Kate is passionate about supporting the wellness and development of educators, leaders and staff working on behalf of students and families. As Managing Director of HR and Talent Development at KIPP MA, her focus is on providing employees with the resources, accessibility and support they need in order to be engaged and fulfilled at work.
Prior to coming to KIPP MA in 2019, Kate worked in talent selection and recruitment, school operations, nonprofit fundraising and business development. A former public school teacher as well, Kate loves having the opportunity to witness KIPP MA’s excellent educators in action.
Kate graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Anthropology and History and holds an M.S. in Education from Pace University. She lives on the North Shore with her husband Josh and daughters Lila, Alice and Maisie.
Close BioFarida Mama Graham is the principal at KIPP Academy Lynn Middle School. Farida began her career as a TFA corps member teaching English as a Second Language and Mathematics in Boston Public Schools. Later, she became the founding 5th grade math teacher at an in-district turnaround school within the UP Education Network. In one year, Farida’s 5th grade mathematicians achieved the #1 Mathematics Growth Percentile in the state of Massachusetts. After working as a founding 5th grade math teacher, Farida joined the Lynch Leadership Academy at Boston College as a Principal Resident.
In addition to teaching, Farida has worked with TFA and the MATCH Teacher Residency where she coached and provided professional development for new teachers and new teacher coaches. Farida is an alumna of the Teach Plus Policy Fellowship, where she advocated for educational policy at the local and national level. In October of 2013, Farida was one of two Teach Plus Fellows to meet with President Obama, Former Secretary of Education John King and Former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan about standardized testing in classrooms.
Additionally, Farida is a recipient of the Sontag Prize in Urban Education, the UP Education Network Excellence in Teaching Award and the Teach For America Alumni Excellence in Teaching award. Farida earned her B.A. from the University of Connecticut, and her M.Ed from Boston University.
Farida currently lives on the Noth Shore with her husband and enjoys running, spinning, reading, and cooking in her free time.
Close BioJonathan Haynes is the Managing Director of KIPP Forward. This is his 14h year in education and 5th with KIPP. Before working at KIPP, Jon worked as a Physical Education teacher and a Math Specialist at Prospect Hill Academy in Somerville, MA.
Close BioShameka Coleman joined KIPP Massachusetts in 2014 as a founding elementary teacher at KIPP Academy Boston K-8. 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 the last 3 years as an Assistant Principal before becoming the Managing Director of Equity & Engagement at KIPP Massachusetts the summer of 2021.
Shameka holds a Bachelor of Arts degree where she majored in Sociology, held a self-designed minor in Medical Ethics, and held a concentration in Women & Gender Studies. Shameka continued her education in graduate school and holds a Master of Education where she studied 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.
Meg finds joy coaching and developing teachers. Through her work as Managing Director of Secondary Academics, Meg aims to improve the student experience by enhancing the quality of our curriculum and the ways that teachers and leaders implement that curriculum to best engage and excite students.
Meg Smith joined the KIPP MA team in 2015 as an Assistant Principal at KAB. While at KAB, Meg focused her attention on improving the student experience by coaching teachers. Under Meg’s leadership, the teaching team shifted lesson design to incorporate daily student data and create more student centric lessons. In 2018, Meg joined the regional office team as the ELA Achievement Leader for middle schools, taking the same focus to the regional ELA program. In 2020, Meg was promoted to Managing Director of Secondary Academics.
Since entering education as a History teacher in 2006, Meg has always sought opportunities to reflect, listen, and learn how to improve curriculum and instruction for students. In 2016, Meg earned her EdD, which focused on research to improve teacher coaching and teacher development.
Close BioEmily Rodriguez started in education as a middle school teacher in Queens, NY in 2001 as a NYC Teaching Fellow. She has spent the last 19 years teaching and leading in elementary and middle schools and central offices in New York City, Philadelphia, and the greater Boston area. Before she became the founding principal of Success Academy Harlem 3, she was a Dean of Students and Middle School Academic Director at a charter school in Brooklyn, NY.
Currently, she is the Managing Director of Elementary Academics for KIPP Massachusetts, where she has worked since 2012. Emily has 3 elementary school aged children. She is obsessed with making learning engaging, relevant, and meaningful.
Close BioZach Trotsky joined the KIPP MA team in 2015 as the Operations Manager at KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate (KALC). After three years of planning field trips, coordinating student events, and managing school-wide testing he was promoted to the Director of School Operations and took on additional responsibilities. Zach led the Operations team through many changes, including overseeing the design and construction of KALC’s current campus and move to Wheeler Street in Lynn.
Zach transitioned to the KIPP MA Regional Office in 2021 as the Managing Director of Operations where he manages the Directors of School Operations and the Facilities team.
Before coming to KIPP, Zach spent time as a youth soccer coach in Somerville and then coached KALC’s boys varsity soccer team for two years. He graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a bachelor’s degree in Recreation Management and Policy.
Zach lives on the North Shore with his wife Sarah, and their two children, Avery and Emmett.
Close BioKate Kiley started her career in education teaching English in France. After completing two years of a teaching fellowship with AmeriCorps, Kate transitioned to City Year Boston where she supported site-wide extended day programs and managed a school-based team of AmeriCorps members. Kate joined the KIPP MA team in 2019 as the Education Programs Manager, focusing on building relationships with the Department of Education, reporting on district accountability, and supporting teachers with MTEL certification. In 2021, she transitioned to the role of Director of Compliance and Information Management where she now manages the Compliance team.
Kate graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with a degree in French. In her spare time she enjoys relaxing with her dog, baking and tackling home renovation projects.
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