Pahara Announces New Class of Leaders for Pahara-NextGen Fellowship

The Pahara Institute announced today the Fall 2019 Pahara-NextGen Fellowship cohort. These 24 leaders have been recognized for their outstanding leadership and the role that they each play in shaping the future of equity and excellence in education.

“This group of exceptional leaders are representative of the incredible efforts being made across cities and states to fight for more equitable access to education,” said Kim Smith, Founder and CEO of Pahara. “These leaders bring innovation, powerful insights on race, equity, and inclusion, and passion to their work. We are thrilled to welcome these inspiring leaders to the Pahara network.”

“Ten cohorts in, the field-wide impact of Pahara-NextGen Fellows’ talent, intentionality, and innovation is remarkable,” said Idrissa Simmonds-Nastili, Vice President of Pahara. “This latest cohort of Fellows continues in this tradition and we look forward to supporting their journeys of deep introspection, reflections on their leadership, and clarity on their values.”

Now in its fifth year of operation, The Pahara-NextGen Fellowship is a space of affinity, critical reflection, and professional growth for leaders underrepresented in senior seats who are strengthening and shaping the future of the educational excellence and equity movement.

Field-wide efforts towards excellence and equity in American education are at a critical juncture. As this work evolves, it is essential to amplify the work of leaders who bring diverse voices and perspectives to the movement, particularly those who represent communities that are currently not well served by our public schools. By identifying underrepresented individuals and allies who are making significant contributions to the field of education, and providing these leaders with high-level leadership development and a supportive network, Pahara-NextGen aims to strengthen the field as a whole.

Pahara is thrilled to welcome this cohort of talented Fellows:

• Allen Anderson, Senior Director of Talent Acquisition, Uplift Education – Dallas, TX

• Romel Antoine, Director of Regulatory Affairs, California Charter Schools Association

• Alexza Barajas Clark, Associate Director of Policy & Advocacy, Conexión Américas

• Lavada Berger, Partner, Transcend Education

• Lynnzi Brianza, Director of Public Programs & Authorizer Relations, KIPP SoCal Public Schools

• Gary Briggs, Executive Director & Navigator, EdNavigator

• Kristopher Capello, Vice President of Learning Design & Strategy, City Year, Inc.

• Marcus Ceniceros, Director, Leadership for Educational Equity – Houston, TX

• Tina Chong, Vice President of Communications, City Year, Inc.

• Julio Chow-Gamboa, Program Strategy, Data, & Operations Lead, TLP Education

• Kia C. Franklin, Chief Programs Officer, Equal Opportunity Schools

• Maribel Gonzalez, Director of Community Partnerships & Policy, Educate78

• Efrain Guerrero, Chief of Staff, East Harlem Tutorial Program

• Sarah Ha, Vice President, National Community Alliances, Teach For America

• Fred Jones, Director of Government Affairs, Southern Education Foundation

• Indrina Kanth, Chief of Staff, Rocky Mountain Prep

• Adelaide Lancaster, Co-Founder & Director of Community & Collaboration, We Stories

• Maryann Li, Head of Operations Management, Success Academies

• Princess V. Lyles, Vice President of External Affairs, Democracy Prep Public Schools

• Jeff Manassero, Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director, Concourse Education

• Alia McCants, Managing Director of Student Services, Relay Graduate School of Education

• Darien E. Nolin, Managing Director of Operations, Lee Montessori Public Charter Schools

• Lucas Orwig, Program Officer, Nellie Mae Education Foundation

• Archana Patel, Senior Director, The Broad Academy, The Broad Center

For more detailed biographies of these Pahara-NextGen Fellows, click here.