Cohorts

Nahed currently serves as the first Arab American Assistant Superintendent in Paterson Public Schools, the third-largest school district in New Jersey and one of its most economically challenged urban districts. An immigrant and proud first generation college graduate, Nahed's journey exemplifies resilience, determination, and an unwavering belief in the power of education to transform lives.

In her current role, she coaches principals and supervises 11 schools, serving over 5,600 students within a district of more than 26,000. Her work is situated at the intersection of diversity, equity, and resilience in a system where more than 50 languages are spoken and where the needs of multilingual learners and students with disabilities continue to grow.

With a strong background in special education, bilingual education, mathematics, and language arts, Nahed brings a comprehensive instructional lens to her leadership. Her expertise supports the development of inclusive, data-informed practices that uplift all learners, particularly those historically marginalized. She is deeply committed to supporting differentiated instruction, fostering academic achievement among English language learners, and ensuring access to high-quality, standards-aligned curriculum for students with diverse learning needs.

Prior to this role, Nahed served for seven years as a school leader. Her educational journey began as a substitute teacher and evolved into roles as an educator, mentor, coach, and school administrator. Her leadership is grounded in instructional excellence, curriculum design, and educator capacity-building; always anchored by her passion for equity and social justice.

Nahed is a champion of trauma-informed care, mental health awareness, and culturally responsive practices. She has led initiatives that resulted in measurable impact, including exiting her school from state-targeted status, integrating STEAM, AI, and Esports into elementary classrooms, and mentoring a new generation of teacher leaders. She pioneered one of the district’s first Makerspaces and continues to explore innovative strategies in restorative justice, gang prevention, and student wellness.

Nahed holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature from Ain Shams University, along with two Master’s degrees from Montclair State University: one in Teaching and the other in Educational Leadership in addition to an advanced certification in Teaching Students with Special Needs. She is also a proud mother of two amazing young adults and a devoted partner to a motivating and inspiring husband who continues to uplift and empower her journey.

Nahed's leadership is rooted in the belief that education can bridge divides, restore dignity, unlock potential, and ultimately serve as a force for justice and societal transformation.

Jordan Bynum serves as a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Specialist at the School District of Philadelphia, where he supports 46 schools in implementing and strengthening their school-wide SEL practices. As a central office climate coach, he collaborates with K-12 schools across the city to expand their capacity for social-emotional learning.

A proud Philadelphia native, Jordan earned his bachelor's degree in Spanish and Linguistics with honors from Temple University in 2018. His educational journey began as a founding Math Teacher at Success Academy in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, which ignited his passion for teaching. He subsequently returned to Philadelphia to teach high school Spanish, first at John Bartram High School and later at Liguori Academy.

At Liguori, Jordan assumed multiple leadership roles that shaped the young school's  identity and culture. As DEI Lead and Alumni Coordinator, Jordan established foundational policies for diversity initiatives and structured the Alumni Association.

Deepening his commitment to educational excellence, Jordan completed his Master's degree in Education at the University of Pennsylvania in 2022. Following his graduate studies, he was selected as a Teach Plus Policy Fellow, where he advocated for policies to expand opportunities for prospective teachers and improve working conditions for current educators.

His most profound professional fulfillment came through Liguori Academy's credit recovery program, Fortis, which serves students for whom traditional educational approaches have proven ineffective. This experience shaped Jordan's research interests in developing innovative pedagogical strategies that better serve marginalized student populations.

As a product of Philadelphia public schools himself, Jordan's academic and professional mission centers on expanding educational opportunities to students within Philadelphia's underserved communities. His doctoral studies at Columbia University Teachers College build upon this commitment to educational equity and innovation.

Molly McKay Bryson was born in Anchorage, Alaska and raised in its public schools where her mother and aunts worked. Over the last 16 years, Molly has taught history, humanities and social emotional learning, and has served as a district SEL coach and new teacher developer. She is now a Restorative Practices / Safe & Welcoming Schools Specialist in Boston Public Schools – and a BPS parent.

Molly is an active member of the Boston Teachers Union and has been part of building many of its member organizing committees including ones focused on: immigrant solidarity, Ethnic Studies, and housing justice. Alongside other social justice unionists, Molly believes that we must transform inequities in public education through the collective power of students, families, and educators fighting for the common good.

Molly’s research interests include approaches to consensus-based decision making in school communities and their potential to foster educational equity. She has loved engaging in consensus-processes including through teaching action civics and as a national Teacher Leadership Board member for Generation Citizen.

Molly holds an M.A. in Teaching and Learning from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. And she's excited to learn with other educators through the Urban Education Leaders Ed.D. Program at Teachers College.

A career changer, Kenneth Coard is a former stockbroker who started his educational career as a math teacher in the South Bronx at Bronx High School for Law, Gov’t & Justice and is now in his 26th year in education.  After 4 years in the Bronx, Ken headed to New England where he taught math and coached varsity basketball in Boarding Schools for 7 years. 

Ken made the decision to move his family back to New York and began stints as a leave replacement in numerous school districts on Long Island, which included South Country, William Floyd, Islip, Riverhead and Uniondale before accepting a probationary math position in the Amityville Union Free School District. After 2 years in Amityville, Ken accepted a Dean of Students position in the Riverhead School District, where he was also Principal of their summer school. Ken returned to Amityville as an  Assistant Principal, with stints at both Amityville Memorial High School and his current position, Edmund W. Miles Middle School. 

Ken also holds the position of Director of Indigenous Education on the Shinnecock Reservation. In this role, he oversees an after-school program whose goal is to close the achievement gap that presently exists between native students from the reservation and white students in the Southampton Union Free School District.

Ken received his BS from Clarkson University where he was a double major in Industrial Marketing and Management. He received his MS in School Administration and Supervision from Mercy college. 

Ken has spent his career vested in helping young people be successful. Whether through education, coaching or his “Hoop Skool Foundation” he puts the empowerment and success of young people at the center of everything he does, be it academic, social or emotional. Mr. Coard grew up on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton and the projects in Harlem. As a man of color, from his socioeconomic background, Ken feels a strong obligation to model for and mentor young people from school districts that mirror his own experiences. He is married to June Martinez-Coard, who is also an educator and has three beautiful children; Autumn Rayne and twins Chelsea (girl) and Kendall (boy).

Crystal Davis is Director of Special Education for New York City Public Schools. She provides policy and professional learning leadership for schools and programs serving the unique needs of students across the city. As a school district leader, her approach to supporting schools is informed by her career experiences over the last 20+ years in roles such as principal, assistant principal, school counselor, and teacher. Crystal leads from the heart and is dedicated to systemic changes that are transformative and responsive to students and communities.

Crystal’s leadership journey has been transformed by her experiences as a Deeper Learning Equity Fellow and Cahn Leadership Lab Practitioner which have greatly shaped her research interest in the recruitment and retention of school leaders in urban schools. Crystal is a graduate of Florida A & M University, Adelphi University, Queens College and the College of Saint Rose, where she holds a bachelor's degree in business administration, master’s degrees in urban education and counselor education, and advanced certificates in school and district leadership. Crystal is a proud product of the New York City Teaching Fellows Program and the Executive Leadership Institute’s Advanced Leadership Program for Aspiring Principals.

Crystal finds balance nurturing her mind, body and spirit through running, dancing, reading, journal writing, connecting with family and friends, and exploring creative outlets. Her greatest source of pride and happiness comes from watching her 3 children grow.

David Frank is Assistant Commissioner and Chief of Staff to the Commissioner of Education at the New York State Education Department. In this role, he leads the implementation of the Department’s strategic priorities across the P–20 continuum, advancing early childhood, K–12, higher education, and workforce opportunities for all New Yorkers. He provides oversight for numerous non-district school programs, including New York’s 37 Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) and Indigenous education initiatives. His work is grounded in the Department’s guiding principles of equity, opportunity, and access, with a focus on organizational change and a service-oriented approach to supporting students, educators, and communities.

Mr. Frank previously led the Charter School Office, the Office of Religious and Independent School Support, and the Department’s initiative on teaching in remote and hybrid learning environments. He was also the lead author of New York State’s $9 billion American Rescue Plan application. He began his career at the New York City Department of Education, holds a Master’s Degree in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, and is currently pursuing a doctorate in the Teachers College Urban Education Leaders Program at Columbia University.

Noelani Gabriel Holt was born and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts, with familial roots in the Mississippi Delta. Surrounded by educators, she developed a deep appreciation for academic excellence and the transformative power of education from an early age. Noelani is an equity-driven school leader dedicated to serving urban communities through joyful, rigorous learning environments that foster both academic and character excellence.

She began her career in education as a teacher in Boston, Massachusetts, where she developed a passion for helping students find agency and voice in their writing. Noelani transitioned into nonprofit leadership at Breakthrough Greater Boston, a college access program for low-income, first generation students, where she served as Director of Student Services, managing the middle school summer and after school programs and supporting students with their transition to high school. She has served in a range of school leadership roles including director of family and community engagement, equity team lead, and school principal, where she has been instrumental in implementing restorative practices, improving family partnerships, and coaching and developing teachers and leaders. As a co-founder of Radical Futures, Inc., Noelani has leveraged her experiences as a school leader and restorative practitioner to provide consulting services for school leaders and organizations to build their capacity to achieve equitable outcomes.

In her most recent role at Girls Prep, Noelani has facilitated the growth of her school from a small but mighty PK-2 campus to now serving over 450 girls in kindergarten through 8th grade. Noelani has focused on improving student achievement by developing a data-driven instructional culture, implementing collaborative planning structures, and emphasizing culturally responsive teaching methods. Noelani is especially proud of her founding 3rd grade class and their teachers, who outperformed the city and district average in their first year of state testing. Noelani will begin a new role in the 2025-2026 school year as the principal at Amber Charter School in East Harlem.

Noelani has been recognized for her work with several honors including the 30 Under 30 Changemakers award from the National Public Charter School Alliance, a grant from the Abolitionist Teaching Network, and an Educator of the Year award from the Black Latinx Asian Charter Collaborative (BLACC) of New York City.

Noelani earned her Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies from Cornell University, followed by a Master of Education in Curriculum and Teaching from Boston University. She also holds a professional certificate from the Suffolk Center of Restorative Justice in restorative practices. Noelani recently completed the New Leaders Aspiring Principal Fellowship in pursuit of School Building Leader certification. Noelani looks forward to deepening her impact as a scholar-practitioner in the Urban Education Leaders Program at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Angelica Jackson, M.S.Ed. is a doctoral student in the Urban Education Leaders Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her current research focus seeks to examine how Black educators and school leaders navigate, resist, and transform workplace cultures in school systems that were historically designed to exclude them, with particular focus on the strategies they employ to create inclusive environments for themselves and their students.

Jackson is the CEO and Cofounder of Phoenix International School of the Arts (PISOTA), Maryland's first-ever approved public charter school in Charles County. Through her Illumination Approach to leadership, she transforms educational spaces in urban-proximate communities where over 80% of students identify as children of color. Her leadership has secured over $1MM in federal Charter School Program grants and recognition from organizations including Camelback Ventures and 4.0 Schools.

A first-generation college graduate, Jackson holds an M.S.Ed. in Education Entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education and Wharton School of Business dual program. She previously served in leadership roles at EL Education and as an Education Pioneers Fellow at Capital City Public Charter School in Washington, DC.

Jackson's professional experience includes classroom teaching of theatre and voice to K-12 students in Philadelphia public schools alongside a professional acting career that earned her award-winning recognition including a Barrymore Award win. This dual perspective as artist and educator informs her research on how engagement with the arts serves as a vehicle for healing, community transformation, and creating equitable opportunities in historically marginalized communities.

Her research interests include: Black education leadership in historically oppressive systems; culturally responsive school leadership; arts integration as social justice praxis; and organizational transformation in rural and urban school districts serving minoritized youth populations.

Jackson is a 2025 Aspen Ideas Festival Fellow and an avid volunteer with several community organizations including serving on the boards of the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition and The Bricolage Fund.

Charlela Lacewell currently serves as the Senior Manager of Grants Monitoring within the Division of Finance for the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE). She oversees the strategic review and oversight of grant-funded initiatives to ensure fiscal accountability and programmatic impact.

Charlela previously served as a Senior Systems Analyst in the New York City Department of Education’s Office of General Counsel, where she supported the development and ongoing maintenance of a customized case management system. The goal was to enhance the efficiency of case management processes by streamlining data access, improving workflow, and supporting strategic data-informed decision-making across legal operations.

Earlier in her career, Charlela served as a Compliance Officer within NYCDOE’s Office of Compliance Services. She was a central point of contact on compliance matters spanning 19 sectors for over 290 schools. She conducted operational reviews, data-analysis, and facilitated individual and group training sessions for school leaders, superintendents, and district-level staff.

Charlela earned a M.A. in Psychology in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a B.S. in Psychology from SUNY Brockport. She is passionate about her commitment to educational justice and policy reform to shape equitable opportunities for all students, fostering collaboration, and building stronger, more inclusive school communities.

Lourenco A. Lopes Jr. Esq. has led a life driven by diverse threads of experience, each one enriching the life he leads and the lives he touches. His journey began with a foundation of academic excellence, earning dual Bachelor's degrees in Sociology and Legal Studies from U-Mass Amherst, a Master's in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University, and a Juris Doctorate from U-Mass Dartmouth. But Lourenco's thirst for knowledge didn't stop there. He continued with a Master of Education from Arizona State University and an Executive Master's in Public School Leadership from Teachers College, constantly seeking to refine his skills and make a more profound impact.

This drive to serve shines through in Lourenco's professional career. He has donned the hat of a Chief Probation Officer, ensuring justice was served with fairness and compassion. He then transitioned to the classroom, inspiring young minds as a middle school science teacher for 8 years, founding the Country Place Youth Court Alternative to Suspension Program, and earning recognition as VFW Teacher of the Year at the local and district levels in S/Y 23-24. Lourenco proudly serves as the Student Success Coordinator at Betty Fairfax High School in Laveen, Arizona, where he takes pride in assisting students to be the best versions of themselves possible.

Lourenco's leadership extends far beyond the classroom. He actively serves his community through Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, holding various leadership positions, advocating for voter registration, and organizing outreach initiatives. His dedication has garnered numerous awards, including Omega Man of the Year and Superior Service Awards, which are testaments to his unwavering commitment to making a difference.

Lourenco's life story is not just a list of accomplishments but is evidence of his unwavering commitment to learning, leading, and serving. He is a lawyer, educator, community leader, and constant learner, always seeking new ways to use his diverse skillset to empower others and improve the world. In turn, he is extremely excited to do so through U.E.L.P.

Throughout her eighteen-year career in education, Stacy Phillip-Miller has served in various leadership roles, including Dean, Assistant Principal, Principal, and Acting Superintendent. As Acting Superintendent of Greenburgh Eleven—a Special Act Public School District in Westchester—she launched the district’s first alternative high school and partnered with community-based organizations to implement district-wide restorative justice practices and project-based learning.

Stacy’s passion and mission lie in creating safe, inclusive, and equitable educational spaces for all students. She spent over a decade teaching New York City’s most vulnerable students in juvenile detention centers and alternative education programs. Her experiences have fueled her deep commitment to dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline.  She believes this work requires intentional investment in student-centered systems, culturally responsive practices, community engagement, and alternatives to punitive disciplinary practices.  She wants to develop state policies and district-level systems that directly address and eliminate the educational inequities that have long fueled cycles of exclusion and disconnection for marginalized students.

As a leader, Stacy believes meaningful change is only possible through authentic collaboration between schools and the communities they serve. Her work centers on highlighting student and family voices while challenging the systems that uphold educational inequality.

Stacy is a Brooklyn native and the proud daughter of Trinidadian immigrants. Her background, values, and unwavering belief in justice continue to guide her leadership journey.

Lyons Sanchezconcha is a passionate advocate for educational equity and student well-being. He serves as Assistant Principal at Huguenot High School, a part of Richmond Public Schools. As a former ESL student and first-generation college student, Lyons understands firsthand the challenges many students face. His journey to becoming a respected leader in education is a testament to his resilience and dedication to helping others reach their full potential.

Lyons previously served as Chairman of a state advisory board, appointed by the governor, and as President of the Virginia College Access Network. He is currently active on several boards, championing policies that ensure all communities, regardless of background, have access to the resources and opportunities they need to succeed. Lyons is also a member of the Leadership Metro Richmond 2025 Cohort and a part of the Black and Latino Changemakers Fellowship.

Known for his empathetic leadership, Lyons prioritizes mental health, trust, and community building within his work. Lyons immigrated from Lima, Peru in 1999. He grew up in Sterling, Virginia and earned diplomas from Northern Virginia Community College, The University of Virginia, and the University of Richmond. He is thrilled to be a part of the Teachers College Urban Educational Leaders Program at Teachers College. Lyons resides in Richmond, Virginia.

In 2021 Lyons was recognized as an inaugural Persona de Poder, a community leadership award among the Latino community of Virginia. In 2023, he was honored as one of Richmond's Top 40 Under 40 by Style Weekly Magazine, recognizing his impactful work in education and community development. Lyons is driven by his loving mother and hard-working father. He is committed to doing his part to help others reach success through education and beyond.

Thalia Brownridge-Smith is a bold, equity-centered school leader committed to transforming outcomes for students in urban public schools. As Principal of Thirteenth Avenue School in Newark, New Jersey, she has led a comprehensive revitalization—raising enrollment by over 250 students, launching a bilingual program, expanding special education services, and overseeing a full building renovation. Her work is guided by the belief that every child deserves a school that reflects their brilliance, humanity, and potential.

Thalia’s leadership journey has included roles as a curriculum developer, teacher coach, instructional leader, nonprofit director, and Vice Principal. While serving as Vice Principal over the middle school grades and Mathematics Department, she supported significant gains in student achievement—growth that was recognized by district leadership. These experiences have shaped her belief in the power of aligned systems, strong instructional leadership, and intentional design to drive student success.

Now Principal of Thirteenth Avenue School, a Pre-K3 through 8th grade STEAM-focused elementary school serving over 850 students, Thalia has prioritized inclusive program design, strengthened intervention systems, and expanded academic offerings to meet the needs of a rapidly growing student body. Her leadership was featured on CBS Evening News as part of a spotlight on her return to lead a school just blocks from where she was raised in Newark’s West Ward. The segment highlighted her role in revitalizing the school’s physical space and academic vision—an effort made possible through strong district advocacy and her relentless commitment to community transformation.

Thalia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with minors in African American Studies and Anthropology, and a Master of Science in Education with a concentration in Mathematics Education—both from the University of Pennsylvania. She also earned a Master of Education from Columbia University through the Summer Principals Academy. Her academic training and practical experience have equipped her to lead with both compassion and precision.

As a doctoral student in the Urban Education Leaders Program at Teachers College, Columbia University, Thalia plans to focus her research on high-achieving students in urban environments. She is particularly interested in how schools can recognize, elevate, and sustain the brilliance of students of color whose success often emerges in the face of systemic inequities. Her goal is to understand and amplify the conditions that support their excellence—and to help design school systems that not only nurture their achievement but also work to dismantle the barriers that persist around them. Thalia is committed to a lifelong pursuit of equity, excellence, and system-level change, and looks forward to contributing to a community of scholar-leaders working to transform urban education.

Eric Soble works in the Charter Schools Office at the School District of Philadelphia, where he leads innovation evaluation for charter schools across the city. In this role, he also partners with school and district leaders to ensure schools are inclusive spaces for trans and gender-expansive students.

Prior to this work, Eric was a physics and chemistry teacher, a STEM instructional coach, and an assistant principal. As an instructional leader, he coached teachers and leaders on constructivism, inquiry design models, and problem-based learning. In two Philadelphia schools, he led transitions to the Next Generation Science Standards and launched culturally responsive learning initiatives. Committed to expanding teacher access to inclusive, inquiry-based instructional models, he also teaches graduate courses in STEM content and practices, technology integration, and Universal Design for Learning.

At UELP, Eric is interested in studying the intersection of pedagogy and political economy, including how the hidden curriculum in schools can reflect and entrench inequities. His research focuses on how schools can best leverage strategies, tools, and resources to move beyond compliance-based learning and towards more student-centered pedagogies and systems. 

Eric earned his BA in International Relations from Bucknell University and holds a MSEd in Urban Education from the University of Pennsylvania. He enjoys vegetarian cooking with his partner, perusing design shops and vintage art markets, and working in the garden.

C’cora Thomas, is an ever evolving educator with over 21 years of experience in the New York City Department of Education, currently serving as an Assistant Principal at Benjamin Banneker Academy for Community Development in Brooklyn, NY. She is also the founding program director of the Bright Star After-School Program and Day Camp, which serves children ages 4-12 in the Crown Heights and Bedford-Stuyvesant areas of Brooklyn. C’cora’s journey in education began with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, followed by a Master’s in Education from Bank Street College of Education.

Growing up in Brooklyn, C’cora has a deep connection to her community and takes pride in serving the very neighborhoods and school district (Brooklyn North District 13) that shaped her. Her genuine love for children of all ages and belief that every child deserves access to a quality education that equips them with the skills necessary to thrive in a global society is reflected in her service to the scholars and families of both Benjamin Banneker and Bright Star.

C’cora believes that “Learning is Life” and pushes her students to always seek knowledge and gain understanding from multiple perspectives as it will assist them in making proper choices. In alignment with this philosophy, C’cora has worked with her colleagues in the administrative team of Benjamin Banneker Academy to expand their Advanced Placement program to include the AP Capstone Program, and increase the number of dual credit and college courses offered to their scholars. As the direct supervisor of the science department she has developed a major track for high school scholars who want to pursue careers in Medicine or Engineering which includes dual credit courses in Physics, engineering, and Astronomy in collaboration with Syracuse University, SUNY Stony Brook, and SUNY Albany.

C’cora is committed to creating inclusive environments where every student can thrive and driven by a profound passion for equity in education, particularly for students in the special education population. She looks forward to contributing to research and practices that empower all students, ensuring they receive the support and opportunities they need to succeed.