Jerica Steward
Jerica Steward is a second-year law student at UNT Dallas College of Law. She received her Bachelors of Arts in Political Science from The University of Tennessee.  Steward, a Jackson, TN native, has over seven years of professional experience in training and development and education. Prior to entering law school, Steward worked at Strayer University as an Admissions Manager for veteran students. Steward's desire to enter law school is long-standing; after working in corporate America, she wanted to use her communication and problem-solving skills in a more fast-paced and challenging setting. This past summer, she worked for Polsinelli law firm as a summer associate.

Natalie Cruz
Natalie Cruz is a math educator with five years of experience as a classroom teacher for Dallas ISD, working at Title 1 campuses in West Dallas and Oak Cliff. During her undergraduate experience, Cruz, a first generation college graduate from Cleveland, Ohio, was a volunteer Spanish teacher in a public elementary school. She also spent some time teaching English in Nicaragua—where she really discovered her passion for teaching. After graduating, Cruz joined Teach for America in 2014, which brought her to Dallas to begin her teaching career. She has served as a fellow on the Teaching Trust Executive Ed Team with her campus administration. She has been an engaged member of her school community through the nationally recognized Home Visit Project. She currently serves on the Campus Instructional Leadership Team with a focus on math content.

Cruz received her B.A in Speech Pathology from Ohio University and her M.Ed. in Mathematics from Southern Methodist University

Jerry Crayton
Jerry Crayton II, is a Corporate Communication and Public Affairs student at Southern Methodist University. Growing up in Oak Cliff, he attained his entire K-12 education in Dallas ISD schools, and graduated from Skyline High School in 2010. After serving four years in the U.S. Navy, he returned to Dallas in 2016 to complete his Associate of Arts degree at El Centro College. Jerry is also a Dallas New Leaders Council alumnus, and now serves as board member as the Chair of Recruitment. In early 2018, Jerry began the work of freelance photography, and is using his photos to broaden representation of marginalized communities to disrupt the stereotypes that exists in mainstream media. ​

Rhianna Calendine
Rhianna Calendine is a 7th grade middle school science teacher at Uplift Luna in Deep Ellum. She was brought here to Dallas, Texas from Cincinnati, Ohio by Teach for America in 2016, and she is now in her third year in the classroom. Through her time in the classroom she has felt the impact of educational policy decisions made on the local and state level. Her interest in policy lead her to join Urban Leaders Fellowship where she spent the summer working for a Colorado State Representative to propose legislation for 16-year-old suffrage in the state of Colorado. She also aided in the expansion of Colorado Youth Congress, a non- profit dedicated to providing access to civic education and engagement. She is happy to be back in Texas and part of CAMP fellowship, and eager to gain a better insight into the educational policy atmosphere in Dallas.


Calendine received her Bachelor of Science in Middle Childhood Education from the University of Cincinnati.

​Ose Oghakpor
Ose Oghakpor is a certified test administrator with 3 years of experience, former college student of A&M Commerce University. Oghakpor recently ended her assignment in August as a campaign manager with 6 months experience. She is currently self employed selling her awesome line of Mink Blink eye lashes and also works as a elderly Care Giver. She is now a member of the Camp Fellowship of 2018, a proud mother, and a Dallas ISD Alum.

Bob Adams
Bob Adams is a fifth grade bilingual teacher currently in his 12th year with the Dallas Independent School District and in his 23rd as an educator. Adams, a Texas native, originally worked five years as an accountant in Houston before joining the U.S. Peace Corps. He served in both Honduras and Chile working with youth in the Junior Achievement program. Upon return to the U.S., Adams obtained his teaching certification through the Region 10 alternative certification program and worked as a bilingual teacher for five years in the Irving Independent School District and six years at the International School of Tianjin, China. Over the past three years, Adams has participated in the Parent Teacher Home Visit Project which promotes closer bonds between the home and school. 


Adams received his B.A. in Accounting from the University of Texas  Austin and his Master of Bilingual Education from Southern Methodist University. 

Kristen Biedermann
After graduating from the University of Rochester in 2014 with a degree in Public Health and Psychology, Kristen moved to Dallas to serve as a Teach For America Corps Member. She taught 3rd and 4th grade bilingual education at Blanton Elementary in Pleasant Grove for 3 years, where she also participated in the Accelerating Campus Excellence Initiative. During this time, she earned her Master of Education from Southern Methodist University. Kristen recently moved back to Dallas after completing a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship in Popayán, Colombia. She currently serves as an Impact Manager with City Year Dallas.

​Mirka Estrada
Mirka Estrada is a Senior at Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, the first public all-girls school in the state of Texas. She is currently serving as President for her local youth LULAC Council #1021. As a member, she has dedicated 20 hours per semester of community service to the organization, and received the 2018 Young Woman of the Year for LULAC District III. Her interests include Debate, Mock Trial, IGNITE, We Fight Fear, and Teen Board. Last year she was a participant in the Leadership ISD cohort, and had the opportunity to learn more about local education policy and develop relationships with high schoolers all around the Dallas metroplex. She hopes to pursue a career in policy and legislation, in hopes of creating policies that will help people just like her family.   ​

Eric Smith
Eric Smith is currently serving as an AmeriCorps member with City Year Dallas at Roger Q. Mills elementary school. Born in Houston, he graduated form the University of Texas at Dallas with a BS in International Political Economy in 2016. Eric has worked as the Program Coordinator for Focus on Teens, an educational non-profit that serves homeless DISD students, along with several jobs in the service industry. He has also been involved with DISD through interning at their homeless education department. He has obtained teaching experience through a Houston based non-profit that works in Colombia, Berlitz, an international language program, and through programs administered through the University of Texas at Dallas. He is also a part of the CAMP fellowship program for the 2018-19 year.

​Raúl Reyes III
Raúl Reyes III is a Student Success Coach at Roger Q. Mills Elementary, with City Year an education based non-profit.  He is a West Dallas native and has attended DISD schools all of his life, graduating from L.G.Pinkston High School in 2014. Raúl attended Southern Methodist University, where her served as the VP of Programming and Service Chair for Sigma Lambda Beta Int. Fraternity Inc., a multicultural Fraternity that values Cultural Awareness, Community Service, Scholarship, and Brotherhood. Raul walked-on to SMU’s football team his freshman year and earned an athletic scholarship his senior year. He graduated May of 2018 and is aspiring to go to Law School.
 
Raúl received his B.A. in Political Science and Spanish from Southern Methodist University with specializations in Human Rights and Latina American and Iberian Studies.

​​Victoria Tsalikis
​Victoria “Officer T” Tsalikis was born and raised in Dallas TX, and is a Police Officer and Community Activist. She assisted in creating the first Social Media/Community Outreach Unit for her department. Victoria received her associates degree at the age of 28 and is currently pursuing her bachelors.  She is a member of the Communities in Schools Leadership Council and participates in various steering committees. Her objective is to remind people of the power of voice and encourage them to be their own change. Outside of working Victoria enjoys exercise, reading, and travel. She is currently working on creating a leadership academy that will cover important topics not covered in a typical education curriculum titled Cops Building Character.​

Robbie Esteban
Robbie Esteban is New York City native and Dallasite of 12+ years. She is the parent of two current DISD students and brings with her more than 7 years of marketing and development experience shaped by four years of both adult literacy and Montessori classroom experience with a strong focus on racial justice. Robbie holds a Graduate Level Marketing Certificate from Southern Methodist University - Cox School of Business and is currently completing B.A.’s in both History and Philosophy at the University of North Texas. Additionally, Robbie is co-founder and Director of Operations at Young Leaders, Strong City, an annual racial justice and equity summit for high school students in its fifth year of programming, which is currently housed at the Institute for Urban Policy Research at the University of Texas at Dallas. ​

​Nancy Tien
Nancy Tien is an educator with five years of experience as a teacher leader in Dallas and Mesquite schools. After college, Tien, a Dallas ISD student, returned to the district as a 2013 Teach for America corps member. Throughout her years as a teacher, Tien volunteered on several campaigns to support candidates who put education at the forefront. She also worked to promote policy changes at the local school level to impact Dallas students. In the past year, Tien served as a Racial Justice Fellow with Teach for America, designing and facilitating group learning around identity work for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian (AANHPI/MENASA) corps members. Tien continues her work for educational equity through continuing to volunteer and organize for campaigns and is currently planning to attend law school to further her efforts.
 
Tien received her B.S. in Applied Learning and Development from the University of Texas at Austin.

Hector Hernandez
Hector Hernandez is a senior at The School for the Talented and Gifted at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center. As a senior, Hector works to improve education within his community through programs such as the Dallas Urban Debate League and a debate outreach program that he helped create and currently runs alongside other student leaders. He believes in the power of education and strongly advocates for programs that make quality education more accessible. Hector plans to major in economics once he enrolls in college. ​

​Yessica Hernandez
Yessica Hernandez is a first-generation Latina college graduate. She is originally from a village called “El Capulín” located in the municipality of Rioverde, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Yessica eventually migrated to Dallas, Texas with her parents and brother in search of the “American Dream.” Yessica then joined CitySquare as an AmeriCorps member on the “Food on the Move” program. Through the program, she distributed prepared meals for free to children within the community, along with mentoring and activities. Yessica extended her passion for mentoring the children of Dallas by serving with Trinity River Mission as an AmeriCorps member. She is currently serving as City Year Dallas corps member on the AT&T team at H. Grady Spruce High School. Yessica believes in the power of young people and strives to empower the next 7 generations.  
 
Hernandez received her Associate in Arts degree from El Centro Community College and her B.A in Sociology with a minor in Criminal Justice from the University of North Texas at Dallas.
​

​Kelsel Thompson
Kelsel Thompson is a higher education professional with over 30 years of experience in
residence life, student advocacy and development, student persistence and engagement, program development. Twenty years were spent as Dean of Students. Thompson is currently employed at Paul Quinn College as the PQC Plano Site Director and Manager for External Affairs. She served formerly as the Dean of Students and Athletic Director at PQC. Kelsel has worked in
several other institutions including Austin College, College of Staten Island/City University of New York, University of Albany, Slippery Rock University, and The Ohio State University.

Kelsel currently serves on the executive board for Women of Visionary Influence-Addison
Chapter and is a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Her past community engagement
service includes Texas Discovery Garden Board and Southeast Oak Cliff Economic
Development Cooperation.

Kelsel received her B.A. in Engineering Technology from Texas A&M University and her M.S. in College Student Personnel Services from Miami (Ohio) University.

Jonathan PEÑA
Jonathan is an educator with over 6 years of experience serving the Dallas and Fort Worth communities. Dedicated to student achievement and equity both here and elsewhere, he continues to serve and sharpen his skills through advocacy and professional development.

Currently serving as a Vice Principal, he pushes students daily to strive for excellence and the success of his efforts is reflected in the academic and social achievements of his students and teachers at Uplift Summit International Preparatory.

He is a proud graduate of Howard University and Columbia University Teachers College.

Brittany Blanton
Brittany Blanton is an education professional and teacher in Dallas ISD. Passionate about the short and long-term success of students of color, she has dedicated her time and energy to understanding and educating the whole child. She continues to give tirelessly to her students and fill her "free time" advocating for better systems and representation for her students, fellow teachers, parents, and the community as a whole.

Laura Carbajal
Laura is a three-year Dallas ISD teacher with political experience advocating for communities of color. A driving force on her campus, Laura spearheaded and continues to lead data-driven initiatives that have directly translated to over 90% of her students passing. Beyond academic success, she also participates in home visits to support students outside of the classroom and build community with their parents, further supporting her efforts in the classroom. She seeks to continue to build her skills around advocacy to better support her students, family, and community.

She is an alum of both Birmingham Southern College and Southern Methodist University.

Sean Reed
Sean Reed is an active and engaged community advocate and educator with a diverse set of experiences engaging in advocacy for students and their families.

A true public servant, Reed has been a leader in voter registration efforts in Dallas, organizing, and community empowerment for the betterment of communities of color. 

Currently a Dallas ISD teacher, he continues to invest his time and energy in our students, the future of our city.

Reed is a proud alum of Sam Houston State University.

Alex Amaya
Alex Amaya is a dedicated and experienced advocate for communities of color who has dedicated his talents to serving and empowering students in Dallas. He has over 6 years of experience working directly with students and is currently teaching in Dallas ISD.

Amaya continues to advocate for his students, particularly those from immigrant communities and communities of color, in hopes of creating a system that advances and supports the diverse needs of those communities and creates opportunity for those students and their families.

Amaya is an alum of The University of El Paso and Southern Methodist University.

Josh Kumler
Josh Kumler is a communications professional and community advocate focused on improving education in Dallas and increasing community knowledge and engagement in the electoral process.

A writer, podcast producer, actor, and advocate, Kumler uses his talents to tell the untold stories of Dallas history and educate voters, especially those who are typically ignored by political efforts, on their ability to create the change they want to see in the community.

​Josh Kumler is an alum of Southern Methodist University.