AI For Equity Explorers Cohort

AI Explorers Cohort

A community of practice focused on effective AI use in schools.

In fall 2023, AI for Equity launched the first round of learning consortiums geared toward supporting CMOs as they work toward implications of AI across all functions of a school system (and levels – systems, operations, into the classroom).

Upon reflecting on the learnings gathered from this founding cohort, the value proposition remains - there is clearly a need and interest in supporting more leaders across CMOs in wrestling with the work of ethical AI integration in schools. AI for Equity and Hendy Avenue Consulting are eager to continue their partnership and launch additional pathways that lead to more CMOs entering a space where learning, conversation, and planning related to AI adoption in their schools can begin.

Designed in partnership with

AI for Equity supports district and charter network partners that collectively serve over 300,000 students nationwide. On behalf of our partners we research, develop resources, and facilitate communities of practice. Our work is exclusively led by leaders with deep, firsthand experience as teachers and leaders in school networks serving students furthest from opportunity.

Cohort Experience Objectives

Participation in the AI Explorers Cohort includes one community of practice (COP), meeting monthly, virtually, for 60 mins within the work day.

This COP is targeted at the most senior network executive (ED, CEO, Superintendent, etc.) or a C- suite designee of the most senior executive. This COP will convene five times, with monthly convenings September-January for the fall cohort or January-May for the spring cohort. Networks that successfully complete this cohort will be eligible to join the “AI Exemplars” cohort.

At the end of the 5-month AI Explorers Cohort Experience, participants will have...

begun to build out their own AI acumen and leadership literacy
wrestled with the key questions around the ethics of AI in education
considered the implications of AI on talent, academics, system infrastructure, policy, etc.
identified people within their orgs to lift up, who are interested leading/piloting

...and will be ready to launch an organization-specific task force!

Apply to the AI Explorers Cohort

AI Explorers | an ongoing learning experience

Following the completion of the AI Explorers Cohort, organizations will participate in the AI for Equity Exemplars Communities of Practice which include participants from your organization in each of the working groups each month in fall of 2025.

2024-2025 Cohort Members

Rene Rodriguez

Director of Pre-K,
LEARN Charter Network

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Rene Rodriguez serves as the Director of Pre-K at LEARN Charter Network, where he is dedicated to fostering joyful and rigorous environments for early childhood education in Chicago and throughout Illinois. Recently, he opened the Margaret Romano Early Childhood Academy, a standalone Pre-K site serving students in Waukegan, Illinois. Prior to his role in Chicago, Rene spent 12 years in Washington, DC, at KIPP DC as a teacher and principal, consistently leading the network in student achievement, teacher satisfaction, and teacher retention. He holds a B.S. in Social Policy with a concentration in Education Reform from Northwestern University and an M.A.T. in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education. Outside of work, Rene enjoys playing basketball and golf, taking his dog Margot on long walks, and spending time with his daughter Sienna and his wife, Kendall.

Karen Annette Francois

Chief Executive Officer,
Explore Schools

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Karen Annette Francois is proud to serve 1,700 students as Chief Executive Officer of Explore Schools after nearly two decades working in education, including 10 years in leadership roles at Explore Schools. In her previous role as Assistant Superintendent, Karen Annette led the network’s strategy around culturally responsive teaching and unfinished teaching and learning, ensuring a strong, rigorous core academic program across K-8 and spearheading a shift to asset-based thinking. Among her many accomplishments, while leading Explore Excel Charter School, as principal, Karen Annette led the school to an impressive 43 percentage point growth in ELA and 42 percentage point growth in Math. Her success underscores her deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, centering students’ experiences and identities. Karen Annette believes in the importance of strong partnerships with all stakeholders and values understanding the community’s motivation and context as key levers to authentic, long-lasting student achievement.
Before her appointment as Chief Executive Officer, Karen Annette held teaching, coaching and leadership positions in district schools and charter schools in New York City. She started her career in education as part of the New York City Teaching Fellows program. Karen Annette earned her BA in Speech Communication and Rhetorical Studies from Hofstra University and MS in Childhood Education from Brooklyn College. Additionally, she completed the School District Leadership program and performed post-graduate work at Hofstra University. She is a native New Yorker who proudly identifies as Haitian-American and can be found walking in Prospect Park or in deep thought at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Paul Astuto

Chief of Staff & Strategy,
Prospect Schools

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Paul is honored to serve as Prospect Schools’ Chief of Staff & Strategy. His career has focused on a simple – yet challenging – pursuit: creating the conditions for individuals to come together as part of a team and achieve more than they thought possible. Paul began his career as a teacher, both in Germany (as part of a Fulbright Scholarship) and in New Orleans, where Paul was a Teach for America Corps Member. After teaching, Paul began working for the management consulting firm L.E.K. Consulting to hone his analytical and technical skills. After L.E.K., Paul joined the leadership team of Achievement First Crown Heights Middle School as a Director of School Operations. It was at this school where Paul’s passion for teams truly took root. As Director of School Operations, and later as Dean of Students, Paul led the team’s efforts to build a welcoming, inclusive, and inspiring team culture that allowed the team to achieve remarkable improvements in student outcomes. Seeking to expand this skillset, Paul transitioned to working at Bellwether Education Partners, a national non-profit that supports education organizations across the country. Most recently, Paul served as the Talent Chief of Staff at Achievement First where Paul has applied his passion for teamwork across a network of 41 schools. At Achievement First, Paul helped a network of 2,000+ teammates align around shared core values, define its vision for the future, and successfully navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tresha Ward

Chief Executive Officer,
Prospect Schools

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Tresha comes to Prospect Schools with nearly two decades of experience in education and a career underscored by an unwavering commitment to educational equity. A native of the Bronx, Tresha began her career as a Teach For America corps member in the Houston Independent School District. In 2010, she opened KIPP Legacy Preparatory School — an elementary school with an International Baccalaureate focus — and grew the school to serve 900 children. Tresha then served as the School Leader Development Director for the KIPP Foundation. In this role, she provided support to more than 200 of KIPP’s school leaders across the country, through the creation of leadership development programming, as an instructor for instructional leadership, and direct coaching.
After her time with the KIPP Foundation, Tresha returned to schools as Managing Director of Schools for KIPP NYC, where she focused on principal management and school turnaround. Most recently, Tresha served as Partner at Bellwether Education Partners, where she led the academic and program strategy team. In this role, Tresha’s work centered around building the capacity of school and executive-level network leaders through advising and executive coaching. She has a particular passion for supporting leaders of color to sustain in their roles.

Mitch Burgess

Director of Special Projects,
Prospect Schools

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Mitch Burgess is Director of Special Projects at Prospect Schools, a diverse-by-design charter school network based in Brooklyn, NY. He is a seasoned strategy and operations leader. With 10 years of management consulting experience in healthcare and 5 years of strategic and operational experience in K-12 education, Mitch specializes in complex, cross-functional project management, system implementations and process development.

Irakadeem Griffith

Chief Executive Officer,
Community Charter School of Paterson

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Ira is a proud Brooklyn native and passionate Black educator dedicated to making a difference in schools. A Teach for America alum, he studied Political Science and Sociology at Utica College of Syracuse University. His career has taken him to charter schools in Detroit, Harlem, Newark, and Paterson, where he’s worked in roles ranging from teacher to his current position as CEO. As a turnaround leader, Ira is focused on transforming school culture, improving operations, and driving academic success. Last year, his leadership led to double-digit proficiency gains in both ELA and Math on state assessments. Outside of work, Ira enjoys making memories with friends and family, saving Instagram workouts, and slowly embracing his role as a plant dad.

Ashley Green

Education Technology Manager, Napa Valley Unified School District

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Ashley is the Education Technology Manager for Napa Valley Unified School District. With over 11 years of experience teaching elementary education, Ashley recently transitioned to her current role where she has been for 2 1/2 years. As an EdTech Manager, her key responsibilities include managing and developing technology integration in the curriculum, providing professional development to enhance teaching and learning, and establishing and evaluating educational technology policies and procedures.

In her role, Ashley also works closely with Instructional Services to implement procedures for evaluating textbooks, software, hardware, and digital courseware. Additionally, she is passionate about promoting digital citizenship and responsible use of technology among staff and students. Ashley collaborates with the Technology Department to troubleshoot any software or device issues and provide ongoing training to enhance the use of technology in the classroom.

Her goal is to optimize the use of technology in teaching and learning, and she is passionate about finding new and innovative ways to do so.

When Ashley is not working, you can find her spending time with her family, hiking and walking, playing pickleball, and remodeling her home. Ashley is also a huge fan of fantasy football and watching sports.

Baionne Coleman

Chief Executive Officer,
Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

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Baionne Coleman is the CEO/Superintendent RVLA. She has been an educator for 20+ years. Baionne is a community-based leader who works with scholars and families to decolonize education systems and provide a safe and inviting environment for scholars and other educators.
Bayonne & her husband, Jaycee Coleman, also founded the non-profit and consulting firm, The Global Majority Consortium, to close the opportunity and wealth gap, sharing what they learn with other abolitionist leaders across the country. Supporting businesses and organizations on their path to antiracism, cultivating community endeavors, and performing anti-racist audits.
Baionne believes anti-racist systems led by Global Majority leaders, educators, families, scholars, and communities will begin dismantling systems of oppression, closing the opportunity and wealth gaps, respectively. Baionne further believes social-emotional learning for adults is key to doing this work, supporting the Global Majority and abolitionist educators to support the families farthest from educational justice. Baionne has worked with Committee for Children and Valor Compass, supporting the development of an anti-racist social-emotional curriculum. She has also consulted for the University of Washington on various projects and was a graduate ambassador for Seattle University. Baionne founded Impact Public Schools, creating their social-emotional and educational model with colleague Pranati Kumar. Baionne has supported the RVLA community by severing ties with a national charter management company to become the first anti-racist and Black-led charter school in Washington. Baionne attended the prestigious Howard University, completing her Freshman and Sophomore year, to return to Seattle to take care of her late mother and younger siblings, transferring to the University of Washington, where she finished her degree. She then earned two Master's degrees while working full-time and supporting her family. She holds teaching, special education, and administrative leadership certifications with principal endorsements. Baionne has presented at numerous local, national, and international conferences, SEL in Action, ASCD, WA Charter Association, AMLE, and National Principals Conference. She has also been on multiple panels and supports other organizations and schools to decolonize their systems and start their path to becoming anti-racist.Baionne enjoys DIY, cooking, and spending time with her husband, four children, and extended family. Baionne holds a BA in Political Science with a minor in Law, Society, Justice from the University of Washington, a Master's in Teaching from City University, and a Master's in Educational Administration from Seattle University.

Karen Johnson

Chief Executive Officer,
Coney Island Prep

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Karen Johnson is the Chief Executive Officer of Coney Island Prep (CIP). She believes that all students deserve access to a quality education, and works to ensure Coney Island Prep continues to deliver on its mission.

Prior to joining Coney Island Prep, Karen was a Teach for America New York City Corps Member, taught middle school science at Uncommon Schools, and worked on the network team at Success Academies. She later joined CIP as an Academic Operations Manager, before leading operations teams across two campuses as a Director of Operations. She was the founding Director of Operations at CIP's Upper Elementary School, and also served as CIP's Chief Operating Officer before becoming CEO. Karen has a wide range of functional experience in academics, finance, school operations, compliance, student services, facilities, and information technology - she propels all CIP's schools and the central office team forward to achieve the mission and vision of Coney Island Prep.

She holds an undergraduate degree from Harvard College, and a Masters in Teaching from the Relay Graduate School of Education.

Julia Senerchia

Chief of Staff,
Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School

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Julia Senerchia (she/her) is the Chief of Staff at Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School, where she has served for 16 years, beginning her career as a Pre-K teacher. She holds a Master’s in Elementary Education from George Washington University and a Master’s in Leadership from Georgetown University. Passionate about language immersion and data-driven decision-making, Julia’s work focuses on enhancing the school’s commitment to academic excellence and social justice. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga and reading.

Shernice Lazare

Head of DEIB, People & HR,
Citizens of the World, Los Angeles

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Shernice has been a career educator for almost 30 years, 15 of them as a classroom teacher in grades K-6. Early in her career, Shernice was an elementary school teacher in the LA area. She left to join the UCLA Lab School and UCLA Center X, where she led staff professional development and provided equity-based leadership. She left UCLA to launch a diverse-by-design TK-8 charter school in the San Francisco area, New School of San Francisco.

Shernice has built her career on the importance of giving all children access to high quality teaching and learning in a supportive school environment. Her unique experiences have allowed her to acquire deep instructional and DEIB expertise over her career as a practitioner. She was a Fulbright Teacher Award recipient, spending a year in England studying, teaching and researching best practices. She has trained hundreds of teachers at the Bay Area Teacher Training Institute on multicultural pedagogy, how to effectively teach second language learners, and lesson design through a lens of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Currently, she is the Head of DEIB, People & HR for Citizens of the World, Los Angeles, a network of 7 (8 beginning 25-26 school year) TK-8th grade schools in the LA area. In this role, she is a member of the Executive Team and is the strategic leader for all DEIB and People initiatives supporting 3000+ students and 475+ employees

Stefan Sobiek

Sr. Director of Operations & Enrollment,
Impact Public Schools

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Stefan Sobiek began his career as a teacher with Teach for America, where he taught 4th and 5th grade Spanish and English dual immersion. He earned a Master’s degree in education with a focus in Urban Public School Administration and Policy. Stefan was a founding teacher and mentor at Summit Sierra High School in Seattle, Washington. Stefan went on to work as a Dean of Operations at the school and later served as the Director of Regional Operations for the Summit Public Schools Network.

Stefan also brings with him experience in operations from the nonprofit sector. He served as the Operations Officer for National CASA/GAL, a national nonprofit organization that coordinates and trains volunteer advocates to support children who have experienced abuse or neglect. He later served as the Director of Mission Operations at Evergreen Goodwill where he led programming that provides free Job Training and Education to adults throughout Northwest Washington.

Stefan is currently the Senior Director of Operations and Enrollment at Impact Public Schools, a Charter School Network operating four schools in the Seattle/Tacoma area.

Dr. Laurie Wolfe

Chief Academic Officer,
Gem Innovation Schools

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Dr. Laurie Wolfe serves as the Chief Academic Officer for Gem Innovation Schools. She collaborates with other leaders and administrators to maintain academic systems and ensure that academic standards are met and that all programs, employees, and departments meet performance outcomes and achieve student goals. She provides direction for educational staff and is responsible for overseeing and monitoring all aspects of the network’s education programs.
In 2014, Laurie co-founded the inception of the first charter management organization in Idaho, Gem Innovation Schools. Prior to becoming CAO of the network of schools, Laurie acted as the Director of Curriculum and Assessment for Gem Prep: Online (formerly Idaho Distance Education Academy, I-DEA). Her strategic vision helped to move student academic achievement from the bottom quartile in the state to the top, taking I-DEA students and programs to the forefront in Idaho education.
An experienced educator and leader, she began her career in an inner-city school in Long Beach, CA, teaching first and second grades. During her early career, she embraced a number of different educational roles, including teacher in both elementary and junior high, reading specialist, and gifted and talented facilitator.
Laurie received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in reading education, and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Boise State University. Her dissertation research focused on how teachers and principals use data to guide curriculum and instruction

Jason Bransford

Chief Executive Officer,
Gem Innovation Schools

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Jason Bransford is an enthusiastic, grateful educational leader who was born and raised in Baytown, Texas. Jason has dedicated his adult life to raising his family and creating truly excellent schools. He attributes every significant blessing in his life to his faith which has been his guiding light in both personal and professional journeys. Now living in Pocatello, Idaho, Jason cherishes every moment with his wife, Rebecca, and their five children—Annabelle, Reese, Andrew, James, and Jackson—who are his greatest joy and inspiration.

Jason holds a B.S. degree from Brigham Young University-Idaho, an M.S. degree from the University of Houston, an Ed.S. from Idaho State University, and an Ed. D. from the University of Utah. His doctoral research focused on improving school principal efficacy and increasing student achievement.

Jason began his career as a teacher in the Houston, Texas area where he served in various teaching capacities for 3 years. He and his family relocated to Pocatello, Idaho, in 2007 where he worked as a teacher for Gem Prep: Online (formerly called Idaho Distance Education Academy). Building on the virtual school’s success, Jason and his team worked with national education leaders and philanthropists to secure the financial, strategic, and operational support necessary to open the network’s brick and mortar schools. This network of schools, collectively called Gem Innovation Schools, was the first charter network in the state of Idaho.

Today, Jason serves as the CEO of Gem Innovation Schools. During his time at Gem, Jason has worked with philanthropists, sector leaders, and an excellent Gem Prep team to open and operate schools across the state of Idaho. Today, he oversees 7 Gem Prep schools (with more to come), as well as several microschools called Learning Societies. Jason is also a board member of the Idaho Charter School Network, a Pahara Institute Fellow, and a graduate of the Charter Network Accelerator program. Each of these programs have blessed him with a profound connection to others, as well as opportunities to see beyond the walls of his own work.

Melissa Duphiney

Chief Academic Officer,
Unity Prep

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Melissa Duphiney is the Chief Academic Officer at Unity Prep, a small 6-12 charter school in Brooklyn, NY where she leads academic programs and initiatives and staff development across grades 6-12. It is her 7th year at Unity Prep where she's held roles including Co-Principal of Teaching and Learning, Lead Instructional Coach, and History Department Chair. Prior to joining Unity, Melissa served as the Dean of Humanities and Special Services at Achievement First Brooklyn High School and was a founding teacher and instructional coach at Uncommon's Bed Stuy Collegiate.

Melissa began her career as an 8th grade ELA teacher in the Bronx through Teach for America as a 2005 Corps Member, and teaching English will always be her first love. Melissa holds a Masters in Middle Child Education from the Relay Graduate School of Education. She is a graduate of New York University with a degree in English and Sociology. Melissa lives in Brooklyn, NY with her spouse and two children.

Meet Our Facilitator

Rachel Modica-Russell

Hendy Avenue Consultant

Rachel Modica-Russell chose to join Hendy not only because she fervently believes in the team’s potential to impact the education sector through their research-based and thoughtful work in talent strategy, strategic planning, leadership development, and programmatic support; she herself has experienced the quality of partnership and depth of expertise present on the Hendy team as a past Chief Talent Officer (CTO) cohort member.

More About Rachel

Prior to joining Hendy, Rachel spent five years as the Managing Director of Talent for Explore Schools, a network of eight public charter schools across Brooklyn serving students in K-8th grade. In her role, Rachel shepherded work across all talent functions at Explore Schools, and worked in lockstep with school and network-based leadership on recruitment, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging work, staff retention, and people development efforts for their 300+ community members. As Managing Director of Talent at Explore Schools, Rachel spearheaded exciting initiatives and programming such as a staff mentorship program, revising the organization’s approach to compensation, and building a career advancement policy and pathway protocol anchored in more equitable and transparent talent practices.

Rachel could not be any more excited to work alongside other members of the Hendy team to set adults up for success by way of developing smart, strategic people-focused infrastructure and initiatives to drive talent management and people development in schools.

Before working for Explore Schools as Managing Director of Talent, Rachel was a staff member at Uncommon Schools for over 5 years, first as a teacher, and closed out her time with them as Senior Associate Director of Recruitment where she led recruitment for both their Brooklyn and Troy-based regions. Returning to Explore Schools in 2018 was a full-circle moment for Rachel, as Explore is the very organization (Explore Schools) she began her career in education as a Teach for America Corps member and K-2 teacher.

Rachel received her master’s degree in early childhood education from Teacher U - Hunter College and holds undergraduate degrees in Spanish and Family and Human Services from the University of Oregon. After 14 years in Brooklyn, NY, Rachel and her wife and two children made the move back to Oregon to be closer to family. So far, so good :).

Who Should Apply

We are seeking EDs/CEOs who are interested in learning about AI and and at the beginning of their vision-setting for AI work in their organizations. Applicants must commit to attending all meetings.

This cohort is a good fit for those:

early in their exploration of AI
whose primary focus areas are building the AI literacy of the network’s most senior leader and making progress on key, strategic organizational AI priorities.

Ready to Apply?

Complete a short application form, and someone will be in touch with you shortly! If you have questions about the AI Explorers cohort, please reach out to rachelmodicarussell@hendyavenue.com

Apply Now

Email Rachel

AI Explorers Cohort

A community of practice focused on effective AI use in schools.

Designed in partnership with

Cohort Experience Objectives

At the end of the 5-month AI Explorers Cohort Experience, participants will have...

begun to build out their own AI acumen and leadership literacy

wrestled with the key questions around the ethics of AI in education

considered the implications of AI on talent, academics, system infrastructure, policy, etc.

identified people within their orgs to lift up, who are interested leading/piloting

...and will be ready to launch an organization-specific task force!

AI Explorers | an ongoing learning experience

2024-2025 Cohort Members

Rene Rodriguez

Director of Pre-K, LEARN Charter Network

Karen Annette Francois

Chief Executive Officer, Explore Schools

Paul Astuto

Chief of Staff & Strategy, Prospect Schools

Tresha Ward

Chief Executive Officer, Prospect Schools

Mitch Burgess

Director of Special Projects, Prospect Schools

Irakadeem Griffith

Chief Executive Officer, Community Charter School of Paterson

Ashley Green

Education Technology Manager, Napa Valley Unified School District

Baionne Coleman

Chief Executive Officer, Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Karen Johnson

Chief Executive Officer, Coney Island Prep

Julia Senerchia

Chief of Staff, Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School

Shernice Lazare

Head of DEIB, People & HR, Citizens of the World, Los Angeles

Stefan Sobiek

Sr. Director of Operations & Enrollment, Impact Public Schools

Dr. Laurie Wolfe

Chief Academic Officer, Gem Innovation Schools

Jason Bransford

Chief Executive Officer,Gem Innovation Schools

Melissa Duphiney

Chief Academic Officer, Unity Prep

Meet Our Facilitator

Rachel Modica-Russell

Hendy Avenue Consultant

Who Should Apply

Ready to Apply?

Director of Pre-K,
LEARN Charter Network

Chief Executive Officer,
Explore Schools

Chief of Staff & Strategy,
Prospect Schools

Chief Executive Officer,
Prospect Schools

Director of Special Projects,
Prospect Schools

Chief Executive Officer,
Community Charter School of Paterson

Chief Executive Officer,
Rainier Valley Leadership Academy

Chief Executive Officer,
Coney Island Prep

Chief of Staff,
Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School

Head of DEIB, People & HR,
Citizens of the World, Los Angeles

Sr. Director of Operations & Enrollment,
Impact Public Schools

Chief Academic Officer,
Gem Innovation Schools

Chief Executive Officer,
Gem Innovation Schools

Chief Academic Officer,
Unity Prep