Meet the 2025-26 Chief Academic Officer Cohort!
We’re thrilled to introduce our newest Chief Academic Officer Cohort class! This exceptional group of academic leaders from high-performing charter networks across the country will spend the year collaborating, problem-solving, and pushing each other’s practice.
Here’s to a year of growth, learning, and collective impact as we get to know each outstanding member of our cohort.
Meet Our 2025-26 Cohort Members
Tomi Okuyemi: Chief Academic Officer, Growing Up Green Charter Schools
Tomi serves as Chief Academic Officer at Growing Up Green Charter Schools in Jamaica, Queens, where she champions the values of kindness, courage, collaboration, and social justice. Her journey from science teacher at Success Academy to beloved 1st grade teacher at Community Roots Charter School shows her deep commitment to students at every level. With an M.Ed. in School Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education and experience as a Leadership Resident in Boston Public Schools, Tomi brings rich expertise in equity and inclusion. She joined the GUGCS community in 2021, drawn to its diverse faculty and families who share her passion for social justice.
Tonya Randall: VP of Academics, Journey Community Schools
With over two decades of educational leadership experience, Tonya brings incredible expertise in driving transformational change—including an impressive 28% increase in K–8 reading proficiency and 27% gain in math at Journey Community Schools this past year. From founding Nexus STEM Academy to securing $1.5M+ in grants for innovation and summer learning, Tonya’s commitment to historically underserved students shines through everything she does. Her background spans KIPP schools, instructional coaching, and data-driven leadership, with degrees from Spelman College and Walden University.
Sabrina Banwait: Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Hebrew Public Schools
Sabrina brings over 13 years of transformative leadership across Chicago, Los Angeles, and NYC urban schools. From classroom teacher to instructional leader, Sabrina’s journey reflects her unwavering commitment to equity and social justice. As a proud alum of the University of Chicago’s Urban Teacher Education Program, she continues to champion culturally responsive pedagogy and teacher preparation. Sabrina’s expertise in instructional design and leadership development centers on building capacity through coaching and collaboration. Her work with school leaders and teacher teams exemplifies her belief in public education’s power to create lasting, multigenerational change.
Dr. Keena Day: Chief Academic Officer, Breakthrough Schools
Dr. Keena Day is a 20-year literacy specialist who leads school districts, networks, and school leadership to develop systems in curriculum and assessment design to improve student achievement. As Chief Academic Officer of Breakthrough Schools in Cleveland, she is skilled in grades 4-12, AP Language and AP Literature coursework that allows for equitable access, dual enrollment, and literacy intervention. She has taught Freshman Composition, Technical and Creative Writing at the collegiate level. Her Masters programming focused on Africana Studies and Black Literature, Linguistics, Literacy, and Writing. Her research focuses on integration of literacy and social studies content, cultural studies in schools, DEI in text selection, organizational literacy structures, and closing the literacy achievement gap for various demographics of students.
Meet Our Facilitator: Erica Murphy
Leading this incredible cohort is Erica Murphy, who brings deep expertise in academic leadership development. In addition to facilitating the CAO cohort, Erica has spent five years with Hendy Avenue Consulting supporting school systems and charter management organizations nationwide on academic strategy, AI literacy, coaching to academic excellence, mathematics instruction, performance evaluation rubrics, and more.
Erica creates spaces where CAOs can push each other to excel, share best practices, and build lasting professional relationships. Under her guidance, our cohort members will tackle real challenges, exchange valuable resources, and strengthen their commitment to achieving stellar academic outcomes for students.
What Makes The CAO Cohort Special
Our Chief Academic Officer Cohort brings academic leaders together to learn alongside trusted colleagues in similar roles. Through the cohort, members sharpen their vision, build their skills, exchange resources, problem solve, build relationships, and feel more fulfilled in their roles.
This dynamic group represents some of the most innovative academic minds in charter education, united by their commitment to educational equity and their dedication to driving meaningful change in their networks.
Interested in learning more about how CAO cohort participation can level up the leadership and impact of your senior academic leaders? Ready to explore leadership development opportunities? Connect with Hendy Avenue Consulting about leadership coaching, CAO cohort participation for 2026-27, and additional opportunities to partner for just-in-time support to your organization.