March 26th – 11:30AM-1:30PM
This workshop is designed to give you an overview of the federal legislative process and how you can engage in it. In particular, you will learn about NCSD’s policy priorities and how you can educate your federal representatives about these priorities. You will also learn about how to prepare for a meeting with elected officials and their staff, what to expect at the meeting, and what to do afterward. While this training is geared toward the federal system, the lessons learned can be applied at both the state and local level.
Stephen Cobb
Senior Associate, The Raben Group
As a senior associate at The Raben Group, Stephen Cobb brings years of experience in advocacy, public policy, political campaigns, and strategic communication to his clients.
Before joining Raben, Stephen was an associate at The Pew Charitable Trusts, where he worked closely with senior leadership to help develop high-level institutional strategy and media relations plans. Prior to that Stephen held several positions on Capitol Hill and served as a political assistant at Hart Research Associates, a Democratic polling firm.
Stephen received his master’s degree from American University in Washington, D.C, and his bachelor’s degree from The University of Southern Mississippi. Originally from coastal Alabama, Stephen is passionate about immigration and climate change issues. He is also an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.
Sunil Mansukhani
Principal, The Raben Group
Sunil Mansukhani brings two decades of experience in education and civil rights policy, law, and advocacy from both the nonprofit sector and government. While at The Raben Group, Sunil’s clients have included Open Society Foundations, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Child Trends, Communities in Schools, The University of Chicago, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Education Writers Association.
He served in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) over the course of three administrations, serving presidents of both parties. Prior to joining Raben, Sunil was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy in ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) from 2009-2012. As part of OCR’s senior management team, Sunil helped lead an office of over 600 employees and a budget of $100 million, with 12 locations across the country. He led the development of OCR’s policy initiatives and data collection efforts.
While Sunil was at ED, OCR issued guidance that sought to protect the civil rights of tens of millions of students in areas such as the consideration of race in K-12 and college admissions; harassment and bullying; sexual violence; documentation requirements for enrollment in public schools; and equal access for students with disabilities. In addition, he oversaw the implementation of the widely-heralded Civil Rights Data Collection, a survey of all the public schools in the nation.
Sunil has also previously served as a Senior Attorney in DOJ’s Civil Rights Division; Executive Director of the District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission; an associate with the law firm Crowell and Moring; a law clerk for Chief Judge Edward Cahn in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and a teaching fellow at Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for Public Representation.
Sunil received his B.A. in Political Science and Economics, summa cum laude, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, his J.D. from Yale Law School, and an LL.M in Advocacy from Georgetown University Law Center. He is most proud of helping to make his two young daughters diehard Chicago Cubs fans.
March 26th – 7:30PM-9:00PM
Game Night: Brown COLORS the Board of Education – Dive into Brown v. Board of Education through the perspective of education historians. This hands-on activity challenges attendees to reflect on the success of desegregation efforts and the struggles to accomplish educational justice. Participants will learn about the key stakeholders and events that brought about the Brown decision and engage in dialogue about how Brown’s legacy continues to reverberate in 2020. You will have an opportunity to offer feedback to the creators of the game and discuss how it might be leveraged as a tool in local integration efforts. Led by Regina Etter, Ph.D and Alisha Keig, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.
Regina Etter, Ph.D
Interim Director, Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP), Metro Nashville Public Schools
Dr. ReGina A. Etter is currently the interim Director for the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) in Metro Nashville Public Schools – a role which provides opportunities for her depth of knowledge and 35 years of experience to assist in the transformational work of the district. After accepting this role in June (2019), she has continued to move the team of 13 in a progressive trajectory toward CHANGE. Her exposure to STEAM and STEM (2010 MSA funded) projects has benefited numerous educators. Dr. Etter’s former roles, Coordinator of Curriculum and i3 Academic Lead Coach, provided her with numerous experiences in the areas of diversity and equity. As an educational leader, seeking out professional learning experiences that broaden the awareness and understanding of educators is primary. She has attended numerous conference sessions, workshops and read books to add to her very “LOADED” tool belt. Having worked with numerous universities, she has been afforded a multiplicity of leadership building opportunities. One of the highlights of her career was meeting Zaretta Hammond, author of Culturally Responsive Teaching & THE BRAIN. As a graduate of Tennessee State University, an HBCU, she worked effortlessly to create environments of quality teaching for ALL. Earning a Master’s from Trevecca University and later working with their science methods classes, she continued to use her skills for academic advancement for ALL. Her doctoral work and graduation from Robbins College of Biblical Studies offered a diverse setting of learners and strengthened her belief inclusionary learning.
Alisha Keig
District Coach, Department of Equity & Diversity, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools
Alisha Keig started her teaching career at Glencliff Entrepreneurship STEAM Magnet Elementary School in 2013 where she taught EL students. In 2014, she started her work in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) by coaching teachers through Teach for America. Mrs. Keig continued her work in DEI at Vanderbilt University and obtained a master’s degree in Public Policy with an emphasis on K-12 Education Policy. Mrs. Keig serves as the District Coach for the Department of Equity & Diversity at Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools and is interested in helping educators effectively interact and communicate with students and families across lines of difference in order to create more equitable and inclusive school environments.
March 27th – 10:45AM-11:45AM
Arlen Benjamin-Gomez
Senior Director of Legal Strategy & Policy, Center for Public Research and Leadership at Columbia University
Arlen is a Senior Director of Legal Strategy and Policy at the Center for Public Research and Leadership (CPRL) at Columbia University. At CPRL, she provides legal and policy advice and has led teams on consulting projects addressing district and school integration, culturally responsive and sustaining education, and a legal right to education. Before joining CPRL, Arlen was a Fellow at the Regents Research Fund (a research and analysis arm of the New York State Education Department) where she worked on policy, curriculum, assessment, and grant programs to improve educational services and bilingual education for English Language Learners in New York State. Arlen was also a Staff Attorney at Advocates for Children in the Immigrant Students’ Rights Project, where she worked to improve educational opportunities for immigrant and English Language Learner students and families. Prior to that she was a Law Fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Immigrant Justice Project, where she helped litigate employment and civil rights class actions on behalf of migrant farm workers in the South. Arlen has a JD from New York University Law School and a BA from the University of California Los Angeles.
Matt Gonzales (Moderator)
Founder & Director, Integration and Innovation Initiative, NYU Metro Center
Matt Gonzales is founder, and director of the Integration and Innovation Initiative (i3) at NYU Metro Center, a project designed to support policy development and design, implementation, and advocacy for school integration. He is the policy coach for the youth-led organization IntegrateNYC, and has shaped school integration and equity policy at the local and state level in New York City. Matt also serves as a member of the National Coalition on School Diversity steering committee.
Sunil Mansukhani
Principal, The Raben Group
Sunil Mansukhani brings two decades of experience in education and civil rights policy, law, and advocacy from both the nonprofit sector and government. While at The Raben Group, Sunil’s clients have included Open Society Foundations, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Child Trends, Communities in Schools, The University of Chicago, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Education Writers Association.
He served in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Education (ED) over the course of three administrations, serving presidents of both parties. Prior to joining Raben, Sunil was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy in ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) from 2009-2012. As part of OCR’s senior management team, Sunil helped lead an office of over 600 employees and a budget of $100 million, with 12 locations across the country. He led the development of OCR’s policy initiatives and data collection efforts.
While Sunil was at ED, OCR issued guidance that sought to protect the civil rights of tens of millions of students in areas such as the consideration of race in K-12 and college admissions; harassment and bullying; sexual violence; documentation requirements for enrollment in public schools; and equal access for students with disabilities. In addition, he oversaw the implementation of the widely-heralded Civil Rights Data Collection, a survey of all the public schools in the nation.
Sunil has also previously served as a Senior Attorney in DOJ’s Civil Rights Division; Executive Director of the District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission; an associate with the law firm Crowell and Moring; a law clerk for Chief Judge Edward Cahn in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and a teaching fellow at Georgetown University Law Center’s Institute for Public Representation.
Sunil received his B.A. in Political Science and Economics, summa cum laude, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, his J.D. from Yale Law School, and an LL.M in Advocacy from Georgetown University Law Center. He is most proud of helping to make his two young daughters diehard Chicago Cubs fans.
Mathew Palmer
Director of Strategic Planning, Durham Public Schools
Mathew Palmer is the Director of Strategic Planning at Durham Public Schools, where he is leading the school district through a multi-phase student assignment and boundary planning process focused on enhancing equity and efficiency. In addition to his work on student assignment and school boundaries, Mr. Palmer also leads strategic initiatives for DPS across student enrollment growth, transportation planning and real estate. Prior to joining Durham Public Schools, he led the Operations Research Education Laboratory at NC State University – a non-profit research group dedicated to supporting school districts through student assignment and boundary planning in the Southeastern United States. Mr. Palmer’s work portfolio includes five years of federal school transportation work through the National Center for Safe Routes to School and the Federal Highway Administration; three years as a project-based learning coordinator with Los Angeles County; and two years with Reading is Fundamental in Washington, DC. He holds a masters in Urban Planning from UCLA and is completing his doctorate in City and Regional Planning at UNC Chapel Hill.
Sonia Park
Executive Director, Diverse Charter Schools Coalition
Sonia C. Park has over 20 years of charter school experience with a background in organization and school development, support, and accountability in relation to school-based, district, state and federal policies and practices. She leads the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition, a coalition of over 190 individual diverse-by-design charter schools located in 21 states and DC. Prior to DCSC she served under Secretary John King at the US Department of Education as a Senior Policy Advisor where she worked on policies concerning charter schools. Sonia also served as the Executive Director of Charter Schools Accountability and Support in the NYC Department of Education. This office had direct oversight of NYC DOE authorized charter schools and provided operational support for all NYC-based charters. In addition to leading Manhattan Charter Schools, a two-school charter network located in lower Manhattan, her work experiences include the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, NY Charter Schools Resource Center, NY Charter Schools Association, and Edison Schools.
Alex Perry
Policy Advisor, Foresight Law + Policy
Alex Perry has spent the last decade working in policy and advocacy to advance the goals of his clients, and dedicated his career to specializing in education, appropriations, and immigration policy. A core focus of his work has been the support of innovative educational models, and he has collaborated with industry stakeholders to secure significant policy achievements on behalf of clients in the areas of K-12, higher education, and career and technical education. Alex’s skills include federal advocacy, policy analysis and development, partnership building, coalition management, grant writing, and grant support.
As a citizen of the United Kingdom, Alex first arrived in the United States as an international student. Since that time, he has become passionate about the nexus between education and immigration issues, including student visa policy. In that capacity, he has worked with several stakeholders interested in these policy areas, including institutions of higher education, to ensure that international students can use their skills to benefit the US economy.
Prior to joining Foresight, Alex was Managing Director of Majority Group, a boutique government relations firm, and an Associate at Alcalde & Fay Government & Public Affairs Consultants. He started his career in the office of a North Carolina Congressman, providing administrative and legislative support. He holds a Masters in Arts degree in American Government from Georgetown University, and a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Politics and International Studies from the University of Warwick, where he was the recipient of the David Mervin Prize for Politics of the USA.
March 27th – 11:45AM-1:15PM (program will resume after lunch is served)
The keynote presentation will be introduced by author and entrepreneur Courtney E. Martin. Courtney has authored/edited six books, including The New Better Off: Reinventing the American Dream and Do It Anyway: The New Generation of Activists. She also co-founded the Solutions Journalism Network and FRESH Speakers Bureau. Courtney has appeared on the TODAY Show, Good Morning America, MSNBC, and The O’Reilly Factor, and speaks widely at conferences and colleges. She is the recipient of the Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics, a residency from the Rockefeller Foundation’s Bellagio Centre, and an honorary Ph.d. from Art Center of Design. She lives with her family in a co-housing community called Temescal Commons in Oakland. She is at a work on a new book about white parents and school integration. Subscribe to her popular newsletter and read more about her work at www.courtneyemartin.com.
Vanessa Siddle Walker
Dani McClain (Moderator)
Dani McClain writes and reports on race, reproductive health, policy and politics. She is a contributing writer at The Nation and a fellow with The Nation Institute. McClain’s writing has appeared in outlets including Slate, Talking Points Memo, Al Jazeera America, Colorlines, EBONY.com and Guernica. She reported on schools for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and interned on the Miami Herald’s metro desk.
McClain’s feature reporting has received awards from the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association. She has a B.A. in history from Columbia University and a master’s degree from Columbia’s journalism school.
Elizabeth McRae
Elizabeth Gillespie McRae is the Creighton Sossoman Professor of History at Western Carolina University and the co-founder of the Appalachian Oral History Project. Her teaching and research interests center on the intersection of race, gender, and politics in America and in the modern South. She has published articles in the New York Times, The Washington Post, and the BBC’s World Histories. Her book, Mothers of Massive Resistance published in 2018 examines white women’s work in maintaining white supremacy in public education, social welfare policy, politics, and culture. Her next project will examine the issue of “school choice,” in American history.
March 27th – 4:30PM-5:00PM
Patricia O’Rourke is a doctoral candidate in the School of Education at the University of Connecticut, Storrs. Her scholarship focuses on the role of critical public pedagogy and praxis in transforming social relationships and education systems marked by broken trust and systemic racism. She has been actively engaged in community dialogue related to school integration for over four years in Hartford, CT. Past NCSD conference presentations include “Dialogue for Equity and Integration” and “Community Engagement in School Integration: A Rights-Based Approach.” Patricia is also pursuing graduate certificates in Human Rights and Race, Ethnicity and Politics, and serves as principal instructor for undergraduate and graduate level courses in multicultural education for pre-service teachers.
Janel George is a Senior Policy Advisor who co-leads the Equitable Resources and Access team at the Learning Policy Institute (LPI). Her work focuses on community schools, racial equity, education as a civil right, integration and resegregation of public schools, and other issues that shape equity and access in K-12 public schools. She is the lead author of The Federal Role and School Integration: Brown’s Promise and Present Challenges with Linda Darling-Hammond. She also served as Legislative Counsel in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, during which time her legislative portfolio included child welfare, civil rights, and education issues. As a civil rights attorney with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), she worked with several campaigns and coalitions to leverage legislative and policy advocacy to advance equal educational opportunity. She also helped to advance the federal policy work of the Dignity in Schools Campaign, including securing provisions promoting positive and inclusive school climates in the Every Student Succeeds Act. She is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy.
Cara McClellan is Assistant Counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund where she works primarily on education access and ending the criminalization of youth of color. She is a co-author of the report Our Girls, Our Future: Investing in Opportunity and Reducing Reliance on the Criminal Justice System in Baltimore and counsel on lawsuits including SFFA v. Harvard, Robinson v. Wentzell, Bradford v. Maryland State Board of Education, and I.S. v. Binghamton School District. She has published in the Columbia Journal of Race & Law, Yale Law & Policy Review Inter Alia, The Hill, and the Huffington Post. Prior to joining LDF, Cara was a law clerk on the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Cara graduated with honors from Yale College, received an M.S.Ed. from Penn Graduate School of Education and a J.D. from Yale Law School. She previously taught middle school with Teach for America in Philadelphia.