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For Immediate Release: February 12, 2020
Contact: Sarah Peterson, 215-686-0312, sarah.peterson@phila.gov


Educational Nominating Panel Recommends 27 Board of Education Candidates to Mayor Kenney
 

PHILADELPHIA – In a public meeting today, the Educational Nominating Panel voted to recommend 27 candidates for the Board of Education to Mayor Jim Kenney.

As required at the beginning of a new mayoral term, the Educational Nominating Panel convened last month to begin the process of soliciting applications for the Board of Education. The next Board term will begin on May 1. 

The Mayor will select nine appointees from the Panel’s 27 recommendations and share his selections with City Council. Mayor Kenney has 10 days (until February 22) to request additional names from the Panel if needed. 

The nominees are:

Dr. Valerie Adams-Bass
Valerie Adams-Bass is a professor and researcher specializing in youth development and education. She lives in Philadelphia and is an assistant professor of Youth and Social Innovation for the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia. Valerie attended public schools in Philadelphia and earned her M.Ed from Temple University and her Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. She has consulted for the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s Center for Youth Development and Foundations Inc. and has served as a site and program coordinator for school-based programs through the University of Pennsylvania Center for Community Partnerships. 

Ameen Akbar
Ameen Akbar is a native Philadelphian and graduate of District schools and has dedicated his career to youth and talent development and fostering positive school experiences for students. Ameen worked for 14 years at YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School in various capacities providing case management, mentoring, and service-learning opportunities to returning out-of-school youth. While at YouthBuild, Ameen led the program’s redesign to successfully introduce a restorative approach to school climate and student behavior. He is now a senior associate at Grovider, supporting organizations to develop learning and development strategies. He continues to support youth development as the lead facilitator of Universal Companies’ BoysToMen program and as an assistant basketball coach at Sankofa Freedom Academy Charter School. Ameen earned his B.S. from Pennsylvania State University. 

Sarah-Ashley Andrews
Sarah-Ashley Andrews is a product of Philadelphia public schools. She attended W.B. Saul High School before attending undergraduate classes at Bloomsburg University and eventually earning a Bachelor of Arts in biblical studies with a minor in human services from Lancaster Bible College. Since returning to Philadelphia, she has been a staunch advocate for living mentally well, managing anger, and educating youth and adults on suicide through in-school programming and partnerships. Sarah-Ashley is completing a master’s degree in counseling psychology at Lincoln University. 

Dawn Ang
As an immigrant from Singapore, Dawn Ang has lived in Philadelphia since 1998. Her oldest son is a recent graduate of Philadelphia public schools, and her younger son is currently enrolled in a public school. Dawn has been a fierce supporter of children with special needs, her one son having special needs of his own. She has organized funding and events for various non-profit organizations, including $2 million in grants and the International Moebius Syndrome Foundation’s largest conference to date.

Dario Bellot
Fluent in both English and Spanish, Dario Bellot earned his Bachelor of Arts in international business and his Master in Business Administration in Argentina before also taking business classes at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Dario has served as Finance Director of a multi-billion-dollar company, Senior Vice President of Administration for Congreso de Latinos Unidos, and is currently the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer at the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf. He has also served various non-profit organizations including several public charter schools, the Mayor’s Commission of People with Disabilities, and the Seybert Foundation for Poor Boys and Girls.

Alison Cohen
Alison Cohen is a proud Philadelphian and a product of public schools. After graduating from the University of Virginia and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she became a consultant on environmental issues and ultimately co-founded and currently runs Bicycle Transit Systems, a company that leads the nation in deploying and managing urban bike-share systems. Alison has experience overseeing large budgets and working with public agencies. She lives with her wife and three young children.

Julia Danzy
Julia Danzy currently serves on the Board of Education and has deep knowledge and a strong commitment to the welfare of Philadelphia’s children. Julia has attended Howard University and earned a Master in Social Work from Columbia University and a Master in Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania. She has worked in the Pennsylvania Department of Welfare, Philadelphia City Council, and has served as Deputy Commissioner for Children Services in the Philadelphia Health Department.

Susan DeJarnatt
As a Philadelphia resident since 1974 and a Philadelphia public school parent, Susan DeJarnatt is deeply committed to providing every child with equitable access to a high-quality education. As a law professor at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, Susan has written extensively on school reform and its impact on Philadelphia. She has also served as a faculty advisor to the Student Discipline Advocacy Service and, formerly, to Temple’s Youth Courts practicum. As a board member of the Education Law Center, Susan has written extensively about the need for integrity, disclosure, and elimination of conflicts of interest within nonprofits. Susan is a graduate of Temple University’s School of Law and Oberlin College. Her son and daughter both attended District schools. 

Leticia Egea-Hinton
Leticia Egea-Hinton currently serves on the Board of Education. As a bilingual speaker of both English and Spanish, Leticia Egea-Hinton has attended Chestnut Hill College, Alvernia University, and has a Master in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She also currently teaches classes on social welfare at Alvernia. In her career, she has worked in Philadelphia’s Department of Human Services/Adult Services, Office of Emergency Shelter and Services, and most recently served as the Assistant Managing Director for the Office of Supportive Housing. She has served as an advisory board member at PHMC/Care Clinic and is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and a board member of Trinity Health/Nazareth Hospital.

A.J. Ernst
A.J. Ernst has worked in Philadelphia and New Jersey schools for over a decade and is now the Dean of High School Academy for Girard College. A.J. has taught middle school science, served as Director of Culture for Young Scholars Charter School, and is the co-founder of Arete Preparatory Academy. A.J. currently serves on the board of Young Involved Philly. He earned his B.A. from Lafayette College and his M.Ed from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, where he is finishing an Ed.D. 

Cindy Farlino
Cindy Farlino was the Principal of Meredith Elementary from 2008-2016, and more recently has served as a project manager for the Picasso School-Wide Arts Integration Project. She is actively involved in the School District of Philadelphia’s Facilities Lead Paint Council. Cindy has experience with the School District of Philadelphia as a parent, teacher, assistant principal, and director of instruction. She earned her B.A. from Boston University and her M.Ed from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Mallory Fix Lopez
Mallory Fix Lopez currently serves on the Board of Education. Mallory has lived in Philadelphia for 17 years, having moved here to pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. During her graduate work, she studied Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and concentrated in Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology in Education. She has both taught and volunteered in Philadelphia public schools in social studies and English-as-a-second-language (ESL). More recently, she has served as the ESL Director and Program Founder at the Garces Foundation and taught at Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania, and currently the Community College of Philadelphia.

Cheryl Harper
Cheryl Harper attended Philadelphia public schools and holds a Bachelor of Science in education from Cheyney University as well as a master’s degree and superintendent’s letter of eligibility from Arcadia University. For the Philadelphia School District, Cheryl has served as the Director of Employment Services, Head Start Instructional Facilitator, and School Assistance Team Case Manager.  She has also served the Camden School District as the Executive Director of Human Resources and is now the Student Teacher Site Director for Drexel University’s Department of Education.

Lee Huang
Lee Huang currently serves on the Board of Education and has lived in Philadelphia for more than 28 years. He earned a Bachelor of Science in economics at the Wharton Business School and a Master in Public Administration from the Fels Institute of Government, both at the University of Pennsylvania. He has worked at The Enterprise Center and currently served as the Senior Vice President and Principal at Econsult Solutions. He has served on the Philadelphia Water Rate Board, the board of the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians, the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia Advisory Board, and the Urban Affairs Coalition Impact Development Roundtable Committee Leadership. He has three children, all of whom attend or will attend Philadelphia public schools. 

Tremaine Johnson
Tremaine Johnson has lived in Philadelphia for 14 years, and has worked in and alongside school systems in various roles for nearly two decades. Currently the DEI Partner for Catalyst:Ed, an education non-profit, Tremaine has also worked in Camden’s education system as the Deputy Director of JerseyCAN, and as the board liaison for Camden City School District. In Philadelphia, Tremaine served in multiple leadership roles within Teach for America including executive director of Teach For America Greater Philadelphia. Tremaine has worked directly in district and charter schools as an English teacher, program coordinator, grant writer, and director of admissions. He has a B.A. from the University of Maryland at College Park. 

Gavin Keirans
Gavin Keirans attended Philadelphia public schools as a child and has a B.S. in Business Management from Penn State University. Now a Partner at Riptide Partners, a management consulting business, Gavin has previous leadership and management experience as the Vice President for The Madison Square Garden Company, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development for Altice USA, and Management Consultant for Accenture. He is the founder and president of the Philadelphia Catholic League Service Corps and was the Executive Director of New Leaders Council Philadelphia from 2012-2015. 

Chad Lassiter
Chad Lassiter is the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. He earned a Bachelor in Social Work in Charlotte, North Carolina before receiving his master’s in the same discipline at the University of Pennsylvania. His career began as a school-based therapist at Palumbo Elementary School in Philadelphia. He went on to be a social worker at The Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania. In the same organization, he served as a behavioral interventionist and researcher. He has taught at the University of Pennsylvania and West Chester University, and served as the Executive Director of Red Cross House and Recovery for the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania. He has also served on various mayoral committees and has been a member of the board of the Community College of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Prison System, and has served on the Mayor’s Commission on African American Males.

Dr. Donna Laws
Donna Laws has extensive experience as a legislative staffer and in the field of supportive housing services. She is currently a case manager for a transitional housing program and has worked in the U.S. House of Representatives as well as the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Donna earned her doctoral degree in Human Services Administration and Social Policy Analysis from Walden University and attended graduate school at Lincoln University after graduating from Temple University. She currently serves on the education committee of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Association for Nonviolence, served for 11 years as an Executive Committee Member for the Philadelphia NAACP, and was on the Board of Trustees for Lincoln University from 2010-2019.

Nina Liou
Nina Liou has lived in Philadelphia since 2002, and for over 20 years has been a consultant on affordable housing with specific emphasis on public housing and neighborhood revitalization. The parent of two students in District-run schools, Nina served for four years as the president of the Bache-Martin Home and School Association and was the founder of the Friends of Bache-Martin. She is a board member for Community Ventures, Nina has B.B.A. and B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, and an M.A. in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Rosybell Maria
Rosybell Maria began her K-12 education in Philadelphia public schools. As a first-generation low-income student, she earned dual degrees in international relations and modern languages from Seton Hall University. Her education has taken her to Rabat, Morocco as a student and to Milan, Italy as a U.S. Student Ambassador. Recently, she served for nearly two years as a scholarships officer for The Philadelphia Foundation, advancing growth and improvements in the Foundation’s scholarship funds and processes. Passionate about supporting other first-generation and low-income students, Rosybell is now a MPA and MSEd candidate at the University of Pennsylvania, a Fellow at the University’s ImpactED program, and a coordinator for the University’s Office of Global Support Services. 

Dr. Maria McColgan
Maria McColgan currently serves on the Board of Education. A mother of two children, Maria has taught at three different Philadelphia public schools. She has a Bachelor of Arts, a Master in Education, and a medical degree from the Temple University School of Medicine. She has worked at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children while pursuing training in child abuse pediatrics. She has served on the boards of the PA Children’s Trust Fund, Philadelphia Academy Charter School, and Prevent Child Abuse (of which she was the founding chairperson). She currently serves as Fellowship Director at the CARES Institute and Cooper Hospital.

Dr. Chris McGinley
Chris McGinley currently serves on the Board of Education and previously served as a Mayoral appointee to the School Reform Commission. Chris earned a bachelor’s degree from Temple University in elementary education and a Master in Special Education from Antioch University. He earned his Doctorate in Organizational Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania. He currently serves as coordinator for the Educational Leadership Program at Temple University where he is an associate professor. Formerly, he has been a Philadelphia public school teacher, principal, and district-level administrator. He has also served as the Superintendent of Schools for the Lower Merion School District, Executive Director of the Delaware County Intermediate Unit, and Superintendent for the District of Cheltenham Township. He has served on the boards of Public Citizens for Children and Youth, Research for Action, and the National Adoption Center.

Angela McIver
Angela McIver currently serves on the Board of Education, has lived in Philadelphia for 27 years, and has three children who attend Philadelphia public schools. She holds a history degree from Hampton University, a Master in Education from Temple University, and a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from the University of Pennsylvania. She has served on the board of the University City Arts League and currently serves on the board of the nonprofit How I Decide. She has taught in the Norristown Area School District, directed the Upward Bound Program at both Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania, directed the Mastery Charter Thomas School transition, and founded the Trapezium Math Club. This research-based company focuses on helping children build strong foundational math skills through engaging after-school programming.

William Peebles
William Peebles graduated from Philadelphia public schools and has since been involved with public schools as a PTA president, treasurer, volunteer, and general member. He was the program director for the Education Leading to Careers and Training (ELECT) program at the School District of Philadelphia, which helps teen parents complete their high school education. He has also worked as Director of the Diversity Apprenticeship Program and more recently as a Contracting Officer overseeing career training for 1,300 at-risk youth. He is a member of the Philadelphia Workforce Board and the University of Pennsylvania Economic Inclusion Committee.

Andrew Stober
Andrew Stober earned his Bachelor of Science in business administration from Northeastern University before receiving his master’s degree in public policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He has served on the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the Temple University Institute of Survey Research, and the Passyunk Square Civic Association. He was the Director of Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff in the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities, and was Vice President of Planning and Economic Development for the University City District before becoming the Manager of Public Partnerships at Waze. His son attends a Philadelphia public school.

Dr. David Thomas
David Thomas is the Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Dean for the Division of Access & Community Engagement, and Executive Director for the Institute for Community Engagement and Civic Leadership at Community College of Philadelphia (CCP). David’s work at CCP over the last decade has created new pathways to college and credit-bearing opportunities for high school students in Philadelphia. David was previously the National Director of School Support Services for Victory Education Partners and is currently an adjunct faculty member at Wilmington University, Saint Joseph’s University, and Peirce College. David attended Philadelphia public schools and earned his Ed.D from Wilmington University, his M.Ed from Temple University, and his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cairn University.

Joyce Wilkerson
Joyce Wilkerson currently serves as the President of the Board of Education and previously served as a Mayoral appointee to the School Reform Commission. A Cleveland native, Joyce started off in Philadelphia as an attorney with Community Legal Services. Wilkerson served as Chief of Staff to Mayor Street. She helped to stabilize the Philadelphia Gas Works and chaired the board of the Philadelphia Housing Authority. She then went on to be the Executive Director of the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority. She is currently a member of the board at the Merchant Fund, Scribe Video Center, Project HOME, and Committee of Seventy. Joyce earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and a law degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
 

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