Posts by Hendy Avenue

Rachel with daughter Simone, son Quincy, and wife Alice!

Get to know our team! This month, Jess will be sharing an interview with each of the Hendy team members to help you get to know us better. Click here to read Jess’s interview with Jeremy Abarno. Next up, our newest team member Rachel Modica-Russell! Rachel joined the team in May 2023 after serving as Managing Director of Talent at Explore Schools. Rachel was also a member of Hendy’s first Chief Talent Officer cohort. Read on to get to know Rachel.

You’ve worked with many clients in your two years at Hendy. What is one project you’ve found most interesting? 

I don’t get the sense that what you’re looking for is me to respond with an, “ALL of them!” but that’s genuinely how I feel 🙂. In my two years with the Hendy team, I’ve supported work across performance evaluation practices, AI learning, skill-building, and compensation strategies. One project that particularly resonated with me was helping PAVE Academy in Brooklyn develop a compensation philosophy that would both capture their current approach and guide future efforts to compensate staff equitably and competitively.

What made this work special was the PAVE team’s thoughtfulness and their unwavering belief that students should be at the center of all decision-making. They deeply understand the critical role excellent educators and staff play in fulfilling their mission. This project aligned with what I’ve built my career around—creating the organizational infrastructure that attracts, retains, and enables staff to thrive while doing incredibly demanding work. Helping PAVE weave their organizational values into their compensation practices was so meaningful, and I’m grateful to have supported them at this pivotal point in their journey.

Your work supporting PAVE to incorporate their organizational values into their compensation practices is a great example of how the work that our clients do reflects what they deeply care about. You’ve accomplished a lot with your clients; what is one accomplishment you are most proud of?

One accomplishment I’m particularly proud of is how I’ve helped organizations translate their values into tangible policies and practices. At Hendy, I’ve worked with several clients to build systems that don’t just look good on paper but actually create environments where talented practitioners want to grow in and stay over time. 

What makes this meaningful is seeing the ripple effects—when an organization implements more equitable compensation practices or creates more effective evaluation systems, it directly impacts staff retention and satisfaction, which ultimately benefits students. Though the impact isn’t always immediately measurable, the feedback from clients about how our work has transformed their approach to talent management confirms we’re moving in the right direction. Building these bridges between organizational values and day-to-day practices is where I find the most pride in my work.

What’s your favorite part about working with the Hendy team and our clients?

It is such a privilege working alongside such talented educators, leaders, and strategists in our field. I take great comfort and pride in the fact that our team and clients are aligned around a shared mission to improve educational outcomes and opportunities for students.

What I treasure most about the Hendy team is the authentic way we show up for each other. Check-ins with Hendy teammates are this beautiful combination of celebrating personal and professional milestones, supporting one another through challenges, and providing consultative services to each other—we pack a lot into our weekly hour together! The blend of expertise, humor, and genuine care creates an environment where the work feels meaningful and sustainable, even when facing complex challenges in education.

Rachel, you are such a critical part of our team culture – you bring such joy to those weekly meetings! What might people not know about you?

Silly: I am not a boardgame person, at ALL. Am I playful? Yes! Do I love to connect with people? Yes! Will I willingly opt into rules and parameters as part of my free time? Never.

Editor’s note: Jess loves boardgames and so had to promise Rachel not to incorporate games into our next team retreat.

More sincere: I was the first person in my immediate family to graduate from a four-year college. Since then, I’ve had the joy of cheerleading a sibling and both of my parents as they continue their respective educational journeys. Education has always been incredibly important to my family; we read and wrote often, debated endlessly, and were given lots of space to explore, play, and question as kids. It’s been profoundly moving to watch my parents reactivate their own educational pursuits after long careers and years of prioritizing our well-being and opportunities. Their journey reinforces my belief in education as a lifelong pursuit that can transform at any stage.

It’s so important to take inspiration from those around us, especially in challenging times. Work in education right now is difficult – what keeps you going?

My kids, your kids, all kids. Now more than ever, I feel compelled to address the hard questions related to staffing and sustaining schools. What drives me daily is the vision of schools filled with compassionate, prepared, and well-resourced adults who create spaces where all students can thrive, learn, and be academically challenged.

When the work gets particularly difficult, I remind myself that every policy we help craft, every leader we coach, or system we refine ultimately creates better conditions for students. The educational inequities in our system aren’t inevitable—they’re the result of choices, and I believe deeply in our ability to make different, better choices that create more equitable outcomes for students. That possibility is what keeps me going, even on the toughest days.

Thank you, Rachel, for sharing more about you and your work! Our team and clients are grateful for the commitment and joy you bring to our work every day. 

Jeremy with his sweet family: Marlon, Lucia, Eve, and Vivian

Anyone who has worked with Hendy knows how fantastic our team is. This month, Jess will be sharing an interview each each of the Hendy team members to help you get to know us better. First up, Jeremy Abarno! Jeremy joined Hendy in 2019 and serves as a pivotal support for clients at Chicago Public Schools, Hebrew Public Schools, and more. Read on to get to know Jeremy.

You make such an impact on our clients and the students they serve. What is one interesting project you’ve worked on in your time at Hendy?

I’ve had the great fortune to work on so many great projects at Hendy. A recent example that I found very interesting was working with Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Office of Educator Effectiveness to design training for chiefs and deputy chiefs in their role as principal supervisors. CPS launched a new school leader evaluation program 3 years ago. Through great collaborative efforts between departments they have dedicated time and resources to sharing best practices and elevating evaluation practices. The opportunity to work with the Office of Educator Effectiveness to design workshops that aim to ensure that evaluation is not just fair, calibrated and accurate but also oriented towards the growth of school leaders has been challenging and very fulfilling. 

It’s been so awesome to see the focus be on growth for school leaders, and your work supporting a system like CPS means hundreds of thousands of kids will benefit. What is one accomplishment from your time at Hendy that you are most proud of?

I have a passion for conceptual math instruction and helping school leaders and teachers understand the capacity of all students to engage in high level mathematics. Through my work at Hendy Avenue, I’ve had the chance to coach school leaders in mathematics instructional leadership at multiple schools. Some of the schools that I’ve worked with over the past years have made double digit gains in math proficiency, and have built a culture of intellectual engagement for teachers and for students. Kids are grappling with big ideas and meaningful applications of what they’re learning. It’s pretty exciting to think about how these students will apply their learning in the future. 

I know our clients really appreciate your thoughtful and compassionate coaching style as you work with math teachers and leaders. It shows in student results! What’s your favorite part about working with the Hendy team and our clients?

The camaraderie that comes from working on something very challenging but with a common goal and mutual respect. It’s pretty cool to work with folks who are both committed to confronting deep injustices and take the problem very seriously but at the same time don’t take themselves too seriously. Hendy team members and Hendy’s partners are committed to ensuring all kids are successful but they also find great joy in doing difficult work and in each other. 

What might people not know about you?

I struggled mightily in math in middle and high school. Really. At some point in pre-algebra my teachers stopped making connections to life and I couldn’t see it and I began to struggle – it had no meaning to me. I did what I could to get by. Then, in my first teaching job (shout out River East Elementary in East Harlem) I was sent to Math in the City at City College. There I was reintroduced to algebra as more than just abstract structures but as a tool to simplify and solve problems. The light bulb turned back on and I haven’t stopped thinking about how to help others make sense of math since. 

Thanks for sharing this! As someone who has helped me to support my middle schooler with math, I find your story so inspiring. Working in education and supporting leaders – especially right now – can be difficult. What keeps you going?

My wife and kids. My beautiful-in-all-senses-of-the-word wife of 21 years Eve loves and supports me unconditionally but expects me to be getting better all the time and I LOVE IT. My 19 year old Marlon and I share a love of math, Spanish, music, food, cycling, and ridiculous humor – he cracks me up. My daughter Lucia and I share the gift/curse of feeling things deeply – she’s so empathetic and caring but if you mistreat others, watch your back – she is a fierce advocate. And my youngest Vivian has taught me more than anyone else, even without language she sends a clear message every day that everyone deserves to be seen, loved, and joyously appreciated. I am so lucky.

Thank you Jeremy! The Hendy team, and our clients, are lucky to have YOU in our corner.

Earlier in April, we announced that Jessica Wilson is taking over as Hendy’s President. Sarah and Jess sat down (thanks to zoom) to talk about Jess’s experiences and excitement about the transition. Read below to get to know more about Jess! And read her first team spotlight here.

Congratulations on your new role leading Hendy! I am so excited about you taking the reins and leading  Hendy into the future. For folks who haven’t yet had the pleasure of meeting you, can you share a bit about your background and the experiences that led you to this role? 

I’ve had the great pleasure of being a part of the Hendy team for almost 8 years, and have led client projects large and small across talent, academics and strategy. In my work, I’ve leveraged the skills and competencies that I hope will serve me well in the President role including strategic thinking, project management, communication, and change management. Even before my time at Hendy, I served in roles that required me to manage multiple priorities and projects at once, and to motivate groups large and small to take action on behalf of kids. Prior to coming to Hendy in fall 2017, I was the Executive Director of Talent Impact at Cleveland Metropolitan School District. There I led the implementation of all of our employee performance management systems, and managed our efforts in professional licensure and certification. Before CMSD, I served in various roles at TNTP where I worked with systems like Pittsburgh Public Schools, Newark Public Schools, and the Florida State Department of Education. I started my career in strategy consulting with community-based nonprofits. In addition to my “day job” I also serve as an elected member of my community’s public school Board of Education. Each of these jobs and roles has required me to use my skills and strengths, and has helped me to be ready for this new role. My biggest teaching experience so far? Parenting tweens. Nothing requires more patience and flexibility than living with an 11- and 13-year old.

Haha! Absolutely! What excites you about leading Hendy? 

My favorite part about working with Hendy is partnering with such an exceptional team. Jeremy, Erica and Rachel are top in the field, and I learn so much from each of them in our work together. I’m excited and humbled to get to step into this leadership role to support these awesome people to thrive. And to keep doing so with you, Sarah, as Executive Advisor – you have a lot of wisdom to offer me and the field.

I’m also excited to explore ways to take our business into its next phase of life. I’m a systems thinker and systems builder, and I get really excited about protocols and processes (nerd alert). I’m looking forward to flexing those muscles as we explore ways to deepen our impact for clients and our sustainability long-term.

You’ve been a part of the Hendy team for a long time. What do you think makes Hendy special? 

At the risk of repeating myself, we have the smartest and best people delivering support and solutions for our clients. But more than just support, we truly partner with the people we work with, and share their goals as our own. We are very nimble in our work, and are willing to collaborate with the organizations we serve to make sure they get the most out of our partnership. 

I’m also very proud of the work we’ve done to build cohorts for leaders. We’ve made it a priority not just to engage in project work, but to create spaces for education leaders to come together to learn, share and grow. Our work with cohorts allows us to expand our impact and serve more leaders and more kids.

We build lasting relationships with clients. Some of our past clients have become good friends – and continue to do the great work that we built together. Working in education is not easy (and seems to be getting more and more difficult) – I appreciate the communities we’ve built with our clients, cohorts and coachees. 

I couldn’t agree more. We all know that we’re in a challenging time in our country and in schools. What value do you think consultants can play to support education leaders in this particular moment? 

There is so much happening in our world, and so much that is affecting or has the potential to affect the education sector at large. School system leaders must navigate threatened or real changes to their contexts while also meeting the needs of their students and staff – and keeping the lights on. One thing I’m so proud of in how we structure our consulting work is that we are true partners to our clients. Because of the way we structure our work, a Hendy consultant can serve not just as a support person, but as a thought-partner to leaders as they encounter changes or challenges in their environment. We can distill a lot of information to what is “need to know” for our clients and their context, and ask strategic questions that help clients to navigate their challenges and make strong decisions. And, we can be an empathetic ear. I once had a client tell me he appreciated our time together because he could “take off his cape”. In this moment especially, education leaders need safe space and relationships to let their guards down and process what is happening.

Thank you so much, Jess. I’m sure folks will be eager to connect with you and the Hendy team for support. How can people connect with you if they want to learn more?

Send me an email at jessicawilson@hendyavenue.com or click here to set up a call. I love chatting with people!