Surge Academy Welcomes New 2024 Philadelphia Cohort

Fifteen Inspiring Educational Leaders Join the Surge Philadelphia Fellowship

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The Philadelphia Surge Academy is thrilled to announce a powerful new collective of 15 brilliant educational leaders beginning their Surge Fellowship journey this month as they set out to accelerate their leadership and personal growth to become influential change agents in their communities.

Philadelphia is fertile ground for cultivating a community of leaders committed to the work of equity and excellence for Black and Brown children. I am elated to be engaging our second cohort in the journey toward transformational leadership. Ella Baker encapsulates the essence of why this work is so vital when she states, “One of the things that has to be faced is the process of waiting to change the system, how much we have got to do to find out who we are, where we have come from, and where we are going…. Give light and people will find the way.” We are looking forward to giving light to our fellows as they find their way together.”
–Andrea Black Evans, Executive Director, Surge Academy

Meet the 2024 Philadelphia Surge Academy Cohort!

Michael Baldwin—Director of Project Go, Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office
Ivan Estevez—Principal of Esperanza Cyber Charter School
Kara Franklin—Assistant Principal of Russell Byers Charter School
Bryony Grant—Student Affairs Program Manager of Russell Byers Charter School
Sterling Grimes—Technical Assistance Specialist at WestEd
Amanda Hill-Hennie—Founder/CEO of Our Concrete Roses
Maurice Johnson II—Dean of Students at Northwood Academy Charter School
Kellen Massie—Grade Level Cultural Leader at Imhotep Institute Charter High School
Randy Miller—Assistant Principal of Mastery Charter Schools
Kiyana Neil—Executive Director of Philadelphia Youth Action, Inc.
Monica Quarrie—Executive Director of Horizons Greater Philadelphia
Luis Rosario—Lead Relationships First Coach for The School District of Philadelphia
Tamika Sproul—Assistant Principal of School Culture at Mastery Charter Schools
Prerna Srivastava—Former Principal for The School District of Philadelphia
Mela Still—Senior Project Manager of The School District of Philadelphia 

During their time in the Fellowship program, the collective will hone their executive skills, problem-solving abilities, and team-building techniques. They will navigate complex topics surrounding the historical inequity in education and politics.

The Philadelphia Surge Academy is made possible through collaboration with and support from Comcast NBCUniversal and Spring Point Partners.

About The Surge Institute:

The Surge Institute is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was established with a simple but important mission to develop and elevate leaders of color who create transformative change for children, families, and communities. Founded by Carmita Semaan in 2014, the organization was designed to empower emerging diverse leaders to change the landscape of education by providing them with a unique, authentic leadership development experience. To learn more about The Surge Institute, please visit: www.surgeinstitute.org.

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SOURCE Surge Institute