our Team
Systems Team
Stefin Pasternak
Stefin has been teaching in the New Orleans area for nine years including reading, writing, and the culinary arts to students K-12.
Dr. Joe Daschbach
Joe completed his Doctorate in Education Leadership from Columbia University’s Teachers College where he is part of the faculty of their Summer Principals Academy in New Orleans.
Roz Brown
Mama Roz is a veteran educator with experience in New Orleans schools Pre-K through 12 over the past eleven years.
Delise Hampton
Delise is a native New Orleanian with her BA in Radio, Television, & Film from Howard University.
Charm Baker
Community Educator, artist, and mother Charmisha Baker has served New Orleans children and families for more than a decade.
Kristen Ward
Kristen moved to New Orleans from Connecticut in 2008 and is here to stay.
Culture and Support Team
Caren Green
Mama Caren is a renowned vocal artist, counselor, and youth advocate born and raised in New Orleans East.
Kei Smith
Kei is a New Orleans native with a passion for growth! They earned their degree in Psychology from Dillard University, and have been heavily involved in community organizing and workshop development since.
Shannon Rogers
Hailing from St. Louis MO, Shannon Rogers is a loving Education Specialist who has earned a Bachelors of Science in Psychology from the University of New Orleans.
Tiane Oliver
Tiane and her family have been New Orleans East residents and community organizers for decades, particularly amongst the growing immigrant communities fighting for just lives in their new home.
Vanessa Batiste-Leal, PLPC
Vanessa is a PLPC, as well as a Licensed and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, who has over five years of experience in counseling.
Barbara Word
Barbara is a retired bus driver from the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority with a passion for young people and serving her community.
Nurse Renette Jones
Nurse Renette is a native New Orleanian who is a school-based Registered Nurse with a passion for restoring health and well-being to all.
Instructional Team
Journey Allen
Artist, entrepreneur, writer, scholar, and master community educator, Journey Allen is a powerhouse of many talents.
Ceci Givens
A Native of New Orleans East, Ceci is a master visual artist, American Sign Language instructor, martial artist, and entrepreneur.
Ross Harmon
Ross is a master carpenter with decades of experience across the building trades working both residential and commercial construction, specializing in artistic projects of material reclamation.
Rahn Broady
Rahn Broady grew up in St. Louis and has always loved the natural world. A lifelong lover of science, he attended Harris-Stowe State University and majored in secondary education and biology.
Aaron Shuler
Aaron is a mathematics and science educator who grew up in California. He taught in California and Australia before relocating to New Orleans. Aaron has a passion for statistics and training students to use a critical lens when interpreting information they see in the world.
Nikki Ummel
Nikki Ummel is a career educator, writer, comedian, and community organizer. Originally from Florida, and by way of Washington, D.C. and Indianola, Mississippi, Nikki now lives and teaches in New Orleans.