Our Team

Kate Slater

Kate Slater, Ph.D. is the Executive Director at the Teacher Collaborative. Previously, she was the National Director of Post-secondary Pathways at BUILD.org, the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at Brandeis University, and the Associate Director & Manager of Programs at the Institute for Recruitment of Teachers, a nonprofit that promotes racial equity in the American educational sector. Dr. Slater also teaches at the University of New Hampshire in the Department of Education, and she is the co-creator of the Anti-Racist Roadmap, a tool for allies and aspiring co-conspirators to learn how to allocate their time, resources, and capital in service of racial justice. She received her B.A. from Skidmore College in New York, her M.Ed from Northeastern University in Boston, and her Ph.D from the University of New Hampshire.

Diana Lebeaux

As Senior Director of Programs, Diana Lebeaux brings over a decade of experience with program development and management and is a trained facilitator.  Previously, Diana was a middle school classroom teacher; directed student support and enrichment programs, and directed a team of coaches supporting equitable and inclusive school and district redesign processes.  She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Bates College in Maine and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from New York University. Diana is the mom of two boys and lives with her family in the Merrimack Valley area of Massachusetts.

Emily Soto

Emily Soto is a Senior Program Manager at the Teacher Collaborative. Emily is a former ESL teacher, with experience working with middle school and high school students in both charter and public schools in Boston. In addition to her role as an educator, she has experience in facilitating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion professional development to school staff and faculty. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from University of Massachusetts Boston in Criminal Justice and Women and Gender Studies, as well as a Master’s Degree in Teaching and Curriculum from Boston University Wheelock School of Education. Emily lives in the South Shore.

Rachel Peguero

Rachel Peguero is a Senior Program Manager at the Teacher Collaborative. Rachel is a former Special Education teacher, with experience working in charter schools in Boston. In addition to her work as a teacher, Rachel has experience as both an instructional coach and training facilitator, focusing primarily on Social-Emotional Learning, Student Support in the Classroom, and Differentiated Instruction for Diverse Learners. She holds a Bachelor's Degree from Tufts University in Sociology, as well as a Master's Degree in Special Education from Boston University. Rachel lives in Jamaica Plain with her fiancé and her dog, Rue.

Carrie Boland

Carrie Boland is the Senior Director of Operations at the Teacher Collaborative and brings over fifteen years of experience working in the education sector. Carrie’s background spans both inside and outside the classroom. She taught 6th grade in Camden, NJ before moving into operations focused roles in education nonprofits. Carrie holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and international relations from Connecticut College and a Master of Public Policy and Master of Business Administration from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University.

Maria Fenwick

Maria Fenwick is the Founder and former Executive Director of the Teacher Collaborative. Maria taught in Boston Public Schools for six years and worked with an extensive network of local education leaders from non-profits, foundations, districts/CMOs, and state policy. As an independent contractor, Maria built a strong brand around her expertise in teacher engagement that is purposeful, outcomes-driven, and meaningful for participants. Maria holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Development from Colby College, a master’s degree in Education Policy and Management from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a master’s degree in Elementary Education from UMass Boston/Boston Teacher Residency.

Jennifer Carrion is a Diversity Program Manager at Meta, Inc. where she oversees diversity programs for Software Engineering Leadership Recruiting. In her role she works with teams across North America and Europe to design inclusive recruiting programs, practices and initiatives. Jennifer holds a Bachelor's Degree in Communications and Legal Studies from UMass-Amherst. She serves on the Executive Committee of the Advent School, is a Latinos for Education 2020 Board Fellow and is a graduate of Boston Public Schools. She lives on the South Shore with her 8-year old daughter.

Emily Lupo is in her 6th year as the Dean of Curriculum and Instruction at Excel Academy Charter School in Chelsea where she manages, coaches, and evaluates 5th-8th Grade teachers. In addition, Emily plans and facilitates school- and network-wide Professional Development on equitable and inclusive curriculum implementation, data analysis and action planning. Previously, Emily was a Master Teacher at Brooke Charter Schools for six years where she also served as a Mentor Teacher and member of the Assessment Team. Emily is excited to be on The Teacher Collaborative Board of Directors after previously being a Teacher Engagement Intern and a founding member of the Teacher Advisory Board. She holds a bachelor's degree in American Culture Studies and Political Science from Washington University in St. Louis and a master's degree in Education Policy and Management from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Emily lives in Natick with her husband, baby, and puppy.

Simone Ngongi-Lukula is an Education Equity Fellow at MassINC. In her role, she examines structural barriers in education and researches more just ways to address the urgent needs of marginalized students and families. It is the history of her family's journey to the United States from the Democratic Republic of Congo that informs her work. She is guided by theories of systems change, equity and accountability and keeps storytelling at the heart of her work. Simone has a background in public policy and STEM education research. She earned a B.A. from Boston University, Wheelock College, an M.S.Ed in Urban Education Policy from the University of Pennsylvania, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Education Policy. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading, and brunch!

Dr. Heather Peske is the President of the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ). She comes to NCTQ from her role as Senior Associate Commissioner for Instructional Support in the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MA DESE) where she implemented policies and programs across teacher development, educator preparation, and curriculum and instruction that drove historic improvements for students—including record graduation rates, the highest rating NAEP performance, and dramatic increases in higher-education participation and success. After having started her career as an elementary teacher in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Dr. Peske served as Director of Teacher Quality at The Education Trust and later as the Vice President of Programs at Teach Plus. Over her three decades in education, she has been named a "Future Chief" by Chiefs for Change (2021), a Broad Academy Fellow (2019), and a recipient of the Governor Paul Cellucci Award for Leadership and Mentoring in State Government (2017). Dr. Peske earned her master's degree and doctorate in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She graduated with her bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with magna cum laude honors.

Dr. Peske is a coauthor of the award-winning book, Finders and Keepers: Helping New Teachers Survive and Thrive in Our Schools and co-editor of Learning from the Experts: Teacher Leaders on Solving America's Education Challenges and has written reports and articles on teacher policy, teacher evaluation, alternative certification programs, new teachers' experiences, and conceptions of career. She is the parent of two children who attend public schools in Massachusetts.

Ivonne Perez [Bio coming soon]

Mollie Proctor is a Business Consultant assisting a new art consulting firm with their operations and business strategy. She worked in project management for six years prior to this role. Outside of consulting, Mollie is passionate about nonprofits and loves working with local organizations to drive their mission and impact. In addition to her work on The Teacher Collaborative Board since 2021, Mollie has served on the Emerging Leaders Board of Crossroads since 2019 and is the Co-Chair of their Fundraising Committee. She has also been a Fundraising Leader of the Annual Scholarships Fundraiser for Camp Wawenock since 2015. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Trinity College and received her Master’s in Business Administration from Babson College in May 2022. Mollie lives on the South Shore with her husband and their dog, Samoset.