Staff - Eskolta

Alisha Mahen

Alisha began her career teaching elementary grade students in a low-income community in India. Working with students and their families unmasked the grassroots realities of India’s education system but more significantly, it left her with more than a dozen burning questions about the intersection between design and education. Five years of teaching underserved communities in India brought her to the School of Visual Arts (SVA) where she is pursuing a Masters in Design for Social Innovation. Alisha’s curiosity lies in exploring the different elements that go into creating a holistic, sustainable solutions to social problems, which brought her to intern at Eskolta!

Alisha grew up in the mountains, and likes to take up any opportunity that allows her to be in nature (and hike)! Also, while not a big foodie, but she is always surrounded by people who love food, hence loves to feed people!

Shenuque Tissera

Data Excellence Associate
stissera@eskolta.org

Shenuque Tissera is interested in the intersection between data analytics and social justice. He understands that data is inherently biased and cannot be used alone as a solution to inequality, however when combined with a more holistic approach to research it can be quite useful. He received a B.A. in Economics at the CUNY College of Staten Island with a minor in geography. After graduating he worked at the CUNY High Performance Computing Center before taking a job at Dallimore & Co, a retail strategy and consulting firm where he was able to refine his analytic skills. After work you can find Shenuque performing on stand-up shows all around New York City or at home watching reality television.

Fariha Wasti

Organizational Strategy Intern
fwasti@eskolta.org

Fariha has worked in the field of informal education since 2012. She is a born-and-raised New Yorker, and advocate of the city’s public education. Fariha has worked in informal science K-12 education developing and teaching camps and after-school programs at the American Museum of Natural History. She also worked for the NYC Department of Education to create engaging, hands-on, and inquiry-based science programs for teachers and students served by the DOE. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology/Sociology in 2014 from Pace University, and is currently pursuing her Master of Public Administration at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and continues her passion to provide equity in education.

Jessica Furer

Chief of Staff
jfurer@eskolta.org
(917) 388-3389 ext. 302

Jessica Furer has worked in the field of education since 1999. She began her career as a high school social studies teacher at private schools in Philadelphia and New York City. Since then, she has held positions at the New York Community Trust and the New York City Department of Education. Most recently, Jessica worked as a Senior Program Officer for Transfer Schools at New Visions for Public Schools. While at New Visions, she provided guidance and support to teams of educators to create and launch six transfer schools and co-led the implementation of a data management system at twelve transfer schools. As Associate Director at Eskolta, Jessica is responsible for managing key projects. She holds a B.A. in history from Yale University and an M.P.A. from New York University Wagner School of Public Service.

Rey Lynch

Research and Design Facilitator and Lead for Diversity and Equity
rlynch@eskolta.org

Ronald “Rey” Lynch, Jr. is an educator and researcher concerned with social and cultural implications of education. His research and professional interests revolve around the liberation of Black and Brown students via holistic and culturally affirming educational practices and pedagogy. His time as an educator, in his childhood neighborhood of Houston, Texas, deeply drives his passion for ensuring that impoverished, Black and Brown students have an opportunity to learn in a way that capitalizes on the intelligences native to their cultural and ethnic communities. Rey is a proud alumnus of the illustrious Morehouse College and completed his MA in Sociology of Education at New York University. In his free time, Rey enjoys reading, running, cooking and park time with his dog Athena.

Emma Werowinski

Communications Fellow
ewerowinski@eskolta.org

Emma wants to use both written and visual communication to make government policy and data accessible. She holds a BFA in Textiles from Rhode Island School of Design, where she became interested building in equity in educational structures and policy, and learned how to untangle knots of all kinds. She is an artist always, and especially in her spare time.

Dana Kurniawan

Digital and Media Intern
dkurniawan@eskolta.org

Dana is a student at Brown University pursuing a B.S in Environmental Science and an independent concentration in Sustainable Design. Growing up in Singapore, she has a fond appreciation for the inclusive and efficient design of systems and information. In the future, she hopes to utilize a systems thinking approach to change the way climate change is communicated and design for a circular economy. Working on campus as a graphic designer and communications strategist for the Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship, Dana is intrigued by how entrepreneurship can disrupt dominant narratives to create social impact. In her spare time, she listens to podcasts, takes part in spoken word poetry, and stalks the theater scene.

Tatiana Matos

Operations Intern
tmatos@eskolta.org

Tatiana Matos currently attends Cascades High school, and is a part of the CAMBA-LTW internship program. During the past couple of months, her time has been mainly dedicated to preparing for her freshman year of college. She heard about Eskolta through the CAMBA-LTW program at her high school and decided to apply after learning about Eskolta’s mission of helping re-engage teenagers in school and lowering the rate of high school drop-outs. Having witnessed her classmates wanting to give up on school daily, she wanted to find a way to help. In the future, Tatiana hopes to serve as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologist. She has interest in, nursing, rescue animals, and entrepreneurship. In her free time she loves, shopping, watching television, listening to music, exercising, drawing and eating.

Alaina Leggette

Program Intern
aleggette@eskolta.org

Alaina Leggette is a second year MPA student studying Urban and Social Policy at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. Prior to graduate school, Alaina was a Teach for America Corp member who taught 11th grade Physics teacher in Dallas, Texas. Her work in the classroom exposed her to inefficiencies in schools and made her passionate about finding solutions to progress student learning; thus, she loves supporting Eskolta’s Green Team as an intern. She holds a B.S. in Economics with Financial Applications and a B.A. in Biology from Southern Methodist University, and in her free time, she enjoys exploring New York City, the new place she calls home.

Rhina Garcia

Communications and Development Intern
rgarcia@eskolta.org

Rhina Garcia graduated with her B.S. in Journalism with a concentration in Women’s Studies from the University of Florida. She is a lover of all things media, representation and writing. As a writer, she is passionate about elevating the voices of fellow writers and journalists of color, and is hoping to help bring more diverse voices into various storytelling platforms. Currently, she is working on her M.S. in Publishing from New York University, focusing on digital media. In her free time, she enjoys eating, visiting museums and reading.

Brady Robinson

Program Intern
brobinson@eskolta.org

Brady grew up in southern Louisiana where he earned a bachelors degree in English from Nicholls State University in 2014. He first gained experience in the field of education while volunteering for an after-school program serving latchkey kids. Then he worked abroad teaching English to high school students in Thailand. Following his time in Thailand, Brady earned a Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting from Florida State University in 2018. At FSU, he taught an undergraduate film studies course, and volunteered at a crisis center. Now Brady lives in New York City where he attends Teachers College and studies applied linguistics. Brady hopes to apply his interests in language, writing, and learning to educational research to give students access to better opportunities in life. In his spare time, he enjoys watching movies and experiencing the city with his wife.

Zoe Roben

Research and Design Facilitator
zroben@eskolta.org

Zoe has worked in education since 2003 and brings together diverse teaching and leadership experience from a Montessori elementary school, charter and DOE high schools, and outdoor education. She has served as an English department head, grade team leader, and instructional coach, and has taught courses for pre-service and in-service teachers about literacy, diversity and equity, and social emotional learning. Zoe holds a B.A. in History and Literature from Harvard University, an M.A.T. in Secondary English from Brown University, and National Board Teaching Certification. She is particularly interested in the emotional and relational aspects of education, and trains in group and team dynamics at the Center for Group Studies and is working towards a master’s in mental health counseling.

Fuschia Ray

Project Associate
fray@eskolta.org

Fuschia is committed to dismantling barriers that stifle students of color from realizing their purpose. To do so, she is passionate about centering her work around equity, as well as working with schools to support systemic improvement and the creation of organizational cultures of learning. Prior to joining Eskolta, she completed her Ed.M. in Education Policy and Management at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, in which she gained training in qualitative and quantitative research. She has also taught middle school in Philadelphia, PA and worked with Boston Public Schools’ Department of Early Childhood Education to support data analysis and program evaluation. Fuschia earned her undergraduate degree from New York University, where she was a Martin Luther King Jr. scholar and graduated cum laude with her bachelor’s degree in history. In her spare time, she enjoys Paleo baking and listening to throwbacks.

Sade Ortiz-Lucin

Research and Design Facilitator
sortizlucin@eskolta.org

Sade has been working in the education field in New York City since 2008. A native New Yorker from the Bronx, she has always been motivated by her passion to uplift and help students like herself. As a bilingual school counselor for the past five years, she has worked in both public and charter high schools implementing college access programs and academic interventions to help young people succeed. Sade holds a B.A. in Psychology and Women’s Studies from Stony Brook University, an M.A. in Bilingual School Counseling from New York University, and is working on her second Master’s Degree in the Study of the Americas with a concentration in Dominican Studies from the City College of New York. In her spare time, Sade enjoys exploring new corners of the city, reading, running, baking, crocheting, and traveling with her husband.

Mica Tuccillo

Manager of Special Operations
mtuccillo@eskolta.org

Mica has worked with young people in NYC, Philadelphia, and West Virginia as a teacher, counselor, and advocate. Her work has focused on youth participatory action research projects, agricultural sustainability initiatives, and she has taught creative writing, history, and LGBTQ studies. Since 2012, she has teamed up with the transfer school that she graduated from, Urban Academy, and the network it is a part of, the New York Performance Standards Consortium, to offer LGBTQ-focused curricular resources and professional development to teachers. She has also provided research and operational support to the Directors of the Consortium since 2013. Alongside her work in education, Mica has been a research scientist at NYU Wagner and at CUNY Hunter College. Her research focuses on dynamics related to social identity in groups and institutions. She completed her MSW in 2017 at Hunter College, during which she provided advocacy and mental health services to people living with AIDS/HIV and completed research in various policy areas. A life-long learner, Mica is continuing her education as a doctoral candidate in the Critical Social and Personality Psychology program at the Graduate Center. When she is not working or studying, Mica loves to be in nature, cook decadent meals for her community, and spend time outside playing or watching soccer (rain or shine).

Johanny Mejia

Research and Design Facilitator
jmejia@eskolta.org

Johanny Mejia joined Eskolta as a Research and Design Facilitator in Summer 2018. At Eskolta, she’s worked on projects ranging from leading professional learning communities with DOE offices on feedback and improvement science, and school-based projects leading teams of teachers to develop tools and procedures for feedback and conferencing. Before joining Eskolta, Johanny received a B.S. in Business Management and Marketing from Boston College, but it was really her extracurriculars that left a major impact on her. After graduating in 2011, she decided to postpone a career in business to teach English in Seoul, South Korea, and she loved it! When she returned to New York in 2014, she joined Teach For America and since then worked at charter schools in Brooklyn with grades 3-5 as a Special Education Teacher. While teaching, Johanny also received her M.S.Ed in Teaching Students with Disabilities in Childhood Education from Brooklyn College. In her spare time, Johanny enjoys traveling, trying new foods, and checking out live music.

Danielle Green

Director of Operations
dgreen@eskolta.org

Danielle joins the Eskolta team as the Director of Operations. With over 20 years of comprehensive experience in operations and logistics, her passion is in helping organizations fulfill their mission by balancing thought partnership and strategic vision. Danielle previously served as the Operations Manager for the Campaign for Black Male Achievement, a non-profit membership network dedicated to uplifting the lives of Black men and boys. Danielle received an M.S. in Business and Information Systems from New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) and a B.A. in Music from William Paterson University. She is currently pursuing her Psy.D in Leadership Psychology at William James College. In her spare time, Danielle shares a variety of creative pursuits with her teenage daughter in New Jersey.

Rotem Blat

Project Associate
rblat@eskolta.org

Rotem joined Eskolta in 2018. She graduated with a B.S. in Applied Psychology from New York University. Within the field of education, she is fascinated by what fosters community and the elevation of student voice. During her time in New York, she worked at the Brooklyn Free School, a democratic free school where she taught a high school psychology class. She also spent time in Argentina researching strategies of teaching and how they relate to cultural differences. In her free time, Rotem loves walking her way through the city, discovering bits of nature and making art.

Amy Zhao

Communications and Development Intern
azhao@eskolta.org

Amy Zhao graduated from Northeastern University with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and a minor in Writing. At Northeastern, Amy found passion for language and cross-cultural exchange through working in the Writing Center, conducting qualitative research about the negotiations students of color make in writing to different audiences, and leading recruitment and fundraising efforts for an alternative spring break trip exploring race, justice, and faith. She is now preparing for her upcoming year teaching English in Thailand as a Fulbright Scholar, which she hopes will connect her interest in cultural exchange with her interest in education. As a summer intern at Eskolta, she will be supporting the Communications and Development team. In her spare time, Amy enjoys learning Thai, cooking, and attempting to learn how to play basketball.

Brian Zimbler

Research and Design Facilitator
bzimbler@eskolta.org

Brian Zimbler is a social worker with a decade of experience working with teens and their families in the NYC public school system. He worked for Good Shepherd Services, in their Alternative School Division, first as an Advocate Counselor at South Brooklyn Community High School, and most recently as the Assistant Director/Parent Coordinator of Brooklyn Frontiers High School. Brian strongly believes in youth development, strength-based practice, and conflict resolution as a way of life. Brian received his B.A. from the New School for Social Research and his M.S.W from Hunter College School of Social Work. Brian lives in Brooklyn with his wife and daughter, and is an artist and writer.

Alicia Wolcott

Associate Director
awolcott@eskolta.org
(917) 388-3389 ext. 304

Alicia Wolcott is a Director of Program at Eskolta School Research and Design, where she works closely with NYC district offices, school leaders, and educators to bring research-based practices into classrooms through a process of continuous improvement. She leads Eskolta’s research partnership with the Office of Teacher Recruitment and Quality on their Teacher and School Leader Initiative in the Bronx. Prior to that she co-led the Academic and Personal Behaviors Institute, a network for school improvement, in partnership with the Office of Leadership, and has trained district coaches and policy staff in the Department of Teaching and Learning on the use of improvement science methods. Before joining Eskolta in 2011, Alicia taught English language learners in Hungary and Rwanda, consulted for UNICEF India and the UN Country Team in Ghana, and supported over-age and under-credited students in the transfer school office of the NYCDOE. Alicia holds a B.A. from Brown University in Theatre Arts and Architectural Studies and an M.P.A. from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service in International Policy and Management. In her spare time Alicia enjoys digging in the garden with her (soon to be) three small children.

Michael Rothman

Executive Director
mrothman@eskolta.org
(917) 388-3389 ext. 301

Michael Rothman has worked with public schools for the last 20 years. Throughout his career, he has been driven by a belief that public education is a cornerstone of democracy and democracy cannot function unless professional educators are empowered to create a better society. He founded Eskolta in 2010 in order to turn that commitment into a force for positively re-engaging youth who have been treated inequitably by our society and underserved by the public school system. Prior to founding Eskolta, Michael served as the executive director of the Project for School Innovation, a nonprofit he helped found to serve as a grassroots network for public school educators to share success and drive school change. Michael has held various other roles in the New York City Department of Education, the Massachusetts Department of Education, the New York State Department of Health, and New Visions for Public Schools. Michael holds a BA from Brown University, an MPP from Harvard Kennedy School, and served as a Jane Addams Fellow with the Indiana University Center on Philanthropy. He lives in New York City with his wife and son.

Catherine Pratt

Data Excellence Manager
cpratt@eskolta.org

Originally from Seattle, Washington, Catherine initially gained experience with research through working in Monitoring and Evaluation of development interventions in South Sudan. This work took her to Uganda, Kenya, and Somaliland. She received a Bachelors Degree in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the University of Washington in 2011, and spent the year directly following her graduation working as a kindergarten teacher in Cairo, Egypt. She received a Masters in Public Administration in Development Practice from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in May 2016, where she focused on program evaluation. Areas of interest include education, early childhood development, and research. During her free time Catherine enjoys exploring New York on her bike.

Sable Mensah

Research and Design Facilitator
smensah@eskolta.org

Sable Mensah was born and raised in New York City, where she attended the Bronx High School of Science. At Swarthmore College, she discovered the rage, passion and power of Black history that led to her commitment to transforming education for students of color. After graduating, she returned to New York as a 2011 TFA Corps Member. While in the classroom, Sable completed her Master’s of Arts in Teaching in General Childhood Education as a member of the 2013 inaugural class of the Relay Graduate School of Education. Since then, Sable has taught various subjects and grades across New York City, which included 2nd Grade at Excellence Girls Charter School, 5th and 6th Grade Science at Girls Prep Lower East Side and 7th Grade History at KIPP Washington Heights Middle School. She has also worked as a Teacher Development Coach with NYC Teaching Fellows and is now working with Eskolta School Research and Design as a Research and Design Facilitator. Sable seeks to support the growth, development and visibility of people of color, women, and queer people within and beyond education. Sable enjoys feeling connected to nature, reading, doing yoga, eating and cooking as a vegan, and exploring Brooklyn with her girlfriend.

Benjamin Lorr

Senior School Design Partner
blorr@eskolta.org

Benjamin Lorr began working in New York City Public Schools in 2002 as a science teacher. A founding member of Bushwick Community High School, he taught urban ecology and health/sex-ed, while serving on the School Leadership Team and founding a student run vegetable garden that produced a bounteous crop of broccoli each year. After leaving the classroom, he spent several years mentoring science teachers around the city before transitioning into systems-level consulting work that has ranged from facilitating department level inquiry teams to evaluating charter schools around the state for SUNY. He graduated from Columbia University with a degrees in Environmental Biology and Creative Writing. As the for the obligatory color/trivia: He believes bikes are a poor form of exercise but the ultimate way to get around a city, enjoys hiking whenever possible, and has had his work moonlighting from education as a non-fiction writer featured everywhere from the BBC World News Tonight to the New York Times.

Emily Kleinman

Director of Knowledge Management
ekleinman@eskolta.org
(917) 388-3389 ext. 307

Emily Kleinman has worked in the field of education since 2006. As a former high school history teacher and department head in a progressive independent school in Washington, D.C., she focused on two of her primary educational interests: curriculum design and instructional coaching. At Eskolta Emily supports the development and implementation of projects within schools as a Research and Design Facilitator. She holds a B.A. in History from Columbia University and an M.A. in Education Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies from Stanford’s Graduate School of Education. In her spare time while in the city, Emily likes to cook, read, and run. Whenever she can sneak out of the city, though, she loves to go hiking and enjoy the outdoors.

Savanna Honerkamp-Smith

Manager of Communications and Design
shonerkampsmith@eskolta.org
(917) 388-3389 ext. 308

Savanna Honerkamp-Smith has experience developing curricula and teaching K–12 students in rural and urban communities in Honduras. At Eskolta, Savanna works with school teams to test out new interventions in the classroom using improvement science methodology. Additionally, as Eskolta’s Lead Designer, she creates layouts and visuals for Eskolta’s public-facing materials. Savanna holds a B.A. in International Studies and Spanish from the University of Oregon and an M.P.A. in Development Practice from Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs. She also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras, where she worked with coffee farmers in protected areas management and environmental education. In her spare time, Savanna enjoys drawing and painting with oils. Her favorite subjects are primates and marine life.

Katie Gleason

Research and Design Facilitator
kgleason@eskolta.org
(917) 388-3389 ext. 313

Katie Gleason has a background in both education and public policy. She began her professional career teaching eighth-grade English language arts in the Bronx, then serving in an administrative capacity for several years at a high-performing charter school in Brooklyn. More recently, Katie has worked as an applied researcher for international nongovernmental organizations. She spent time living in Uganda, working with a number of organizations there to evaluate programs, design and implement research projects, and develop results-based management frameworks and monitoring systems. As a Project Associate with Eskolta, Katie supports a number of school-based projects, as well as organizational development work. Katie holds a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Michigan, an M.S.T. in Adolescent Education from Pace University, and an M.P.P. from the Harvard Kennedy School. In her spare time Katie enjoys reading, traveling, and taking her dog to the dog park.

Jamie Ferrel

Research and Design Facilitator
jferrel@eskolta.org

Jamie has been working in the field of education in New York City since 2007 as a middle and high school educator. Most recently Jamie worked as a founding member of ROADS Charter High School’s Bronx campus as the Director of Special Education and Director of Curriculum & Instruction. Prior to joining the ROADS team, Jamie completed her Ed.M. in Education Policy and Management at the Harvard Graduate School of Education as an Urban Scholars Fellow. Before enrolling in the program, Jamie taught middle school special education at Mott Hall V in the Bronx, beginning as a Teach for America corps member. Jamie holds a B.A. in History from Northwestern University and a M.S.T. in General and Special Education from Pace University. In her spare time Jamie loves to hike, ski and visit her home state of Michigan to spend time on the lake.

Nicole DeFino

Senior School Design Partner
ndefino@eskolta.org
(917) 388-3389 ext. 306

Nicole DeFino has worked in the field of education since 2003. She believes that all students can learn and that valuing a young person’s experience and recognizing their strengths are at the heart of this work. As a founding team member at West Brooklyn Community High School, Nicole has been working with over-age and under-credited youth since 2006 in the roles of ELA teacher, Instructional Support Specialist, and Assistant Principal. As a Program Facilitator at Eskolta, she supports the development and implementation of projects within schools Nicole holds a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Maryland, an M.A. in English Education from Brooklyn College, an M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Baruch College, and graduated from NYC’s DOE Leaders in Educational Apprentice Program (LEAP). In her spare time Nicole can be found baking in her kitchen or exploring Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.

Mai Brand

Development Manager
mbrand@eskolta.org

Mai Brand has a background in fundraising and community development. She worked as a Community Service Coordinator at Loyola University Maryland, where she connected students and staff to volunteer opportunities with Baltimore nonprofits. After graduating from Loyola, Mai worked for Equal Justice Works, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting public interest attorneys. As the Fellowships and Advancement Specialist, she supported key fundraising projects, including an annual gala that raised $3 million. Mai went on to work for Food & Friends, a nonprofit serving critically ill children and adults. In the role of Corporate and Foundation Gifts Associate, she developed and implemented strategies to establish and retain corporate and foundation funding and programmatic partnerships. Mai’s next move was to Hanoi, Vietnam, where she worked for a national newspaper and an online marketing startup, as well as travelled extensively throughout Southeast Asia. In her current role at Eskolta, Mai works on expanding funding and partnerships for the organization. Mai holds a B.A. in Global Studies and Business from Loyola University Maryland. She loves to travel, spend time in nature, and hang out with family and friends.

Aaron Boyle

Associate Director
aboyle@eskolta.org
(917) 388-3389 ext. 303

Aaron Boyle has worked in New York City transfer schools since 2003. As a founding team member of Bushwick Community High School, he worked in the roles of science teacher, data specialist, and lead teacher. More recently, Aaron worked as a consultant to multiple schools in the design and implementation of innovative initiatives, as well as in research and analysis to inform school-, network-, and district-level planning. As Director of Program at Eskolta, he leads a team in implementing various district and school-based projects to design and improve educational practices. Aaron holds a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Michigan, an M.A. in Science Education from Teachers College, and an M.S.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the SAM Leadership Program at the Baruch School of Public Affairs. He is also a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who worked in Kenya for two years teaching science and organizing HIV/AIDS programs. When not working on Eskolta projects, Aaron enjoys riding his bike and going to parks in Brooklyn with his kids.

Sara Arcia

Office Manager
sarcia@eskolta.org

Sara Arcia graduated with a B.A. in Sociology and Latin America and Latinos Studies at The City College of New York. Having attended diverse school systems in different states within the U.S. has equipped her with an understanding of educational inequalities. Throughout her undergrad, she tutored young minority students from urban public schools, served as president of the Sociology Club at City College and researched racial/ethnic inequalities within the education system. Sara is currently pursuing a Masters in Higher and Post-secondary education at Teachers College, Columbia University where she aspires to be an academic counselor in higher education. Areas of interest include uplifting student voice, animal behavior, and human/animal interactions. In her spare time, Sara enjoys reading, playing with her cat Peanut, drawing and spending time with friends and family.

Our Team