A team working for the future

Gene Davis was born and raised in Dallas. The son of a Dallas ISD teacher who saw firsthand the impact education can have on students’ lives, Gene has dedicated his professional life to supporting public education. Prior to joining Commit, Gene worked as an executive director for communications for Dallas ISD, managing the district’s digital media, internal communications and translation services teams.

Gene graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder (go Buffs!) with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Serving as the Chief Operations Officer, Abby combines her experiences as an educator, fundraiser, advocate, and parent of a Dallas ISD student to connect the philanthropic community with opportunities to ensure all students receive an excellent, equitable education.

Abby grew up in San Angelo, TX, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English and Education from Angelo State University. She began her teaching career in Leander ISD as a middle school Language Arts teacher. Opportunities to move with her family took her to teaching positions at Bruce Randolph School in Denver Public Schools, Spence Middle School in Dallas ISD, and her alma-mater, Central High School in San Angelo ISD. In 2013, she joined the philanthropy team at Genesis Women’s Shelter as the Grant Manager and then became the Director of Philanthropy. During this time, Abby became involved in her neighborhood Dallas ISD school, and that passion drew her to return to education where she worked in the Human Capital Management Department for Dallas ISD.

Her passion and advocacy for public education extends beyond her career. She served as PTA President at her daughter’s school, Kramer Elementary School, founded the Kramer Elementary Preschool Association to recruit and educate prospective families about neighborhood school options, and is a board member of the Hillcrest Forest Neighborhood Association where she serves as the liaison between her neighborhood and the surrounding public schools.

She was selected as a member of the 2019 Dallas County Civic Voices Fellowship through Leadership ISD and holds a Master’s in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University.

Kate grew up in Flower Mound, TX and is a proud product of the Lewisville Independent School District. After graduating from Flower Mound High School, Kate moved to Oklahoma to pursue her undergraduate degree.

Prior to joining Commit, Kate reported on criminal justice and incarceration in Oklahoma for the local NPR affiliate, where her stories aired nationally on a regular basis. She also has extensive experience working in communications for the Oklahoma House of Representatives. During her time at the state Capitol, Kate was frequently challenged to deeply understand any given policy’s implications at a grassroots’ level.

After reporting on important legislative decisions as a journalist and working with lawmakers and stakeholders at the state level, Kate was empowered to move back home and do more to affect positive change for Texas children. She is guided by a strong conviction that access to quality education is key to successful and productive lives. She further believes excellent education is a right for all children, not a privilege for the lucky few.

Kate received her B.A. in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma.

Chelsea is a native to Dallas County, growing up in Coppell, TX and graduating from Coppell High School and receiving a President’s Scholarship to SMU. While a student SMU she began taking public policy courses where she was exposed to the systemic inequities in our public education system. In 2012 she joined Teach for America as part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Corps where she taught Algebra, Geometry, and Math Models at Dallas Can Academy, an alternative high school.

Since leaving the classroom in 2014, Chelsea has been with Commit, where she has worked on a broad range of initiatives including data and analysis, early math, early literacy, Pre-K enrollment, and childcare access and quality. Chelsea currently oversees Commit’s work across early childhood, middle grades and math pathways, and educator effectiveness and strategic staffing to enable more students to build strong academic foundations that set them on a pathway for college and career readiness and living wage attainment.

Allison Powell is the Finance Controller at Commit, bringing a wealth of experience from her career in public accounting. Before joining Commit, she worked as an auditor for national firms RSM and Armanino, where she specialized in non-profit clients, including social service organizations, private schools, community colleges, and performing arts groups.

Raised in Tarrant County, Allison graduated from Martin High School within the Arlington Independent School District. She earned her B.A. in Dance and B.B.A. in Accounting, graduating cum laude from Texas Tech University, where she also completed her M.S.A. in Accounting with a specialization in Audit.

Allison is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the AICPA and TXCPA, reflecting her commitment to excellence in the finance field.

Sile Robinson is the Managing Director of Middle Grades Initiatives at Commit. Sile has spent her career in education working across all grade levels and subject areas. Before joining Commit, Sile spent time in educational consulting, supporting districts across Texas with several TEA-funded grants, including the Resilient Schools Support Program and the Effective Schools Framework-Focused Support Grant. Prior to her time in consulting, Sile worked at a national non-profit supporting with teacher and leader development.

Sile believes in working directly in partnership with leaders to improve teaching and learning by focusing on ambitious and engaging instruction for all students. Sile recognizes the impact of high-quality teachers and leaders and works alongside partners to support them in achieving their goals.

Sile is originally from Connecticut but loves living in Texas! Outside of work, she likes to read and spend time with her husband and dog, Hazel.

Amber is a Dallas native and a proud product of Dallas ISD. After graduating from Skyline High School, Amber attended the University of Texas at Austin. During her freshman year, she wrote a research paper on No Child Left Behind and learned of the systemic issues in education impacting communities of color. Amber was motivated to be a part of the solution and became an early literacy tutor at an East Austin Elementary school. This experience motivated Amber to pursue a career in Education. Upon graduation, she returned to Dallas-Fort Worth as a founding Kindergarten teacher for Uplift Education. Amber worked as a Kindergarten and 3rd Grade teacher igniting in her a passion for early literacy.

Prior to joining Commit, Amber served as an instructional coach, assistant principal, and principal. Amber had the privilege to lead as campus principal at her childhood elementary school, N.W. Harllee Early Childhood Center. Amber has a deep commitment to ensuring that early literacy practices are equitable across campuses and produce strong outcomes for all students.

Amber graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a B.S. in Communication Studies and from Southern Methodist University with a M.Ed in Educational Leadership.

Since 2009, Miguel Solis has served the residents of Dallas in the areas of education, housing, and transportation. Miguel began his professional career as a member of President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign and soon after, was selected as a Teach For America corps member in Dallas, TX where he taught 8th grade social studies in the Dallas public schools. Solis would later serve as special assistant to the superintendent of the school system; co-found the non-profit Latino Center for Leadership Development; and run the urban policy think tank Coalition for a New Dallas. In 2013, Miguel was elected to the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees at the age of 27. During his tenure he was also elected as the Board President and Vice-President, making him the youngest person to ever hold these roles.

As a Dallas ISD Trustee, Miguel's efforts included drafting and unanimously passing the district’s first early childhood education policy; a ban on out-of-school suspensions for the district’s youngest children which is now state law; a comprehensive racial equity policy leading to the creation of a multi-million dollar racial equity department; and helping to create the district’s revolutionary teacher excellence evaluation, support, and pay system, among other initiatives.

Solis’ most recent efforts have involved helping create a predictive analytics prototype to recruit teacher candidates with high potential for success and the community resource index, a resource data set that identified historically underinvested communities and injected $41 million into school bond projects to help alleviate effects of this disinvestment. During his decade of service to the district, Dallas ISD underwent a monumental transformation which saw the number of its improvement required schools reduced from 43 to 3, two multi-billion-dollar school bonds passed including the largest in the history of Texas, and its innovative concepts used as models for other districts across Texas and the nation.

Miguel is involved in numerous non-profit activities including serving on the Children’s Medical Center Foundation board, the FUSE Corps national board of directors, and the Teach For America national board of directors. He is also an alumnus of the Aspen Institute’s Rodel Fellowship, having been selected as an elected official who has demonstrated an outstanding ability to work responsibly across partisan divisions and bring greater civility to public discourse. For the totality of his work, Miguel was selected to the Dallas Business Journal’s 40 under 40 and the 2021 Dallas 500 Most Powerful Business Leaders.

Miguel graduated from Lamar University with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Harvard University with a Master of Education in Policy and Management. He is the proud parent of Olivia Solis, a pediatric heart transplant survivor and the strongest person he knows.

Jeannie Stone has dedicated her life to public schools for over thirty years. A native North Texan, Jeannie began her career teaching middle school English in Dallas ISD. With a focus on equity and excellence in education for ALL students, she has served in a variety of diverse districts from small to large urban settings including Wylie, Mesquite, and Richardson ISD.

A graduate of Mesquite ISD schools, Jeannie later returned to the district to serve in the roles of teacher, assistant principal, principal, and Administrative Officer to the Superintendent. During her time serving in Mesquite, she was named a UT Distinguished Educator, was named to the Apple Corps of Teachers, was selected by her peers as Secondary Principal of the Year and was chosen by the Meadows Foundation as North Texas Volunteer of the Year for her commitment to community service. During her first year as principal at Dr. Ralph H. Poteet High School, the campus was chosen as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence and a George W. Bush National Point of Light.

Dr. Stone joined Richardson ISD in 2014 and served as Deputy Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for one year, before being named Superintendent. During her tenure, the district passed a comprehensive racial equity policy, and Dr. Stone was widely recognized for her dedication to closing achieving gaps. She spearheaded the Accelerating Campus Excellence (ACE) model at four Richardson campuses to turnaround performance and provide support for students most in need. She led the district in passing two bond proposals (2016 and 2021) and one tax ratification (2019), all totaling over $1 billion dollars. For her leadership efforts, she was named the 2019 Texas Superintendent of the Year by Texas PTA, Altrusa International’s 2018 Outstanding Woman in Education, and the 2017 Texas ESSA Superintendent of the Year. The Dallas Business Journal named her one of their ten inaugural Leaders in Diversity recipients on March 4, 2021.

Dr. Stone earned a B.A. in English from UT Arlington, an M.A. in Education from Texas A&M Commerce, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from Nova Southeastern University.

Chris Walters is the Managing Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Commit Partnership, where he leads strategic planning processes and oversees new education initiatives in North Texas. Prior to joining Commit, Chris worked as a Policy Advisor on education and workforce issues at Texas 2036, a think tank and advocacy group focused on using data and strategic planning to make Texas a better place to live and work. He started his career in education with Teach for America as a middle school Special Education teacher at Arthur Ashe Charter School in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Chris attended Pomona College and earned his MBA and M.Ed. from the Yale School of Management and Relay Graduate School of Education, respectively. Chris believes in the power of education in expanding opportunity for all students, and he is proud to work in his hometown of Dallas, Texas.

Serving as the Managing Director of Analytics and Insights, Dash combines experience in K-12 education with data analysis and visualization skills to provide a 360-degree view of education performance, effectiveness of programs, and insights into future education policy.

Dash is a native of Sri Lanka, where he completed his elementary and middle school. He moved with his parents to Africa and completed high school in Maiduguri, Nigeria. Dash earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with first class honors from University of Maiduguri, Nigeria. After working as a lecturer at the university, he attended Texas Tech University where he completed his masters in computational Mathematics and doctorate in statistics.

Prior to Commit, Dash worked for fourteen years at Dallas ISD as Director of Office of Institutional Research and fifteen in Plano ISD as Executive Director of Assessment, Research, and Program Evaluation. In Dallas, he was instrumental in developing and implementing the teacher and school effectiveness system. He also designed the MyData Portal for online delivery of student and school assessment data. In Plano, he managed all state and national assessment programs, district and campus data analytics, and program evaluations. In addition, he was responsible for the long-term plans for district and campus improvement. Dash served on TEA Commissioner’s Accountability and Technical Advisory Committee from 2012 – 2022 and was on the design team on the A-F accountability system. He has served on the advisory teams for Riverside CogAT assessment and NWEA MAP Growth assessment.

Highly committed to public education, Todd is the founding Chairman and CEO of The Commit Partnership, the nation’s largest educational collective impact organization with over 200 institutions (including 15 school districts and eight higher-ed institutions educating over 700,000 students) supported by a dedicated backbone staff of ~60 employees. Together the Partnership and its backbone staff are collectively focused on improving post-secondary completion and economic mobility levels across the Dallas County region as well as the state of Texas. Todd also served for eight years as the Education Policy Advisor to former Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings.

Todd is a senior trustee and former board chair for Austin College, a liberal arts college in Sherman, Texas. With his wife Abby, Todd was the founding chair for six years of the regional advisory board for Teach for America in Dallas/Ft. Worth, and together in 2007 they also helped establish the Uplift Williams Preparatory School, a K-12 free tuition public charter school operated by Uplift Education that educates over 1,500 primarily Hispanic children living in limited income homes in northwest Dallas. Todd also currently serves on the board of Fidelity Charitable, the nation’s largest donor advised fund with over $52 billion of assets under management.

Todd was appointed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in 2020 to serve on (i) the Texas Permanent School Fund Corporation (responsible for overseeing the investment of the state’s ~$50 billion endowment fund supporting Texas’ K-12 public education system); (ii) the year-long 2018 Texas Commission on Public School Finance (where he chaired its Outcomes Committee which ultimately produced 35 recommendations that served as the basis for Texas’ landmark HB3 legislation which equitably invested $11.5 billion in the state’s public K-12 education system in 2019) and (iii) the 2022 Texas Commission on Community College Funding, which recommended the strategic investment of ~$650 million of new biennial state funding (via Texas’ nation-leading HB8 legislation passed in 2023) to reward targeted outcomes and increase funding and accessibility for the state’s economically and academically disadvantaged students.

Todd is the former Chair of the Citizen Budget Review Commission for Dallas ISD ($1.7 billion budget educating ~155,000 students) and the former Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees for Uplift Education, a public charter school management organization serving over 20,000 students across the D/FW area. Todd is also the former chairman of both the Real Estate Finance and Investment Center (located at the University of Texas) and the Real Estate Council of Dallas, the city’s largest real estate organization.

Prior to dedicating his efforts full time as a volunteer to public education, Todd served as a partner and global co-head of Goldman Sachs’ real estate private equity investment area, retiring in 2010 following a 20-year career with the firm in their New York, Los Angeles and Dallas offices. Total assets under management purchased by GS-managed real estate funds exceeded $100 billion in cost, including $10 billion of equity invested by Goldman Sachs and its managing partners.

Todd earned an M.B.A. with distinction from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania in 1989 and graduated with a B.A. in Economics from Austin College in Sherman, Texas in 1982.

Bridget Worley is the Chief State Impact Officer for the Commit Partnership. Prior to her current role, she served as Executive Director of the Texas Impact Network, a newly launched joint venture between Educate Texas and the Commit Partnership focused on building capacity across school systems statewide to drive student achievement through successful implementation of research-proven initiatives funded by House Bill 3, the 2019 Texas school finance bill. She started her career in education as a second- and third-grade teacher at Clinton Elementary School in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, and then spent time working in governmental relations at Van Scoyoc Associates in her hometown of Washington, DC.

In 2012, Bridget moved back to Louisiana to serve as the Policy Advisor to the then-newly elected and appointed Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). After her time at BESE, she joined the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) as the Policy Director, leading the state’s policy agenda around major initiatives including standards and accountability, teacher evaluations, parent choice, and early childhood education. Bridget transitioned to the LDOE executive team in 2015 and worked alongside Superintendent John White as the Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer. She oversaw communications, staffing and professional development, a $150 million operating budget, the annual strategic planning process, and all key organizational decisions for the Department before founding the Texas Impact Network in October 2019.

Gennie was born in the Philippines and have lived in Singapore, Hong Kong, and California before her family moved to Texas where she grew up and lived for most of her life. Throughout her and her siblings’ lives, their parents have instilled in them the importance of education and the opportunities it can bring. As a child, she had always thought that the pursuit of education was an equal path for everyone. However, she had seen this was not the case as no matter which school system she had attended there was an educational inequity in terms of the opportunities available for certain students.

She believes that the pursuit of knowledge should be available to all that wish to engage in it, and so she decided to pursue a career in education. Prior to joining the analytics team at Commit, she had worked as a substitute teacher for Plano ISD, and was a lead teacher at a developmental preschool in Frisco that catered to children with special needs and their families. Throughout her career as an educator, she had been able to work with an amazing group of students and colleagues that reinforced her belief that education should be attainable by everyone.

Her core belief in the importance of the pursuit of knowledge led to her attainment of a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Texas Woman’s University and a Master’s of Arts degree in Linguistics from the University of North Texas. She credits the educational opportunities she has been able to pursue to the continued support and encouragement of her family.

Blessing, originally from Cameroon, moved to Texas at the age of 3 and has resided in the DFW area ever since. Growing up, education held immense significance in her family, as her parents immigrated to the United States to provide their children with opportunities they themselves did not have. Witnessing firsthand the impact of inequitable education in various local DFW schools highlighted the urgent need for inclusive and equitable educational practices.

Motivated by a desire to prioritize students' holistic well-being over standardized test scores, Blessing embarked on a career in education here at Commit. She believes that every child deserves to feel valued and supported throughout their educational journey, recognizing that academic success extends beyond traditional measures. While relatively new to the field of education, Blessing's prior roles in Data and Documentation Management, Administration, and Finance have equipped her with valuable skills and perspectives.

Blessing earned her Bachelor of Science in Information Science with a concentration in Data Science from the University of North Texas. She attributes her academic achievements to the unwavering support of her parents, whose sacrifices afforded her educational opportunities. Grateful for the educators who prioritized her personal growth and passion over mere test scores, Blessing is committed to fostering environments where all students can thrive, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances.

Amy was born and raised in Indiana, where her student experience at a public magnet high school ignited her passion to pursue a career in public service and educational impact. As a Manager on the Analytics and Insights team, she focuses on leveraging data to enhance educational initiatives and foster impactful partnerships.

After serving as a Special Educator for a decade in Texas public schools, her career has included roles in strategic planning, community engagement, professional development, program management, and policy analysis. Amy has built and maintained partnerships locally and internationally to accomplish key priorities impacting positive change. Her dedication to collective impact led her to Commit.

Amy holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration from the University of Texas-Arlington. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and traveling.

Ben Higgins’ parents immigrated to the United States to pursue an education and the “American Dream.” At a young age, he was taught that "the harder you work, the better life you will have." Like many, he truly believed this, but through his work in schools, he quickly saw the reality of the disproportionate quality of education based on race and zip codes. This is why he has dedicated his career to promoting educational equity and helping under-resourced classrooms around the world. He has worked in schools and with non-profits located in Dallas; Abu Dhabi; London; the Bronx, New York; San Jose, California; and Oakland, California.

Prior to joining the Commit Partnership, Ben was a Dean at Uplift Luna Preparatory High School in Deep Ellum where he led the math, science, Spanish, and International Baccalaureate (IB) departments. He led the first cohort of IB graduates and increased the number of diploma earners from two to 19 within the program's first two years.

Before his role at Uplift Luna, Ben was a high school physics teacher in San Jose, California. There, he increased enrollment in the AP physics program by three sections. He also created a pipeline to AP Physics 2 and AP Physics C by recruiting underrepresented students to take on the challenge of AP physics - doubling the nationwide passage rate.

Ben holds a Bachelor of Science in Physics from New York University Abu Dhabi and a Master of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Southern Methodist University. His research interests center around the Asian American teacher experience and BIPOC teacher retention.

He Lives in Southeast Dallas with his fiancé. In his free time, he enjoys BBQing, trying new restaurants, attending live music events, and traveling.

Jonathan Hill was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. Growing up he achieved the Eagle Scout Award, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America, which roughly 6% attain. His experience in the BSA taught him great leadership values and gave him a passion for helping others. As a member of the drumline and marching band in high school he developed a love for music and was influenced by his family of educators and music teachers to pursue a career in education.

Jonathan received his B.A. in music at the University of Texas at Arlington where he soon after started his career in education as a music teacher for Dallas ISD. Prior to joining Commit, Jonathan was a research analyst for the Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships division at Fort Worth ISD.

Jonathan lives with his wife and two cats in the Oak Lawn area. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, and playing shows with his prog-rock band Wolves Reign.

Sofia Muñoz was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, attending DISD schools for PK-12th grade. Growing up, her parents instilled the importance of education in her and her two younger sisters and paved the way for them to receive high-quality education. Being exposed to many peers who had such a diverse set of circumstances and backgrounds fueled her passion for advocacy and equality, especially when it comes to education and sports. Upon graduating high school, she was able to further both her educational and soccer career at the University of Texas at Dallas, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Science in 2022.

Prior to working at Commit, Sofia knew she wanted to be in a role that uses data-driven insights to make a positive difference. After graduation, she chose Commit as her first step to making her own impact in ensuring equality for all students in the state of Texas and enjoys the work every day.

Sofia credits her success to her family, teachers, and coaches, and recognizes the impact of people in these positions on her and her peers’ lives. She hopes to have the same kind of impact on future generations.

Poonam Parekh was born and brought up in Mumbai, India and came to United States in May 2013. She was in Phoenix, AZ for 3 years before moving to Dallas, Texas in July 2016. She studied at the Dr. S. Radhakrishnan International School in Mumbai and completed her Bachelor's of Commerce at Narsee Monjee Institute Of Commerce and Economics. She later earned her MBA in Finance from University of Mumbai. She worked as a Tax Analyst at Ernst and Young LLP before moving to The States. In 2021, she pursed a post-graduate degree in Data Science and Business Analytics from Texas McCombs School of Business, University of Austin and landed with her first job as a Data Analyst with Big Thought, where she served for over for 2 years. She highly values education and truly believes it plays an important role in shaping the future. She believes in Commit’s True North Goal and wishes to work towards it. She lives in Flower Mound with her husband and two sons. Family time is very important to her and she loves spending time with her three boys. She loves cooking, dancing and in her free time you would find her reading books and listening to music.

David was born and raised in Indiana. He has lived in Texas for most of his adult life, where he has developed an aversion to freezing weather.

He began his career in business process & technology consulting across a variety of industries with Accenture and Deloitte. From there he followed a lifelong passion for maps into the GIS and spatial analytics field, specializing in retail location planning and economic development, providing services for commercial real estate brokers, government agencies, various retailers, and most recently Yum Brands’ Pizza Hut.

David studied Engineering at Purdue and Business at the University of Texas at Austin. His family’s strong education focus and his desire for data driven problem solving led to his current role with the Analytics Team at Commit.

Jackie Romero was born and raised Dallas, Texas. She grew up in DISD’s public education system and had the opportunity to attend Southern Methodist University (SMU) upon high school graduation. She was exposed to many pivotal opportunities throughout her years of schooling within DISD thanks to the guidance of dedicated and caring teachers and staff. She recognizes the strong impact these individuals have on students like herself and this motivates her to provide as much support and guidance for students, teachers, and organizations within her community.

Prior to joining the Commit Partnership, Jackie served as an Assistant Director for Undergraduate Admission at SMU where she also oversaw SMU’s Mustang Scholars Program. This program is geared towards rewarding high achieving, low SES students within Dallas County by making a private university education financially feasible. Given SMU’s partnership with Dallas Promise, she worked closely with Commit staff and Promise students across Dallas County.

Jackie completed both her MBA, with a concentration in Business Analytics, and her Bachelor of Science in Geophysics from Southern Methodist University. She credits her accomplishments to her parents who immigrated to Dallas from El Salvador almost 30 years ago. Their sacrifices and work ethic continue to motivate her work and service to her community.

Saumya was born in Delhi, India, and spent the first 21 years of her life there. At St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, she was exposed to diverse perspectives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she co-led a nationwide fundraiser in India, raising over INR 2,000,000 to bridge the digital divide in online education. She also tutored middle school students in math and coordinated efforts to organize such opportunities for her peers as well. As a Social Services League Executive Member at her college, she gained leadership experience but realized that a purely mathematics-driven field was not for her.

Aligning her passion for math and social good, she earned a Master’s in Applied Statistics in Social Science Research from New York University where she learned how to quantitatively assess impact and measure equity. Her research experience in NYC public schools exposed her to key issues in the American education system which she wishes to address by informing policy and helping various stakeholders realize the downstream effects of education. Commit’s data-driven approach appealed to her, and she joined Commit as a Summer Fellow in the 2024-25 cohort and now continues as an Associate on the Analytics and Insights team.

Dhruv Suryavanshi is an Associate on the Analytics and Insights Team. He completed high school in 2020 and decided to pursue a bachelor's degree in Statistics. In August 2023, Dhruv moved to Houston to pursue a master's degree in Statistics and Data Science. He graduated in August 2024 after completing his summer fellowship at Commit.

Throughout the last year of his Bachelor's degree, Dhruv worked as a Data Analytics Intern at Johns Hopkins Center for Infectious Diseases in India. During the Spring 2024 semester of his Master's degree he worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Houston's Business College where he extracted and analyzed financial documents using Python.

Dhruv has always held the belief that education has the power to address larger global challenges, and he sees data as the most effective tool for driving systemic changes in education. Commit’s focus on data-driven strategies strongly resonated with him, leading to his involvement as a Summer Fellow in the 2024-25 cohort. He now continues his work as an Associate on the Analytics and Insights team.

Ashley Barco was born and raised in Laredo, Texas. She is a proud graduate of DeSoto High School in DeSoto ISD, and is currently enrolled in Navarro College working towards her B.S. in Accounting.

Prior to her role at Commit, Ashley worked as an Office Manager in Accounts Payable & Receivable and Human Resources at the Salvation Army. Now, as a Finance Manager at the Commit Partnership, she's proud to be working in support of fellow public school students across the state.

Kristin was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. She is a current University of Central Arkansas student studying Computer Information Systems with a concentration in business analysis.

At the Commit Partnership, Kristin brings her infectiously optimistic energy to support the organization through the operations department. In her spare time she enjoys fostering animals and sewing.

Harneem Cansler was born in Malaysia and did all of her growing up in Irving, Texas. She Studied Accounting at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). She has over twenty years experience in nonprofit accounting, with seven of those years specifically in the field of education. In her current role as a manager on the finance team at Commit, she primarily handles revenue and supports the audit process. She is the proud mother of three children – two daughters and one goldendoodle. In her spare time she likes to play competitive beach volleyball and ride her road bike.

Sheena Fite was born and raised in Marshall, TX, a city that still holds a special place in her heart. She has always cherished the strong sense of community and support that shaped her upbringing.

Fite’s academic journey led her to the University of Texas at Tyler, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business. Armed with knowledge and enthusiasm, she embarked on her career path in the realm of benefits administration.

In 2021, she relocated to Lewisville discovered a passion for volunteer work. Volunteering with DallasHR allowed Fite to connect with a diverse community of HR professionals, share knowledge, and grow together.

As the Commit Partnership’s HR Generalist, Fite is excited to face new challenges head-on and grow both personally and professionally. The thrill of learning something new every day and tackling complex issues keeps her motivated and driven. She is currently working toward her Society for Human Resource Management certification.

Outside the office, Fite makes it a priority to enjoy life to the fullest. She enjoys physical activity, travel, and time spent with cherished friends and family. Their love and support fuel her journey and remind her of the value of strong connections.

Donisha Santiago-Anderson is the Director of Human Resources for the Commit Partnership and is responsible for leading the strategies that enable Commit to attract, hire, train, engage, develop and retain the best talent. She has experience in all aspects of HR and diversity, equity and inclusion. She oversees the company’s recruiting and onboarding, compensation and benefits, employee relations and employee/management, training and development. Prior to joining Commit, Donisha worked at Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity as the VP of HR and a member of the company’s executive leadership team.

Donisha is passionate about building a culture and environment that is engaging, empowering, motivating and ripe for innovative solutions. She is deeply committed to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and about employing data and analytics to identify emerging trends that drive and deliver transparent and meaningful HR solutions.

Originally from Chicago, IL, Donisha received her B.A. in business and HR management and MHA from Governors State University. She is currently attending Tulane Law School to obtain her MJEL (masters of juris prudence in employment law). She is also a Certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and member of the Society for Human Resources Management and Fort Worth HR.

Phillip was raised and received most of his education from public schools in San Antonio, TX. Even back then, he knew that he would spend his life helping others. Originally planning on a career in medicine, Phillip pursued higher education in science while working as a tutor to help others succeed in their postsecondary academic goals.

Before coming to Commit, Phillip worked as an educator through Teach For America in Dallas ISD at H. Grady Spruce High School. He served students for two years as a freshman biology teacher, helping students each year pass the required state assessment for academic readiness in biology. However, in his second year, Phillip had the opportunity to teach an AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) class, in which he helped students improve their college and career readiness and found his true passion. Phillip is excited to use his experiences in and out of the classroom to contribute to the work Commit does for students.

Phillip graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B. S. in Biology and a focus on Neurobiology.

Brittany Singleton is the Manager of Data Solutions for the Dallas County Promise team here at Commit. Driven by her passion for nonprofit work, she has remained a dedicated advocate for community empowerment and lifelong learning. Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Cyber Security, Brittany has committed her career to making education accessible to all. She holds an Associate degree in Information Technology and a Database certification from the Community College of Baltimore County, as well as an IBM Data Science Certificate and a Salesforce Agent certification.

Through her own experiences in school, Brittany has learned the great value of education and the importance of creating spaces where everyone feels that success in education is accessible. Originally hailing from Baltimore, MD, Brittany recently embarked on a new chapter in her life, relocating to Dallas in 2023. In her previous role at Byte Back, Brittany supported initiatives aimed at providing essential career skills and IT training to underserved populations in Baltimore and is now happy to support communities in Dallas.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Brittany finds joy and fulfillment in exploring Texas with her family as they settle into their new home here in Dallas. Her family includes her fiancé, son, daughter, a rabbit named Oliver, and a turtle named Leonardo. She now looks forward to continuing her journey of making a difference in the community by supporting Commit and the Dallas County Promise team with data and insights. These efforts help tell the stories of the community we serve and bring a greater understanding of the transformative power of education in fostering equitable community change.

Highly committed to public education, Devron Armstrong manages the Best In Class coalition at The Commit Partnership. Devron has more than fifteen years of experience as an education professional, and is currently a 2020-2021 fellow in Leadership ISD’s Civic Voices Fellowship in the Dallas, Texas area. He has taught and coached all subjects across grades 5 – 12 while serving in various capacities such as content leader, teacher leader, Dean, Dean of Instruction, and Assistant Principal.

As a founding Dean and Dean of Instruction at two large public charters in the Houston area, Devron observed, coached and evaluated a cohort of teachers across all grade levels and disciplines and shaped school culture using a fully restorative justice-based approach. Due to the hard work of the staff, teachers, parents, students, and community, 100% of students since the school’s first graduating class have earned a high school diploma and admission to a two- or four-year college at both schools.

Devron has also worked as a professional development consultant. He supported campuses and districts in developing targeted academic intervention plans using MAP essential reports. Devron also works as an adjunct professor at Houston Community College in the Alternative Teacher Certification Program. In his spare time, Devron pursues his passion for health and nutrition and rollerblading with his business and non-profit Wholelistic Foods.

A public-school graduate from Killeen High School in Killeen ISD, Devron earned his master’s in education – Administration and Supervision from The University of Houston Main Campus in 2012. Devron graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration from Tarleton State University in Stephenville, TX in 2006. Devron is actively certified as a K – 12 principal and generalist (grades 4 – 8) with English as a Second Language supplemental from the State Board for Educator Certification. He is currently pursuing an advanced degree in Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. Devron currently lives and serves in West Dallas area.

Allison is a Texas native and has spent a good chunk of her life driving I-35 between her hometown of San Antonio and childhood stomping ground of DFW.

During her time at UTSA, she found her passion for civic engagement and data-driven solutions while acting as a policy advisor for the Mayor’s Youth Council to address the school-to-prison pipeline in San Antonio school districts and across the state. From teaching Pre-K and kindergarten, to working with special populations, to supporting research and advocacy efforts across the state, Allison comes to Commit with several years of experience working in and with communities to identify problems, communicate data, and design and implement creative and effective solutions. Immediately before starting at Commit, Allison spent a year volunteering with the AmeriCorps VISTA program at Children at Risk, where she supported programmatic and legislative efforts to improve education, health, and quality of life for children across Texas.

Outside of work, Allison has passions for her wife and family, their adorably scrappy dog Einstein, classical piano, reading, cooking, glitter, and Manchester United.

Mercedes Chavez is a New Mexican turned Texan, whose journey in education has been shaped by her experiences as a first-generation college graduate. Growing up in Roswell, NM, Mercedes witnessed the power of education firsthand, following in the footsteps of her older sister who paved the way. Inspired by this path, she has dedicated her career to ensuring that all students have access to quality learning opportunities, especially in the subject of math.

With several years in the classroom, Mercedes firmly believes that all kids are math kids and is driven by a deep conviction that every student can succeed with the right support and guidance. Her work as a teacher, Intervention Specialist, and MTSS coordinator has been focused on building students' confidence, analyzing data to tailor instruction, and aligning curriculum to meet rigorous standards—all while keeping her students’ growth at the heart of her efforts.

Now an Impact Fellow with The Commit Partnership, Mercedes works to advance educational equity through collaboration, convinced that true progress is achieved by partnering with others to create lasting change. She knows that educational equity can be attained when communities, educators, and organizations come together to support students in reaching their highest potential.

Outside of her work, Mercedes loves traveling to her favorite city, Mexico City, horseback riding, junk journaling, and visiting her sisters back in New Mexico whenever she gets the chance.

Born in Buffalo, NY and raised in Bakersfield, CA, Paige is a Texas transplant. As the first person in her family to pursue college, she became interested in investigating the fears and barriers that had dissuaded the rest of her family from pursuing education.

This curiosity surrounding educational inequity grew during her various experiences student-teaching physics, leading a robotics after-school program, designing engineering curriculum, and executing research on educational outcomes in STEM for Emergent Bilingual students. These experiences and Paige’s emerging passion for ensuring all students could see themselves as “math people,” led her to join Teach for America as a member of the 2021 Dallas-Fort Worth Corps. Her goal remains to ensure all students, specifically those for whom our traditional education system was not designed, can achieve their highest potential in education and in life.

Paige graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a degree in Mathematics and holds an M.Ed. in STEM Education from Southern Methodist University. Outside of work, she’s passionate about animals, tennis, and the Buffalo Bills.

Nick grew up in the suburbs of Detroit, Michigan. He’s passionate about helping students reach their full potential and he believes it will take a collective effort to provide the kinds of opportunities kids deserve.

Nick spent time teaching in Seongnam, South Korea and Asuncion, Paraguay before settling in Dallas to beginning his work in public education.

Over the past thirteen years, Nick has served as a teacher, personalized learning coordinator, and campus leader in Dallas turnaround secondary schools. Immediately prior to joining Commit, he worked with Uplift Education’s campus leadership teams, school system level staff, and tutoring providers to build a comprehensive high impact tutoring program to address unfinished learning experienced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic

Nick earned his master’s degree in educational leadership with urban school specialization from Southern Methodist University, and holds a master’s degree in secondary education, curriculum and instruction from the University of Alabama.

When he’s not working with schools and community members to promote educational equity, you can find Nick reading, playing music, cooking on his patio, and spending time at home in East Dallas with his wife and twin daughters.

Cam Hedden was born and raised in Shelbyville, Kentucky where he attended the same public school district from kindergarten through 12th grade. In high school, he was elected to represent students on the board of education and was able to provide insight onto what was working and not working for students.

In college, Cam became interested in studying the mind and human behavior through a medical lens. This interest led him to a local middle school as part of a community-integrated child psychology course. Disappointed by what he was seeing in classrooms, Cam joined Teach for America as a member of the 2021 Dallas-Fort Worth Corps. During his time in the corps, Cam worked with colleagues and district leadership to enhance and develop safe student spaces as well as additional training for teachers to support queer students. He also contributed to a game changing Algebra/Robotics joint curriculum that led his students to not only find new interests through math, but also to great success on the STAAR exam. Cam has taught chemistry, algebra I, and geometry to hundreds of students across two districts in DFW and believes that education is a form of healthcare – giving students the tools and the support they need to be themselves and live long, happy, and healthy lives as a result.

Cam graduated summa cum laude from Emory University with a bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. Cam also holds a Master of Education degree with a STEM concentration from Southern Methodist University. Outside of work, Cam enjoys cooking, playing sand volleyball, and spending time with his partner Jorge and their dog Luna.

Travis is a Texas native and proud graduate of Mesquite ISD schools. Upon receiving his undergraduate degree from Southern Methodist University, Travis returned to his hometown school, where he spent nine years as a high school Spanish teacher. Later transitioning to the Advanced Academics Coordinator & Postsecondary Readiness Specialist role, Travis worked directly with high school students to explore and achieve their goals for life after graduation, while also helping them and their families navigate the complicated processes of financial aid, college applications, and all things advanced academics. Travis ended his tenure in Mesquite ISD as the CCMR (College, Career, and Military Readiness) Facilitator, developing strategies and processes between advanced academics, post-secondary institutions, counseling, and content coordinators, all through the lens of CCMR A-F state accountability.

Currently, Travis is pursuing a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of North Texas with a concentration in Gifted Education, Talent Development, and Creativity. His research interests include post-secondary transition supports for academically-advanced students, gamification as a pedagogical tool, and teaching practices in elective secondary classrooms. When not ensconced in graduate school, Travis can be found nose-deep in a book, designing tabletop board and role-playing games, brewing craft coffee, and spending time with his spouse and cat.

Born in Austin but raised in San Antonio, Gretta Kershner is a proud Texas native. The daughter of a school principal – in fact, her middle school principal – Gretta knew from an early age that she wanted a career in education. After attending Texas A&M University and receiving her B.S. in Political Science, she took an opportunity to join the DFW Teach for America corps. Seeing firsthand the disparities of access within her new community, she continued her education and received a M.Ed. in Urban Education from Southern Methodist University.

As a former Dallas ISD social studies educator and school administrator, Gretta believes that policy based on data analysis drives systemic change. She joins the Early Matters Dallas team as an eager associate, ready to support regional coalitions and thought partners in changing the early childhood landscape.

In her spare time, Gretta is busy achieving her personal goal of visiting all fifty states, walking her neighborhood trails, and enjoying a shot of espresso on the patio. She thanks her family for the encouragement, her colleagues for constant growth, and her former students for reminding her ‘why.’

Memusi Ntore was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. As a first generation American born to parents who immigrated from Kenya, Memusi learned early that quality education is the best pathway to a better life.

His passion for mathematics began in school, leading him to tutor his peers in the subject throughout high school and college. This passion led him to pursue a career in education with the desire to mentor young people from similar backgrounds. Memusi has gained diverse experiences throughout his career: serving as a founding team member at a charter school in Kansas City, MO, teaching and mentoring high school students at his alma mater in Marietta, GA, and teaching in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the United States within Dallas ISD at Sam Tasby Middle School, where he worked with English learners, many of whom were newly arrived immigrants and refugees.

These experiences underscored the importance of high-quality math education from caring and effective teachers and the many systemic inequalities stand in the way of that success. This led Memusi to move into a role that affects change at the systems level.

Before joining Commit, Memusi worked in Chicago, IL as a data analyst at Education Systems Center at Northern Illinois University. There, he collaborated with district, community and statewide partners to evaluate polices and practices that ensure successful transitions to and through postsecondary and career opportunities, especially for historically marginalized populations.

Memusi holds a B.S. in Mathematics and an M.A. in Secondary Mathematics Education from Georgia State University. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, taking long walks their dog, reading, traveling, and watching an assortment of sports.

Chelsea Valdez was born into a family deeply committed to education, with her mother and grandparents on both sides dedicating themselves to roles spanning Pk-12 teaching, counseling, school leadership, and rural superintendent positions. Raised in southeastern Missouri, she moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area in 2009 to serve as a Teach For America corps member, where she taught middle school mathematics in Dallas ISD.

While teaching, Chelsea quickly realized the pivotal role that educators play in shaping students' long-term academic success and social-emotional development. After transitioning from the classroom, Chelsea spent the next decade working in educator preparation, coaching and mentoring hundreds of novice teachers across the country. Nine of those years were with Relay Graduate School of Education, serving initially as a faculty member at their New York campus and later assuming the role of Director of Certification & Department Chair on their national team. Her responsibilities extended to supporting teachers enrolled in Relay's educator preparation programs across 18 states. Additionally, she played integral roles as an instructional coach and Director of Curriculum and Program at The Educator Academy in Kansas City, MO. In this capacity, she contributed to the establishment of their teacher residency's curriculum, coaching protocols, and mentor teacher development during its inaugural year of operations.

Chelsea holds a master's degree in education policy from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Missouri. She has also actively participated in education-focused fellowships, including an Education Pioneers Summer Fellowship in New York City and a Summer Policy Internship at the Institute for School Partnership at Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

Residing in Dallas County with her husband and two children, Chelsea remains dedicated to fostering educational excellence and innovation through her commitment to educator development and student success.

Accacia Dickerson was born and raised in Southern Pines, NC. There, she experienced firsthand how the criminal justice system, socioeconomic dispositions, and racial inequities played a role in how marginalized children grew up and the adverse effects it had on a student’s pathway to success. She wanted to ensure any child, regardless of upbringing and circumstances, was able to fortify a life of dignity, stability, and prosperity.

With this as her mission, she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 2018 with a Bachelors in both Political Science and African American Studies. She returned in 2019 to acquire her post-baccalaureate certification in Nonprofit Management. In addition, in May of 2021, she received her Master’s in Peace and Conflict Studies from her Alma Mater.

Prior to joining Commit Partnership, she served as the Development Manager for a law, policy, and strategy nonprofit based out of Durham, North Carolina that focused on criminal justice reform and voting rights restoration and expansion.

In her spare time, she enjoys all things fitness and spends her evenings with her short-haired American cat, Novalita Khaleesi.

David was born and raised in Mesquite attending Title 1 schools. However, it wasn’t until he volunteered and worked for nonprofits serving economically disadvantaged communities that he began to understand the systemic barriers his peers faced in and out of the classroom.

After graduating from North Mesquite High School, he attended Texas A&M University where he got his Bachelor of Arts and Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the Bush School of Government and Public Service. His time working for youth and place-based organizations helped him see how philanthropy can create opportunities and influence education systems to help young people achieve their goals.

In his role at Commit, David collaborates with national philanthropic institutions and corporations to strategically reinvest in initiatives that create more equitable school systems. Prior to Commit, David held leadership fundraising positions at some of Dallas’ largest youth development organizations including Big Thought and Mercy Street in West Dallas.

Shannon Mckenrick-Okou, CFRE, is excited to be back in the DFW area after spending 10 years in Oklahoma City. She has worked in a variety of fundraising roles and functions including annual fund drives, alumni relations, grant writing, capital campaigning, and major giving in higher education and K-12 public education.

In 2020, Shannon earned her Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation. In 2020 and 2022 she was named Oklahoma City’s NextGen Under 30. She is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and regularly volunteers with The African Think Tank.

Shannon attended Oklahoma City University where she obtained her Bachelors in Entertainment Business and Masters in Nonprofit Administration with high honors. In her free time, Shannon likes to read, quilt, cook, and passionately cheer for the Cleveland Browns with her family and husband, William.

Naureen Rajan serves as the Sr. Director of Philanthropy at The Commit Partnership. Naureen and her team will focus on raising mission critical funds through grant and foundation revenue, focused on a united vision to increase living wage attainment by equitably increasing educational success.

She is a seasoned fundraiser with over 20 years of experience working for non-profits across the country. Her passion for being a servant leader, mixed with her compassion for those in need is unparalleled. She is a strategic and results driven leader, with expertise in revenue management, data analysis, donor relations, volunteer leadership and community engagement.

Naureen graduated from Austin College in Sherman, TX with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Immediately following graduation, Naureen joined the Peace Corps and served as an English Teacher in Burkina Faso, West Africa. There she made strong community ties and even started a library in her village.

Naureen is a proud wife, mother of two beautiful girls and a dog named Rocky. She enjoys spending time with her family, playing pickleball, hiking and watching sports.

She is excited to join The Commit Partnership team and looks forward to increasing the organizations capacity to raise more money via a robust grants and foundations portfolio of investors.

Nicole Wilson is an advocate for equitable education that enables all students to reach their full potential regardless of race, national origin, sex, gender, or disability.

Growing up outside Washington, DC in the Northern Virginia conglomerate, Nicole was raised in a highly diverse region that taught her the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion from a young age. She attended mixed-income public schools and witnessed her peers of all races leverage the rigor and resources of the Fairfax County Public School system, many of whom went on to graduate from some of the top public and private universities in the nation.

Prior to Commit, Nicole spent five years working in volunteer management at a nonprofit education foundation in Knoxville, Tennessee called the Great Schools Partnership. She served as Project Manager, creating a school-based volunteer reading program from the ground-up with a variety of community stakeholders. Nicole is also a former AmeriCorps VISTA member.

Nicole graduated from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts in English and minor in Journalism.

As the daughter of Chinese immigrants, Lilac saw the transformational impact of education from an early age. Though her parents immigrated to the U.S. with little to nothing, they worked hard to always prioritize education in her life, instilling in her the belief that education leads to opportunity. Their perseverance and resilience inspire her to give others the opportunities they provided her.

Prior to Commit, Lilac had the opportunity to intern as a teacher within the underserved schools of Memphis, TN. During this time, Lilac witnessed firsthand how many of her own students did not have access to the opportunities they deserved due to systemic inequities and factors outside of their control. This experience served as a catalyst for her interest in education policy and helped her commit to the idea of spending her life in service to students and teachers.

Since then, Lilac continued to pursue opportunities to learn more about effective education policy both in and out of school. Lilac received a Bachelor of Arts from Baylor University where she studied Political Science, Sociology and Economics. During her undergraduate career, Lilac completed coursework relevant to education policy and conducted original research regarding best practices for encouraging higher student achievement. She translated her academic knowledge to action during her internships at the Austin Chamber of Commerce and the Texas Senate Committee on Higher Education.

All these experiences have led Lilac to develop a deeply rooted personal mission dedicated to supporting education policy that fosters equity and empowers individuals to reach their full potential. Every student deserves the opportunity to receive a quality education and no child should be hindered because of race, zip code, or family income. A commitment to equitable education is a commitment to the dignity and value of every individual.

Growing up in South Texas as a first-generation college student, Katrina is passionate about economic mobility. She is a proud graduate of Corpus Christi ISD and the University of Texas system and received her undergraduate education thanks to a full ride scholarship from the Terry Foundation. As State Policy Director of Postsecondary Education and Workforce at The Commit Partnership, she works to shape statewide policies that strengthen Texas's talent pipeline and help more Texans secure living wage jobs.

Her career spans early childhood education through higher education and workforce development, where she has focused on building cross-sector partnerships to expand access to high-quality career pathways. Prior to Commit, Katrina led economic development and workforce consulting engagements across the country conducting labor market analyses, developing strategic plans, and advising on implementation. She started her career in the Speaker's Office in the Texas State Capitol.

Katrina received her Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She holds two graduate degrees from the University of Texas at Austin - a Master of Public Affairs and an MBA.

Tamara grew up in Davie, Florida, and is a proud graduate of Broward County Public Schools. Her passion for non-profit and mission driven work began in Denver, Colorado, as a fundraiser for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It was here she discovered her love for supporting leaders, building community capacity, and designing innovative strategies to accelerate and amplify impact.

After moving to Dallas and doing development work for an early childhood non-profit, Tamara realized that a high-quality public education wasn’t guaranteed to all students. She was deeply impacted by the fact that so many kids couldn’t access education to be a driver of choice and opportunity in their lives.. That knowledge led her to Leadership ISD where she was a Fellow in the Civic Voices Class of 2016 before joining the organization full time.

As Leadership ISD’s Vice President of Programs, Tamara develops and executes the organization’s strategy for improving student outcomes across North Texas through leadership development, the implementation of strong governance practices, coalition building, policy passage, and advocacy efforts. Tamara loves collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds who are all working toward a common goal while having the opportunity to design and facilitate experiences that open people up to new ideas and perspectives. She works closely with school board trustees and community advocates across North Texas, equipping them with data, best practices, governance supports, leadership training, and coaching. By building an ecosystem of shared ownership and accountability, she knows we can create an education system where every student feels seen, valued, and hopeful about their future. Simply put, Tamara sees her role as ensuring that excellent things happen for ALL students on purpose.

Tamara was selected as a member of Southern Methodist University’s inaugural Social Entrepreneurship program and received her certificate in 2024. She holds a B.A from Syracuse University. She currently volunteers for several organizations working with students, serves on the board of Firme DFW, and is the extremely proud mentor of six first generation Dallas County students. Outside of work, Tamara enjoys all things outdoors and water-related, reading, learning, and cheering on all of her favorite Florida sports teams.

Ari was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio and comes from a family of educators. Her parents emphasized the importance of a high-quality education and went to great lengths to ensure that she received one. Ari attended Hampton University and finished her undergraduate degree at the University of Texas at San Antonio when her parents relocated to Texas. She received her Bachelors in Communication with a focus in Public Relations.

Ari began her post-collegiate career in education. She is a former Kindergarten teacher and instructional coach who understands the importance of strong reading and math foundations to ensure academic success. She also developed math curriculum for kindergarten-2^nd grade during her teaching tenure.

Prior to joining Commit, Ari was the North Texas Regional Director of Advocacy for the Texas Public Charter Schools Association. She utilized grassroots strategies to help foster strong relationships at the legislature and build a positive political climate for public charter schools. Ari was always aware of deeper systemic issues in education and decided to deepen her policy experience and advocate for all public education systems and scholars in Texas.

Ari believes that passion and understanding the legislative process creates systemic change. She believes that every child deserves the transformative power of education and that knowledge shapes destinies and empowers individuals to defy odds.

In her spare time, Ari helps register voters in the DFW community and encourages African American engagement in the Democratic process. Ari enjoys a Pilates workout, reading, thrifting, volunteering at her church, and spending time with her dog- Romeo, family and friends.

Karla Lainez was born in Houston, TX, but grew up in Pleasant Grove and attended Dallas ISD schools.

Prior to joining the Commit Partnership, Karla taught in Dallas for over five years, where she worked with students of exceptional ability. This inspired her to join Deloitte where, during her time at the firm as an Executive Coordinator, Karla supported over ten principals, partners and managing directors in various areas such as Cyber Security, Healthcare, Government Relations, Tax & Audit. She gained valuable experience, developed project management skills, problem solving skills, and built strong relationships with leaders.

While she knew the firm would continue to be successful, her community, Pleasant Grove had been evolving over the years, but at a slower rate, since she left in 2012 for college, and she felt she had a duty to support students in her community. As a former Dallas ISD teacher, Karla knew she needed to find a way to contribute to her community in a meaningful way. She wanted to provide students with the same educational and career opportunities and support she had. Joining Commit aligned with her mission to provide every student regardless of race, social economic background to earn a living wage.

Evy grew up in Franklin, TN and graduated from the University of Alabama with her BA in International Relations and Spanish in 2023. While in school, she had the opportunity to work as a tutor in several Title I elementary schools in her community, which sparked her interest in education and her desire to provide access to quality education opportunities. Evy has developed her fluency in Spanish while working with immigrant and Latino/a communities in the South and is passionate about providing these students with the resources and supports they need to succeed.

Following her undergraduate graduation, Evy began her Master of Public Policy degree at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, where she serves as the Co-President of the Education Policy Student Association and regularly convenes peers and faculty members to discuss issues related to education policy. She believes education is the foundation for social, academic, and professional success and knows that thoughtful policy is an important lever in generating these outcomes.

Evy has worked as an intern for several education-based organizations across the country and had the opportunity to join Commit in the Summer of 2024 as an Education Pioneers Summer Fellow. Recognizing the impactful work that Commit accomplishes for students in Texas, she is excited to continue supporting the Policy team remotely in Chicago while she finishes up her degree. After her June 2025 graduation, Evy aims to promote policy that encourages equitable student achievement through a career in advocacy or policy research and innovation.

A former Dallas ISD teacher, Joey is dedicated to fostering community leaders into public education advocates and ensuring public education leaders have the resources to create excellent, equitable learning environments. This commitment is driven by his own experiences in the education system, where he witnessed firsthand how effective leadership and high-quality teaching could unlock the limitless potential of Dallas students.

Joey’s passion for improving student outcomes was strengthened when he joined Leadership ISD as a Fellow in 2019 to gain a deeper understanding of the education system. During his Fellowship, he realized the importance of advocacy in bridging the equity gap in education. This realization fuels his current role as Leadership ISD’s regional director for Dallas County, where he leads initiatives such as the Civic Voices Fellowship, supports trustees, and builds community coalitions to improve student outcomes.

In addition to his work with Leadership ISD, Joey founded Firme DFW, a nonprofit organization that supports first-generation Latine students by providing scholarships and mentorships essential for their college success. He also serves on the board of Union, a local Dallas nonprofit. Joey holds a Bachelor's degree from New Mexico State University and a Master’s in Education from Johns Hopkins University.

Joshua Edwards was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a city known for developing one of the wealthiest Black communities in the United States, known as Black Wall Street. While growing up in a historic community, Joshua gained a heart for seeing Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) obtain and maintain economic and educational success, which has led him down a path of discovering ways in which he can align his passion for systemic change with his communication skills.

Prior to joining the Commit Partnership, Joshua was a Content Writing intern for Goodera in 2020, a global CSR and Sustainability platform that helps companies provide their employees with volunteering opportunities offered by nonprofits across the globe. In 2021, Joshua further explored his communication skills through freelance opportunities with Entertainment Weekly and Andscape, an affiliate of ESPN. Joshua published several bylines, ranging from red carpet premieres to college basketball games. His freelance experiences concluded in the summer of 2022, when he gained a communications internship with Teneo Strategy, supporting executives in ongoing communications efforts through social media research, communications strategy, and planning. The skills he acquired in consulting were then transferred to his most recent role with Harvard University as an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Anti-racism (EDIBA) internship fellow. Joshua worked to ensure Harvard Library’s content was accessible and inclusive for all students, faculty, and staff. Working under EDIBA, he was able to refocus his attention toward his passion for disadvantaged communities, which has led him to his most recent role as a Communications Associate at Commit Partnership.

Joshua obtained his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree at Jackson State University in Journalism and Media Studies. He plans to further his educational and professional experiences in the field of Communications.

As the youngest of five, he enjoys spending quality time with family and friends. Outside of maintaining cherished relationships, he spends the majority of his leisure time listening to podcasts or creating mood boards on Pinterest.

Danyale Fletcher was born and raised in Dallas and is a proud graduate of Oklahoma State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a minor in Legal Studies. She is currently pursuing her Master of Public Administration at the University of Texas at Arlington, with a focus in nonprofit management.

With a passion for closing opportunity gaps and ensuring equal access to resources for all, Danyale is deeply committed to promoting social equity and community empowerment. Her early career began in the legal field as a legal assistant, where she supported multiple attorneys. That experience shifted her focus toward public service, where she believes she can make a larger impact on the communities she cares about. Danyale has since gained administrative and project management experience across various sectors, with a strong commitment to efficiency and positive change.

Outside of her professional roles, Danyale enjoys engaging in community service activities that foster positive change in communities, running, baking, and spending time with her family. Her personal mission is to create pathways to success for underrepresented communities through nonprofit work.

Daisy is a first-generation Mexican American graduate of Southern Methodist University with a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology. She was born and raised in Dallas, with familial roots in Guanajuato, Mexico. She is a proud daughter of immigrants who have instilled in her the importance of hard work, education, and community service.

Driven to leverage her education and experience to empower her community, Daisy is particularly interested in public education, voter outreach, and increasing women's representation in politics. Having graduated from Skyline High School, a magnet school within the Dallas ISD, she finds Commit's work especially meaningful.

Prior to joining Commit, Daisy served as a program manager with a political action committee supporting her county's political party. She is passionate about grassroots campaigning and has spent many cycles working on local council and school board campaigns. With extensive voter outreach experience, she enjoys collaborating with organizations and individuals focused on issues impacting the Dallas area. Daisy also has 10 years of experience in litigation support and legal administrative assistance at top law firms.

In addition to her work at Commit and her involvement in political activism, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Marco, and their dogs, Rose and Thor. A die-hard Dallasite, she's also a fierce supporter of the Dallas Mavericks.

Joshua Kumler was born and raised in Palm Beach County, Florida, where he was the recipient of an excellent, diverse, and arts-oriented public education. He followed his passion to Southern Methodist University, where he received a B.F.A. in Theatre Studies, with minors in English and Philosophy.

Joshua has always been interested in using the arts to create social change and is honored to be doing so at the Commit Partnership, where he has produced two podcast series: The Miseducation of Dallas County and The Twisted Saga of Texas School Finance. It is his hope that, through these and other media, we can lift up unheard voices and engage communities that are too frequently left out of the political process.

Adrien Palmer was born and raised in Columbia, South Carolina. His passions for music, writing, and working with kids have developed side by side over time. While earning his B.A. in Music Business at Grove City College, he spent his summers as a camp counselor in Gaston, SC, all the while writing and performing music. Since then, he has continued collecting experiences: teaching English at the YMCA in Hiroshima, performing with his band The Last City, working at a teaching-based creative agency, and doing freelance audio engineering and copywriting.

He is increasingly grateful that personally, professionally, and relationally, he’s had the support and resources to process life’s ups and downs in a healthy way. Upon moving to Dallas in 2015, he grew to understand his job as an elementary school music teacher as an opportunity to offer that same support to his students. Since leaving the classroom in 2018, he has continued following that passion by co-founding Narwhals and Waterfalls, a kindie-rock duo that creates songs, videos, and curricula for elementary teachers.

Whit Payne grew up in Dallas, Texas and has always had a passion for improving his community. In high school, he participated on his community service board and had a particular interest in Habitat for Humanity. After high school, he studied economics and business at Vanderbilt University while working finance and real estate internships during the summers. As Covid-19 hit his senior year, he began to reflect on the inequities that plague our communities. He knew he wanted to make a difference and believed in the power of education, so he applied to Teach for America.

After accepting a role in the Teach for America corps, Whit knew he was going to dedicate his life to creating impact. He taught for two years at Uplift Hampton Middle School in Desoto, teaching 7th grade math and coaching varsity soccer. While he loved teaching and watching his students learn and grow, he was highly concerned about the number of students who were reading and doing math at a primary school level and knew that our state needed structural change in order to improve our education system. This realization brought him to the Commit Partnership.

Through Teach for America connections, Whit joined the Commit Partnership as an intern and quickly earned a full time roll on the Strategic Initiatives department. He now analyzes Texas public school data searching for trends and outliers that may provide insights into creating a better school system. Specifically, he has been investigating the benefits of attaining higher education, restorative discipline, and affordable teacher housing. Whit believes deeply in his work and is determined to create a better future for his fellow Texans.

Jasmine Ray was born in Albany, Georgia but raised all over the world as the child of two military parents.

Prior to joining the Commit Partnership, her commitment to educational equity led her to City Year Dallas, where she served for two years working with students in Dallas ISD and Uplift Education. Throughout her tenure, she mentored and tutored students in high-need schools, aiming to improve their academic success and graduation rates. This experience inspired her to continue seeking ways to make a broader impact and drive systemic change. Joining Commit has aligned with her mission that education should be accessible for all students, regardless of their background.

In her free time, she enjoys reading a good mystery book (preferably by J.D. Robb), hiking, watching Grey's Anatomy, and spending time with her mom, her partner and their sweet puppy, Teddy.

Turner LaBrie was born in Lubbock, Texas, and raised in Norfolk, Virginia. While living in Virginia, Turner volunteered with an organization that empowered students and parents to take a greater role in their local and state education policy decisions. This experience led Turner to realize that the best and most equitable education policy outcomes arise from processes that include all stakeholders- parents and students included. In working for Commit, he strives to provide the best data possible to inform stakeholder decision-making.

Before joining Commit, Turner conducted financial and energy analyses for Virginia’s utility regulatory body, the State Corporation Commission. Additionally, he has experience in management consulting, working for a small firm in Blacksburg, Virginia. He attended the University of Virginia, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a Master of Public Policy degree.

In his free time, Turner enjoys walking the Katy Trail, learning new recipes, and practicing piano. He thanks his family for all the love and support they’ve shown on his journey to Texas and Commit.

Laura Vargas was born in Colombia but has spent most of her life in Texas, and is a proud graduate of Garland ISD. As the daughter of two bilingual teachers, she has always had a deep appreciation for the importance education can play in shaping lives. Throughout her life, Laura has sought out opportunities to be involved in education, such as working at a math learning center in high school and interning at an education nonprofit focused on creating leadership pathways for Latinos in education. In her role at Commit, she hopes to use data and strategic thinking to help tackle issues in our communities and public schools, and help achieve more equitable outcomes for all students.

Before joining Commit, Laura was working for a management consulting firm in Houston, working across industries to analyze data and solve business issues. While in consulting, Laura was able to work on projects for public sector and nonprofit clients, which helped fuel her interest in social impact and education.

Laura attended Rice University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. In her free time, Laura enjoys playing sand volleyball, reading, and trying new coffee spots.

Maria Argueta was born in Guatemala and came to Dallas, Texas at nine years old. Her father was not provided an elementary education but survived by working hard. A college degree was never mentioned in her household simply due to its cost. She was always told a high school diploma was enough, but came to realize that in order to reach a sustainable wage she would need to further her education. She is currently working toward a Bachelor’s degree in education at Dallas College. She wants people to see that having an education will open doors and everyone can truly live the American dream if you work hard and never give up.

In her role as an Associate for Texas College Bridge, she aids in the management of the program, plans and delivers training sessions, provides technical assistance to program partners, and assists in data management and document storage for the program .

Before coming to Commit she served as an associate in the counseling department at Lakeview Centennial High School College and Career Magnet in Garland for 7 years. She enjoys spending time with her greatest accomplishment, her family.

Leah is a Texas native, a resident of Waxahachie, and a proud graduate of Waxahachie ISD. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of North Texas and a Master of Education in School Counseling from Lamar University. She began her business career as a Data Management Analyst but soon switched to a career in education. Leah spent 16 years as a teacher, counselor, lead counselor and a Career & Technical Education coordinator for Garland ISD.

As an educator, Leah saw firsthand the challenges that many students face in trying to get an education. The lack of resources and support some had when planning for college or career was disheartening. These are the children that have a special place in Leah’s heart.

Leah believes that every child deserves the opportunity to be successful in life, regardless of gender, race, disability or socioeconomic status, either through advanced education or school-provided technical training programs. She joined Commit to help ensure that through data all stakeholders in a child’s education know of and have access to all resources and supports that are available to their students, and how those programs can afford every child the opportunity to attain a postsecondary credential and/or a living wage career.

After many years as a single mom, she is now married and lives with her husband, Quincy and German Shepherd, Cookie. Her son is finishing his degree at UTD. Her four bonus daughters are all in different workforce areas.

Timi has spent her entire life in the great state of Texas! Throughout her middle school and high school years, she knew she wanted to be an educator. It was the drive to become a teacher that pushed her throughout her 8.5 years in college beginning at the University of Houston and concluding at the University of North Texas, working full-time to support herself and her college expenses. She’s proud to be the first in her family to earn a college degree.

Timi has a passion for students and empowering them to lead successful lives after high school. She has 25+ years of experience in public education beginning as a high school business teacher in Dallas ISD. To be closer to home, she taught in Garland ISD for the remainder of her teaching career. Through a partnership with Dallas College, she taught dual credit courses, in addition to teaching at the community college level. Her passion for helping students led her to the position of College and Career Advisor and Industry Liaison where she led the Collegiate Academy and dual credit program tripling college/dual credit enrollment during her time in that position.

She came on board with The Commit Partnership in 2020 to lead the Texas College Bridge college preparatory program shortly after its inception. Texas College Bridge offers an avenue for students to prepare for college earning an exemption from college entrance exams and allows them to enroll directly into entry-level college courses. Her hope is for every student to have the opportunity to learn, grow and live successful lives.

Together, Timi and her husband, Scott, have three sons, a grandson, and a beautiful granddaughter. They moved to the country to live closer to their grandchildren and sons. Timi enjoys porch time, quilting, cooking, spending time with her family and friends, and loving on her longhorn, Fabio, when she’s not spoiling her grandchildren. She’s blessed to have wonderful friends that come visit her regularly. Her hope is that one day her third son will join the family’s CW Ranch.

Karla is proudly Dallas-born and Pleasant Grove-raised. The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Karla can attest to the transformative power of economic mobility through postsecondary attainment first-hand. She attended Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School, the first public all-girls school in Texas and experienced an enriched academic and personal journey supported by local nonprofits such as the Young Women's Preparatory Network and Bridge Lacrosse Dallas. Karla is the first high school and college graduate in her family, earning a bachelor's in public policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In 2018, she returned to Dallas to join the Dallas County Promise, an initiative broadening college access for first-generation and low-income students like her. The following year, she successfully ran for the Dallas ISD school board becoming both the youngest and first Latina elected trustee. In this role Garcia championed college and career readiness and student-led initiatives. Currently, Karla proudly serves as a board member for the organizations that enabled her journey and those broadening access and outcomes through college preparation, sports-based youth development, and mentorship. ¡Sí, se puede!