Jessica Cunningham Akoto is the chief executive officer at KIPP Philadelphia. Previously, she worked as the KIPP Foundation’s Executive in Residence, where she provided critical on-site support to KIPP regional leaders to identify and execute the steps needed to produce superior results and healthy growth. Jessica joined the KIPP Foundation after 14 years with KIPP DC. She joined KIPP DC in 2003 as the sixth grade math teacher at KIPP DC’s founding school: KEY Academy. She taught at KEY Academy for two years before being accepted to the KIPP Foundation’s Fisher Fellowship. Upon completing the Fisher Fellowship, Ms. Cunninham Akoto founded KIPP DC’s third middle school, WILL Academy, in July of 2006 and served as the school’s principal for four years. Prior to joining KIPP DC, Ms. Cunningham Akoto was a member of the DC Teaching Fellows’ inaugural cohort, where she taught fourth grade at Garfield Elementary in Anacostia for two years. She earned a B.S. in African American History from Florida A&M University and an M.A.T in Elementary Education from American University.