Experience

Empower Schools

• United States
• Education Administration Programs
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Senior Manager

  • Sep 2022 - Present

  We envision a country where every student – especially those in underserved communities – has the opportunity to succeed in school and life. We partner with educators and communities to reimagine local education systems towards more equitable life outcomes for all students. We envision a country where every student – especially those in underserved communities – has the opportunity to succeed in school and life. We partner with educators and communities to reimagine local education systems towards more equitable life outcomes for all students.



VOICES Corporation

• United States
• Civic and Social Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director of Youth Poet Laureate + Board Member + Consultant

  • Oct 2017 - Present

  Our pedagogy is healing-centered and culturally responsive; our conviction that youth can, and should, be leading the movement for education and juvenile justice reform is rooted in the brilliance of our youth. Leading the Indy Youth Poet Laureate is just one of the multiple ways I build with my incredible, eclectic team of VOICES leaders to celebrate both the civic leadership, socio-political prowess, and literary excellence of our young artists-activists. Our students remind us daily of the joy, love, and resilience required to change the systems that affect their lives, their opportunities, and that shape the very society in which we live.



pilotED Schools

• United States
• Education Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director

  • Dec 2020 - Oct 2022

  -Leading pilotED social Identity program locally and supporting strategy for national expansion to 20 states over the next decade -Coaching & developing educators focusing on anti-racist, multicultural education and community partnerships -Developed plan and to launch an Early Childhood Education (ECE) program and ECE Youth Apprenticeship program in Fall 2021 -representing pilotED on United Way’s Early Education Works Coalition -Leading pilotED social Identity program locally and supporting strategy for national expansion to 20 states over the next decade -Coaching & developing educators focusing on anti-racist, multicultural education and community partnerships -Developed plan and to launch an Early Childhood Education (ECE) program and ECE Youth Apprenticeship program in Fall 2021 -representing pilotED on United Way’s Early Education Works Coalition



New America

• United States
• Think Tanks
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Scholar in Residence / Researcher

  • Jul 2020 - Dec 2021

  -Wrote and lead Indiana-specific Youth Apprenticeship (YA) research plan: 1) to increase educator voice in policy making and practice, 2) to increase programs’ effectiveness, and 3) to contribute to national learning on YA programs -Launched Youth America, an initiative to increase youth voice in policy making, in partnership with civic partners and community-based organizations (CBOs) -Co-writing memos & articles on how General Annual Income impacts health equity with New America California -Created Research Basics training tools and resource bank for New America Chicago to teach community-engaged research so that participants can leverage community voice and collective action to influence policy and practice



Teach For America

• United States
• Education Administration Programs
• 700 & Above Employee

• Manager of Corporate and Foundation Relations

  • Sep 2017 - Jul 2020

  -Managed a portfolio of $3.5M; earned 60% increase in state funding, and $2 million in renewal funding in 2020. -Wrote six-figure grant proposals and reports, fostering and strengthening our private, public, and foundation-related partnerships. -Analyzed our Teacher Leadership data and student outcomes and to connect colleagues with resources and supports to improve programming and professional development provided to our teachers. -Led Diversity, Equity, & Inclusiveness training for TFA teachers to increase their impact & student outcomes. -Supported the implementation of 2023 strategic plan focused on key priorities, such as: increasing the diversity and strength of our corps; elevating our emphasis on systemic, collective leadership; and creating purposeful, mutually-beneficial partnerships with key community stakeholders to work towards achieving educational equity alongside our students, their families, and our partners. -Planned and hosted events for our members and donors, as well as garnered sponsors, crafted and disseminated marketing and communications content to diverse stakeholders.



IUPUI Arts and Humanities Institute

• United States
• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Doctoral Researcher

  • Aug 2019 - Feb 2020

  Through primary and secondary mixed-methods research I and our dynamic, diverse team IAHI team supported organizations and systems to assess how best they can transform lives, communities, and cities--particularly through arts/culture and education. Through primary and secondary mixed-methods research I and our dynamic, diverse team IAHI team supported organizations and systems to assess how best they can transform lives, communities, and cities--particularly through arts/culture and education.



Butler University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Instructor

  • Jan 2019 - Jun 2019

  Created & taught a Social Justice & Diversity course, "The Cultural Lens: Identity, Community & The Nation" Created & taught a Social Justice & Diversity course, "The Cultural Lens: Identity, Community & The Nation"



Indy Pulse

• South Africa

• Co-Founder & Executive Director

  • Apr 2013 - Oct 2017

  Through spoken word poetry, we educate and support our youth as they cultivate their voice which empowers them to create meaningful life paths that promote positive change for themselves and their communities. See IndyPulse.org for more information or to donate to our mission. Contact IndyPulse@gmail.com or my personal email to suggest a partnership, idea, or give general comment. Through spoken word poetry, we educate and support our youth as they cultivate their voice which empowers them to create meaningful life paths that promote positive change for themselves and their communities. See IndyPulse.org for more information or to donate to our mission. Contact IndyPulse@gmail.com or my personal email to suggest a partnership, idea, or give general comment.



The Children's Museum of Indianapolis

• United States
• Museums, Historical Sites, and Zoos
• 200 - 300 Employee

• Family Learning Navigator

  • May 2016 - Sep 2017

  Uses co-active coaching and research best practices to support 177 Mid-North Promise cradle-to-career Program participants, ages 0-69, in attaining their educational and career goals. Crafted Family Learning Plans, tracked and analyzed data, wrote grant narratives, supported with donor relations, program evaluation, and strategic planning. Initiated and strengthened community partnerships with over 40 organizations. Convened and facilitated regular meetings with neighborhood, city, and state-level stakeholders. Planned and led workshops and events related to education, career, arts and culture, and community development. Composed regular communications to share with families, partners, donors, and broader community. Led Creative-Placemaking initiative, including coordinating our collaboration with public and private sector organizations, as well as a local artist. Led our work with a nearby community center to have our neighborhood families' objects and voices be the content for our Stories From Our Community exhibit.

• Community Initiatives Coordinator

  • May 2016 - Jan 2017



Indiana University Bloomington

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Instructor

  • Jan 2016 - Jun 2016

  Course Description: Culture influences the way we live, relate to one other, understand and navigate our world. Culture can celebrate identities, assert social critiques, or even expand one’s sense of “we.” Importantly, artists can use it as a tool to help us reinterpret divisive issues with a level of humanity and emotion—unmatched by typical argument construction—such that listeners think, speak, and act differently. In this course, we will investigate nineteenth and twentieth century America through the lens of jazz, blues, and spoken word to understand the political, economic, and social context of their day in a new light. Slam, blues, and jazz have particularly strong traditions in serving as pathways for marginalized voices and narratives—what Fox (2000) terms “literacies for resistance.” We will debate the role they had in shaping American identity, make links to present-day realities, and take on hard questions about race, class, power, and authenticity.



Indianapolis Schools

• 1 - 100 Employee

• Educator

  • Jul 2012 - Jun 2014

  Led 120 middle school students to academic and personal achievement in literacy and expression. In partnership with parents, families, community members, and fellow educators, implemented best practices to improve our students' reading and writing scores. Focused on daily outcomes, measuring students' growth with long-term goals in mind. My greatest skill and passion for literacy shines when engaging students' through compelling YA literature that provokes their best, brightest selves and inspires to learn, do, and be more.

• Corps Member

  • 2012 - 2014

  Educator, social entrepreneur, and TFA ambassador. Selected to speak and perform an original spoken word poem at TFA alumni induction to affirm our individual and collective commitments to continue our work and advocacy centered on improving political, social, economic policy and practice to decrease the opportunity gap that unjustly divides our society. Educator, social entrepreneur, and TFA ambassador. Selected to speak and perform an original spoken word poem at TFA alumni induction to affirm our individual and collective commitments to continue our work and advocacy centered on improving political, social, economic policy and practice to decrease the opportunity gap that unjustly divides our society.