Family, Advocacy, Community, Engagement (FACE)

Shameka Coleman joined KIPP Massachusetts in 2014 as a founding elementary teacher at KIPP Academy Boston K-8. A part of her time as a teacher, she also held the roles of Grade Level Chair and Leader Fellow. After teaching at KIPP for 4 years, Shameka became an Assistant Principal in 2018. During her time as an Assistant Principal, Shameka enjoyed coaching elementary teachers and leading professional development for KIPP Academy Boston K-8 staff. Shameka spent 3 years as an Assistant Principal before becoming the Managing Director of Equity & Engagement at KIPP Massachusetts the summer of 2021. As a Managing Director, Shameka enjoyed leading sessions on racial justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, building relationships with and co-authoring with our families and communities, and being a part of the Family and Community Engagement Team. Shameka is looking forward to expanding upon these in her new role as Chief Equity and Engagement Officer beginning in January 2023.

Shameka holds a B.A. in Sociology, with a self-designed minor in Medical Ethics, and a concentration in Women & Gender Studies. Shameka continued her education in graduate school and holds a Master of Education in Curriculum & Teaching.

Prior to joining KIPP Massachusetts, Shameka was an elementary teacher in Lawrence, MA. In her spare time, Shameka enjoys listening to music, traveling, and volunteering.

I was born & raised in Malden MA, and attended Union College as a Posse scholar and first-gen student. Though initially interested in working in the criminal justice field, I unearthed my passion for education while teaching at Breakthrough Cambridge in 2012. It was here that I witnessed the transformative impact that lies at the intersection of academic opportunity, justice-driven programming, and the unabated belief in the potential of young people. Upon graduating Union College, I took a position at Jeremiah E. Burke High School in Dorchester via City Year, then attended graduate school at Boston College as a Donovan Urban Teaching Scholar. 

The path was then clear to begin my official career at KALC as the Pre-AP World History 9 teacher. Soon after, I went on to help found KALC’s first ever Black Student Union and Brother Strong affinity group. Meanwhile, I wrote and launched what is now known as Activism & Advocacy. There, I engaged 9th graders in the topics of oppression, race, gender and sexuality while arming them with tools to navigate and disrupt systems of inequity. In the fall of 2019, I transitioned to Assistant Principal in hopes of contributing to a shifting school culture & policy. Just a few years later in July of 2022, I moved to Chicago with my partner to begin her med school journey while simultaneously starting a new role as the DOA for Secondary ELA , working on alignment + rigor through a DEI lens. With yet another blessing to boot, I’ll be transitioning to MD of Equity come July 2023 & am excited to contribute to the good work our region continues to execute. 

In my free time I enjoy making memories with family &  friends (including my pup named Brix), exercising, listening to soul music & audio books, tending to my real estate ventures, and traveling the world on my credit card miles!

Alex Sanchez is the Director of Family and Community Engagement. This is her first year with KIPP MA. 

Alex Sanchez is a Boston native, attending Boston Public Schools until the age of 8. Her family then relocated to Brookline, Massachusetts. This change of environment would later fuel her desire to pursue a career in education, specifically, urban education. Alex holds an B.A. from Boston College in Applied Psychology and Human Development, with a minor in Philosophy and Sociology. Alex then became a Donovan Urban Teaching Scholar at Boston College to earn her M.Ed in Early Childhood Education. 

Alex started teaching as an early childhood teacher for Boston Public Schools. One of her most fulfilling roles has been teaching in the Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) classrooms as she can closely relate to her Spanish-speaking students and families. Alex then moved in the direction of  leadership and administration to ensure change was happening at a larger level. Currently Alex is pursuing a Ph.D at Lesley University in Educational Studies with a concentration in Educational Leadership. Alex’s ultimate goal is to create a vision for education in which all students are given equal access to high quality learning opportunities and a world of education that encompasses all aspects of a person’s identity and accurately represents these truths in day-to-day teaching

Abobomi Docanto has served as a tutor, teacher, mentor, and advisor for the past nine years, working with students in Boston’s inner city, particularly in the same communities I grew up and currently reside in. He served a year of service  with the Dudley Promise Corps, an AmeriCorps program focused on literacy and academic support in the Dudley communities. He completed a service year at the Dearborn STEM Academy. He had the pleasure of serving at City on a Hill Charter Public School (COAH) as a History Teaching Fellow. After his time at COAH, he joined Steppingstone; while at Steppingstone,  he was an advisor. 

Abobomi is a strong believer that schools are at their strongest when the voices of families and students are heared. Families need to have a seat at the table when it comes to decision making around the school system. During his free time, he loves to spend time with his friends and family. He is a big fan of football (soccer). He spends a lot of his weekends watching European games. He is a huge fan  Liverpool Football Club and Sporting Clube de Portugal While not watching football, he is reading a book, listening to a podcast, or streaming something to watch. 

David Daniel sees it as an opportunity to be part of this organization. David is a parent of a founding kindergarten at KIPP Academy Boston Elementary School. He has served the KIPP community in different capacities since 2014: Founding Family Council member and former member of the Board of Trustees. He took the role of Family and Community Engagement Manager in November 2021. David advocates for Charter schools and has led families and caregivers to the State House and the Nation’s Capital. He believes that families have a choice as to where they send their children to school and also have a role in the development of their children as they partner with schools. As part of his community engagement, he has served the Upham Corner Main Street as a Board Member since 2019.

David is Nigerian and loves different cultures where he sees people as human beings irrespective of their background. He loves watching comedy shows, reading, and traveling (road trips) in his free time. David lives in Dorchester with wife (Maryam) and two wonderful sons (Daniel and Joshua).