Nonprofit-based leader committed to developing structures and systems that change young people's lives. Believer in innovation and teamwork that breaks through barriers and creates access and opportunity for all students. Interests include:• Applying data to inform and improve policies, practices, and outcomes for young people and their families• Advocating on behalf of historically underrepresented and marginalized populations• Partnering and collaborating with teams of change agents to create and expand opportunities for studentsA product of New York City's public schools, I experienced the ways great schools can change lives, and I've committed my career to creating similar pathways for success for young people. I taught Spanish at a turnaround school in Baltimore for four years; in that context, I witnessed the ways in which inequitable systems perpetuated generational poverty for many students and their families. In 2014, wanting to explore that relationship in more detail, I attended the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where I received my Master's in Education, with a focus on policy and management.Combining what I learned in graduate school with the lessons learned in the classroom, I returned to Baltimore, this time as a Community School Director (CSD). For four years, I developed, implemented, and regularly refined a data-based community school strategy that employed a variety of programs and partnerships to address the many needs (while also leveraging the assets) of one of the most diverse schools and communities in Baltimore and effect change in the process.From 2019 until 2023, I managed, coached, and provided technical support to CSDs, initially in Baltimore and later in New York City. In both cities, my CSDs and I worked together to develop partnerships and designed systems and structures to reduce barriers to academic success so that students could reach their true potential. I also supported and facilitated professional development for CSDs during this time.Currently, I lead CUNY’s work on FutureReadyNYC, a new citywide initiative that connects students at 100+ high schools with career-connected learning at 16 CUNY campuses across our city. In partnership with NYCPS’ Office of Student Pathways, I broker and maintain high-level relationships between high schools and college campuses so that students can equitably access early college experiences, including campus visits, workshops, and credit-bearing courses.