EdFuel Team & Board
Where Experience Meets Commitment
EdFuel's team brings deep experience across school districts, charter networks, and mission-driven organizations nationwide. Many have served as school leaders or talent strategists, giving us firsthand insight into our partners' challenges.
We believe sustainable impact starts with intentional investment in people, and we bring that focus to every partnership.
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Kerri-Ann Pitts
Chief Executive Officer
Kerri-Ann Pitts is the Chief Executive Officer of EdFuel, where she has served in senior leadership roles for the past eight years, including Vice President of Program Strategy and Impact and Managing Director. She leads the organization’s strategic direction, oversees talent development and staffing strategy, and manages partnerships with school districts, charter schools, and mission-driven organizations nationwide. For almost two decades, her work has focused on designing fair and inclusive recruitment, hiring, onboarding, compensation, and performance management systems, while coaching and developing teams to strengthen organizational effectiveness. At EdFuel, she advances high-quality talent systems that strengthen leadership capacity and long-term organizational sustainability across the education sector.
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Nicole Pratt
Vice President, Program Strategy & Impact
Nicole leads EdFuel’s programmatic strategy and the design and delivery of initiatives that help education and nonprofit organizations strengthen their talent systems. She oversees EdFuel’s national research and field-building work, including compensation and workforce studies, and leads the development of the EdFuel Talent Playbook. Before joining EdFuel in 2021, Nicole helped launch teacher professional development and later led internal talent systems at Instruction Partners during a period of rapid organizational growth. Earlier in her career, she worked at the Tennessee Department of Education, supporting statewide teacher evaluation and professional learning for educators and school leaders. She began her career as an elementary teacher in rural North Carolina and remains passionate about helping organizations build strong teams so every child has access to an excellent education.
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Jenn Brown
Vice President, Finance and Operations
Jenn has worked in the nonprofit space for nearly 20 years, serving in roles ranging from a volunteer to a board member to various staff and leadership positions. Prior to her time working with different direct service organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area where she currently lives, she spent over a decade living and working in China and throughout Southeast Asia (and still loves to travel back to that region whenever she can). She has a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University and an MBA from UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School.
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Saima Zaman
Managing Director, Talent Management
Saima joined EdFuel because she believes strong, diverse talent is the foundation of high-performing teams and central to EdFuel’s mission of helping organizations attract, develop, and retain the talent they need to thrive. Saima partners with schools, districts, and nonprofit leaders to design and strengthen talent systems that center fairness, clarity, and inclusion. Her work includes leading compensation redesign efforts, building competency-based performance systems, advising on performance-based pay, and facilitating learning for talent leaders nationwide. She enjoys working closely with stakeholders and supporting leaders through steady, practical change so that strategy turns into systems staff understand and trust. Prior to EdFuel, Saima was at FirstLine Schools, leading talent and HR strategy across five charter schools. Earlier in her career, she worked with The New Teacher Project and GlobalGiving, experiences that shaped her commitment to fair access and strong organizational systems.
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Ashleigh Phillis
Director, Talent Management
Ashleigh brings expertise in talent management strategy and a strong belief that people are the key factor to student success. She partners with organizations and supports leaders in building the talent systems they need to attract and retain the high-quality staff they need to fulfill their mission. She began her career in education as a middle school teacher before working on the recruitment team for a national charter school network. She holds a BA in English from Kenyon College, a Master’s in Teaching from The Johns Hopkins University, and a Master’s in Education Policy Studies from The George Washington University, and is SHRM-SCP certified.
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Ryan Osborne
Director, Talent Management
Ryan is an experienced talent and people leader who leads talent management partner support at EdFuel. Before joining EdFuel, he spent over a decade at Teach For America, advancing program, talent management, and staff experience work, most recently as Senior Managing Director of Staff Experience. He holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Davidson College, a Master’s in Education from American University, and is SHRM-SCP certified. Ryan is driven by a simple belief: people thrive when they’re empowered to be fully themselves.
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Ahnjelica Blake
Director, Talent Management
Ahnjelica Blake is a transformational HR leader with a decade of experience driving people
first practices and empowering teams across the education, tech, and nonprofit sectors. She
leads strategic initiatives in compensation, performance management, and talent development,
specializing in inclusive strategies that reduce attrition and strengthen organizational
culture. Ahnjelica holds an MS in Human Resource Management and Organizational Strategy from
Walden University and a BA in Political Science from the University at Buffalo. Originally from
Rochester, NY, she has called the DMV home for the past decade. She is passionate about
transforming HR and Talent into a space where fairness thrives and individuals are empowered to
reach their full potential, and organizations flourish as a result.
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Cindy Luk
Director, Talent Management
Cindy Luk serves as Director of Talent Management at EdFuel. She is a seasoned HR leader with experience spanning talent acquisition, total rewards, and organizational development across education and high-growth environments. Previously, she was Vice President, Talent Acquisition & Compensation at Relay Graduate School of Education, where she led talent strategy, recruiting systems, and total rewards, ensuring teams were staffed with mission-aligned talent and that compensation and benefits programs reflected organizational values and supported employees across multi-state operations. She also partnered closely with leaders to build effective teams and shape a human-centered candidate experience. Cindy began her career as a high school science teacher in Camden, New Jersey through Teach For America, before transitioning into talent leadership roles at Democracy Prep Public Schools, where she led multi-state recruitment strategy, and at Oscar Health, where she supported hiring across product, design, and data science during a period of rapid growth. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience & Behavior from Columbia University and is SHRM-CP certified.
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Dr. Stacey Brown
Grant Project Manager
Dr. Stacey Brown is a seasoned educator, strategist, public speaker, and community leader with
30+ years of experience across higher education, public education, and the nonprofit sector.
She is the Founder of Anaya Enterprises, specializing in aligning vision, strategy, and funding
to drive sustainable, community-centered transformation.
She has led two federal grants—TRIO/Student Support Services and Equal Opportunity
Schools—securing over $2 million to advance success for underserved students. Her
community-based efforts have raised more than $75,000 and contributed to transformative projects
such as the Grier Heights Community Garden and Amphitheater, impacting over 1 million
Charlotte-Mecklenburg residents.
Dr. Brown has also secured 10 years of no-cost incubator space, $150,000 for public art
renovations, and critical infrastructure resources supporting community growth. She serves in
multiple leadership roles across Charlotte-Mecklenburg and holds degrees from Appalachian State
University, Indiana University, and the University of Maryland, College Park.
Board of Directors
EdFuel’s Board of Directors brings experience across education leadership, philanthropy, nonprofit governance, and organizational strategy.
Their guidance strengthens our mission and ensures long-term sustainability.
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Jessica Cunningham Akoto
Board Chair and Partner at Greenhouse E3
Jessica Cunningham Akoto is a Partner at Greenhouse E3, where she leads the executive coaching program and designs programming for Fellowship cohorts and clients. She also leads Capacious Leadership, her coaching and consulting practice focused on supporting women of color in leadership. From 2018 to 2023, Jessica served as CEO of KIPP Philadelphia Public Schools, growing the organization from five schools serving 2,300 students to seven schools serving 3,000 students, with a $60M annual budget. She began her career as an elementary school teacher in D.C. Public Schools and later joined KIPP DC, where she founded WILL Academy and served as principal. Over 14 years with KIPP DC, she also served as a high school principal and Chief Academic Officer before becoming an Executive in Residence at the KIPP Foundation. Jessica is a Pahara Fellow, a 2015 Milken Educator Award winner, Board Chair of EdFuel, and a board member of Elevate 215.
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Emmile Brack
Board Member and Chief of Staff at National Equity Project
Emmile has over 15 years of nonprofit management experience in the areas of strategy development and implementation, finance, and operations. She currently serves as the Chief of Staff for the National Equity Project, coordinating and managing internal portfolios, structures, and efforts to ensure alignment with and progress toward the organization’s goals and outcomes. Prior to joining the National Equity Project, Emmile supported nonprofit organizations as an independent consultant to revamp their theories of change, core values, and strategic plans, as well as analyze their data and operational processes, using a more intentional equity lens. Emmile previously worked at Aspire Public Schools as Chief of Staff and Vice President of Operations.
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Freddy Gonzalez
Board Member and Principal at School Empowerment Network
Freddy Gonzalez is a proud first-generation college graduate based in Austin, TX. An educator since 2003, he has served as a teacher, principal, system leader, and coach. Now an independent consultant, he partners with K-12 schools and districts to improve student outcomes and experiences through executive coaching, strategic planning and implementation, and professional learning. Previously, Freddy was the Head of Institute at Transcend, developing education innovators nationwide. He also spent over 17 years at KIPP Public Schools, where, as Chief Academic and Talent Systems Officer, he helped open 100+ schools, supported 1,100+ leaders, and launched key academic initiatives. As a principal, his school consistently earned top state ratings. Freddy is currently on the board of EdFuel, National Fellowship for Black and Latino Male Educators, and Arcadia High School in Houston, TX. He holds degrees from Brown University and NYU’s Steinhardt School of Education. Outside of work, he loves being a tío, watching sports, and going to the theatre.
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Laura Clancy
Board Member and Philanthropy Advisor
Laura Clancy leads US university strategy for the School for Moral Ambition, redirecting elite talent toward high-impact careers. Previously, she served as Executive Director of The Bridge Project — the largest unconditional cash program for pregnant and parenting people in the US, housed at the Monarch Foundation — and as COO of Samvid Ventures, a private operating family foundation. Her earlier work includes a decade in the C-suite of two of the largest charter school networks in the US: Mastery Charter Schools and Achievement First, and management consulting experience with Bridgespan. Laura also serves on the boards of the Haven Fund, a donor collaborative in NYC, and previously served on the boards of the Riders Alliance and the Guidance Center in Cambridge. Laura holds a BA in English from Harvard University, an MBA from Columbia Business School, and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the Broad Center for the Management of Schools.
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Mitchell Hopson
Board Member and Chief Financial Officer at The Marine Mammal Center
Mitchell Hopson is Chief Financial Officer at The Marine Mammal Center, where he oversees financial strategy and operations. Previously, he served as Vice President of School Finance at ExED, providing financial leadership to charter schools across the country. His earlier experience includes senior finance roles at TNTP and the KIPP Foundation, as well as positions in the corporate sector. Mitchell holds an MBA in Finance and a BS in Business Administration from Florida A&M University and an MS in International Affairs from Georgetown University.
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Becca Bracy
Board Member and Chief People Officer at Clayton Early Learning
Becca serves as the chief people officer for Clayton Early Learning, a Denver-based nonprofit organization committed to providing children with an exceptional start and empowering families for lifelong success. She has over 30 years of experience in education and nonprofit organizations, including serving for 20 years as the founding executive director of The Broad Center in Los Angeles, a national nonprofit organization that identified, developed, and supported education leaders to transform public education with a focus on excellence and equity (now The Broad Center at the Yale School of Management). Becca was a member of the second cohort of the Aspen Institute-NewSchools Entrepreneurial Leaders for Public Education fellowship (now Pahara Fellowship). She is the vice president of the board of the Boulder Housing Partners Foundation, supporting resident services in Boulder’s affordable housing communities. She holds a bachelor’s degree in science, technology, and society from Stanford University.
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John Campbell
Board Member and Founder and Chief Executive Officer at FundEd Strategies
John Campbell is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) with over 15 years of fundraising and nonprofit management experience. John founded FundEd Strategies in 2018 to help public charter schools and education nonprofits start, scale, and sustain their fundraising programs. Since its founding, FundEd has partnered with more than 90 organizations across the country to raise and manage over $200 million from philanthropy, government agencies, and earned revenue strategies. Prior to FundEd, John held fundraising and strategic leadership roles at a small charter network in Washington, DC. John graduated from Lebanon Valley College with a B.S. in Business Administration and Economics and earned his MBA from the Kogod School of Business at American University. He serves on the board of EdFuel, as a trustee of Capital City Public Charter School, as VP of Internal Affairs for AFP Washington, DC, and as a former board chair of Fihankra Akoma Ntoaso. John and his husband split their time between New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC.
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Alicia T. Johnson
Board Member and Chief Executive Officer of KIPP NYC
Seasoned education and nonprofit executive with deep leadership experience in strategy, operations, and organizational growth. Alicia has held senior leadership roles at KIPP NYC and was appointed the organization’s first Chief Executive Officer, overseeing financial, academic, and operational functions while helping guide long-term vision, strategic priorities, and organizational expansion. She focused on scaling high-performing, mission-driven organizations and strengthening outcomes through operational excellence.
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