Leadership Prep Brownsville Charter School

Prior to joining Leadership Prep Brownsville, Ms. Art served as an Academic Intervention Provider at North Kenwood Oakland Charter School, collaborating with teachers to develop instruction plans for students performing below grade level in math and literacy. Ms. Art also served as an English Teacher at Vorachet School in Thailand. Ms. Art graduated Summa Cum Laude from Wellesley College with a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Wellesley College. Ms. Art also holds a Master of Science in Education from Brooklyn College, a Master of Arts in Sociology from the University of Chicago and is currently a candidate for a PhD in Sociology from the University of Chicago.

As a recent graduate, Ms. Bredt was selected from approximately 20,000 applicants to become a corps member in the Teach For America program. Ms. Bredt’s passion for empowering youth began with her role as Daisy Leader within Girl Scouts of America. In her free time Ms. Bredt enjoys writing, traveling, sailing, camping and horseback riding. Ms. Bredt holds a Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Studies from Cornell University.

Prior to coming to Leadership Prep, Ms. Coriston completed her graduate school career as the social work intern at Excellence Boys, a fellow Uncommon School. Her previous experience includes mentoring youth at a tier II homeless shelter where she tutored students and organized and supervised recreational activities, working as a senior residence counselor in a group home for adolescent girls, acting as caseworker and counselor, and advocating for lesser prison sentences or alternatives to incarceration with The Osborne Association. Ms. Coriston received her B.A. in Sociology from Manhattan College and a M.S.W. from the Hunter College School of Social Work.

Ms. Daniel made a shift to education after spending a three years as a Data Management Supervisor at Barclays Capital. Ms. Daniel serves as Vice President for Greater Highway Deliverance Temple’s Youth Ministry and serves as a Reading Teacher for the GED Program at GHDT. Ms. Daniel earned a B.B.A. in Finance and Investments from Baruch College’s Zicklin School of Business..

As a recent graduate, Mr. Daniels served as President of the Babson College Black Student Union and as a Big Brother in the Big Brother-Big Sisters Program. While enrolled in school, Mr. Daniels tutored at the Community Charter School of Cambridge. Mr. Daniels completed a study abroad program in St. Petersburg, Russia and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management, with a concentration in Entrepreneurship.

Prior to coming to Leadership Prep Brownsville, Mr. Danielsson served as a Music Specialist and Music Teacher at West End Day School. Mr. Danielsson served as a member of the Berklee Clarinet Choir, Berklee Contemporary Wind Orchestra, Small Jazz Combo, Berklee Music Education Choir and has an array of experience in composing and arranging. Mr. Danielsson graduated with honors from Berklee College of Music, receiving his Bachelor of Music degree and is currently pursuing an M.A. in Music Education at Columbia University Teachers College.

Ms. Ellison has previous teaching experience as a first grade teacher at Shadowlawn Elementary School in Miami, Florida. Prior to that she worked to promote literacy among low-income 2nd-4th graders with The Detroit Project, as well as acted as the NAACP Education Committee Chair, where she planned campus wide programs addressing disparities in education. In addition to these experiences, Ms. Ellison acted as an inter group relations facilitator, in which she trained peers in the skills of dialogic communication, group building, conflict surfacing and de-escalation, and social justice education. Ms. Ellison earned a B.A. in English and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Prior to coming to Leadership Prep, Ms. Ferry served as a Kindergarten teacher at Carver Elementary School in Newport News, Virginia. At Carver Elementary School, Ms. Ferry led an after-school tutoring initiative for science. Besides her experience within educational instruction, Ms. Ferry also holds a wealth of experience as a Swim Coach and lifeguard. Ms. Ferry earned a BSc. in Elementary Education and Human Development from Radford University and expects to earn a Masters in Literacy Studies from Hofstra University in the summer of 2010.

Ms. Lewis comes to Leadership Prep Brownsville with four years of teaching. Previously, she taught 4th grade in Florida where she was the founder of “Ghetto to Grace (G2G): Social Etiquette. She also taught 2nd and 3rd grade in Virgina where she was the Steppers for Success coordinator. Ms. Lewis completed Student Teaching with Hampton Christian School System and has a total of nine years of experience working with children professionally. Ms. Lewis graduated from Hampton University with her B.A. in Elementary Education and Masters of Teaching.

Ms. Liebman is a former corps member of Teach For America. Through TFA, she was a 6th Grade Teacher at a Washington D.C. Middle School where she was a softball coach and organized the school’s science fair. Prior to joining Leadership Prep Brownsville, Ms. Liebman served as Enrichment Director at Harlem Village Academy, directing all aspects of student life at a charter middle school. Ms. Liebman holds a B.A. in Policy Studies from Syracuse University and a M.A. in Teaching from American University.

Ms. McLaurin was previously employed by the Cintas Corporation, where she acted as the scholar-intern and had the opportunity to conduct internal audits, create weekly newsletters, and plan and organize various professional events. Prior to this, Ms. McLaurin acted as an office assistant for Penn State University. In this position she performed a wide variety of office duties such as counseling peers in financial aid, and arranging and distributing campus and housing information to students. Ms. McLaurin earned her Bachelor of Humanities in Communications from Penn State University, where she also served as the Black Student Union President.

StaceyAnn Palma Kindergarten Lead Teacher

Ms. Palma has previous teaching experience in many roles abroad in Shanghai and Suzhou, China. In China, Ms. Palma served as a Lead Instructor, K-2nd grade Teacher, as well as a Private Instructor. While in college, Ms. Palma studied abroad in Havana, Cuba at The University of Havana. Ms. Palma has received language training in Chinese and Spanish from Middlebury College and recently served as a Teach For America Corps Member. Ms. Palma holds a BA in History from Spelman College, where she graduated Cum Laude.

Brett Peiser is Founder and former Principal and Executive Director of Boston Collegiate Charter School. Boston Collegiate, a college preparatory middle and high school serving over 500 students, is one of Massachusetts’ highest performing schools. In 2005, Mr. Peiser founded Collegiate Charter Schools, an Uncommon Schools network of middle and high schools in Brooklyn, New York. The network's first and second schools – Williamsburg Collegiate and Kings Collegiate Charter Schools – were the #2 and #6 ranked middle schools in all of New York City on the Department of Education’s 2009 progress reports. Since those schools began, Mr. Peiser has also helped start two new middle schools, Bedford Stuyvesant and Brownsville Collegiate Charter Schools, as well as Uncommon Charter High School which will serve students from all of Uncommon’s New York City elementary and middle schools. In 2009, Mr. Peiser became Managing Director of Uncommon New York City, overseeing nearly 2,000 students across Uncommon’s 10 elementary and secondary schools in Brooklyn. Uncommon New York City will ultimately grow to serve 7,000 students across 20 schools. Mr. Peiser is a graduate of New York City Public Schools and a resident of Brooklyn where he taught History at Midwood High School and founded an after-school community basketball program for Midwood/Flatbush teenagers. Mr. Peiser received a BA from Brown University and a MPP degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, where he also earned the 2001 Rising Star award.

Analiza Quiroz is the co-leader of Leadership Prep, serving as the Director of Operations. Ms.Quiroz has extensive experience in managing teams, budgets, and operations. Prior to joining Leadership Prep, she spent two years at Colgate-Palmolive working in brand management and five years in the Air Force working in program management and international relations. Ms. Quiroz is also the co-founder of Island Girl Power, a non-profit that aims to build self-esteem in girls and counter the high suicide and pregnancy rates in Guam. Analiza received her MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management where she was an Austin Scholar, Kellogg's most prestigious honor based on academics and leadership. She is also a Fulbright Scholar and earned her B.S. in Industrial Engineering and B.A. in Economics from Stanford University.

Darcy is the co-leader of Leadership Prep, serving as the Principal. Prior to this role, Ms. Richie served as the Director of Staff Development at Excellence Boys Charter School, located in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Prior to her work at Excellence, she was an extended day program director and staff leader at C.E.S. 42 Elementary School in the Bronx, where she also was a Fifth Grade Teacher. Ms. Richie has served as a Curriculum Specialist at Teach for America’s Summer Institute. She holds a B.A. in Urban Studies and Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.Ed. from Bank Street College of Education. She is an alumna of Teach for America.

Ms. Shah is a first-year corps member of Teach For America, a nationwide teacher corps that recruits and trains outstanding college graduates to serve in public schools. Her prior experiences include serving as both a Writing Center Tutor and Peer Mentor for the Rutgers College Honors Program. Ms Shah graduated Summa Cum Laude from Rutgers University, receiving a B.A. in Economics and Communications

Prior to joining Leadership Prep Brownsville, Ms. Staub served as a Special Education Teacher and Grade Team Leader at PS 27, The School for Leadership in Brooklyn, NY. Upon graduating college, Ms. Staub joined the nationally acclaimed Teach For America program. Ms. Staub earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Global and Urban Ministries from Seattle Pacific University and an M.S.T. in Childhood Education from Pace University.