Instructional Assistants

Hello! I am Anthony Oddo, and I was a part of the 2021 SPA Cohort. I am currently a  Special Education Teacher in Greenwich Public Schools and am about to complete my 10th  year as an educator. In my tenure, I have held many different positions in special education.  

Post-SPA, I became immersed in many different leadership roles in my school and district. At this time, I am currently the following: Staff Advisor Representative,  Teacher Representative for the Student Council, Team Member of our Safe School Climate  Committee, and Lead Teacher for our Crisis Intervention Team. In addition to these responsibilities, I have chaired and facilitated PPT (IEP) and Team Meetings. Within Greenwich  Public Schools, I am also the lead special education teacher representative for a District  Committee revising the evaluation procedures for special education teachers.

Dr. Dwayne Dyce was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised by his grandparents in the hills of St. Ann.  Equipped with a strong faith in God and belief in the power of education, he is committed to supporting educational communities in Jamaica, the US, and worldwide. An educator for 17+ years, Dr. Dyce’s expertise in education derives from his diverse classroom experience as a Math and Science teacher in Montessori, Magnet, International Baccalaureate (IB) Programs,  Parochial, Private, Charter and Public schools throughout Jamaica, Florida, Washington DC, and New York City, his school leadership experience implementing Mentorship programs, advising on Professional Development and DEI work, conducting candidate interviews on Hiring Committees, as well as his extensive instructional leadership work within the Jamaican Diaspora. At the onset of the pandemic, over 20,000 teachers and administrators attended more than 20 virtual sessions Dr. Dyce led on best practices and tools that facilitate online student instruction. For this work, Dr. Dyce received the JTA Excellence Award for Distinguished Service to Nation Building in Education in May 2021 and the UJAA Diaspora Leadership in Education Award by the Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations in December  2021. In January 2022, Dr. Dyce launched Education Solutions International Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit that sponsors student tuition fees, provides scholarships and grants to students, and delivers professional development training for educators, and administrators in leadership, organizational culture, and climate, diversity,  and inclusion, and hybrid teaching and learning strategies. Dr. Dyce earned a BA in Education from Catholic College in Mandeville.  He received an MA in Educational Leadership and an MEd in Teaching and Learning from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota before earning his Doctor of Education in Leadership and Management from St. Thomas University. Dr. Dyce earned a Professional  Certificate in Leadership and Innovation from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He also graduated from the renowned  Summer Principal Academy (SPA) Program at Teachers College, Columbia University, earning an MEd in Public School  Building Leadership. He is attending the Superintendent licensure program at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and completing the NY State School Building Leadership (SBL) Certification.

Ashley Tucker currently serves as NYC Public Schools Assistant Principal in District 75. Ashley is an alumna of Summer Principal Academy Cohort 2020. Originally from Charleston, South Carolina, Ashley is a lifelong proponent of social and emotional learning (SEL) as a former student and Program Director at WINGS for kids in her hometown in Charleston, South Carolina. Ashley moved to New York in 2015 to pursue classroom experience and a Master of Science in Teaching from Pace University as a part of the New York City Teaching Fellows Cohort 26. Ashley served as a special education teacher and Dean for seven years at a District 75 special education high school, P373K - The Brooklyn Transition Center, before transitioning to the P140K Village to assume the role of leading site Assistant Principal. Within schools and in her life outside, Ashley is passionate about joy, mindfulness, yoga, travel, and helping others tap into their passion and purpose to affect change and ensure equitable outcomes, particularly for those from communities historically marginalized.

Mike McGowen is a SPA Alumni and current education consultant working with schools on special projects to promote equity for LGBTQIA+ Youth and boost student achievement in English Language Arts. He is an experienced educator and instructional coach who has served both general and special education in Kindergarten through sixth grade. In addition to teaching K-12, Mike has served as an adjunct instructor for multiple higher education institutions. Mike received his master's degrees in both Organizational Leadership and Special Education, has a certificate in Applied Education Neuroscience, and his bachelor’s in Spanish and Education as a Social Science.

Kelsey Bull is an equity-centered educator with experience in, and passion for, instructional leadership, social justice, curriculum design, culturally relevant practices, and fostering a community where all can succeed. 

Currently serving as the Middle School Principal at the American International School of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, she believes in access to high-quality education for all. From teaching in an urban school in Knoxville, Tennessee, to becoming an educational leader in Ghana, Egypt, Taiwan, and now Saudi, she is passionate about supporting scholars to pursue their dreams and empowering her community members to be agents for positive change. She is a SPA Alum, 2020 Cohort, a doctoral candidate at Johns Hopkins University in Educational Leadership. This is her second summer serving as an instructional assistant for 4001, and she couldn’t be more thrilled to be back supporting tomorrow’s best school leaders.

Catherine Davis is from Wethersfield, Connecticut, and she attended Emmanuel College in Boston, Massachusetts, to pursue her dream of becoming an educator. Cat received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Emmanuel in elementary education, and she is also licensed to teach special education to students with moderate disabilities. Cat's first years of teaching were in substantially separate special education classrooms in the Boston Public School system. She is a sixth-grade inclusion teacher at the K - 8 Murphy school in Dorchester, Massachusetts. In addition to teaching special education at the Murphy, Cat is a member of the Instructional Leadership Team and Restorative Justice team and leads the Social Emotional/Wellness Team. Cat is passionate about finding creative ways to reach all students and building strong relationships. She chose to continue her education at Teachers College because she wanted to surround herself with peers and professors who share her vision of creating more equitable and joyful schools. Cat enjoys coaching softball and basketball, exercising, and spending time with family and friends when she is not teaching.

Michael Cornell is a 5th-grade teacher in a New York City public school. He previously studied elementary education at Teachers College and the educational philosophy of Soka at DePaul University. He is also an SPA alumnus and supports his school district with data analysis and school progress monitoring for school-wide improvements.

Jana was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She moved to San Francisco for college, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with an emphasis in Education and a Master of Arts in Education from the University of San Francisco. She recently completed the Summer Principals Academy at Teachers College Columbia and earned her Master of Education in Educational Leadership. During her stay in the Bay Area, she moved to Oakland, where she planted her initial educational roots as an elementary school teacher. She taught in East Oakland for three years before moving to Brooklyn, New York. During her first three years in Brooklyn she taught in public elementary schools in Park Slope and Brownsville. She is now part of a new team, a founding member of a new New York City Department of Education middle school in Harlem. During her first two years, she worked as the lead humanities teacher. She is currently working as the school’s instructional coach.

Yeonsoo Choi is a Ph.D. in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her current research interests include the sociology of teaching, cultural sociology, critical policy analysis, and mixed-method research. Before coming to Teachers College, she was a research assistant for education policy research projects funded by the Ministry of Education, South Korea, and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

Claire E. Delcourt is a Research and Impact Analyst at Student Achievement Partners, a non-profit organization that designs tools, instructional materials, and professional learning sessions for K-12 educators to facilitate student learning in culturally, linguistically, and historically relevant ways. She has worked as a SPA 4025 TA for two summers and is also a fourth-year Ph.D. student within the Department of Education Policy and Social Analysis at Teachers College (TC), Columbia University. She previously worked as a Research Associate at the Consortium for Policy Research in Education at TC. Some of her research interests include teacher and leader retention, school reform, and policies concerning culturally responsive curriculum and pedagogy. Before attending TC, Claire was an educator for seven years, working in middle and high schools in Nashville, TN, in both traditional public and charter schools. She taught ELA, coordinated school assessments and data analysis, and coached humanities and mathematics teachers in instructional practices. She is a member of the Educators' Cooperative in Nashville, a professional development group created by and for teachers. Claire earned an M.Ed. in Instructional Practice from Lipscomb University and a B.A. in Public Policy from the College of William & Mary.