Jessica Shopoff is the Director of Policy for the Texas Public Charter Schools Association.  She is responsible for championing the Association’s efforts to reform charter school policy in Texas as we pursue our mission to ensure every family has the ability to choose a high-quality public school. Prior to joining TPCSA, Jessica was a Harvard Strategic Data Project Fellow and School and Market Analyst for the Learn4Life network of dropout recovery charter schools.  She is an educator at heart and her professional career includes time spent as an elementary teacher, online charter high school lead advisor, regional data specialist and trainer, and accountability policy specialist.  She is a self-professed data nerd and policy wonk who believes that zip code should not determine a child’s future. Jessica holds a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Texas at Dallas and a M.Ed in Educational Technology Leadership from Lamar University.  She lives in San Antonio, and in her free time enjoys reading, watching football, and hiking and camping in the Texas Hill Country with her husband, four kids, and two dogs.

Dr. Silver started her education career as a high school science teacher in rural, eastern North Carolina. She went on to serve in the Curriculum and Instruction division at North Carolina Virtual Public School, which is the 2nd largest state virtual school in the country. Her leadership across this organization focused on digital teaching and learning. Dr. Silver later served as Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Academic Officer, and Superintendent where she led schools to high student growth every year. She now serves in Government Affairs in the Education Technology field.

Dr. Silver earned her Education Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Management from Capella University. Shortly thereafter she earned her Education Specialist Degree from Appalachian State University. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology (Pre-Medicine) from Elizabeth City State University and Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Scranton. Dr. Silver has published several professional journal and op-ed articles in the field of online learning, education leadership, MTSS, and Science of Reading. Her area of expertise lies in thought leadership, district transformation, adult SEL, MTSS, and facilitation. She believes that service is the rent that we pay to live on this wonderful planet called Earth!

Sarika has dedicated her life to education. Sarika began as a teacher and for more than 20 years, she has served in multiple leadership roles across the country in both the public and private sectors. Sarika has proven success in the areas of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, Leadership Coaching, Professional Learning, Emotional Intelligence, Creating Healthy Teams, and Academic Achievement. Sarika consistently has positive outcomes and is impactful because she answers the question, what problem am I prepared to solve? Sarika works collaboratively to assess the needs, develop a plan, and implement the plan with fidelity. Sarika is known as a servant leader. She takes education seriously, maintains high expectations, inspires passion, and always looks for opportunities to learn.

Antonia “Toni” Small has a background in dance that began at an early age. Through dance, she met the world. She had many beloved teachers who introduced her to ballet, modern, and jazz techniques, as well as the stage and performing. As a young woman, stage and screen performer, Marge Champion, took her to her first yoga class. Her yoga classes are taught with a curiosity for the body's innate wisdom, drawing on her years of dancing, lots of current study, and a firm belief that everyone who walks into a yoga class, already has some kind of practice. She is certified as an Integrative Yoga for Seniors instructor through Kimberly Carson and Carol Krucoff's Yoga for Seniors Professional Training at Duke Integrative Medicine in Durham, North Carolina. She is also an Experienced - Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT), through the Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level. Her yoga teacher trainings were completed through the ShivaShakti School for Yoga & Healing Arts in Maine. She is also a Somatics and Kinesiology student and completed the Intelligent Movement Training program with the Soma Kinese School in 2019. Toni is also a fine art photographer (http://www.antoniasmall.com).

Dacia Smith identifies as a native New Yorker living in Maryland. For more than two decades, Dr. Smith has made her passion for education her life’s work. Teaching did not seem to be a foregone conclusion. A graduate of Binghamton University with a B.A. in History, Dr. Smith attended New York University where she received a Master’s in Education. Thereafter, Dr. Smith pursued a career in the law at Brooklyn Law School. Upon completion, the experience led Dr. Smith back to education. Dr. Smith graduated from Johns Hopkins University where she completed her doctorate in education. During her time as a classroom teacher, Dr. Smith initiated academic programs designed to support young women of color. As a high school teacher, Dr. Smith coordinated academic and extra-curricular programs to provide academic and social-emotional support to prepare and encourage the participants to enroll in advanced placement courses. Additionally, Dr. Smith sponsored and chartered honor societies to inspire and elevate excellence in black and brown students. As a middle school administrator, Dr. Smith leads professional development for her staff with an emphasis on culturally responsive teaching, antiracism, and engaging students in social activism. Outside of school, Dr. Smith continues her work in social justice through service in a variety of civic and community service organizations.

Leann V. Smith, PhD, is a licensed psychologist, researcher, and the founder of The Mending Place, a culturally affirming therapeutic and wellness brand. She has expertise in culture, trauma, stress, and coping. Her research is well-cited and focuses on race, racism, and the ways in which success can be bolstered for marginalized populations. As a licensed psychologist, Dr. Smith has helped a variety of clients cope with a range of mental health concerns. Dr. Smith is an assistant professor of educational psychology with specialized training in school psychology, child and family services, trauma-informed care, and cultural resilience. Dr. Smith serves on the editorial boards for two American Psychological Association (APA) journals and is the convention co-chair for the 2022 APA Convention. Her work has been published in the APA’s flagship journal, American Psychologist, as well as leading journals in subfields of psychology, such as Child Development and the Journal of Counseling Psychology. Dr. Smith considers herself to be a community-engaged scholar, who is intentional about bridging the research-to-practice gap.

Mary Snow serves as the Chief Content Officer for Wellness for Educators. Mary has been studying, practicing, and teaching yoga and fitness classes for both children and adults for 35+ years and has over 800 hours in training, including but not limited to YMCA, Kenneth Cooper Institute (Dallas, TX), Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, Trauma Sensitive Yoga, Yoga of the Heart and Cancer Certificate (Nischala Joy Devi) and workshops with Angela Farmer. Mary also has been involved with recovery work for over 32 years. Mary holds a Bachelor’s Degree in elementary education from Lesley University as well as a Master’s in integrated arts from Plymouth State College. She recently retired from teaching in 2017 after 40 years serving in public schools in the state of Maine. She is passionate about empowering her students to be all they can be.

Jill is a consultant and instructional designer who puts her passion into practice every day as she guides her clients through projects from conceptualization to development and beyond. Jill is passionate about creating engaging, accessible, and meaningful learning experiences. Collaboration, combined with innovation and a passion for learning, is the cornerstone of her design philosophy. Jill holds a bachelor’s degree in English and master’s degrees in English and Instructional Design. Previously, Jill has worked as a writing tutor, managed an adult education program, and taught writing at the college level.

Nick has been an instructional design consultant for three years. His big city aspirations lead him to Chicago where he attended Loyola University and earned a bachelor’s of science in biology. Nick loves all things nature, and he has experience in bioinformatics. He spent three years working in an evolutionary biology lab, where he was a scientific affiliate at the Field Museum of Natural History. His research focused on the taxonomic relationships among several genera of birds. Nick loves to get others excited about experiencing something new. While working for the Chicago Botanic Garden, he was afforded the opportunity to lead volunteer groups and public tours. He likes to solve problems, and he hopes to inspire others with his love of pursuing and sharing knowledge.

Dr. Steele earned a Ph.D. in Psychological Studies in Education with an emphasis in Child and Adolescent Development from Stanford University in 2009. She holds two Master's degrees, one in School Counseling and Guidance and the other in Secondary Teaching. While at Stanford, Dr. Steele mentored teachers participating in the Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP), completing her dissertation on the topic of teacher preparation in linguistically diverse classrooms. Prior to entering the Stanford doctoral program, Dr. Steele held a variety of positions working with secondary students. She has worked as a teacher and/or director in South Africa, Venezuela, Russia, and the U.S. Currently, Dr. Steele serves as the Director of Student Support at Stanford OHS where she focuses on student social and emotional development, wellness, and diversity, equity and inclusion while also conducting research and teaching at the university level.