Building a Diverse Teacher Pipeline: Expanding Pathways for High School Students to Become Educators

About the Presenters

Former teacher, Ansharaye Hines, M.S.Ed. and Assistant Director of CTE and Curriculum at CBED oversees Teaching Academy, a multi-year teacher pipeline program for high school students interested in education. Grounded in Black Teaching Tradition and liberatory education, the program fosters academic and professional development, nurturing future educators. Ansharaye designed the curriculum, including assessment and evaluation protocols, as well as a coaching program for facilitators and seasonal coaches. The pilot, called Liberation Teaching Academy, led to a 33% increase in students’ interest in teaching, while also enhancing their academic self-efficacy, social justice orientation, Black identity, and knowledge of Black educational history. Ansharaye’s academic expertise includes Africana history and educational philosophy, with a focus on curriculum development and institutional resistance. She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Afro-American studies and English from Howard University and a master’s degree in education, culture, and society from the University of Pennsylvania. Her work continues to center on empowering students and educators.

Dr. AB Spence is a seasoned learning and development leader with over a decade of experience in driving impactful initiatives from conception to execution. Specializing in aligning organizational goals with employee growth, Dr. Spence has consistently delivered programs that enhance skills and foster a culture of continuous improvement. As a Program Manager at the Center for Black Educator Development, she leads programs focused on empowering educators and advancing educational equity. Dr. Spence ensures the successful implementation of initiatives by providing strategic oversight and collaborating with various departments to support the organization’s mission. Her previous experience as an instructional designer for a startup includes spearheading the development of accredited health equity education programs, resulting in significant contracts and high participant satisfaction scores. Dr. Spence holds a Ph.D. in education with a focus on educational technology and design from Walden University and a master’s in instructional design from the University of South Alabama.

Jahmere Jackson is an aspiring educator and current elementary education major at Howard University, dedicated to combating educational inequity and cultivating intellectual curiosity in future generations. He is a Future Teachers of Excellence Fellow at the Center for Black Educator Development and serves as a Program Teacher with the AnBryce Foundation, where he designs and teaches curricula in debate, humanities, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. As a research fellow under Dr. Nathan Alexander, Jahmere conducts quantitative analysis on the retention of Black male educators using RStudio, contributing valuable insights to the field. On campus, he serves as a Freshman Representative for the School of Education and holds certifications in First Aid, CPR, and Mandated Reporter training. Passionate about mentorship, Black education, and equity, Jahmere is committed to increasing opportunities for young Black men in education. In his free time, he explores his creativity through music and poetry.

About the Moderator

Joyce Whitby is a professional EdTechKnowledgist and lifelong educational technology leader. She has extensive experience in marketing, market development, business development, sales management, and sales leadership including management of direct field sales force, inside sales, and distribution channels. Her strengths include new business development in urban markets, strategic planning and budgeting, recruiting, training, project management, and motivating high-performance sales teams. She is linked with a vast educational professional learning network, including extensive personal connections to key decision makers in U.S. school systems as well as leading executives in the educational technology industry.