Our Approach
Our Team
LaKisha N. Williams is the Director of #DegreesNYC, a data-informed collective impact movement co-lead by young people to achieve education equity in New York City. As such, she represents #DegreesNYC and Goddard Riverside on many groups, including the Government Relations and Human Relations Committees of the New York State Association for College Admission Counseling, the National College Access Network Policy Council, and the CUNY Rising Alliance. She serves on the Steering Committee of the New York State Poor People’s Campaign, as well as on its Coordinating and Faith Committees, where she organizes moral fusion direct action against systemic racism, poverty, militarism & ecological devastation. Recently, she was honored with the United Neighborhood Houses Award for Achievement in Civic Advocacy in recognition of her social justice work. Williams holds a BA from William Smith College and a Masters of Divinity from the Union Theological Seminary of New York.
Rachel Bork is the Data and Research Coordinator at #DegreesNYC. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Reed College with a degree in Sociology, with a focus on race, racism, and institutional barriers to inclusion. She has held both community-outreach and research positions. Most relevantly, she conducted research on socioeconomic and racial inequalities in K-12 and college access programs for the Office of Graduate and Special Programs at Reed College. She has also worked with various grassroots nonprofits before joining the #DegreesNYC team, working in the classroom, crafting curriculum, developing research projects, and writing reports.
Zayin Tilley is the Youth Council Co-Coordinator for Advocacy. He is pursuing a B.A. in Urban Studies from Fordham University. Zayin draws on a multifaceted perspective informed by experiences in management consulting, peer mentorship (specifically focusing on young men of color in high school), service-learning, and local government. Facilitating meaningful systemic change with an eye towards greater equity for the disadvantaged in education is his raison d’etre as a member of the #DegreesNYC team.
Afsana Rahman is the Youth Council Co-Coordinator for Data. She is a first-year student studying physics at City College. With a background in research and data-driven advocacy, she is passionate about amplifying the voices of underrepresented groups to create lasting change. In the past, Afsana has worked on various projects centered around improving economic mobility, education equity, and transit justice for young people in New York City. She hopes to one day combine her scientific knowledge with her desire to promote equity by pursuing a career in applied physics, inventing solutions that address social challenges.
#DegreesNYC Steering Committee
Co-chairs
Gregg Betheil, President, PENCIL
Marcia Cantarella, Advisor to CUNY Black Male Initiative, educator, author, activist
​
Members
Alison Overseth, Chief Executive Officer, Partnership for Afterschool Education
Allison Palmer, Associate Executive Director, New Settlement Apartments
Victoria Lu, Youth Council Co-Coordinator, #DegreesNYC
Dale Mcenany, Youth Council Co-Coordinator, #DegreesNYC
Chad Franklin, Director of The Options Center, Goddard Riverside
Kevin Stump, VP of Economic Mobility and Workforce Innovation, SUNY Rockland
Lan To, Senior Consultant, Community Resource Exchange
Megan McAllister, Senior Program Officer, The Altman Foundation
Michael Partis, Director, Bronx Cooperative Development Initiative