Opportunity Culture® Fellows
Nominations open now for 2027 Opportunity Culture® Fellows!
We’re excited to announce that the eighth Opportunity Culture® Fellows cohort is in the works! Educators in previous cohorts shared successes with students and peers, how they overcame challenges, and stories about their Opportunity Culture® roles. They advised Public Impact® on staffing and instructional design, implementation, and related policy issues, instructional methods, training, and adoption of the science of reading, among other topics.
This year’s Multi-Classroom Leader® fellows will consist of both a national cohort and a policy-focused North Carolina subgroup. All fellows, who receive a $750 stipend for their participation, will have the opportunity to give feedback on state policies related to Opportunity Culture® design and/or high-priority instructional issues. Fellows optionally may be interviewed and highlighted in publications or podcasts going to tens of thousands of educators and other leaders across the country, or they may write an original column. The cohort will gather online for three evening sessions and will provide feedback on materials offline.
More funded fellowships for other roles on MCL™ teams are under consideration, as well, for future cohorts, so we can learn from many more of the nation’s 11,000+ Opportunity Culture® educators.
Fellows may be nominated by their principal or district’s Opportunity Culture® director using the form below. Principals or directors may nominate more than one person. Receive priority consideration by submitting nominations by September 30.
Qualifications
Currently serving in Multi-Classroom Leader® (MCL™) role, in a school with 2025–26 Certified Opportunity Culture School® status, or 2026–27 certification by the time of application. (See the list of all certified schools.)
Has produced high-growth student learning in MCL™ role in at least one of the past two years (or equivalent measure in your grade/subject). Longstanding results or challenge-to-triumph experiences are a plus.
Enjoys developing students’ social-emotional skills, critical thinking, and other capabilities needed for long-term success and joy, in addition to academic success.
Able to articulate the benefits and challenges, with ideas to improve the MCL™ role and teams.
Collaborative in work settings, both to share with other teachers nationally and to inform the Opportunity Culture® initiative team about ongoing improvements for teachers and students.
Preferable: Currently in a school that has exceeded expected learning growth for at least a year.
We especially are looking for:
several fellows who have used high-quality instructional materials that have a green rating on EdReports.com and who have experienced new-curriculum adoption.
several fellows who have produced high-growth learning above grade level with students from low-income families.
What Fellows Will Do
Attend at least one and up to three virtual events to meet and share insights live. Sessions are anticipated between January and summer 2027 (avoiding testing season).
Provide advice and/or editing on policy, instruction, training and other topics. Anticipated topics this year:
State policy: All North Carolina fellows will give feedback on policy; this is optional for others. Advocacy on policy is not required but open to those who choose it.
Curriculum adoption: What training do MCL™ educators need when schools introduce substantially new curricula, and how and when is that best delivered, without reducing their time to lead instruction?
Next-generation differentiation: Teacher-led teams + boosts to tutoring time + teacher-facing technology offer new hope for differentiated instruction—without remedial tracking or caps on learning advancement—while increasing interpersonal connection. Fellows will explore possibilities for high-growth learning by all, identify risks, and share solutions.
Teacher evaluation 3.0: Help us tackle this tricky subject by brainstorming ways to measure teacher effectiveness in grades, subjects, and courses that don’t have standard end-of-grade assessments, to identify teachers for advanced roles to spread the best learning outcomes for students.
Advanced learning access: How can schools make sure students continue to achieve high-growth learning at and above grade level? This is a growing need in schools using Opportunity Culture® design—most of which are Title I—that are achieving high growth year after year.
Act as an ambassador in their state and the national Opportunity Culture® community—sharing their stories and successes in helping their colleagues and students excel.
Nominating Process
Principals and district Opportunity Culture® directors: Use this form to nominate MCL™ educators for this fellowship. You may nominate more than one person, but please use a separate form for each nomination. Please note that educators who previously served as Opportunity Culture® Fellows (listed below) are not eligible for this cohort. Receive priority consideration by submitting nominations by September 30.
Candidates under consideration will be contacted for the next step of submitting an interest statement.
Previous Fellow Cohorts
The Opportunity Culture® Fellows program ran from 2015 to 2022. Fellows served in the principal, Multi-Classroom Leader®, and other Opportunity Culture® roles. Their feedback and leadership helped improve the Opportunity Culture® initiative, and all materials related to it. Public Impact® is grateful for all the Fellows contributed in the early years of the Opportunity Culture® initiative!
Past and current Opportunity Culture® Fellows attended a convening in 2019 focused on improving Opportunity Culture®> implementation and sharing excellent instructional and leadership practices.
2021–22 Fellows
Matt Cowan, School Leader, Compass-Midtown, Memphis, Tennessee
Victoria Groomer, Principal, Gentry Primary, Gentry, Arkansas
Susan Hendricks, Principal, Ross Elementary, Odessa, Texas
Ginger Hiltz, Principal, Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy, Chicago, Illinois
Angela Jones, School Director, Caldwell-Guthrie Elementary, Memphis, Tennessee
Christin Reeves, Principal, Emerson Elementary, Midland, Texas
Amanda Rice, Principal, Hazelwood Elementary Middle, Baltimore, Maryland
Julie Shields, Principal, Bearfield Primary, Ahoskie (Hertford County), North Carolina. Listen to our interview with Julie Shields about her communications strategy, Comprehensive Communications Strengthen Opportunity Culture® School.
2020–21 Fellows
Yolande Dixon, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Pinkston Street Elementary School, Vance County Schools, North Carolina. Watch a webinar featuring Ms. Dixon, North Carolina Opportunity Culture® Information Session.
Patti Newsom, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Travis Elementary School, Mineral Wells Independent School District, Texas
Cherelle Sanders, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Martin Millennium Academy, Edgecombe County Public Schools, North Carolina. Watch a webinar featuring Ms. Sanders, Coaching Teachers Remotely During Covid: Keys to Providing Great Teacher Support Amid Crises, and watch her presentation at a panel discussion on retaining North Carolina’s best teachers.
Vergenia Shegog, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Avalon Park Elementary School, Chicago Public Schools, Illinois
Sidney Thomas, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Holabird Academy #229, Baltimore City Public Schools, Maryland. Read Ms. Thomas’ column, The Support Baltimore Teachers Deserve—Now and Post-Pandemic, first published by The Baltimore Times.
Suzette Bloodman, Principal, Forrest City Sixth Grade Academy and Forrest City Junior High School, Forrest City School District, Arkansas
Matthew How, Principal, Ridge Road Elementary School, North Little Rock School District, Arkansas. Watch Mr. How’s webinar, Diagnosis: Principal Failure. Rx: Listen, Act, Cure
Denise Makowski, Principal, Cyrus H. McCormick School, Chicago Public Schools, Illinois
Stephanie Novak Pappas, Principal, Holabird Academy #229, Baltimore City Public Schools, Maryland
Paul Travers, Principal, Washington Montessori Elementary School, Guilford County Schools, North Carolina. Watch a webinar featuring Mr. Travers, North Carolina Opportunity Culture® Information Session.
David Wells, Principal, Travis Elementary School, Mineral Wells Independent School District, Texas. Read about Mr. Wells in this series of columns: In Mineral Wells, Texas, Opportunity Culture® Brings Academic Gains, Discipline Reductions; “In Love With Opportunity Culture®”: How Mineral Wells, Texas, School Found an Answer; Why Would Teachers Drive Past a Higher-Paying District for a Job That Pays Less? This Texas District Knows
2019–20 Fellows
James Cerasani, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Randolph Elementary, Chicago Public Schools, Illinois
Casandra Cherry, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Phillips Middle, Edgecombe County Public Schools, North Carolina. This column was written in memory of Ms. Cherry.
Cherie Dixon, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, L.B. Yancey Elementary, Vance County Schools, North Carolina
Frederick Hoffmann, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Fairview Elementary, Guilford County Schools, North Carolina. Read our column about Mr. Hoffmann, For This MCL, A Week of Team Planning and Parenting., and a webinar featuring him, Coaching Teachers Remotely During Covid: Keys to Providing Great Teacher Support Amid Crises
Casey Jackson, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Aycock Elementary, Vance County Schools, North Carolina. Read our column about Ms. Jackson, Spreading Support in Vance County During At-Home Learning
Steven Kennedy, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Wilson Middle School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Read Mr. Kennedy’s column, Can I Really Keep At This? What Kept One Great Teacher in the Classroom.
Amy Pearce, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, North Edgecombe High, Edgecombe County Public Schools, North Carolina. Read our column about Ms. Pearce, Consistency and Care: Confronting COVID-19 in a Rural School Community
Angela Porter, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Hairston Middle, Guilford County Schools, North Carolina
Christina Ross, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Desert Oasis Elementary, Nadaburg Unified School District No. 81, Arizona. Read our column about Ms. Ross, In Arizona, Turning Vulnerabilities Into Strengths as Teaching Goes Home
Keisha Wheat, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Randolph Elementary, Chicago Public Schools, Illinois. Watch a webinar featuring Ms. Wheat, Coaching Teachers Remotely During Covid: Keys to Providing Great Teacher Support Amid Crises
Kristen Boyd, Principal, Aycock Elementary, Vance County Schools, North Carolina. Read our column about Ms. Boyd, Spreading Support in Vance County During At-Home Learning
Elizabeth Meyers, Principal, Randolph Elementary, Chicago Public Schools, Illinois
Jenny O’Meara, Principal, Phillips Middle, Edgecombe County Public Schools, North Carolina. Listen to our interview with Jenny O’Meara, An Opportunity Culture® Principal Reflects.
Merrie Conaway, Principal, Foust Elementary, Guilford County Schools, North Carolina
Eric Ward, Principal, Harding University High School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. This column was written in memory of Mr. Ward.
2018–19 Fellows
Amber Hines, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Zeb Vance Elementary, Vance County Schools, North Carolina. Read Ms. Hines’ column, The Best Tool—Sometimes: Using Tech in Elementary School.
Faith Jones, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, North Little Rock Middle, North Little Rock School District, Arkansas.
Mollie Lyman, Multi-Classroom Leader® II role, Whitewater Middle, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina.
Okema Owens Simpson, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Ranson IB Middle, Project L.I.F.T. zone, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Learn more about Ms. Simpson in our video and vignette profile, Days in the Life: The Work of a Successful Multi-Classroom Leader®.
Jacqueline Smith, Multi-Classroom Leader® II role, Nations Ford Elementary, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina.
Juan Pablo SuarezOrtiz, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Spring Branch Elementary, Spring Branch Independent School District, Texas.
Brandon A. Warren, Multi-Classroom Leader® III role, William Penn Elementary, Indianapolis Public Schools, Indiana. Read Mr. Warren’s column, Be the Bridge: How Multi-Classroom Leaders Smooth Teacher-Administrator Communication.
Jeremy Baugh, Principal, Lew Wallace Elementary (School 107), Indianapolis Public Schools, Indiana. Read Mr. Baugh’s column, No More “Zoo Wallace”: Becoming a Welcoming, Successful School, and our column about Mr. Baugh, High-Touch At-Home Learning? That’s the Plan in Indianapolis School
Donnell Cannon, Principal, North Edgecombe High, Edgecombe County Public Schools, North Carolina. Read about our interview with Mr. Cannon.
Kelly Gwaltney, Principal, Garinger High, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina.
Janet Moss, Principal, Coulwood STEM Academy, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina.
Sarah Reeves, Principal, Shamrock Gardens Elementary, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina.
Philip A. Steffes, Principal, Albemarle Road Elementary, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Read Mr. Steffes’s column, Suspending Student Suspensions: How Teaching Teams Created Calm Classrooms.
Chris Winstead, Principal, Pine Shadows Elementary, Spring Branch Independent School District, Texas.
2017–18 Fellows
Latrelle McFarlane, Expanded-Impact Teacher, Banneker High, Fulton County Schools, Georgia.
Hadley Moore, Assistant Principal, Washington Irving Elementary, Indianapolis Public Schools, Indiana. Read Ms. Moore’s column, Learning to Lead as a Multi-Classroom Leader®.
Tonya Reaves, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Lake Wylie Elementary, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina.
Jessica Smith, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Lew Wallace Elementary, Indianapolis Public Schools, Indiana. Read Ms. Smith’s column, To Support Teachers and Students, Pass House Bill 1008.
Russ Stanton, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Seymour Dual Language Academy, Syracuse City School District, New York.
Stan Whalen, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Seymour Dual Language Academy, Syracuse City School District, New York.
Jimmel T. Williams, Expanded-Impact Teacher, Northwest School of the Arts, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Read our column about Mr. Williams, In Charlotte, Keeping Connected to 212 At-Home Students
Babatu “Tu” Willingham, Expanded-Impact Teacher, Banneker High School, Fulton County Schools, Georgia. Read Mr. Willingham’s column, Fostering Teaching Efficiency Through Teacher Leadership. Learn more about Mr. Willingham in our column, In Georgia, Leading a Team on Distance Teaching and Caring
2016–17 Fellows
Cyndal Brenneman, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Rocky River Elementary, Cabarrus County Schools, North Carolina. Read Ms. Brenneman’s column, Getting the Recipe Right for Teacher Leadership.
Stacie Bunn, Multi-Classroom Leader® II role, Thomasboro Academy, Project L.I.F.T. zone, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Read Ms. Bunn’s column, From Action Plan to Teacher of the Year–In One Year.
Candace Butler, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Bruns Academy, Project L.I.F.T. zone, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Read Ms. Butler’s column, Finding Inspiration Again Through Teacher Leadership. Learn more about Ms. Butler in our column, From Start to Finish, A Focus on Relationships During At-Home Learning
Maina Cisneros, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Washington Elementary, Big Spring Independent School District, Texas. Read Ms. Cisneros’s column, How My West Texas School Elevated Struggling Young Readers (and Their Teachers).
Kristen Duffy, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Meachem Elementary, Syracuse City School District, New York. Read Ms. Duffy’s column, My Unexpected Journey to Teacher Leadership.
Gregory Lawson, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Grant Middle School, Syracuse City School District, New York. Read Mr. Lawson’s column, A Teacher’s Smart Advice for Serving Students’ Emotional Needs.
Lori Treiber, Blended-Learning Teacher, Central Cabarrus High School, Cabarrus County Schools, North Carolina. Read Ms. Treiber’s column, For Truly Personalized Learning, I Had to Try, Try Again.
Molly Whelan, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Ranson IB Middle School, Project L.I.F.T. zone, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Read Ms. Whelan’s column, When Teachers Leave Midyear, Instructional Teacher-Leadership Keeps Classes Strong.
Melissa Wilbert, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Moss Elementary, Big Spring Independent School District, Texas. Read Ms. Wilbert’s column, Teacher Collaboration Time That Students (Yes, Students) Love.
Erin K. Williams, Multi-Classroom Leader® II role, James Martin Middle School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Read Ms. Williams’column, When Students Own Their Academic Results, They Transform Their Schools.
Frank Zaremba, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Barnette Elementary, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Read Mr. Zaremba’s column, Scheduled for Success.
2015–16 Fellows
Sharon Archer, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Grant Middle, Syracuse City School District, New York. Read Ms. Archer’s column, Want Veteran Teachers to Learn New Things? Show Them Some Love
Danielle Bellar, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Winget Park Elementary, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Read Ms. Bellar’s column, A Win-Win Model for Students and Teachers
Romain Bertrand, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Ranson IB Middle School, Project L.I.F.T. zone, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Read Mr. Bertrand’s column, Teachers, It’s Time for Us to Say, ‘Show Me the Money’
Kristin Cubbage, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Ashley Park PreK-8 School, Project L.I.F.T. zone, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Read Ms. Cubbage’s column that opened the Opportunity Culture® series, An Opportunity for Change, and the post that closed the first year of the series, “What Is My Job, Anyway?” Teacher Hindsight from a Multi-Classroom Leader®
Erin Burns Mehigan, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, West Charlotte High School, Project L.I.F.T. zone, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Read Ms. Mehigan’s columns, More Powerful Than a Department Chair and How to Extend the Reach of Great Teachers in Turnaround (or Any) Schools. Learn more about Ms. Mehigan in our column, Keep Doing What Worked: Advice for At-Home Learning
Bobby Miles, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Ranson IB Middle School, Project L.I.F.T. zone, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Read Mr. Miles’ column, 1 Teacher, 400 Scholars—and Loving It
Scott Nolt, Blended-Learning Teacher, Jay M. Robinson High School, Cabarrus County Schools, North Carolina. Read Mr. Nolt’s column, Blending the Best: Better Learning for More Kids
Amy Sparks, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Francis Bradley Middle School, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, North Carolina. Read Ms. Sparks’ column, When Top Students Drop: Why Even Good Schools Need to Grow
Maggie Vadala, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Seymour Dual Language Academy, Syracuse City School District, New York. Read Ms. Vadala’s column, Keep on Keeping on: Using Data to Keep Students Moving Forward
Karen Von Klahr, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Winecoff Elementary School, Cabarrus County Schools, North Carolina. Read Ms. von Klahr’s column, Riding the Roller Coaster Together: Real Support for New Teachers
Karen Wolfson, Multi-Classroom Leader® role, Bailey STEM Magnet Middle Prep, Metro Nashville Public Schools, Tennessee. Read Ms. Wolfson’s column, Raising My Teacher Voice to Save My Job–and My Students’ Success