LEA Fellows
Cohort 2024-2026
E’leva Gibson, Ed.D.
Independent Educational Leader
Elevated Leadership
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Dr. E’leva Hughes Gibson is an education leader committed to strengthening partnerships that support children and families, building systems that serve “each and every” child, providing access and equitable supports, and developing innovative solutions. She has worked in public education for over 23 years, from PK-12 to higher education.
Dr. Gibson has served as a teacher, a school administrator, an adjunct professor, a department supervisor, director, an executive director, and assistant superintendent.
Working collaboratively with schools, colleges, local government agencies, and community-based organizations, Dr. Gibson has created programs, developed strategic plans, implemented initiatives, addressed systemic issues, and has developed an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) template that has been adopted, revised, and scaled out. She is dedicated to closing the opportunity/achievement gap, providing educational opportunities for 21st century learning, and promoting teaching the “whole child.”
Crystal Hawkins
Family Liaison Coordinator
San Francisco Unified School District
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Crystal Hawkins worked as a highly recognized clinician, supporting parents and guardians with children who were at-risk for out-of-home placement. Her career in social work and public education has included program development, facilitating training, child and adolescent mental health, social and emotional learning (SEL), parenting young children with special needs, and trauma-informed practices. She currently works as a dedicated educator with San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) where she develops and administers all aspects of the highly successful and state-recognized Shoestrings Children’s Center, an Early Childhood Program in Bayview Hunters Point, San Francisco.
Hilarie Dyson, Ed.D.
Early Education Principal
Los Angeles Unified School District
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Dr. Hilarie Dyson is an accomplished educational leader with over 30 years of experience, including 15 years in administrative roles. She began her career in the private sector, serving as a teacher’s assistant, preschool teacher, and director before earning her multiple subject teaching credential to transition to public education. She served as an elementary teacher and as a child development program specialist, focusing on building foundational academic skills in young learners. Currently, Dr. Dyson is a principal in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second-largest district in the nation. Her expertise in instructional leadership, culturally responsive practices, and data-driven program development positions her as a dedicated advocate for equity and excellence in education.
During her time as Director in the Claremont Unified School District, Dr. Dyson led the development of the district’s first preschool inclusion program. She also guided Claremont’s preschool programs to achieve NAEYC accreditation and a 5-star rating with Quality Start Los Angeles (QSLA). Her leadership extended to supervising instructional programs across seven elementary campuses and serving on the Superintendent’s Extended Cabinet. Recognized for her innovative work, Dr. Dyson received the “Bring the World to You Award” at the World Educator Forum in Beijing. Previously, as the Administrator for Child Development in the Rialto Unified School District, she managed state-funded preschool programs and services for pregnant and parenting teens, supporting 1,200 students and overseeing 116 staff members. Her commitment to students, families, and staff earned her the “Key to the District” the highest recognition given in the Rialto Unified School District.
In addition to her professional roles, Dr. Dyson is an active member of her community. She serves as Vice President of Membership for the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc. Beta Phi Chapter, Program Chair for Pasadena-Altadena Links, Inc., and Chair of Nominations for the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Pasadena Alumnae Chapter. When she isn’t volunteering, she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. Her favorite role, however, is being “Mimi” to her two new grandchildren.
Dr. Dyson holds a bachelor’s degree in child development and a multiple subject teaching credential from California State University, Los Angeles; a master’s degree in educational leadership, along with a pupil personnel counseling credential and an administrative credential from Point Loma Nazarene University; and a doctorate in education from the University of Southern California (USC). Her extensive background in educational leadership and child development underscores her commitment to creating inclusive, high-quality learning environments.
Shamar Edwards
Senior Director of Equity
Alameda Unified School District
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Shamar Edwards has over 20 years experience leading and transforming schools as an educator, administrator, principal, and coach. She currently serves as a Senior Director of Equity for Alameda Unified School District. She holds 3 masters degrees in the following areas: Masters in Curriculum and Instruction, USC, Masters in Education Administration with an emphasis in Social Justice, UC Berkeley, Masters in Negotiation Conflict Resolution and Peace building, CSU Dominguez Hills. Shamar Edwards has extensive training in Restorative Justice Practices, Trauma Informed Pedagogy, Culturally Responsive and Anti-Racist Pedagogy. Her consultancy work focuses on Restorative School Leadership and she specializes in training school leaders to build their core competencies in emotional intelligence, communication, and conflict management skills.
Michelle Bergmann
Supervisor, Preschool & PreK – 3 Literacy
Central Unified School District
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With a career that spans over twenty years, Michelle taught various primary grade levels in elementary school. Spending the last fourteen years serving as an administrator in varying roles, she was able to explore and discover dynamic methods to enrich and improve literacy attainment. With a nearly lifelong passion for early literacy, Michelle pursued her teaching credential with a focus on Early Child Education. She has a Master’s Degree in Reading and Language from Fresno Pacific University. She is a Clear Administrative Service Credential (CASC) coach with the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools. Michelle is the Supervisor of Preschool & PreK-3 Literacy. She has two children in college and recently celebrated her 23rd year of marriage.
Lorena Ramos
Director of Child Development
Fillmore Unified School District
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Lorena Ramos is an experienced early childhood educator with over 20 years in the field. She is currently serving as a Preschool Director for Fillmore Unified School District and enjoys mentoring and coaching educators to reach their full potential. Relationship building, positive learning environments, and the love of learning in both educators and children are of upmost importance to her. Her educational background includes a M.A. in Educational Psychology with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education. In addition, she is a lecturer at CSU Channel Islands University. In her spare time, she enjoys family, nature, and self-care.
Lydia Lower
Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services
Mariposa County Unified School District
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Lydia Lower is the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services for the Mariposa County Unified School District, which also serves as the Mariposa County Office of Education. With experience as an administrator in both urban and rural settings, Lydia offers a unique perspective on California’s educational landscape. She has served as an administrator in elementary, secondary, district, and county office settings.
Lydia is dedicated to student achievement and teacher support, focusing extensively on adult learning theory. She has developed innovative professional learning systems tailored to meet the individual needs of educators, particularly in rural environments.
Ms. Lower has served on the First 5 Commission and the board of Mariposa Safe Families. She is passionate about creating sustainable systems that build organizational capacity through strengths-based leadership, ultimately aiming to enhance overall student achievement.
Patricia Guzman
Coordinator for Preschool Programs
Pasadena Unified School District
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Ying Lee
Director, Preschool & Pre K-3 Literacy
Central Unified School District
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Ying Lee is a first-generation Hmong American daughter of hard-working, farming parents. Growing up in a home where her parents placed a strong emphasis on helping others, it wasn’t a surprise that Ying also wanted her work in life to be about service. Early on, Ying had a connection with young children, and it was only natural that she would find herself in the education world, teaching kindergarten. In 2010, Ying developed the first transitional kindergarten classroom in Fresno County. In 2015, she had a calling to expand her passion for teaching children and she wanted to share her belief that all children deserve a quality education by building the capacity of adults to better serve students and the community. Ying served as a guidance instructional advisor and then a principal at Central Unified School District before stepping into a district administration role to oversee early education. She continues to advocate for equitable access to a rich, learning environment for all students, where everyone is treated with compassion.
Joanne Yanez-Jimenez
Kindergarten Teacher
Pittsburg Unified School District
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With 21 years of teaching experience in a public school, I am currently teaching kindergarten in Pittsburg Unified School District. The last 16 years have been spent teaching kindergarten, with the first 5 spent in first grade. I am a proud member of the Pittsburg Unified School District Aspiring Admin Cohort. I obtained a Multiple Subject BCLAD in 2005, with a B.A. in Chicano/Latino Studies in 2004. As a teacher, I enjoy teaching because it’s rewarding to see the students grow throughout the year, and what they’ve accomplished. I believe that education is not just about passing on knowledge, but also about inspiring curiosity, critical thinking, and a lifelong love for learning. I’m a strong believer that education extends beyond the classroom and needs to be a partnership with families. I enjoy helping families explore the many resources available for them through education. Outside of the classroom, I love spending time with my family, hiking, and cycling.
Je Ton Carey
Senior Program Director
Children’s Council
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Mikako Fisher-Hill
Principal/Head Start Director
Twin Rivers Unified School District
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Mikako Fisher has been an educator and administrator for over two decades, with a steadfast dedication to serving children, families, and staff in diverse communities. Growing up, Mikako moved frequently due to her father’s courageous military service, which allowed her to experience life across different places and cultures. Her mother immigrated from Japan and worked tirelessly to support their family, instilled in her the values of integrity, perseverance, and honor. These formative experiences shaped Mikako’s worldview and sparked her lifelong passion for education and service to others.
Mikako’s career has spanned roles as a Kindergarten, 3rd grade, and 6th grade teacher in Title I schools, a leader in First 5 funded programs, and an administrator overseeing State, Head Start, and Early Head Start programs. These diverse experiences have guided Mikako to become the servant leader she is today, dedicated to building effective systems that empower staff, engage families, and ensure every child has access to high-quality learning from the very start of their educational journey. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese Studies from UC Davis and a Master’s in Educational Leadership and Policy from Sacramento State University.
Mary-Allyn Garcia
Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
Fillmore Unified School District
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Laticia Erving
Director of African American Achievement and Leadership
San Francisco Unified School District
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Laticia Erving is a native daughter of San Francisco, born and raised in the city’s Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood. Reared in relative foster care, Laticia learned at an early age about the value of a caring adult in a young person’s life. She has committed her professional and personal life to the success and achievement of students and families in San Francisco. Beginning her service at just 19 years old, Laticia holds 23 years of experience in SFUSD working to ensure the voices of SFUSD families are elevated and recognized as essential assets to the forward movement of San Francisco’s educational institutions.
Laticia is currently the Director of the African American Achievement and Leadership Initiative, a department that sits in the Superintendent’s office. Prior to her current role she served as the Program Manager for the African American Parent Advisory Council following 16 years as a Family Liaison serving two of San Francisco’s most underserved Black communities.
Laticia is an active advocate in the community, currently serving on the Board of Directors for The SMART Program and holds a seat on the African American Reparations Advisory Committee for San Francisco. Of the many titles Laticia holds, her most important and cherished is parent and caregiver to two amazing young women, Denaysia and De’Yani. Denaysia, a medical technician and De’Yani, a sophomore at a Historically Black College and University.
Laticia’s life guiding quote comes from one her sheroes, Shirley Chisholm, “Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth.”
Pamela Low
Collaborator
EdTrust-West
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Pamela M. Low (she/her) is a K-12 Policy Analyst at EdTrust-West, where she works to improve education equity, access, and outcomes through policy. Part of the TK-16 Education Policy team, Pamela brings experience as an art educator, a community partner with California school districts, and a social justice organizer.
As an art educator, Pamela began working with students at her local Parks and Recreation Center, where she learned from and worked with classroom teachers from the San Francisco Bay Area. After graduating from college, she joined the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, where she developed, executed, and evaluated school and teacher programs. A large part of her role was to support teachers with arts integration in the classroom, social-emotional learning strategies, and California’s Ethnic Studies requirement. Seeking to create a more significant impact, she hopes to continue this important work of educating the whole child through policy at EdTrust.
Pamela is a first and fifth-generation Chinese American from Hayward and Oakland, CA. She holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and gender studies from Santa Clara University and a master’s degree in education (Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies) from Stanford University. In her free time, she enjoys visiting local museums, parks, and eateries.
Natalie Wheatfall-Lum, J.D.
Collaborator
EdTrust-West
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Since Natalie (she/her/hers) joined EdTrust-West in 2014, she has supported the organization’s policy research, analysis, and position development, primarily in K-12 equitable funding and accountability. Natalie’s work is grounded in understanding the experiences of those stakeholders directly impacted by education policy decisions: parents, students, and community advocates. Before her current position, Natalie was an Education Pioneers Graduate Fellow with EdTrust. Before working in education policy, Natalie practiced law, gaining experience in various civil rights issues, including LGBTQ equal rights, fair housing, and immigration. While in law school, Natalie worked as a student attorney in Howard University’s Civil Rights Clinic, representing clients in employment, housing, and education discrimination cases. A proud product of two of California’s higher education systems, Natalie earned an A.A. in Transfer Studies from San Diego Mesa College and a B.A. with honors in Ethnic Studies from the University of California, San Diego. Natalie earned her J.D. from Howard University’s School of Law.
“I started public school in California in a diverse, working-class neighborhood. After transferring districts in 8th grade, I graduated from a predominately white, upper-middle-class public high school. In this new setting, I experienced the privilege of increased resources while encountering the disadvantage of low expectations for students of color. At a young age, this experience opened my eyes to the injustices inherent in California’s public school system. I have been passionate about ending these inequities ever since.”