Kenyata Hooks is a dedicated educator with over a decade of experience teaching and administration. She holds a B.A. in History from the University of Memphis and a Master’s Degree in Education and is passionate about inspiring students to develop a love for learning and critical thinking. In addition to her work, Kenyata has led after-school tutoring programs and mentored new teachers in her district. Outside of teaching, she enjoys exploring new educational technologies and spending time with her family.
Dominique Herard is an elementary school teacher in Massachusetts. She is an educator strongly committed to social justice and educational equity. She is an active member of the Boston Writing Project, traveling to schools in Boston and surrounding areas to lead professional development workshops for teachers of varying grade levels. She has presented research in Stockholm, Sweden and Matsuyama, Japan in front of international communities for work related to building the capacity for elementary students to use imaginative thinking for writing and communicating with a justice lens.
Khijanique Godley is a dedicated professional with over six years of experience in education, research, community leadership, and event management. She has excelled as a high school teacher in West Philadelphia, and as a researcher, helping to design equity-focused studies to support Black educators nationwide. Currently at Curriculum Associates, she has led impactful events like the Black Leadership Academy Capstone and provided technical solutions to school districts as an Learning & Development Operations Associate. Beyond her career, Khijanique mentors youth, supports Black-owned businesses through event curation, and empowers others to thrive in collaborative spaces.
Spencer Pritchard is currently a teacher and Co-Chair of the African American Studies Department at Berkeley High School. He has taught various social science courses within the department – African American History, Black Economics, Black Psychology and more. Spencer has a B.A. in African American Studies and an MA in History with a concentration in Teacher History. He also mentors fellow educators, and is involved in both state and national-based education advocacy organizations. While not at school, he can be found walking his dog on a new trail, playing pick up soccer, or reading a good history book.
Ashley Houston-King is a Ph.D. student at Boston University studying Language and Literacy in Education. Ashley is a reading specialist in a K-6 Boston Public School and a former classroom teacher. Her research interests include exploring the intersections of reading instruction, identity, and disrupting anti-Blackness in education. She is interested in studying in-and-out-of-school literacy spaces to better understand how youth navigate injustice and work toward collective liberation.
Dr. Mechele A. Newell teaches 6th grade Math and Ancient Civilizations. She entered K-12 education to become the teacher she wishes she had. A part of her responsibility as an educator is to advocate for her students, especially those who have been denied the amplification of their voices. Dr. Newell wants to help create learning spaces that are truly SAFE for ALL learners.
Tavia Davis is a teacher at Detroit Public School Community District with 12 years of experience helping Detroit students by providing a curriculum that supports equity in the classroom. Specializing in Reading and Literacy, Tavia uses her experience to plan, teach and evaluate instruction for students having difficulty with reading and writing. She also provides relevant material that her students can relate to and grow from.
Oris T. Bryant has served as a member of the social sciences and history department of Noble & Greenough School (Dedham, MA) for the last fifteen years. After six years in other local independent schools, and a brief experience practicing corporate law, he has served in numerous capacities during his tenure at Nobles. These have included teaching grades 9-12, coaching boys varsity and junior varsity basketball, advising the school’s Mock Trial team, and as a general advisor to students. Along with his work with Research for Action, Oris has maintained involvement in both local (Campus Without Walls and Boston Writing Project) and national (National Writing Project) organizations. A graduate of Brown University (1996) and Rutgers Law School – Newark (2005), Oris spends his free time reading, writing poetry and watching movies.
Philip Adenodi is a Social Studies Teacher and Teacher Leader at Henry High School, where he has been teaching for five years. He has also worked with the BIPOC Educators Collective group to give opportunities for educators to engage with wellness activities, advocate for commonly held issues, and organize for change through other organizations. Philip is passionate about working with students who look like him, both in the classroom and beyond.
Mecca Jackson is a literacy consultant with the SchoolKit Group and Founding Executive Director at Academy of the Arts Charter High School. She has significant experience supporting students in urban environments to improve learning. Mecca is passionate about ensuring equitable and rigorous learning environments are created and maintained for all students.
Abigail Henry is a Schomburg Fellow and doctoral student at University at Buffalo. Prior to moving to Buffalo, Abigail taught 9th grade African American History at a charter school in west Philadelphia for twelve years. Abigail has won Pulitzer Center grants to develop curriculum incorporating the 1619 Project, helped overhaul the historic twenty year update to the School District’s of Philadelphia’s African American History curriculum, and is founder of theBLKcabinet, a consultancy that focuses on Black history education and racial proficiency development. As a graduate fellow at UB she is working to support the development of the Teaching Black History and Racial Center as instructor for the Teaching Black History microcredential program.
Courtney R. Parker Jr. is a passionate teacher-researcher dedicated to education and social justice in Detroit. He currently teaches high school seniors at Southeastern High School, where he inspires students to explore literature, think critically, and embrace their voices. A proud graduate of Michigan State University, Courtney earned a degree in Secondary Education with a focus on English. As a first-generation college student hailing from the east side of Detroit, his journey reflects resilience and a commitment to uplifting his community. He is now pursuing a graduate degree in Educational Leadership and Policy at the University of Michigan, where he continues to explore ways to drive meaningful change in urban education. Courtney is dedicated to creating inclusive, culturally responsive classrooms and fostering academic excellence among his students.”
Samuel Reed III is a teacherprenuer who teaches students to read, write, and make sense of the world. He has taught for over 20 years, including 16 years at Science Leadership Academy at Beeber and 8 years at The U School. Reed has taught several subjects, including reading and writing, African American History, and Math/Personal Finance. He is also a member of the National Writing Project and the Teacher Action Group.
Andrea Barnes Graduated from Philadelphia's Public High School System—John Bartram School for Human Services is a Temple (BA Liberal Arts) and is an alumnus of Lincoln University ( M.Ed). Mother of 3. She teaches High School Social Studies for the School District of Philadelphia, Is the School Based Teacher Leader for Social Studies, is a Lindbach award-winning teacher, and is an Affinity Group Facilitator with Teach Plus.
Vicki Green has been an English teacher for 27 years at Cass Technical High School in Detroit. She is a lifelong proud Detroiter and proud mother of 2 grown children. Vicki is also a children’s book author with several books in a series to be released soon.
Courteney Jones-Moody is an experienced educator with over five years of teaching in the Philadelphia School District, and additional work in learning and development at a nonprofit. Throughout her career, she has developed a passion for fostering student growth and supporting professional development in diverse learning environments. Courteney is dedicated to enhancing both student and educator success through advocacy and mentorship. Her work continues to focus on innovative approaches to learning and development, ensuring positive outcomes for all learners.
Proud mom of three adult sons, lifelong Detroiter, and product of DPS schools, Shar started teaching English at Lessenger Middle School in 1989 and transferred to Cass Technical High School (her alma mater) in 1995, where she continues to teach. Shar also teaches a GED course at Wayne County Community College. Educating is her passion and she has worked in many capacities to extend and share her knowledge with others. Working with the PAR group has reinforced her mission to teach teachers and she is currently preparing for that next step.
Dr. Leana Cabral is a Senior Research Associate at RFA. With a background in sociology and education, she brings extensive experience conducting research in schools and in out-of-school programs. Her areas of expertise include educator diversity as well as Black teacher and Black student experiences. At RFA, Dr. Cabral has developed a portfolio of participatory action research (PAR) methodological approaches that center the expertise and experiences of those who are closest to the site of inquiry but have been traditionally excluded. Currently, she co-directs a national PAR project with Black teacher-researchers from five cities around the country. She also supports projects that include a community-engaged research approach. Dr. Cabral is committed to drawing on community members’ strengths as partners rather than solely “subjects” in research—as a critical step in transformational and positive social change.
Dr. Parks conducts research that intentionally centers marginalized people and includes participants in the process. At RFA, she leads and supports qualitative research on community-engaged and participatory projects related to racial equity in education, including several studies that explore issues of teacher diversity. As a sociologist, she is concerned about the role of systems and institutions in creating and reproducing inequality, and she hopes her work will contribute to addressing systemic issues and removing barriers to educational opportunity for marginalized students.
Kevin Burgess has spent more than a decade in the education field, including eight years as a high school history teacher. His experiences led him to pursue graduate coursework in policy analysis, where he conducted preliminary qualitative research designed to amplify the voices of teachers and other stakeholders traditionally marginalized in the enactment of education policy. Burgess leverages his professional and academic background in support of his projects at RFA, which include partnering with Black teachers to examine and address the issues they confront at their schools. He is passionate about promoting educational justice.
Alita Robinson works as a qualitative research analyst and currently serves on the Allegheny County Black Teacher Study, Philadelphia team. She also supports evaluations of the Philadelphia Anti-Violence Community Expansion Grant Program and the Children’s Literacy Initiative Blueprint 4.0 Curriculum. Prior to joining RFA, Alita worked as an Education Policy Associate at her alma university, University of Virginia, where she collaborated with education policymakers to address major education issues in the Commonwealth.
Dr. Ransom is a qualitative researcher with wide ranging experience in policy, efficacy, and evaluation research. She brings content expertise in K-12 education, out-of-school time, public health, and education technology. Dr. Ransom has a specific research interest in the experiences of Black students in educational settings and has authored a book on this topic as well as published her research in multiple peer reviewed publications. At RFA, she leads and supports mixed methods research related to quality in out of school time programming, arts integration in pedagogical strategies, and experiences of Black girls and women in STEM.
Saxon Nelson serves as RFA’s Director of Community Engagement. He provides leadership, strategic planning, and visioning to expand community engagement principles and strategies within RFA’s projects. Nelson is a Philadelphia native and public school graduate. Before joining RFA, Nelson was a contractor for special projects for the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Office of Postsecondary and Higher Education. There, he focused on efforts to diversify Pennsylvania’s teacher workforce, convening counselors and managing PDE grants and scholarships.
