My Story
I buck traditions and break boundaries to urgently push for transformation because change can happen now. Now is always a good time to do right by our children, so I actively lean into my role and influence as an educational leader to empower Blackness, equity, diversity, togetherness, and to dismantle systems of low achievement perpetuated by WSC, inequitable practices, and fear. I thrive where the vision is clear, the bar for excellence is high, and accountability to the education and lives of our children is always, unwaveringly the driving key.
My journey in education spans over 18 years. I found my way into the classroom as a NYC Teaching Fellow and made an unconventional leap into school leadership after a decade of service in the classroom. As the founding principal of Propel Hazelwood, a K-8 charter school in Pittsburgh, I was humbled by the opportunity to lead the way through a community deemed as an educational desert. We started from the bottom and in just 3 years became the 2nd highest performing school within the network and a mere 5 points away from the top performing school. During my 4 years with the network, I influenced the superintendent to adopt the curriculum I selected for my school district wide; the Culture Coach position I founded that was funded by The Heinz Foundation was employed by 4 other schools within the network; Dean’s List, which I implemented in my founding year became the SWPBS for 4 other school in the network; and my assistant principal was promoted to a principal. I make a difference.
I transitioned back home to NYC and led Exceed Lower, a turnaround school, through a successful 5 year charter renewal. We significantly improved the school’s culture, staff satisfaction, teacher quality, and more recently, decreased chronic absenteeism, leading to improved academic achievement. While our data is trending in a positive direction, even amidst a pandemic, it is not nearly enough. This work is more urgent, more relevant, more crucial than before which has compelled me to set out to make changes on an even larger scale. ​I grew up in Harlem, in a single parent household with 5 siblings. We lost our mom when I was 12 and life as we knew it changed forever. Tragedy, hard work, dedication, failure, a love for learning, a promise of excellence and the many, many people who made room for me has allowed beautiful me to be possible today.
Explore School's Family Day
At Exceed Lower with Phenomenal (2022)
Today, as I straighten my crown, Rain, Winter, Poetry, and Phenomenal call me mom, and Keith calls me ‘babe’. ​I hold a Bachelors of Arts with Distinctions in Psychology from Lehman College and a Masters of Science in Education, with Distinctions from Mercy College. I earned my Administrative Certification in School Leadership in PA, through the National Institute of School Leadership (NISL).​I buck traditions and break boundaries to urgently push for transformation because change can happen now. Now is always a good time to do right by our children and I am eager to contribute to education in an even more meaningful, impactful, and innovative way than before.