Susana Elizarraraz is an educator from & in the community where she’s lived her whole life, Northeast Kansas City, Missouri. She has committed to the work of urban education since she graduated with her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education with an emphasis on Urban Education from UMKC. She began teaching 6th grade at a school in her home neighborhood. In 2017, she then graduated with a Master’s of Arts in Teaching English as a Second Language from Webster University.

After teaching for 5 years, the systematic problems in education were as clear as ever & they encouraged her to make a move. She has more recently been committed to equity in education, especially now through her work with the Latinx Education Collaborative. As the VP of Educator Supports of the LEC, she works to increase Latinx educator representation in K-12 classrooms by establishing & fostering relationships amongst all community stakeholders to promote equitable access to Latinx educators, thus working toward an equitable education for all students.

Nicole Collier White joined Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS) in January 2011. Currently, she serves as the Director of the Kansas City Public Schools Education Foundation where, she works to enrich and enhance the educational experience of all KCPS students by providing financial support and other resources to supplement district-wide programs and activities.

Nicole’s career has focused on community development in the public, private and non-profit sectors. She currently serves on the Advisory Board for WIN for KC, KC Rising: Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, and Big Brother Big Sisters Kansas City.

Collier White received a Bachelor of Arts degree from William Jewell College in Nonprofit Leadership and a minor in Entrepreneurial Leadership in the spring of 2010, she just joined the WJC Alumni Board of Governors in 2017 with the intention of increasing diversity enrollment on campus.

“As a parent, I see tremendous momentum building among parents, eager to seek out great schools and recognizing their capacity to help improve and create quality schools in every neighborhood.”

Tricia Johnson has taught middle school in Chicago and internationally. Originally from Southern California, Tricia earned her master’s degree from Teachers College, Columbia University, and worked in Indonesia in support of post-tsunami development before moving to Kansas City in 2009. In seeking a school for their two children, Tricia realized that many KC parents were struggling to find answers to their school-related questions and ended up moving from the city. Tricia founded Show Me KC Schools to help parents find the right information and the right school for their child, right here in Kansas City. In 2020, Tricia joined United Way of Greater Kansas City as their Director of Education Initiatives and is pleased to watch the continuous growth of Show Me KC Schools as a board member. Tricia enjoys jogs on the Trolley Trail, rousing games of UNO with her children, and discovering Kansas City’s many great neighborhoods.

Julie Steenson is co-founder of PorchLight Insights, a data and performance consulting firm based in Kansas City. Her work centers on helping organizations achieve positive and human-centered outcomes by using data. Prior to launching PorchLight Insights, Julie spent sixteen years working in local government for the City of Kansas City, Missouri in various roles. In 2011, she helped launch Kansas City’s DataKC program, where she built successful data and performance systems and led employee engagement and empowerment initiatives. Julie also served as Kansas City Parks and Recreations’ Chief Financial Officer and as the city’s Strategic and Capital Plan coordinator. Outside of work, Julie is an active volunteer in the Kansas City community and spends most of her free time at middle school orchestra concerts, sitting on her porch with family and friends, or biking around her neighborhood. Julie is a graduate of the University of Evansville and the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University.

Cornell Ellis is a native to Kansas City and is a product of a diverse Kansas City public and private education. After graduating from Rockhurst High School he played football at the University of Missouri-Columbia for two seasons. While in college, Cornell began his passion for education and justice. He became the Director at Boys and Girls Club Teen Center in Columbia, MO, while also managing curriculum for trauma informed English Language Arts practices at Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL. Cornell received his Bachelors of Arts in History from Avila University with a specialization in Ancient World Studies. After graduating, Cornell taught, managed, instructional coached and worked in administrative duties for 8 years. Through his teaching success he was able to participate in and lead advanced professional development opportunities like the National Academy of Advanced Teacher Education (NAATE) and Better Lessons Master Teacher program. Through Cornell’s passion and vision, he helped found AMPLIFY! Teachers of Color Conference and Brothers Liberating Our Communities (BLOC), which both exist to sustain and increase teachers of color in education. Cornell uses his educational and professional experience to provide a strong understanding of equitable and justice centered surroundings for schools and leaders through public speaking and consultation with his LLC– Eggshells Inc.. It has been Cornell’s goal in his career to create safe spaces for difficult conversations around race and equity. By curating liberatory curricula, creating anti racist professional development, and providing school systems with supplemental tools for teacher evaluation, Cornell aims to make all schools places where all teachers can thrive and all students can achieve.

Lindsay is a family law attorney who represents individuals going through a divorce, modification of custody and child support, paternity, third party custody, stepparent adoption, or minor guardianship in Cass, Clay, Jackson, and Platte Counties in Missouri. She is regularly appointed as a Guardian ad Litem for children and is a trained mediator. She graduated from the University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law with an emphasis in Family Law. Prior to attending law school, Lindsay spent five years working in the education field. She taught for three years in the classroom and worked with teachers on their professional development for two years. Lindsay studied Spanish, Latin American Studies, and History at the University of Kansas where she rowed on the Crew Team and studied abroad in Costa Rica. When she isn’t working, Lindsay enjoys spending time with her family and friends exploring Kansas City.

Dalton Mott is an attorney at Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP in the environmental group. Dalton lives in the Kansas City area with his wife and baby girl Hazel. He also serves on the board of directors of Inclusion Connections, Inc., a nonprofit, that provides educational services to young adults with disabilities.

Dr. Kia Turner Ed.D is President of Red Apple Education, a Kansas City based non-profit that partners with K-12 public school systems to elevate marginalized parent voices, create on ramps for authentic parent engagement and ensure student school and workplace success. As President of Red Apple EdCo, Dr. Turner has helped organizations revamp their theories of change, core values and strategic plans as well as analyze their data and operational processes, using a more inclusive asset based lens.