Education Pioneers (EP) is proud to welcome our newest Impact Fellowship cohort: 31 exceptional leaders embedded within 23 partner organizations across the country to advance priority work in data analytics, strategy, operations, and project and program management. At a time when education systems are under real pressure, these Fellows are working alongside schools, districts, and nonprofits to tackle the practical challenges that shape day-to-day outcomes for students and communities, supporting organizational priorities in each of these areas over ten months.
This year’s Fellows bring advanced training and an average of six years of professional experience: 77% hold or are pursuing a graduate degree, and 52% bring experience from the private sector. Through the Fellowship, they continue to grow as leaders prepared to support lasting, systems-level progress across public education.
Partner Spotlights
Our 2025-26 Impact Fellows are partnering with education-focused organizations across the US to turn strategy into action. Below are examples of that work in practice.
KIPP
Across three regions — Washington, D.C., New York City, and Texas — EP Impact Fellows are helping KIPP schools strengthen core systems, deepen data capacity, and advance the talent infrastructure needed to better serve students and families.
At KIPP DC, Dominique Lovett is building and strengthening financial, audit, and risk management systems, helping the region operate with greater accountability and long-term stability.
Dominique’s background includes private-sector consulting experience in data analysis and auditing multimillion-dollar government programs, along with ongoing MBA studies in project management, all of which inform her work at KIPP.
At KIPP NYC, Mary Khan is improving the usability of non-academic data to help leaders make more informed, student-centered decisions. Her background includes data collection work for the U.S. Department of Education’s COVID-recovery grants.
At KIPP Texas, Briana Means is serving as Director of Talent Projects, designing the systems, operating mechanisms, and core elements of the talent experience that will shape a stronger, more sustainable statewide talent strategy. Briana is a second-time EP Fellow with project management experience across education and the private sector.
Bay Area, CA
Seven 2025-26 Impact Fellows are supporting school districts and nonprofits across the Bay Area: Alameda County Office of Education, Families in Action, NewSchools Venture Fund, and South San Francisco Unified School District.
The Alameda County Office of Education (ACOE), which oversees the budgets and educational plans of 18 school districts, is supported this year by Fellows Charlotte Caron Suzara, Howard Robinson, Jalen Woodard, and Sandli Thakur.
Together, they are advancing projects across policy, data analytics, and project management to strengthen programs serving the county’s most vulnerable students.
Their collective expertise spans leading large-scale initiatives for adult learners, private-sector project management and organizational change at Microsoft, strategy and operations work, and education policy research.
At NewSchools Venture Fund, Rohit Kalro is helping codify key metrics and integrate data more deeply into day-to-day decision-making, supporting strategic deployment of capital to back education entrepreneurs and innovative ideas. A second-time EP Fellow, Rohit holds a master’s degree in education policy and analysis from Harvard University and brings experience leading large-scale data analytics projects.
Joanna Weingast draws on her Stanford master’s in public policy and extensive experience in Bay Area district operations to support South San Francisco Unified School District’s Superintendent’s Office.
She is helping operationalize the district’s 5-Year Strategic Plan by strengthening communications, deepening stakeholder engagement, and improving alignment across departments, all with the goal of creating a more connected and responsive district for students and families.
Fort Worth, TX
The Tarrant To & Through (T3) Partnership is a nonprofit working to ensure more students in Tarrant County can earn a postsecondary credential and access a family-sustaining career.
Fellows Fasa David and Motunrayo Laniyan are strengthening T3’s ability to scale by improving its operational foundation and enhancing the data systems that guide decision-making. Their work is equipping the organization to better support learners from high school through postsecondary education.
Together, they bring deep experience in data analysis, data strategy, and project management in both the private sector and higher education.
San Antonio, TX
As a Project Manager at UP Partnership, Neethu Paul is leading a multi-sector landscape assessment to better align education pathways with regional workforce needs, with a focus on Career and Technical Education and Pathways in Technology Early College High School programs.
She holds a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary learning and teaching from the University of Texas at San Antonio and brings extensive research and data analytics experience in higher education.
Chicago, IL
Shawnae Montague is working with the Chicago Public Education Fund’s CEO and senior leadership team to strengthen strategic planning and execution through clearer workstreams and systems that enable sustained performance.
Her experience leading multi-site initiatives across large districts and CMOs, including as an operations leader at a major charter network, grounds this work, alongside a deep personal connection to the community as a Chicago Public Schools alum.
Impact Fellowship Support & Development
Over ten months, EP Impact Fellows receive robust support designed to cultivate adaptive leaders who can drive meaningful change across systems and lines of difference. Fellows engage in Alumni-led community learning circles, cohort convenings, and local network experiences that foster collaboration, deepen sector knowledge, and strengthen their leadership.
The 2025-26 Impact Fellowship launched with a virtual convening in early November that grounded Fellows in how they will create and measure impact this year, and connected them with Alumni mentors and peer learning circles for ongoing support.
EP thanks Alumni James Harrell (2014), Kyrah Brown (2022), and Charrisse Ifill (2022) for contributing their perspective during a panel discussion on navigating systems-level challenges over time.
Together, these experiences prepare Fellows to excel in their placements and lead with clarity, curiosity, and purpose in complex education environments.
Looking Ahead
This cohort reflects EP’s commitment to placing experienced, mission-driven professionals where strong analytical, operational, and strategic capacity can make the greatest difference — and to building the leadership pipeline public education needs for the future.
Since 2003, EP has supported 4,800+ Alumni, 71% of whom continue to work in education today, leading across school districts, CMOs, nonprofits, government agencies, and higher education institutions nationwide. If you’re interested in hosting a Fellow in 2026, we invite you to connect with us at [email protected].
