, management, reporting, and sustainability—for federal, state, and foundation grant pursuits.

Planned, coordinated and guided teacher candidates’ day-to-day activities during their field experiences (teacher internship and student teaching practicum). ✪ Served as first line of support, and critical source of information by providing feedback, guidance, and problem-solving strategies to help facilitate growth and development.✪ Conducted formal observations and provided constructive verbal and written feedback.✪ Evaluated assignments and provided personalized learning opportunities for mastery of concepts.✪ Liaised between Education Department, teacher candidates, mentor teachers, and schools.

Provided vision, leadership, and coordination to develop and execute all components of the district’s High School Transformation Initiative (HSTI), which included Portfolio & Design, Instruction and Student Support. ✪ Worked cross-functionally with high schools, central office departments, key external partners, and funders to: lead project development, convey project scope and expectations, and ensure alignment with district goals. ✪ Worked closely with external funders (The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, U.S. Department of Education, The Arthur M. Black Family Foundation, and Atlanta Education Fund) to ensure all funding requirements, guidelines, and reporting deadlines (quarterly, annually, and end-of-grant) were adhered to.ACCOMPLISHMENTS► Drove the emergence of a cultural shift in overall student achievement, as evidenced by multiple on-track-to-success trends and indicators (increased scholarships and college acceptance rate, increased daily attendance, decreased behavior infractions, etc.).► Created and implemented a budget management system to direct $30+ million in special and general revenue funds earmarked for high school transformation. ► Fostered teacher buy-in and ownership by creating opportunities for side-by-side collaboration with external partners to develop, refine, and plan various components of the HSTI, including development of a high school advisory curriculum; interdisciplinary team framework, resources, and professional development; project-based units; and a Summer Career Institute.▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Promoted to position based on recommendation from McKinsey & Company, and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Led the development, implementation, and monitoring of Portfolio & Design components for the district’s High School Transformation Initiative.ACCOMPLISHMENTS► Initiated and provided oversight for development and implementation of design plans for Smaller Learning Communities (SLCs) and small schools, which were showcased as best practices by Education Northwest. ► Initiated and developed processes and procedures to create an HSTI Community Taskforce and design team for each SLC and small school, which provided stakeholders a clear channel of engagement and ownership in the HSTI. ► Collaborated closely with IT and Operations to ensure facility and technology readiness of transformed campuses on or before their designated launch date.► Worked with McKinsey & Company as primary thought leader on Phase I of the HSTI plan’s challenges, gaps, and next steps for success, which provided integral insight on modifications needed to ensure successful implementation of Phases II and III.▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Served as district’s primary point of contact and coordinated all activities related to the administration of two U.S. Department of Education SLC grants totaling $7.1 million, which required a 40% increase in school sites implementing SLCs versus prior grant award.ACCOMPLISHMENTS► Established district’s Center for the Advancement of SLCs; developed SLC framework of best practices, as well as support tools and resources for teachers and administrators.► Provided McKinsey & Company thought leadership on SLCs and secondary school reform, which was utilized to develop the framework and strategies for the district’s HSTI plan.▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Served as district’s primary point of contact and coordinated all activities for the U. S. Department of Education’s SLC grant totaling $2.1 million, which required SLC implementation in six school sites. ACCOMPLISHMENTS► Authored district’s proposal for the U.S. Department of Education’s highly competitive Enhanced Reading Opportunities Smaller Learning Communities Grant. The proposal was 1 of 10 selected nationally, and the district was awarded $5 million.► Implemented a budget management process to ensure accountability of expenditures related to grant deliverables.

Taught practical and advanced applications related to the Television, Audio and Video production industry, by utilizing a cross-discipline approach of incorporating state standards from the core subject areas. ACCOMPLISHMENTS► Initiated, designed, and implemented a state-of-the-art Mass Media Arts Program at Stephenson High School; and launched Jaguar Enterprises, a student-operated audio and video production company, which generated $20,000+ in revenue annually.► Selected by colleagues as Stephenson High School’s 2002 Teacher of the Year.