ELI Leads - Full Profiles

In DCPS, Ms Cruz regularly collaborates to curate and design quality professional learning experiences and curricular materials for teachers and leaders. Additionally, she is a direct support for a cluster of dynamic schools for critical needs related to ELA instruction, professional development, and assessment. Ms. Cruz has a BA in Human Development from Binghamton University and a MS. Ed in Elementary Education from Mercy College. 

Her aim for the program is to cultivate an enduring network of collaborators and true preparedness for the work ahead. She says, "This work isn’t easy. It’ll take as much knowledge along with grit and connectedness to others as it will passion and committment to equity and ‘leveling the field’." She hopes to begin building that network, here, at American University. She also hopes that the carefully selected learning experiences will fully prepare her to engage at high levels with educational policy makers and literacy researcher stakeholders.

Mr. Neat is a dedicated early childhood educator, teacher leader, and lifelong learner. He has a B.A. in Child Development from Claflin University Organgeburg, SC.; an M.S. in Early Childhood Education from Wheelock College in Boston, MA; a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (C.A.G.S) in Teacher Leadership from Wheelock College; and has an Education Specialist (Ed.S)certificate in Special Education from The George Washington, University in Washington, DC.

His aim for the program is to develop the skill-set, knowledge, and research to enact change in the nation’s public school system. His goal is to forge professional relationships with educators from around the globe that will support the work around education and social justice. He says, "I see myself being able to lead as a superintendent and teach as a published college professor."

As a TLI Teacher Leader at Harriet Tubman Elementary School, Ms. Nolin leads two cohorts of a total of twelve kindergarten and first grade teachers in all subject areas. She supports these teachers in planning and providing weekly professional development, observation and feedback cycles, co-planning and curriculum development, and data-collection and analysis. She also provides reading intervention support to first grade students. She has a B.A. in Political Science from Davidson College and an M.A.T. from American University's School of Education.

Ms. Nolin aims to empower teachers with the professional development and supportive systems that result in excellent literacy outcomes for all DC Public School students. She believes that American's EdD program is expert at building leaders' practical skills, its instructional choices are based on research, and it is committed to disrupting the persistent legacy of racism and inequity in DC schools. She says, "This is a team I want to be on."

Ms. Rogers is a dedicated special education teacher who is committed to supprting and uplifting the voices of those who have been historically marginalized. She has a B.S. in Management/Marketing and a M.S. in Sport Administration from Delaware State University and an M.Ed. in Special Education and an M.Ed. in Elementary Education from Lesley University.

Ms. Rogers hopes to gain skills that will empower her to become a better leader. One of her ultimate goals is to prepare teachers to be anti-racist educators. She explains, "early in my educator career there were many instances that I could sense something was wrong and didn't have the words to express that feeling." She wants to equip others with the language and strategy needed to dismantle the system that is currently broken.