Education Advocacy Fellows
Meet the JerseyCAN Education Advocacy Fellows!!
MEET THE 2026 COHORT OF TEACHER LEADER POLICY FELLOWS AND PARENT CHAMPIONS FOR STRONG SCHOOLS FELLOWS
Shaina Brenner
Senior Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Grade 2,
Jackson School District, Jackson, NJ
Jackson School District, Jackson, NJ
Vanessa Johnson
Senior Parent Fellow
Belleville, NJ
Melanie Abbamondi
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
High-School Math / Intervention, Hillsborough High School, Hillsborough Township Public Schools, NJ
Gargi Adhikari
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
5th Grade Math and Science, Holland Brook School, Readington Township School District, NJ
Hashim Bennett
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
12th Grade High School, Weequahic High School, Newark Public Schools, NJ
Caleb Conner
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
7th Grade Math, Copewood Middle School, Uncommon Schools Camden Prep, NJ
Michael Gottfried
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Physics, Aviation, Geophysical Science, Grades 9-12 Roxbury High School, Roxbury Public Schools, NJ
Breanne Mannes
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
7th & 8th Grade Special Education & Social Studies, Heritage Middle School, Livingston, NJ
Rebecca Muller
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Special Education Mathematics, Collingswood High School, Collingswood School District, NJ
Jessica Sadej
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
K-6 Reading Specialist, Prospect Park School #1, Prospect Park, NJ
Court Shuller
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
7th ELA, Ann A. Mullen Middle School, Gloucester Township Public Schools, NJ
Kelly Villarreal
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
10th Grade U.S. History 1, Colts Neck High School, Freehold Regional High School District, NJ
Melissa Walsh
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Self-contained SLD class Grades 4, 5, & 6, Hartford Upper Elementary School, Mount Laurel School District, NJ
Lamar Washington
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Prek4 – 12th, Great Oaks Legacy Charter School, Newark, NJ
Leon Carelli
Parent Fellow
Southampton Township School District (Schools #1, #2, #3); Seneca High School (Lenape Regional HSD), Southampton, NJ
Shonnelle Ford
Parent Fellow
Peshine Avenue School, Newark, NJ
Denise Furlong
Parent Fellow
Communications High School, Wall Township, NJ
Timera Henry
Parent Fellow
Kipp Sumner Elementary School, Camden, NJ
Kellie Hinkle
Parent Fellow
Haddon Township School District, Haddon Township, NJ
Katina Leake
Parent Fellow
Cicely L. Tyson Community Elementary School of Performing and Fine Arts, Newark, NJ
Rabia Nawaz
Parent Fellow
Noor ul Iman, Franklin Park, NJ
Gabriel Nyenator
Parent Fellow
Bloomfield High, Bloomfield, NJ
Elizabeth Parrish
Parent Fellow
Burlington City School District, Burlington, NJ
Jennifer Quinones
Parent Fellow
Robert Treat academy and GOLCS, Newark, NJ
Khalid Sanchez-Muhammad
Parent Fellow
Uncommon Schools, East Orange Community Charter, East Orange, NJ
Kristen Stirtz
Parent Fellow
Veterans Memorial Middle School, Brick, NJ
Meet the 2025 Cohort of Teacher Leader Policy Fellows and Parent Fellows
Anjana Iyer
Senior Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Special Education Chemistry, Grades 10-12
Hillsborough High School, Hillsborough, NJ
Hillsborough High School, Hillsborough, NJ
Brianna Anderson
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Grade 4 – Math, Elk Township School District
Elk Township, NJ
Elk Township, NJ
Alexis Bellardino
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Grade 3 – Special Education – Inclusive Classroom Setting,
Berkeley Heights Township School District, Berkeley Heights, NJ
Berkeley Heights Township School District, Berkeley Heights, NJ
Jonathan Bosa
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Grade 8 – Math (Pre-Algebra)
West New York School District, West New York, NJ
West New York School District, West New York, NJ
Shaina Brenner
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Grade 2, Jackson School District
Jackson, NJ
Jackson, NJ
Jo Ann Dorsey
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Grade 8 – Math
Union City Public Schools
Union City, NJ
Union City Public Schools
Union City, NJ
Robert Fitzpatrick
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Grade 8 – ELA
Penns Grove Carneys Point Regional School District
Penns Grove, NJ
Penns Grove Carneys Point Regional School District
Penns Grove, NJ
Leslye Folmar
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Grade 5 – General Education
Morris School District
Morristown, NJ
Morris School District
Morristown, NJ
Christine Nemeth
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Pk-12 – Special Education
Camden City School District
Camden City, NJ
Camden City School District
Camden City, NJ
Hillary Raszka
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Instructional Coach (K-5)
Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District
Bridgewater Township, NJ
Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District
Bridgewater Township, NJ
Susan Shaw-Rexford
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
PreK-8 STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math), Newark Public Schools
Newark, NJ
Newark, NJ
Jeremy Rodas
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
K-2 Social Studies/Science
Cresthaven Academy Charter School
Plainfield, NJ
Cresthaven Academy Charter School
Plainfield, NJ
Tia Cherry
Senior Parent Fellow
East Orange, NJ
Maria J Andrade
Parent Fellow
Kearny, NJ
Alexandra Feijoo-Ayala
Parent Fellow
Newark, NJ
Tabia Beckett
Parent Fellow
Irvington, NJ
Lauren Burdge
Parent Fellow
Freehold, NJ
Ivonne Garcia
Parent Fellow
Jersey City, NJ
Fang Gong
Parent Fellow
Livingston, NJ
Catherine Gonzalez
Parent Fellow
Newark, NJ
Clayton Gonzalez
Parent Fellow
Camden, NJ
Vanessa Johnson
Parent Fellow
Belleville, NJ
Diamond Jones
Parent Fellow
West Orange, NJ
Tiffany Newton
Parent Fellow
Irvington, NJ
Harshavardhan (Harsh) Raju
Parent Fellow
Livingston, NJ
Meet the 2024 Cohort of Teacher Leader Policy Fellows and Parent Fellows
Amanda Morgan
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Oaklyn, NJ
Anjana Iyer
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Special Education Chemistry, Grades 10-12
Hillsborough High School, Hillsborough, NJ
Hillsborough High School, Hillsborough, NJ
Benjamin Mathews
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
AP World History, Grade 10
KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy, Camden, NJ
KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy, Camden, NJ
Colleen Hoyle
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Special Education, Grades 4-6
Cooper’s Poynt Family School, Camden, NJ
Cooper’s Poynt Family School, Camden, NJ
Emily Bengels
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Reading Intervention, Grades K-3
Whitehouse School, Readington Township, NJ
Whitehouse School, Readington Township, NJ
Erica Berti
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Elementary Support Teacher, Grades K-5
Thomas Sharp Elementary School, Collingswood, NJ
Thomas Sharp Elementary School, Collingswood, NJ
Hanan Attiyah
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Coding and Robotics Teacher, Grants Manager
Flemington-Raritan Regional School District, Flemington, NJ
Flemington-Raritan Regional School District, Flemington, NJ
Jennifer Donnelly
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Advanced Topics Biology, Grade 9, and Scientific Research, Grades 9-12, Jose Marti STEM Academy, Union City, NJ
Juan Ouviña Ouviña
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
English Language Arts & Tomorrow’s Teachers II, Grades 10 & 11, Memorial High School
West New York, NJ
West New York, NJ
Leana Malinowsky
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Grade 1, Nicholas Minue School
Carteret, NJ
Carteret, NJ
Michelle Orth
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Business, Technology & Computer Science, Grades 9-12, Lyndhurst High School
Lyndhurst, NJ
Lyndhurst, NJ
Valerie Currais
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Science, Grade 6, Central Middle School
Stirling, NJ
Stirling, NJ
Victoria Pepe-Lage
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
English as a Second Language, Grade 4
Newark, NJ
Newark, NJ
Kadeidra Wongbe
Parent Fellow
West Orange, NJ
Amanda Carpena
Parent Fellow
Hamilton Township, NJ
Elaine Chin
Parent Fellow
Rutherford, NJ
Gabily Gonzalez
Parent Fellow
Mount Laurel, NJ
Ingrid Williams-Perry
Parent Fellow
East Orange, NJ
Jonel Giles-Peeden
Parent Fellow
Newark, NJ
Patrick Sprinkle
Parent Fellow
Jersey City, NJ
Shenee Omuso
Parent Fellow
Burlington City, NJ
Tia Cherry
Parent Fellow
East Orange, NJ
Yasmin Davis
Parent Fellow
Newark, NJ
Parul Khemka
Parent Fellow
Livingston, NJ
Cathy Hasprunar
Parent Fellow
Ringwood, NJ
Allison James-Frison
Parent Fellow
Newark, NJ
Meet the 2023 Cohort of Teacher Leader Policy Fellows
Triniti Brodi
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
5th Grade ELA, Learning Community Charter School
Jersey City, NJ
Jersey City, NJ
William Cheval
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
School Counselor, Wayne Valley High
Wayne Township, NJ
Wayne Township, NJ
Dawn DeLorenzo
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Special Education, Union Twp Middle School Elementary
Union Township, NJ
Union Township, NJ
Christine Girtain
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
High School Science, Toms River High School S and N
Toms River, NJ
Toms River, NJ
Randi Goetke
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Prekindergarten, Early Childhood Center
Freehold Township, NJ
Freehold Township, NJ
Faith Hvistas
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
K-5 Media Specialist, Oaklyn Public School
Oaklyn, NJ
Oaklyn, NJ
Cristin Introcaso
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
High School Music, Collingswood High School
Collingswood, NJ
Collingswood, NJ
Dakashna (Dr) Lang
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Middle School ELA, Heritage Middle School
Livingston, NJ
Livingston, NJ
Faith Roncoroni
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
High School English, Phillipsburg High School
Phillipsburg, NJ
Phillipsburg, NJ
Jeffrey Villanueva
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
VPA K-8, Hatikvah Int’l Academy Charter School
East Brunswick, NJ
East Brunswick, NJ
Bilal Walker
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
HS Leadership Development, LEAD Charter School
Newark, NJ
Newark, NJ
Gary Whitehead
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
High School English, Tenafly High School
Tenafly, NJ
Tenafly, NJ
Meet the 2022 Cohort of Teacher Leader Policy Fellows and Parent Fellows
Jonathan Lancaster
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
High School Social Studies
Hackensack, NJ
Hackensack, NJ
Angello Villarreal
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
High School Spanish
Freedhold Township, NJ
Freedhold Township, NJ
Samantha Shane
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
9-11th Grade English
Denville, NJ
Denville, NJ
Alison Pigott
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
4th/5th Math/Science
North Arlington, NJ
North Arlington, NJ
Kristina Phelan
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Grades 1/2 Reading
Tinton Falls, NJ
Tinton Falls, NJ
Amanda Morgan
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Math Grades 7-12
Maple Shade, NJ
Maple Shade, NJ
Lauren Catts
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
4th Grade All Subjects
Collingswood, NJ
Collingswood, NJ
Claudia Lagos
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
4th Grade Bilingual
Morristown, NJ
Morristown, NJ
Meghann Bierly
Parent Fellow
Bergen County, New Jersey
Dyslexia, Literacy, Science of Reading
Dyslexia, Literacy, Science of Reading
Andrew Binger
Parent Fellow
Newark, NJ
Career Pathways for young people
Career Pathways for young people
Carl Boyd
Parent Fellow
Camden, New Jersey
Preschool to Kindergarten transition, Special Education and Fathers’ Advocacy
Preschool to Kindergarten transition, Special Education and Fathers’ Advocacy
Sheila Brazile
Parent Fellow
Asbury Park, New Jersey
Parent Power and Education
Parent Power and Education
Alfreda Clancy
Parent Fellow
Neptune, New Jersey
Helping parents understand their rights and navigate the IEP process.
Helping parents understand their rights and navigate the IEP process.
Mushana K Dunham
Parent Fellow
East Orange, New Jersey
Parent Engagement and Sharing Community Communication and Resources on Social Media
Parent Engagement and Sharing Community Communication and Resources on Social Media
Micki Gaudet
Parent Fellow
Clifton, NJ
Learning loss, advocacy and charter equity
Learning loss, advocacy and charter equity
Michelle Ghali
Parent Fellow
Randolph, New Jersey
Collaboration between parents and educators
Collaboration between parents and educators
Alix Hayes
Parent Fellow
Oakhurst/Ocean, New Jersey
Academic recovery and addressing equity for students
Academic recovery and addressing equity for students
Phalia Kendle
Parent Fellow
Asbury Park, New Jersey
Help with getting accountability from my board of education
Help with getting accountability from my board of education
Cassetta Perry
Parent Fellow
Camden, New Jersey
Parent Power and Education
Parent Power and Education
Shauna Rothwell
Parent Fellow
Hoboken, New Jersey
State and local advocacy around instructional materials
State and local advocacy around instructional materials
Nina Summerlin
Parent Fellow
Asbury Park, New Jersey
Parent Power and Education
Parent Power and Education
Alix Hayes
Parent Fellow
Newark, New Jersey
Development of Parents/Advocacy
Development of Parents/Advocacy
Dana Yedwab
Parent Fellow
Upper Freehold, New Jersey
Learning loss and best practices
Learning loss and best practices
Meet the 2021 Cohort of Teacher Leader Policy Fellows
Teresa A. De Sapio Diaz
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Commercial Arts/Advertising Design & 3D Computer, Animation, Grades 11-12
Hunterdon County Polytech, Flemington, NJ
Hunterdon County Polytech, Flemington, NJ
Amanda Mina
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
District Math Coach, Grades K-8, Volz Middle School, Bingham Elementary & Downing Elementary, Runnemede, NJ
Jordan Oran
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Social Studies, Grades 7 & 8, Hatikvah Charter School, East Brunswick, NJ
Rouxana D. Pellicier
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
ELA & Math, Inclusion, Grades 3-4, South Street School, Newark, NJ
Sashai Roberts
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Second Grade
Thrive Academy, Newark, NJ
Thrive Academy, Newark, NJ
Jasmine Seegers
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Seventh Grade; ELA
Link Community Charter School, Newark, NJ
Link Community Charter School, Newark, NJ
Lindsay Shirvanian
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Reading Recovery and Literacy Support, Grades K-4
Francis A. Desmares Elementary, Flemington, NJ
Francis A. Desmares Elementary, Flemington, NJ
Cedric Thorbes
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
ELA & Social Studies; Vice Principal, Grades 5-8
Achieve Community Charter School, Newark, NJ
Achieve Community Charter School, Newark, NJ
Cesar Volquez
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Math, Grades 5 & 6, Hola Dual Language Charter School, Hoboken, NJ
Ahlam Yassin
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
History, Grades 10 & 11, Applied Technology High School, Paramus, NJ
Meet the 2020 Cohort of Teacher Leader Policy Fellows and Parent Fellows
Kathy Assini
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
High School Sociology and Tomorrow’s Teachers, Delsea Regional Schools
Franklinville, NJ
Franklinville, NJ
Emily Blumberg
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
High School Chemistry and Physics, Passaic Public Schools
Passaic, NJ
Passaic, NJ
Equel Easterling
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Fifth Grade Math, Uncommon Schools North Star Academy
Newark, NJ
Newark, NJ
Jennifer Johnson-Floyd
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Second Grade, Collingswood Public School District
Collingswood, NJ
Collingswood, NJ
Christine Hietanen
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
High School English, Morris County Vocational School District
Denville, NJ
Denville, NJ
Hannah-Marie Kennedy
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Seventh Grade Social Studies, Link Community Charter School
Newark, NJ
Newark, NJ
Benjamin Kleiner
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Fourth Grade Inclusion, Toms River Regional Schools
Toms River, NJ
Toms River, NJ
Thomas Luna
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Eighth Grade Math, KIPP NJ
Newark, NJ
Newark, NJ
Kristin McKnight
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
First Grade, Lindenwold Public Schools
Lindenwold, NJ
Lindenwold, NJ
Roseangela Mendoza
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Middle School Social Studies, The Ethical Community Charter School
Jersey City, NJ
Jersey City, NJ
Elizabeth Namugosa
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
High School Special Education English, Uncommon Schools North Star Academy
Newark, NJ
Newark, NJ
Ryan Pringle
Teacher Leader Policy Fellow
Fourth Grade, Township of Ocean School District
Ocean Township, NJ
Ocean Township, NJ