ABOUT

Rachel Cohen is a journalist at Vox, where she covers social policy. She has spent years reporting on education, including in-depth coverage of D.C. schools. In 2019 her Washington City Paper cover story on a prominent charter consulting firm won the award for excellence in local investigative journalism by the DC chapter of Society of Professional Journalists.

A native of suburban Philadelphia, Rachel attended Johns Hopkins University, where she majored in history and sociology.

Rachel lives with her partner in Columbia Heights. She enjoys watching comedy, attending concerts, strength training and walking around with a good audiobook.

Joe Harris is a government contractor and has lived in Washington, DC since 2008. He is drawn to The Story of Our Schools because of his deep, personal interest in the architectural history of DC. In 2011, he bought and restored a 1909 row house in Southeast DC, working to maintain its original structure and finding and restoring historically accurate elements throughout the home.

Joe is a parent of a DCPS student and has a B.S. in Physics from University of Central Florida and a M.S. in Project Management from University of Maryland - College Park.

Danica Petroshius has lived in the Capitol Hill area of Washington, DC for over 20 years. She is a parent of two children who attend a DCPS school and a committed advocate for public schools in DC and across the country.

Danica is currently a Principal at Penn Hill Group in Washington, DC a leading bipartisan consulting and lobbying firm specializing in federal education policy and advocacy. Previously, she worked in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. Department of Education.

Petroshius holds a master's degree in education policy from Stanford University and a bachelor's degree in liberal studies from the University of Notre Dame.

Tiffany Solarin is an innovative leader with a flair for developing and maintaining student success programs, while developing employees and managing teams. Tiffany’s educational profile includes a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Sociology. Tiffany is passionate about providing quality service to stakeholders. She relentlessly pursues to positively impact core partnerships while improving recruitment, retention, and satisfaction within an organization.

Tiffany holds over (10) ten years of higher academia experience with a stellar reputation of conjoining and broadening business development partnerships and collaborations with local businesses, educational organizations, and nonprofits.

Kyle Walton grew up in Richmond, VA and has been living in DC since 2006. She is currently a Director of Digital Engagement at DG Connect and has been working in business development and media sales for over 13 years. She received her B.S. in Commerce with concentrations in Marketing & Management from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia.

Kyle and her husband live in Glover Park. She is an animal lover and enjoys traveling, yoga and amateur gardening.

Michael Warren is proud DC native and DC Public Schools alum. He believes the legacy, history and culture of “DC PROPER” should be celebrated and preserved. Connecting with people and organizations that believe in the city's residents and youth is a passion.

Michael and his wife, Christian, started A Life Well Dressed Company (ALWD Co.) in 2018 by blending their three decades of experience in the fashion industry, retail, and marketing. You can find their retail spaces at BWI Airport and coming soon to Union Station. Most recently Michael wrote, "A Beard Like my Dad," a children’s book that celebrates the relationship between fathers and children from different ethnicities and cultures while following the journey of a father and son throughout New York City.

Michael earned marketing degrees in Philadelphia and California from The Art Institutes. He and his family of five currently live in Northeast DC and love touring the Smithsonian museums, DC parks and traveling to California to visit family.

Michelle Austin is a proud native New Mexican and has happily called Washington, D.C. home since 2000. Michelle believes passionately in public schools and has been working in various capacities to support students, educators and parents for the past 25 years. As a Managing Director at the cause-driven communications agency GMMB, Michelle has the opportunity to work on behalf of a variety of nonprofit and philanthropic organizations working to help ensure that all students can succeed in school, work and life. Michelle holds bachelor of arts degree in broadcast journalism and a master of arts degree in communications from New Mexico State University.

Dr. Iris Bond-Gill (she/her) is the CEO of Opportunity Consulting, where she leads the company's growth and impact. As a strategic advisor, she empowers clients by providing expert guidance and tactical expertise to drive equitable outcomes. A leader in her field, Dr. Bond-Gill is deeply passionate about creating inclusive and equitable spaces. With a wealth of experience in education and youth policy at the federal, state, and local levels, she has dedicated over 25 years to senior leadership roles. She served as the Deputy Executive Director at a civil rights coalition focused on education equity and as the Assistant Superintendent of Elementary and Secondary Education at the DC state education agency. Dr. Bond-Gill's commitment to bridging opportunity gaps and advancing equity and justice for marginalized communities is rooted in her life experience. Iris experienced firsthand the challenges of instability and frequent school changes during her upbringing. This instability underscored the critical role of education in creating safe and stable environments that extend beyond academic learning to encompass broader life opportunities. Her experiences propelled her early career choice to become a seventh-grade social studies teacher in New Orleans through Teach For America. Dr. Bond-Gill holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Arizona State University, a Master of Science degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University, and a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Policy from American University. She is trained in human-centered design by IDEO, possesses a robust facilitation toolkit, and is a qualified Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)© Administrator.

Janel George is an Associate Professor of Law and the founding Director of the Racial Equity in Education Law and Policy Clinic (the “REEL Policy Clinic”). The Clinic engages law students in legislative lawyering work on behalf of clients to address issues of racial inequality in public education, including discriminatory school discipline practices, segregation, and resource inequities along racial lines. Her work and scholarship focus on racial stratification and inequality in U.S. education and legislative and policy interventions to help address them.

She has written about the resegregation of public schools, discriminatory school discipline practices, Critical Race Theory, and resource equity, including in a recent article Deny, Defund, and Divert: The Law and American Miseducation, 112 Geo. L.J. 509 (2024). She is currently chair-elect of the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) Education Section. Prior to Georgetown Law, she served as a senior attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), where she worked with several campaigns and coalitions to leverage legislative and policy advocacy to advance equal educational opportunity. She has also served as Legislative Counsel and staff in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, and her legislative portfolio included child welfare, civil rights, health care, and education issues. She also worked with the Learning Policy Institute where she co-lead the Equitable Resources and Access team.

She received her JD from the University of Wisconsin Law School where she was a managing editor of the Wisconsin Law Review and her BA from Spelman College.

Sam Mason is the Assistant Head of Lower School and Director of Sustainability at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School in Washington, D.C. He has eight years of teaching experience which includes working with students from Nursery to Grade 8. As part of his sustainability work, Sam has helped St. Patrick’s partner with non-profits around DC such as DC Greens, Rock Creek Conservancy, DC Central Kitchen, US Food Rescue, and WWF.

Sam holds a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies with a minor in Education from Denison University in Ohio. He also has a master’s degree from the University of Virginia with a concentration in Educational Leadership and Administration and is currently working through a leadership certificate program run by the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

DeJuan Erica Price, MBA, PMP, APR, is a doctoral candidate at Pepperdine University's Graziadio School of Business, specializing in entrepreneurship and innovation. She serves as Senior Director of Business Development and Growth at BETAH Associates, a second-generation Black woman-owned government contractor based in Rockville, MD.

DeJuan’s research focuses on Black women entrepreneurs, exploring how engagement in formal and informal business networks influences entrepreneurial success. Her work examines network characteristics, the role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and the ways strategic networking fosters access to social and financial capital. By addressing systemic barriers such as undercapitalization and limited resources, her research aims to enhance sustainability, close economic gaps, and reduce the racial wealth divide.

With over 20 years of expertise in strategic communications, project management, and public relations, DeJuan drives initiatives to accelerate business growth, forge impactful partnerships, and elevate brand strategies. She has successfully managed high-profile projects for federal, private sector, and nonprofit clients, with a focus on promoting health equity and delivering culturally competent outreach solutions.

DeJuan holds an MBA from Virginia Tech, a Master’s in Communication, Culture, and Technology from Georgetown University, and a BA in Communication from George Mason University. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Change Management Advanced Practitioner (CMAP). She is also an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the Project Management Institute (PMI), and the Society for Health Communication.

A Washington, DC native, DeJuan leverages her academic and professional expertise to support underrepresented entrepreneurs and foster sustainable economic development.

Alicia Prince is an experienced professional with extensive experience in education policy, government relations, and strategic operations.

Alicia has served in various roles of impact in multiple major school districts, including as Chief of Staff and Chief Operating Officer for the School District of Philadelphia, where she led strategic planning, policy development, intergovernmental relations, and coordination with the Philadelphia School Board. She spent time with Baltimore City Public Schools and District of Columbia Public Schools. In addition to her work in education, Alicia has significant political experience, having managed municipal political campaigns and served in key roles at the Council of the District of Columbia.

Alicia holds a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism from Hampton University and a Juris Doctor from Villanova University School of Law. She was selected for the prestigious Broad Fellowship from the Broad Institute, where she earned a Master’s in Education Leadership.

Blanchi Roblero is deeply committed to the transformative power of education and its ability to change lives. This conviction led her to pursue a policy-driven career in the field. Blanchi’s career includes key roles as a political appointee at the Department of Education and in Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s office. She has provided strategic counsel to senior leadership, built and managed relationships with Members of Congress and federal agencies, and led outreach and policy initiatives at local, state, and federal levels. With over 15 years of experience across government, education, politics, lobbying, and consulting, Blanchi has consistently demonstrated a capacity for driving meaningful policy change and building effective partnerships.

A passionate advocate for immigrant and women’s issues in education, Blanchi draws on her own experience as a former student and immigrant. She is dedicated to empowering students to connect with and learn the stories of their communities, fostering both inclusivity and a deeper understanding of history.

Heather A. Wiggins, is a native Wismaican (Wisconsin, Jamaica hybrid). She is currently a Supervisory Copyright Specialist at the United States Copyright Office located within the Library of Congress and also an Adjunct Professor at The Catholic University of America. Ms. Wiggins received her BA degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she triple majored in Spanish, International Studies, and LACIS. She received her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School, and her Masters in Library and Information Science from the Catholic University of America. She enjoys mentoring, reading, writing, traveling, and finding ways to give back to her community.

Jen Harris oversees daily operations, program execution, and exhibition production of The Story of Our Schools. Jen founded The Story of Our Schools when she saw the potential of schools to help tell the stories of their surrounding communities, as well as provide a space to create new ones.

Jen brings over 20 years of experience in photography, exhibition design, and all aspects of digital imaging. She is the owner of Jen Harris Studio where she works with a wide range of organizations from large federal agencies to small local businesses. She has digitized and archived over 15,000 pieces of artwork for The National Portrait Gallery, The National Museum of African American History & Culture, and private collectors. Prior to founding Jen Harris Studio, Jen worked for Chris White Design Incorporated, an exhibit design business.

Jen graduated from Drexel University with a Bachelor of Science in Photography. She currently resides in Capitol Hill with her husband, son, and a variety of pets.

MaryBeth Washington has dedicated her career as an educator to igniting passion and curiosity and challenging her students. Entering the classroom in 2005, she has found herself in a variety of settings- charter, public, private and parochial schools.

MaryBeth is Montessori certified through American Montessori Internationale. She holds a master’s degree in education from Loyola University and a bachelor’s in American studies from Springfield College. She also studied literacy at the University of Sydney, Australia.

She believes The Story of Our Schools presents a unique opportunity for students to delve into living history. Through rigorous research the students form a personal connection to contemporary social issues that impact their community. This project changes the student's perspective. They no longer just go to their school, they become part of their school’s story.

As Development Director, Erin is focused on growing philanthropic support and momentum for The Story of Our Schools. She is passionate about community building and finding, celebrating, and documenting the ties that make each school community unique and strong. Most importantly, she is excited to build more connections with others in the DC area who support schools, students, historical archives, museums, community building, and more. Please reach out if that might be you!

Prior to joining The Story of Our Schools leadership Erin worked in both local and federal government as the director of education research at the Office of the D.C. Auditor and an associate research scientist at the US Department of Education. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Child Development and Family Studies from UNC-Chapel Hill, a Master’s degree in Sociology of Education from NYU and also holds a certificate in Education Sciences from the Institute of Education Sciences at the US Department of Education. Many years ago, Erin taught kindergarten and Head Start in North Carolina.

Erin and her family currently live in Capitol Hill and when not celebrating school history, she enjoys reading, eating everything DC has to offer, and hanging out with her family and two cats.

Alex is a Washington D.C. native with a deep-rooted passion for education. He is currently an Associate Director at Penn Hill Group, a bipartisan lobbying and consulting firm that specializes in Federal education and workforce policy.

He graduated from Cornell University, where he majored in Government and minored in China and Asia-Pacific Studies, focusing on both domestic politics and international relations.

In his spare time, Alex enjoys chess, playing guitar, discovering new music, and reading. He is thrilled to be supporting the Story of Our Schools in driving forward its mission.

Audrey is an Early Childhood Education Policy Analyst at DC Action, where she advocates to make child care more affordable across the District. Audrey holds a bachelor's in Public Policy from the University of Michigan and a master's in Education Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. While in Massachusetts, Audrey worked with the Boston Public Schools on their Universal Pre-K team to bolster family engagement across the early education system.

Audrey has worked in DC federal education policy advocating for high-quality education on all levels, from early childhood to higher education. Audrey's passion for early education led her to work with a DC preschool where she partnered with early educators, families and young children to support child development.

Audrey is thrilled to serve on the Associate Advisory Board for the Story of Our Schools and to have the opportunity to contribute to the work the organization does to empower students through art, history and a sense of community.

Lydia Melnikov is a Business & Program Development Associate at the Milken Institute, where she specializes in research and institutional giving around public finance initiatives and strategic philanthropy. A Chicago native, she is excited to be in Washington D.C. working for public-minded, mission-driven organizations creating change on the local and national level. Lydia holds a B.S. from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, where she completed her studies in piano performance and art history. Her experience includes roles in historic preservation, museums, and public programming. Lydia’s independent research thesis, “Renzo Piano’s Harvard Light Machine: The Museum as Experience,” is a case study analysis of changing trends in the museum industry and higher education, exploring how museum and exhibition spaces encourage visitors to learn and grow. She is excited to join The Story of Our Schools to promote experience-driven learning, community building, and storytelling through local history and public space.

As a native to the Washington, DC area, Carly Mustich has always loved the rich history and culture of the city. After graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in Communication Studies and Applied Statistics, Carly moved back to the area and is currently a Client Solutions Manager at LinkedIn. At LinkedIn, Carly works with education, government, and advocacy clients to achieve their business goals by creating and executing innovative marketing strategies.

As the Associate Advisory Board Chair for The Story of Our Schools, Carly is passionate about empowering DC students to understand the stories of their communities and illuminate the invaluable role of schools in our city's vibrant history.

Brittany is a passionate advocate for education and community empowerment. She is currently the Senior Manager, Policy, Early Childhood Education at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, where she works to empower communities across the nation to find innovative solutions to childcare and workforce challenges.

With a bachelor’s in Economics from Howard University and a master’s in Education Policy and Analysis from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Brittany is resolute in her pursuit for ensuring equity in education for children furthest from opportunity.

Brittany is excited to join the Associate Advisory Board of The Story of Our Schools, as it aligns with her passions for education, Washington, D.C., and history. She is deeply inspired by the organization’s mission to give back to the community while preserving the rich histories of the city and its schools.

Marius Sposato was born in Washington D.C. and grew up just south in the suburban community of Woodbridge, Virginia. He is currently a Financial Analyst at The Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public policy organization.

He completed his Undergraduate Degree in Finance from Virginia Commonwealth University and his Master’s Degree in Business Analytics from the College of William Mary, interested in how new technologies such as artificial intelligence will impact the domestic financial system.

Growing up Marius’s first job was working as a youth sports coach at his local recreation center serving as a mentor to youth in his community. Through supporting The Story of Our Schools, Marius is thrilled to continue to work to empower youth in his area.

Soraya is a Senior Associate at Whiteboard Advisors, where she advocates on a wide range of K-12 policy areas with a special focus on equity and economic mobility. Soraya also brings valuable experience working in navigating federal education issues, spanning from from early childhood to career and workforce development.

Soraya is a graduate from the University of Michigan, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) and English with High Honors. While at the University of Michigan, Soraya supported college access initiatives at the Center for Educational Outreach and taught a freshman-level course based off of her English thesis “Learning in the Shadow of 9/11: The Creation of a ‘Better-Formed Story’ in the Classroom.”

Soraya is deeply honored to be a part of the Associate Advisory Board for The Story of Our Schools, where her passion for education intersects with the organization’s mission to integrate community, art, and history in classrooms throughout the District. She currently resides in Washington D.C. and enjoys traveling, a good book, and hosting friends and family for homemade meals.