Vice President of Business Development

• Apr 2022 - Present

As Vice President of Business Development, I lead our organization's school and partner engagement across the US. My goal is to offer every client a school-centered experience that ultimately increases our capacity to help them launch and grow their impact. Key responsibilities include developing and implementing a school-centered business strategy, developing and managing a CRM system, streamlining internal processes, and enhancing communication with our clients. I also work closely with stakeholders to assess risks, feasibility, and create actionable plans for facility or lending solutions. Additionally, I oversee transparent tracking of business development activity and collaborate with the marketing team to align collateral with a personalized buyer's journey. By refining our approach, streamlining processes, and tailoring marketing efforts, we aim to provide resources and expertise that ensure a school facility is never a barrier for a child to access a great school. Show less

Mentor

• Sep 2021 - Present

As a dedicated mentor to a student at HAIS with Big Brothers Big Sisters, I am passionate about shaping the future of education and empowering the next generation. My experience working closely with a high school student has allowed me to gain invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing today's youth, reinforcing my commitment to advocating for accessible, high-quality education for all. As a dedicated mentor to a student at HAIS with Big Brothers Big Sisters, I am passionate about shaping the future of education and empowering the next generation. My experience working closely with a high school student has allowed me to gain invaluable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing today's youth, reinforcing my commitment to advocating for accessible, high-quality education for all.

Investment Director, Domestic Portfolio

• Apr 2021 - Apr 2022

Dovetail Impact Foundation, formerly The David Weekley Family Foundation, invests time, treasure, and talent in organizations that promote human flourishing. As an Investment Director, I managed the Foundation's US-based portfolio that consists of local and national organizations that lead work across six sectors: Christian Faith Formation, Education, Health, Justice, Livelihoods, & Youth Programming. My responsibilities included identifying funding opportunities, cultivating relationships among current and previous grantees, and aligning strategic actions to maximize our philanthropic efforts. Despite the rewarding experience at Dovetail Impact, the post-Covid era's challenges and the state of learning and education compelled me to refocus my talents. Motivated by the desire to help great schools increase their impact, I transitioned from the role to Building Hope to help more great schools grow. Show less

Vice President, National Development Team

• Dec 2019 - May 2021

In my role as Vice President of IDEA Public Schools, I had the privilege of sitting on the National Development Team, focusing my efforts on making a meaningful impact on education in the Greater Houston area. My primary responsibilities included developing and implementing strategic plans, overseeing major-gift fundraising initiatives, managing all board activities, and ensuring the successful launch of six new school campuses.One of my proudest achievements during my tenure was successfully raising $40 million to complete Phase One of our ambitious capital campaign. This significant accomplishment allowed us to build IDEA Greater Houston's first six schools, providing more than 4,500 students, when fully enrolled, with access to high-quality education and a brighter future. Working closely with our dedicated team, we navigated the complexities of fundraising alongside crisis communications, community engagement, and construction, ultimately realizing our vision of creating exceptional learning environments. Throughout this process, I focused on fostering strong relationships with our school teams, donors, community members, and key stakeholders, ensuring that our mission resonated and inspired support. Show less

Executive Director

• Jun 2017 - Dec 2019

As the Executive Director, I was responsible for getting IDEA's 8th region up and running with initial due diligence, including but not limited to: fundraising, real estate acquisition, strategic planning, hiring, onboarding, and community engagement. I transitioned to the Vice President of Development role in 2019 to focus 100% of my efforts on supporting the school district with fundraising, board development, and a school launch strategy.

Founder & President

• May 2014 - May 2017

I launched Opportunity 180 in 2014 because 150,000 children in Las Vegas were zoned to attend schools that persistently achieved poor results. After meeting with families that wanted better school options for their children and watching an increasing number of public charter schools expand in the suburban perimeter, I knew that we had to do more to address the growing inequity & unmet need. The name, Opportunity 180, represents the vision to bring transformational, 180-degree change to support students and families in Las Vegas. Every student has the potential for greatness, and we worked relentlessly to create the conditions to provide students with schools to set them up for success. Show less

Owner

• May 2011 - Apr 2016

-Identified and won more than $18m in grants to support client initiatives -Spent two years as a dedicated Special Consultant to the Superintendent in Clark County, Nevada. -Launched and led a teacher leadership cohort to build the capacity of high-impact teachers seeking leadership development to pursue eventual school principal roles. -Designed and led team retreats for C Suite Teams covering topics such as strategic planning, board recruitment, fundraising, goal setting, and team building. -Designed and co-led multiple projects for clients, that included teacher leadership development, competency-based hiring for C Suite roles, PLC implementation, Backwards design training, CRM implementation, curriculum procurement, and onboarding design. Show less

Elected Member & Vice-President State Board of Education

• Jan 2013 - Dec 2015

Executive Director, Teach For America - Las Vegas Valley

• Jan 2008 - May 2011

•Managed a 2M operating budget, increasing our fundraising efforts by 300% in three years and raising 2.5M in FY11.•Supported seven direct reports and the oversight for 100 first and second year teachers throughout Southern Nevada in grades pre-K through 12. •Served as a member on Nevada’s Blue Ribbon Task Force and consultant on Nevada’s Race To The Top application. •Increased development by nearly 100% in 2008 and exceeded development goals in FY11 by over $500,000.

Director of Online Media & Video Production

• Jun 2006 - Jan 2008

•Led the first in-house video production effort at Teach For America. •Managed all pre and post-production operations resulting in the production of over 100 videos to support the Teach For America Admissions, Recruitment & Teacher Preparation teams.•Initiated and supported recruitment team efforts with multimedia and social media marketing strategies through YouTube, Google Video, MySpace and Facebook.•Served as a thought partner around broad marketing campaign with Ogilvy & Mather.

Recruitment Director, Southern Recruitment Team

• Jun 2005 - Jul 2006

•Led on-campus recruitment efforts at Emory University & the University of Georgia.•Drove a 53% increase of applications at UGA and a 73% increase of applicants at Emory

7th grade Humanities teacher

• 2004 - 2005

•98% of 7th grade students passed the state English annual assessment •Authored 8th grade Language Arts and US History curriculum •Co-designed six ELA/History integrated project-based learning experiences to assess students knowledge and skills •98% of 7th grade students passed the state English annual assessment •Authored 8th grade Language Arts and US History curriculum •Co-designed six ELA/History integrated project-based learning experiences to assess students knowledge and skills

6th grade Language Arts & World Cultures Teacher [Teach For America]

• May 2001 - May 2003

•Taught 150 students the foundations of social studies and geography through an in-depth study of Asia •90% of my students experienced at least 2 grade levels of growth in Social Studies as measured on the Stanford 9 exam in 2003. •95% of my students passed the reading portion of the 2002 TAAS test; 25% were recognized with Commended Performance. •100% of my students experienced at least 1.5 grade levels of reading growth as measured by the Scholastic Reading Inventory •Taught 150 students the foundations of social studies and geography through an in-depth study of Asia •90% of my students experienced at least 2 grade levels of growth in Social Studies as measured on the Stanford 9 exam in 2003. •95% of my students passed the reading portion of the 2002 TAAS test; 25% were recognized with Commended Performance. •100% of my students experienced at least 1.5 grade levels of reading growth as measured by the Scholastic Reading Inventory