Board of Directors
Claire Arnold
CEO
Leapfrog IT Services
Joe Arnold
Retired Senior Vice President and Group Leader
Truist Financial Corp.
Luis Avila
Senior Vice President, Corporate Governance & Chief Compliance Officer
Lowe’s Companies, Inc.
Dr. Tim Renick
Executive Director
National Institute for Student Success
Dr. Greg Vaughn
Leadership Consultant
Spencer Stuart
Kathy Waller
Executive Director
Atlanta Committee for Progress
Staff
President/Executive Director
What brings me to this work?
I’m driven by the belief that every child deserves a great school and is on a path to postsecondary success.Â
Cheryl Watson-Harris is an exceptional educator, administrator, and community leader with three decades of experience in and out of the classroom. She has drawn praise for her innovative leadership style that improves employee engagement and capacity throughout organizations and positively impacts student achievement. Throughout her 30-year career, Dr. Watson-Harris has demonstrated outstanding skills and knowledge of teaching and learning, professional development, and community partnerships that remove barriers to success and create empowering opportunities for children and their families.
Raised in New York City, Dr. Watson-Harris started her teaching career in 1993 in Brooklyn, NY. She served as a principal for 15 years and Network Superintendent at Boston Public Schools. In 2015, she returned to the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE) where she rose to First Deputy Chancellor in 2018, the second-in-command of the nation’s largest school district that serves 1.1 million students. In 2020, she became Superintendent of Georgia’s third-largest district, DeKalb County Schools and most recently, Dr. Watson-Harris co-founded Urban School Specialists, a consultancy that provides support and services to large urban districts and executive leadership coaching to education and nonprofit leaders. Dr. Watson-Harris has a wide range of expertise in the college access space. In Boston Public Schools, New York City Department of Education, and DeKalb County School District she strengthened the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) initiatives within these districts. She’s co-founder of the Girls’ Empowerment Movement (GEM) that empowers girls to own their leadership stories and pave a path to postsecondary opportunities. Â
Dr. Watson-Harris holds degrees from Marymount College/Fordham University and Harvard University, as well as a doctorate in Leadership and Innovation from New York University. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Jack and Jill of America, and the Links Incorporated. Dr. Watson-Harris is a member of the Leadership Atlanta Class of 2025. Although raised in New York City, in 2020 she and her husband put down roots in Metro Atlanta to create an intergenerational home alongside her parents and their five children – a junior in public high school, a junior at Howard University, and a senior at Hampton University. Education is a family affair in the Watson-Harris household as her eldest two “bonus children” are a kindergarten teacher and an IT specialist in the ed-tech space.
Executive Vice President, Programs
What brings me to this work?
Engaging in mission-driven work is a must for me. I absolutely love bridging the worlds of education and organizational development to create sustainable results for students.
Susanne earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Spelman College and her doctorate in Organizational Psychology from Rutgers University. As Executive Vice President (EVP), Programs, she provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for College Access, College Success, Scholarship and Affordability, and Career Support initiatives. As a key senior leadership team member, she oversees the strategic direction and operational implementation of programs designed to support Scholars, guiding them from college access to career success. Prior to this role, Susanne served as the Vice President, College Success for the past 9 years.
Before joining Achieve Atlanta, Susanne was a consultant in the Human Capital and Change Management practice at The North Highland Company and has held various leadership roles as an Organizational Development practitioner for over 20 years throughout her career. With over 30 years of progressively accountable experience as an internal and external consultant, Susanne has served as a thought partner and trusted advisor to every level of leader, from supervisor to executive, in the healthcare, corporate, nonprofit, and education sectors. In addition to her role at Achieve Atlanta, Susanne is an adjunct associate professor in the Leadership Studies Department at Mercer University.
Vice President, Advancement & External Affairs
What brings me to this work?
I find purpose working with organizations that offer life-changing impact through the power of education. Achieve Atlanta skillfully brings resources and support to students at a critical time in their lives and in doing so, nurtures the next generation of successful, prosperous Atlantans. I am naturally drawn to the team and its mission!
Shannon has used her passion for nonprofit service and volunteerism to fuel a career centered around strengthening health, education and community services. Committed to the belief that successful communities thrive when its residents are supported through care of the whole person, Shannon’s work in the greater Atlanta community has spanned many issue areas including public education policy and at-risk women and children. She is also a member of the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Regional Leadership Institute Class of 2024.
Before joining the Achieve Atlanta team, she served as the Vice President of Advancement at Atlanta Technical College and the Executive Director of the Atlanta Technical College Foundation. Shannon led the foundation through record growth, raising more than $6 million during her three-year tenure.
She actively supports the Atlanta community by serving as an appointed trustee and treasurer of the Fulton DeKalb Hospital Authority, owner of the Grady Health System. Shannon is a past member of the Young Men’s Service League, Milton Chapter and a sustaining member of National Charity League, Milton Chapter, where she served as president of the board of directors. She is a past member of the Junior League of Atlanta Board of Directors, serving terms in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Shannon also served on the Soaring Hawks Foundation Board of Directors, a 501c3 she helped create to better support her community elementary school. The foundation continues to help supplement the Title 1 elementary school’s budget by taping into a robust network of community businesses and other stakeholders to provide a rich learning environment for every student.
Shannon earned her undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University in Forth Worth, Texas.
Vice President, Growth & Impact
What brings me to this work?
In today’s world, a postsecondary degree is a key to opportunity, but too many students from low-income backgrounds fall short of earning a degree, often due to barriers outside the classroom. I’m grateful to serve in an organization that’s committed to removing those barriers and supporting students’ path to upward mobility.
As Vice President, Growth & Impact, Sam leads the expansion of the Achieve Atlanta Scholarship within Metro Atlanta. In addition, he oversees the organization’s research and evaluation efforts to measure the impact of its core model and the expansion, ensuring those learnings strengthen how Achieve Atlanta serves students and inform the broader college access and success field. As part of his role, he serves as an affiliated fellow with Georgia Policy Labs at Georgia State University’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies in a research-practice partnership to evaluate and strengthen Achieve Atlanta’s impact. Previously, Sam led the organization’s data strategy, systems/operations, and marketing/communications functions, partnering with program teams to execute strategy and enable the organization to accomplish its mission.
Prior to Achieve Atlanta, he served as Deputy Director for Research, Policy, and Accountability with the Georgia Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, where he oversaw the agency’s data and research agenda to inform state-level education policy decisions and provide accessible education data to stakeholders. A Georgia native, Sam holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Georgia College and a master’s degree in public policy from Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. He started his career as a high school math teacher in the Louisiana Recovery School District through the teachNOLA Fellows Program.
Vice President, Policy
What brings me to this work?
A college degree can be life changing. Our students inspire me every day, and I am so lucky to work at an organization committed to supporting young people to achieve their dreams!
As Vice President, Policy, Korynn develops and leads the organization’s policy and advocacy functions, shaping the organization’s approach to influence systemic changes that advance postsecondary enrollment, student success, and upward mobility. Previously, Korynn built the organization’s College Access and Scholarship & Affordability programs, partnering internally and externally to support Atlanta students to pursue their college aspirations. Prior to Achieve Atlanta, Korynn served as Director of School Governance & Flexibility with Fulton County Schools. She was responsible for the district’s implementation of the charter system framework. As a Strategic Data Fellow, she worked with school and district leaders on understanding postsecondary metrics and supporting student transitions from high school to college. In that role, she also co-developed a widely recognized summer college-going assistance program.
Korynn brings significant education policy and advocacy experience, having served as the Georgia Afterschool Investment Council’s first Policy and Advocacy Manager and as Chief of Staff for Massachusetts State Representative Alice K. Wolf. Korynn graduated from Duke University with bachelor’s degrees in public policy and women’s studies and earned her master’s in public policy from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Senior Director, College Access
What brings me to this work?
Access is power. By creating more points of access, more students will be able to realize their postsecondary goals and dreams. I am fueled by my passion for education, social impact, and sustainable partnerships.
Femi Johnson joins Achieve Atlanta as the first Senior Director, College Access. Femi most recently served as a Program Manager with the National Math and Science Initiative where she supported 45 schools in the Southeastern region of the US with strategic planning and program support. Femi started her career as a classroom teacher, teaching both English and Special Education. Femi earned her undergraduate degree from Spelman College and has M.Ed.s in Special Education and Secondary Education from Arcadia University.
Senior Director, Scholarship & Affordability
What brings me to this work?
I believe this work is powerful and inspiring. By helping our students complete a college education not only do they improve their economic and social mobility but also have a tremendous impact in changing family trajectories and communities.
Ninfa is the Senior Director of Scholarship & Affordability at Achieve Atlanta where she oversees the largest need-based scholarship program in Georgia and leads the organization’s work to remove financial barriers to post-secondary persistence and completion. Before joining Achieve Atlanta, Ninfa spent almost a decade with the Dell Scholars Program at the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation where she assisted in building a college completion model and need-based scholarship program where over eighty percent of its students completed a bachelor’s degree on time. During her career she has held a variety of roles supporting students succeed, including the Director of Multicultural Programs at Linfield College-Portland Campus. Ninfa holds a master’s degree in public administration from Portland State University and a bachelor’s in business administration from Oregon State University.
Senior Director, Marketing & Communications
What brings me to this work?
I am a results-driven communicator and appreciate how Achieve Atlanta is also results-driven and determined to increase college access and completion for Atlanta’s students. I believe in our students and share our organization’s vision for educational equity.
Born in Atlanta, Vett is passionate about improving educational equity in the city. Vett guides the organization’s comprehensive communication strategy and stewards Achieve Atlanta’s brand such that it represents both impact and influence in the educational equity and access to opportunity spaces. Vett has experience in strategic communications, public engagement, digital communications, and photography in both government and nonprofit sectors. She earned her B.S. in Literature, Media, and Communications and her M.S. in Public Policy, with concentrations in Education and Health Policy, from Georgia Tech. Vett also earned a Spanish minor and speaks Spanish. Before joining Achieve Atlanta, Vett was the Director of Communications at GEEARS: Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students. She has worked in the communications offices at the University System of Georgia, the City of Atlanta, and the Office of the Governor.
Vett is a graduate of the 2017-2018 GPEE Education Policy Fellowship Program, and Vett was selected by the Atlanta Regional Commission as one of 55 community leaders to join the 2018 Regional Leadership Institute. She was also named as one of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Atlanta (YNPN) 30 Leaders Under 30. Vett is a member of the 2024 Class of LEAD Atlanta.Â
Senior Director, Career Supports
What brings me to this work?
I am passionate about empowering students to achieve their career goals. By providing comprehensive career readiness support, we enhance their professional prospects and contribute to their upward economic mobility, positively impacting their families and communities.
Taylor Pratt is the Senior Director, Career Supports, at Achieve Atlanta, where he leads the development and implementation of career readiness initiatives. These programs are designed to bridge the gap between high school, postsecondary education, and the workforce, ensuring Scholars are well-prepared for successful careers. For the past three years, Taylor served as the Director, External Impact, at Achieve Atlanta, collaborating with external partners and workforce groups to expand the organization’s reach and effectiveness.
Before his tenure at Achieve Atlanta, Taylor was an elementary school principal, where he spearheaded turnaround efforts to improve academic, social/emotional, and behavioral outcomes. His career in education also includes roles as an assistant principal and classroom teacher. Taylor holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Cincinnati and a master’s degree in multicultural and ethical educational leadership from Kennesaw State University.
Senior Director, Systems & Operations
What brings me to this work?
I joined this work with the belief that “One day, all children in this nation will have the opportunity to attain an excellent education.” This work is a continuation of making that belief reality.
William received his undergraduate from Georgetown University in the District of Columbia. At Achieve Atlanta, William is the Senior Director of Operations and Systems. He works closely with the staff and leadership team to drive and manage Achieve Atlanta’s overall operational and systematic needs. Prior to this role, William was a Teach for America Corps member and taught several years in Fulton County Public Schools. He was born and raised in Atlanta.
Senior Director, Data Analytics & Insights
What brings me to this work?
A postsecondary education is the gateway to a successful livelihood. I am driven to serve students by helping them reach their potential and fulfill their dreams.
Sweta earned a BA in Political Science and Environmental Studies at Emory University and a MA in Education Policy at Teachers College, Columbia University. As Senior Director of Data, Analytics, & Insights, Sweta is responsible for managing and analyzing data to inform organizational and program decisions. Prior to this role, Sweta worked at the Dallas Independent School District in the Human Capital Management department as the Data & Design Manager. During her time in Dallas, she managed all human capital systems and data for the district and designed processes to improve overall talent strategy. Previously, Sweta was a First to the Top Fellow at the Tennessee Department of Education and served as a Teach For America Corps Member in Washington, DC. With a passion to serve her community and transform educational systems, Sweta has been active with multiple organizations including Leadership for Educational Equity, Dallas Mayor’s Star Council, and Leadership ISD.
Senior Manager, Strategic Operations & Engagement
What brings me to this work?
Driven by her passion for educational equity and community engagement, Nichelle is a dedicated advocate for enhancing student and community outcomes through increased educational opportunities and equitable access to resources.
With a strong educational background, Nichelle firmly believes that education shapes our destiny and transforms communities. Before joining Achieve Atlanta as Manager, Operations in 2021, she spent several years as a Middle School Math educator after serving as a 2014 Teach For America Corps member.
As Senior Manager, Strategic Operations and Engagement, Nichelle supports the organization’s strategic goals by managing special projects, program support, and partnership and engagement initiatives. Beyond her role at Achieve Atlanta, Nichelle is active in education policy and advocacy work and serves as a community organizer, holding leadership positions in several local organizations.
Nichelle is a graduate of the University of Florida and is originally from Miami, FL, where she began her career in education. Nichelle now resides in the Metro Atlanta area, continuing her efforts to bridge the gap in educational equity for marginalized students and communities.
Senior Manager, Systems
What brings me to this work?
I was inspired to pursue a career in the education field after witnessing the difficulties that first generation students faced in graduating from college. My own college journey was heavily impacted by the mentors and coaches who encouraged my persistence every step of the way. Recognizing the vast contrast that exists in college student experiences, I now aspire to assist students on their college journeys while discovering and understanding the many invisible pitfalls that exist on a college campus, whether those obstacles be financial, social, or academic.
Laura Gangelhoff received an M.Ed. in College Student Affairs Administration from the University of Georgia and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies from Northeastern University. Laura first started working with Achieve Atlanta in 2015 when she served as a College Adviser with College Advising Corps: Atlanta. In that role, she supported 200+ seniors at KIPP Atlanta Collegiate by advising them in the scholarship and financial aid process. Since that role, Laura has worked as a Graduate Assistant at University of Georgia’s Career Center, and a Coordinator in the office of Leadership Education and Development at Georgia Tech. Now as the manager of systems at Achieve Atlanta, she supports multiple facets of the team’s internal and external systems as well as adding additional capacity to the Data Strategy team.
Senior Manager, College Success
What brings me to this work?
From personal experience, I know what it’s like for people to not believe in you. It took one person to believe in me for me to get to school and because of that one person I have had the opportunity to gain my education. Now, I want to show my unwavering belief in all of Atlanta’s students.
Bria Price received her Masters of Public Policy in Education Policy from the Heller School of Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, and her Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Wooster. As the manager of the College Success Program she will serve as the liaison between secondary and postsecondary partners to promote relationships and support seamless enrollment and college persistence for scholars. Prior to this role Bria worked for City Year Washington, D.C. as an Impact Manager, and as a Program Associate for the Eli J. and Phyllis N. Segal Citizen Leadership Program.
An Atlanta native, Bria is excited to return home to invest in economic growth in the city through education access and equity for its scholars.
Manager, College Access
What brings me to this work?
My unwavering desire to be the support that I needed as a young person drives me to fully commit to this work every day. As a first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented student, I intimately understand the uncertainty that comes with the pursuit of higher education and opportunities that often feel out of reach. At the same time, as I continue to grow in my professional career, I recognize the incredible benefits that come from access to higher education and the pathways it creates for upward mobility. My personal and professional experiences continuously drive my passion for empowering others on their journeys.
Kianna received her Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in communications from Jacksonville State University, and a Master of Education in Higher Education Leadership at Mercer University. She got her start in college access as a College Advisor at Maynard Jackson High School, where she assisted juniors and seniors with the college application lifecycle and worked as a beta-tester for Achieve Atlanta’s Match and Fit List Builder. Kianna went on to advise college seniors for three years at Georgia State University before returning to college access work here at Achieve Atlanta as the Manager, College Access.
Manager, Marketing & Communications
What brings me to this work?
As an Atlanta Public Schools and Achieve Atlanta graduate, I wholeheartedly believe in Achieve Atlanta’s vision, mission, and ability to drive change within the postsecondary community.
Brandy joined the Achieve Atlanta team as the Manager, Marketing & Communications. She leads our social media and digital marketing, engages with current Scholars and alumni, and manages external events.
A 2017 graduate of Therrell High School, Brandy earned her bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism with a minor in public relations from Georgia Southern University.
Manager, Research & Learning
What brings me to this work?
The work that Achieve Atlanta does closely aligns with my passion to support the need for underrepresented communities to have access to resources that will ensure their success in a society where they are often overlooked. Not because they don’t have the potential, but because they don’t have the support.
Amala earned her undergraduate degree in Anthropology and Human Biology from Emory University. As the Manager, Research & Learning, she is responsible for analyzing data and sharing insights to staff to improve organizational outcomes. Prior to this role, Amala was a junior strategist for Nimbly Insights, a private market research agency. Throughout her college career and previous role, Amala has developed a passion for research and using data and information to drive organizational expansion and improvement.
Manager, Scholarship & Affordability
What brings me to this work?
I am fortunate to have had a community that provided opportunities and support for me to navigate through my educational journey, and I often think about my peers who were as gifted as I was but lacked the opportunities and support. For Atlanta’s next generation, I want to work on behalf of the talented students that are pursuing their dreams, providing them with community support.
Thomas Smith joined Achieve Atlanta as a Scholarship & Affordability Program Associate and is now the Manager. In this role, he collaborates with scholars to provide support to prospective and current scholars and their families.
Following his graduation from Morehouse College with a BA in Sociology, Thomas settled in Atlanta being his career in college access and success. As a college advisor, he has the opportunity to assist seniors with the college application process at Frederick Douglass and Benjamin E. Mays High School. He then transitioned to serving Achieve Atlanta scholars as a College Coach with Beyond12. Thomas is continuing his education at Georgia State University, working on a master’s degree in the Social Foundations of Education. His research interests focus on the experiences of first-generation college student and the distribution of social and cultural capital.
Associate, Scholarship Operations
What brings me to this work?
I am drawn to this work because I can use my data skills in a meaningful way, and be a small part of a very large mission. I believe having a good education is a necessity both for upward socioeconomic mobility, and for leading a fulfilling life.Â
William was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville, Georgia and a master’s degree in applied economics from Boston College. At Boston College, William specialized in data science and analytics. As the Associate, ScholarshipOperations, William will support Scholars through the scholarship application process to disbursement of funds. This key role will review applications for eligibility, serve as a point of contact for students, improve operational efficiency, and ensure that prospective and current Scholars can access scholarship and grant funding in a timely manner.
Program Associate, Scholarship & Affordability
What brings me to this work?
All students deserve access and support to achieve their dreams, regardless of their background. I am driven to help students reach their full potential and help bridge the gap towards postsecondary success for underserved groups.
O’Tejah was born in Ontario, Canada, and her strong Jamaican heritage inspires her to work hard and dream big. She grew up mostly in McDonough, Georgia, graduating 3rd in her class from Henry County High School. O’Tejah received her B.S. with honors in Industrial Design from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Not long after she served as a college adviser at North Atlanta High School, where she had the opportunity to start new school traditions, empathize with mixed-status families, dispel financial aid myths, and help students reach their goals. As a Program Associate, Scholarship & Affordability for Achieve Atlanta, she’s excited to continue to make a positive impact on young lives!