Kaye Savage – Executive Director

Kaye Savage began her career as a certified special education teacher working with low-income students in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Her passion to make a difference led to policy research work at the Urban Institute and later into the public service arena concentrating on local and federal government programs targeting urban economically distressed communities. Kaye worked in the White House on the Historical Black College and Universities (HBCUs) Initiative. Most recently, she served the Program Manager for the District of Columbia Family Education Network, a special parent training initiative of Fight For Children.  She has also worked as the National Director for the 21st Century School Fund and as special Project Manager on a staff augmentation contract in the Office of Facilities Management of the District of Columbia Public Schools. Kaye began her college education at Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia and completed her undergraduate work with high honors at Howard University where she also earned a Master’s of Science degree with distinction with a concentration in developmental psychology. Kaye was an Intergovernmental Fellow during her tenure at the Department of Housing and Urban Development and earned her MPA from the University of Southern California. Kaye is a Building Excellent Schools Fellow.

Lela Johnson – Interim Principal

Lela Johnson is originally from Rockville, Maryland and received her B.A. in Psychology from University of Maryland Baltimore County.  She also holds a Master’s in Special Education and Human Development from George Washington University.
Mrs. Johnson has devoted the past ten years to supporting children with special academic, emotional, and social needs These experiences have included working for Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children (CSAAC) in Rockville, MD where she provided intensive early intervention services for preschool children with autism.  She spent 6 years teaching students with emotional and learning disabilities within Prince George’s County and the District of Columbia.  Prior to Excel Academy, Mrs. Johnson served as a Special Education Specialist, monitoring special education programs throughout the District of Columbia Public School System. 
Mrs. Johnson joined the Excel Academy founding team as the Special Education Coordinator in 2008.  Throughout the founding year, she served as an integral member of the Academic Leadership Team by providing academic and behavioral support for some of the neediest scholars.  In year two, Mrs. Johnson accepted the role of Dean of Students, where she continued to provide support for students receiving special education services, coordinated the Student Support Team, developed and monitored the school-wide behavior management system, developed the character education program, and oversaw parent accountability issues.  Mrs. Johnson has dedicated her time unselfishly to the students and families of Excel Academy and firmly believes that by pairing high expectations with an unrelenting work ethic, students from the most underserved communities can achieve very high academic outcomes.  

Meghan Dillon – Early Elementary Academy Director

Upon graduation from Syracuse University with a dual major in Elementary Education and History, Ms. Dillon then obtained a Masters degree as a Reading Specialist from SUNY Brockport in 2004. She began my teaching career working in a public school in Brooklyn, NY. From the public school system, she transitioned to Excellence Boys Charter School, an Uncommon School in Brooklyn. There, she was a 2nd grade lead teacher, and also began her work as a curriculum developer. After teaching at Excellence, Meghan continued to teach for a few more years in Miami, FL and then again with Uncommon Schools. During her teaching career, she developed her role as a curriculum specialist. Specifically, Ms. Dillon worked with aligning curriculum and instruction with NY City and State standards. As well as aligning curriculum, she worked with creating assessments that would provide accurate snapshots for planning and test preparation. Meghan worked with teachers to ensure their instruction matched the data and was meeting all standards. While working with Uncommon Schools, she was able to work with a team of developers to create a network-wide guided reading database. Meghan developed the guided reading guides, annotated texts, and created student pages for multiple chapter books. She is featured in the book Why Boys Fail in the chapter about Excellence Boys Charter School.

Karen Cook - Teaching Fellow, Preschool

Karen Cook is thrilled to be joining Excel Academy this year.  Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Karen graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University in May 2010 before traveling to Oman for the month of June to study Arabic.  She spent her junior year abroad in Egypt and Spain, and wrote her honors thesis on Islamic Feminism in Spain.  She has always been surrounded by family and friends who consider their time on this earth to be a lifelong adventure in learning. Her time at St. Agnes Academy, an all girls school in Houston, taught her the value of an academic institution designed specifically for girls, and she is honored and excited for the opportunity to be a teaching fellow at Excel Academy Public Charter School.

Sharon Crews - Teaching Fellow, Preschool

Sharon Crews is a 2009 graduate of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. While there, she combined her love for the arts majoring in both English literature and language as well as drama. As a Madison House volunteer, she coached youth sports and encouraged creative expression through dance and theatre . Upon graduation, Sharon returned to her hometown of South Boston, Virginia to spend a semester teaching Spanish.  While there, she also worked with ESL students from Latin America and held several volunteer roles devoted to early childhood education and health in her community. Sharon is excited to be in DC and brings her commitment and enthusiasm for quality education to Excel Academy.

Andrew Ferrera - Teaching Fellow, Kindergarten

Andrew (or to most, Andy) was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, living in both Portland and Seattle during his childhood.  In June 2010, he graduated from Dartmouth College cum laude with honors, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies with a minor in government.  During his time at Dartmouth, Andrew studied abroad in both Rome, Italy for Italian language study and Southern Africa for environmental studies.  He also founded the Dartmouth College Sing Dynasty -- a co-ed a cappella group -- and was active in the Dartmouth College Ski Patrol, gaining certification as an outdoor emergency care first responder.  Andrew enjoys running, skiing, listening to music of all genres, and is a self-described political junkie.  Andrew is passionate about elementary education, and is committed to the success of each of his students.

Lindsay Fitzpatrick - Lead Teacher, First Grade

Lindsay Fitzpatrick joins Excel Academy as a first grade teacher.  She is a 2006 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and an alumna of Teach for America.  Lindsay taught in the Rio Grande Valley and New Orleans. During her most recent experience in New Orleans, her 5th graders increased their Student Achievement Index 118% in one year, and most students achieved 1.5-2 years of growth in reading. She has spent two summers training and mentoring new Teach for America teachers at Summer Institute.  Lindsay looks forward to working with the talented scholars of Excel to nurture their passion for learning and achieve significant academic gains.

Jhermel Goss - Co-Teacher, Kindergarten

Jhermel Goss is incredibly humbled with the opportunity to begin his first year at Excel. Jhermel is a 2004 graduate of Clarion University. He is passionate about African-American literature and history, which was fueled during his time at Clark Atlanta University where he earned a Masters in African-American Studies. Jhermel looks forward to continuing the fostering of knowledge acquisition, self-worth, and identity in the scholars at Excel.

Sarah Ivry - Teaching Fellow, Preschool

Sarah Ivry was born and raised in Orinda, California, a suburb of San Francisco. She is a May 2010 graduate from the University of Maryland with a degree in Elementary Education. While studying at Maryland, Sarah worked at the University’s Center for Young Children, working in a mixed 3-4 year old classroom. During her senior year, 2009-2010, Sarah worked as a student teacher in a 3rd grade classroom in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Sarah worked with her mentor teacher to initiate an after-school program called “Helping Hands.” Helping Hands Club is focused on teaching students the importance of philanthropic work. Sarah is extremely excited to join the Excel Academy staff. She is eager to begin working in a collaborative environment and looks forward to growing and learning as an educator.

Nikki Jondahl - Teaching Fellow, Kindergarten

Nikki Jondahl graduated from Boston University with her Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education with dual licensure in Special Education. While a student at Boston University, she provided academic support to elementary students as a literacy tutor, explored Australia while student teaching and competed on the Alpine Ski Team. Before joining the teaching team at Excel Academy, Nikki gained experience in the classroom as a special education assistant and as a director of a day camp in her hometown of Minneapolis. Nikki looks forward to sharing her dedication to lifelong learning with the scholars at Excel Academy.

Nancy Lee – Teaching Fellow, Prekindergarten

Nancy Lee interned in Washington D.C. as an undergraduate at Boston University and is excited about returning to the nation’s capitol after completing her Master of Arts degree in Education at Stanford University. She was drawn to Excel Academy for its commitment to academic excellence starting in preschool. During her time at Stanford, Nancy worked with Jumpstart as an AmeriCorps member promoting school readiness and early language and literacy skills at the Ravenswood Child Development Center in East Palo Alto, CA. She is passionate about urban education reform and getting all children ready to succeed in school and beyond. Before realizing that her true passion is in the education field, Nancy worked as a Coordinator for International Relations and Prefectural Advisor in Japan under the JET Program. 

Lisa Sambat - Teaching Fellow, Prekindergarten

Lisa is from North Valley Stream, NY, and graduated in 2010 from Swarthmore College with a BA in religion and educational studies. While at Swarthmore, she played a fundamental role in community building, social justice work, and educational programming through the Intercultural Center, especially around Asian American Studies and issues focusing on women of color. Her independent research and thesis focused on the role of religious experiences in learning and identity formation among second generation adolescents.  Lisa's approach to education is grounded upon her liberal arts background, particularly through the critical lens of how literacy shapes one's self-identity.  She looks forward to exploring the ways that she can harness her students' funds of knowledge inside and outside the classroom and is excited to join the Excel Academy community.

Sonal Sheth - Lead Teacher, Second Grade

Sonal Sheth earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, and her Master of Arts degree in teaching at American University.  She has taught elementary school in Washington, DC for three years and middle school for one year in rural India.  Sonal has also been an arts educator, youth worker, child sexual abuse educator, and peace and justice organizer in Asian American communities.  She is thrilled to join the Excel staff to support the educational, leadership, and social development of girls. 

Donna Gibson - After-School Program Coordinator

Donna Gibson is originally from Rockville, MD.  She attended Howard University and Prince George’s Community College.  While in college, Donna served as an AmeriCorps member and provided tutoring in several programs in Washington, DC such as the Kaplan program.  Donna has many years of experience working with youth during after-school hours.  In addition, Ms. Gibson was the Program Team Leader for 5-7 year olds for YCARE, a subdivision of the YMCA and was the After-School Director at Our Lady of Victory, a Blue Ribbon school in the Archdiocese of Washington.  Ms. Gibson is committed to serving youth during out- of-school time through various enrichments and activities.

Katie Filardo - Grants Manager

Katie is a native Washingtonian and was educated  in the District's public schools. She graduated from DePaul University in 2006 with a BA in International Relations and Latin American Studies. She has worked domestically and internationally, providing her with a broad understanding of social justice issues.  Katie comes to Excel with valuable fund raising experience gained while working as the Director of Development at the Cloud Forest School in Monteverde, Costa Rica.  Prior to working in Costa Rica, she was a Property Manager in Washington where she managed complex projects and contracts.  Katie has worked at ACCION International, a microfinance non-profit and has interned at the Organization of American States and Interfaith Worker Justice.  She also speaks Spanish fluently.  Katie is dedicated to working towards a better future for her fellow Washingtonians.

Larry C. Jiggetts – Chief Information Officer

Larry Jiggetts is a native Washingtonian with a wealth of knowledge and insight into the political, social, and educational landscape of our city.  Mr. Jiggetts attended Howard University where he majored in Education.  He received a Master’s of Information Technology from American InterContinental University.  Mr. Jiggetts has extensive experience working with youth in Washington D.C. and has worked as a substitute teacher and youth shelter program administrator. Mr. Jiggetts worked at the White House as a Computer Technician and at the Pentagon as a Network Engineer and Information Security Supervisor.  He is a Certified Information System Security Professional, a Certified Information Security Specialist, a Certified Network Engineer, a Microsoft Certified Professional, and a Comp-TA Certified A+ Network Technician.  Excel Academy benefits from his expertise as an engineer and information security specialist.

Courtney Jackson – Lead Teacher

Courtney Jackson is a graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia majoring in Early Childhood Development.  She has received her Master of Arts in Curriculum Instruction from Central Michigan University.  Ms. Jackson has almost a decade of instructional experience having taught Kindergarten, 1st and 3rd grades throughout the state of Georgia.  She has also served as a volleyball and cheerleading coach.  Ms. Jackson volunteered with several organizations, including March for Dimes Walk for America, AIDS Walk, and Hands on Atlanta.

Kiarna Morrison – Lead Teacher

Kiarna Morrison is extremely excited to join Excel Academy. Kiarna was born in Washington, D.C. and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She received a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Development with a concentration in Early Childhood Education from Howard University School of Education in 2007. While a student at Howard, Kiarna was extremely active in various mentoring and tutoring programs throughout the District. This is Kiarna’s second year as a teacher in Washington, D.C and she spent last year teaching pre-kindergarten to homeless children in the Nation’s Capitol. Kiarna is committed to providing quality early childhood education to all students and is honored to be a part of Excel Academy’s founding staff. 

Nikki Ayanna Stewart – Lead Teacher

Nikki Ayanna Stewart joins Excel Academy’s early childhood faculty as a Lead Pre-K 3 Teacher for the 2008-09 school year.  Nikki was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois by a large family of public school teachers and education reformers.  She received a B.A. in Sociology from Spelman College, an M.A. in Women’s Studies from the University of Maryland, and is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Women’s Studies and Minority and Urban Education at the University of Maryland.  Nikki has worked extensively with girls and youth in Washington, DC, including serving as the DC Community Coordinator for Girls Incorporated, as a Youth Leadership Consultant for DC Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, and as a classroom teacher at the Washington Middle School for Girls.  She has also conducted research on African American girls, visual media and education, which is the subject of her doctoral dissertation. 

Julianna Tabor – Lead Teacher

Julianna Tabor received her Master of Arts in Education degree with a concentration in Policy, Organization, and Leadership Studies from Stanford University, and her Bachelor of Arts from Duke University, cum laude.  She studied at the London School of Economics while in college.  She has served Teach For America in several capacities as a 1st Grade teacher, a mentor, and a transition team leader.  She also has been a mathematics differentiation specialist and a mentor/tutor for young girls in rural Durham. Ms. Tabor has collaborated with the South Africa Department of Education to research, analyze, and reform a local high school through ground-up reform.

Rebecca Haskell – Co-Teacher

Rebecca Haskell is truly honored and excited to join Excel Academy’s teaching team. Rebecca was born and raised in San Francisco, CA and was accepted early decision into Boston University’s School of Education where she majored in Elementary Education. A combination of Rebecca’s own experience as a student as well as her volunteer teaching positions inspired her to join the classroom and cemented a lifelong passion for education. Rebecca not only views education as within the walls of the classroom, but one of learning through experience, character development and guiding future leaders. Rebecca holds herself to the same educational philosophy and expectations that she has for her students and finished off her BU career winning the Scarlet Key award for excellence in campus and community leadership. Rebecca is passionate about learning, world cultures, and problem-solving towards progress – all qualities that are embodied in Excel Academy Public Charter School.  

Erin Lavigna – Teaching Fellow

Erin Lavigna is a 2009 graduate from University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and received her Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and finished magna cum laude. While in college, she interned as an advertising and marketing intern.  Ms. Lavigna comes to Excel with a diverse background in teaching having taught in a rural school in India and participated in Teach for America’s Summer Institute. 

Cassie Lynott – Teaching Fellow

Cassie Lynott is an experienced artist, photographer, and curator.  Most recently, she served as the volunteer and tour coordinator at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.  Ms. Lynott is also a resident artist at the B&C Multi Art Studio in Glen Echo Park where she teaches children and teens about art of various media.   She has constructed garments for theater productions, taken family and child portraits, and assisted with commissioned artwork.  Ms. Lynott is a graduate of Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. She also studied in Cameroon for a semester after which she published a work on ritual performance, royal and ceremonial art.

Courtney Tuz – Teaching Fellow

Courtney Tuz has lived in New Orleans, Memphis, and Charlottesville, VA. A graduate of Wofford College with a B.A. in Intercultural Studies for Business and a minor in Spanish, Ms. Tuz has studied in Salamanca, Spain and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Courtney taught English as a Second Language to adults in Spartanburg, SC, and Buenos Aires. For the past seven summers Ms. Tuz has worked as a counselor, moving up to senior staff, at a coed camp in Arkansas.