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Leadership Team
The Executive Board
- President - Emmanuel Caudillo
- Vice President of Communications & Outreach - Renesha Alphonso
- Vice President of Development & Partnerships - VACANT
- Vice President of Finance - Joseph Kitchen
- Vice President of Membership - VACANT
- Vice President of Operations - NaDaizja Bolling
- Vice President of Programming, Professional and Career Development - VACANT
- Vice President of Programming, Knowledge Development & Community Engagement - Kelli Harper
- Community Engagement Chair - VACANT
- Conference Chair - VACANT
- Development Chair - VACANT
- Grant Writing Chair - Jamal Jones
- Legal Counsel - Danny Rosenthal
- Mentorship Chair - VACANT
- New Member Chair - Amara Pinnock
- Professional Development Chair - VACANT
- Panels Chair - VACANT
- Recruitment Chair - Amanda Mendoza
- Social Chair - VACANT
- YEP Connect Chair - VACANT
- Social Media Coordinator - VACANT
- Social Media Coordinator - VACANT
- Recess (YEP-DC's Blog) Editor- VACANT
- Recess (YEP-DC's Blog) Co-Editor- Patricia Ruane
- Website Editor - VACANT
Chair Positions
Multimedia Specialists
YEP-DC ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Chad Aldeman - Associate Partner, Bellwether Education Partners
Sekou Biddle - Vice President of Advocacy, United Negro College Fund
Susan Cheng - Senior Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at Georgetown University School of Medicine
Jenny DeMonte - Senior TA Consultant, American Institutes for Research
Alicia Robinson - Founder, EdPlus Consulting
Irasema Salcido - Founder, Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools
Nancy Waymack - Senior Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Jason Weedon - Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations & Strategic Partnerships, Achieve
Sekou Biddle - Vice President of Advocacy, United Negro College Fund
Susan Cheng - Senior Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion at Georgetown University School of Medicine
Jenny DeMonte - Senior TA Consultant, American Institutes for Research
Alicia Robinson - Founder, EdPlus Consulting
Irasema Salcido - Founder, Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools
Nancy Waymack - Senior Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Jason Weedon - Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations & Strategic Partnerships, Achieve
Bios of our team follow. If you would like to contact any of us, please email dc [at] youngedprofessionals [dot] org
THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Emmanuel Caudillo, President
Emmanuel is a special advisor for the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. In this role, he oversees the operational duties of the initiative, outreach to Hispanic Serving Institutions, and youth engagement activities. Previously, he was a budget analyst for the U.S. Department of Education. He also worked at Abt Associates, National Council on Teacher Quality, Nevada Policy Research Institute, and the National Association of College and University Residence Halls. In his spare time, he volunteers with various civic education groups around Washington, DC. He received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Southern California and his M.P.P. from The George Washington University.
Emmanuel is a special advisor for the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. In this role, he oversees the operational duties of the initiative, outreach to Hispanic Serving Institutions, and youth engagement activities. Previously, he was a budget analyst for the U.S. Department of Education. He also worked at Abt Associates, National Council on Teacher Quality, Nevada Policy Research Institute, and the National Association of College and University Residence Halls. In his spare time, he volunteers with various civic education groups around Washington, DC. He received his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Southern California and his M.P.P. from The George Washington University.
Joseph Lynn Kitchen Jr., Vice President of Finance
Born in Southern California, I grew up in the Central Valley raised by my mother. My first bite at leadership came when I was In junior high school. During that time the country was dealing with a spring of school shootings taking over the news just about everyday. California was also going through a crime wave. With a group of friends, I founded the United Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) of Fresno City, one of the largest chapters of the National SAVE organization based out of North Carolina. For three years, working with police officials, school administrators, and elected leaders, I became a forceful advocate for safe streets, reforming criminal laws to focus on building strong families and communities, as well as empowering young people to have a say in determining their lives. After graduating from high school and college I accepted an offer to come to DC. For the last decade I have spent my life working in communities all over DC and the Maryland suburbs as well as Baltimore to improve the lives of young people. As an educator I've worked in schools in DC's Anacostia and Shaw neighborhoods as well as Baltimore's northwest communities as a teacher and administrator. Outside of the classroom I've been blessed to support my peers in our efforts to become better connected with the communities we serve. Everyday I am blessed to go to work as an administrator at a private school in Anacostia serving a majority minority population of students who otherwise might be deprived of a quality education. |
CHAIR POSITIONS
Jamal Jones, Development & Partnerships Chair
Danny Rosenthal, Legal Counsel
Danny is currently Legal Counsel for YEP-DC and YEP National. Danny taught high school mathematics in Houston from 2006 to 2008. After teaching, he went to Harvard Law School, where he spent summers doing legal work in the central office of DC Public Schools. Danny is the author of an upcoming article on collective bargaining for teachers in Phi Delta Kappan. His writing on education and other topics has also been published by the Oregon Law Review, the Harvard Law & Policy Review, Education Sector, the American Constitution Society, the National Employment Law Association, and the New Criminal Law Review.
Danny is currently Legal Counsel for YEP-DC and YEP National. Danny taught high school mathematics in Houston from 2006 to 2008. After teaching, he went to Harvard Law School, where he spent summers doing legal work in the central office of DC Public Schools. Danny is the author of an upcoming article on collective bargaining for teachers in Phi Delta Kappan. His writing on education and other topics has also been published by the Oregon Law Review, the Harvard Law & Policy Review, Education Sector, the American Constitution Society, the National Employment Law Association, and the New Criminal Law Review.
Amara Pinnock, New Member Chair
Amara is a Special Education teacher in Early Childhood at Orr Elementary School, a 40/40 school in DCPS. She has taught there for three years and in the past has taught first and second grade students. Amara is originally from New Jersey and went to college to be a veterinarian. However, after undertaking some education courses she realized her passion was in education. She received her bachelor’s of science from Cornell University and earned a double master’s degree from Lesley University as a fellow with Urban Teachers. Amara blogged with YEP for a year in 2015 and is now the newly chosen Operations Chair. She is excited to continue working with YEP in a new capacity.
Amara is a Special Education teacher in Early Childhood at Orr Elementary School, a 40/40 school in DCPS. She has taught there for three years and in the past has taught first and second grade students. Amara is originally from New Jersey and went to college to be a veterinarian. However, after undertaking some education courses she realized her passion was in education. She received her bachelor’s of science from Cornell University and earned a double master’s degree from Lesley University as a fellow with Urban Teachers. Amara blogged with YEP for a year in 2015 and is now the newly chosen Operations Chair. She is excited to continue working with YEP in a new capacity.
VACANT, Professional Development Chair
Amanda Mendoza, Recruitment Chair
Amanda is a recent MBA graduate of the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland with a passion for education. One of the highlights of her graduate school experience was her Education Pioneers Fellowship at Achieve where she worked on the Partnership for the Assessment of College and Career Readiness (PARCC) team performing risk assessment for their member states and helping stand up PARCC nonprofit. Prior to graduate school she worked as a Legislative Aide for Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) handling education, labor, and environmental issues. She was also actively involved with Everybody Wins! DC as a Power Lunch reading mentor. As a graduate of both Prince George’s County, Maryland public schools and Stanford University, B.A. International Relations, she has a personal passion for public education reform.
Amanda is a recent MBA graduate of the Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland with a passion for education. One of the highlights of her graduate school experience was her Education Pioneers Fellowship at Achieve where she worked on the Partnership for the Assessment of College and Career Readiness (PARCC) team performing risk assessment for their member states and helping stand up PARCC nonprofit. Prior to graduate school she worked as a Legislative Aide for Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) handling education, labor, and environmental issues. She was also actively involved with Everybody Wins! DC as a Power Lunch reading mentor. As a graduate of both Prince George’s County, Maryland public schools and Stanford University, B.A. International Relations, she has a personal passion for public education reform.
Kirby Shultz, YEP Connect Chair
Multimedia Specialists
Patricia Ruane, Recess (YEP-DC's Blog) Co-Editor
Patricia is a research and program associate at the Aspen Institute Education & Society Program, where she supports professional learning networks for urban district leaders around the country and develops tools and resources to meet practitioners' needs. Prior to joining Aspen, she worked as a paralegal specialist in the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice. She graduated from the College of William and Mary with a major in government and minors in economics and English, and she mentors with Higher Achievement at Eliot-Hine Middle School in Ward 6.
Patricia is a research and program associate at the Aspen Institute Education & Society Program, where she supports professional learning networks for urban district leaders around the country and develops tools and resources to meet practitioners' needs. Prior to joining Aspen, she worked as a paralegal specialist in the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice. She graduated from the College of William and Mary with a major in government and minors in economics and English, and she mentors with Higher Achievement at Eliot-Hine Middle School in Ward 6.
VACANT, Website Editor