Noble Schools Welcomes New Members to the 6th Cohort of the Diverse Leaders Fellowship Program

In this graphic, there is a background image that shows the headshots of the 12 new members of the Diverse Leaders Fellowship program at Noble Schools. On top of that is a slightly transparent dark blue layer that obscures the images heavily. On top of that layer is yellow and white text that reads "Noble Schools Welcomes New Diverse Leaders Members". In the bottom left corner is the Diverse Leaders Fellowship logo. In the bottom right corner is the Noble Schools logo. Both use the iconic Noble shield.

Noble Schools has been running the Diverse Leaders Fellowship—a staff development program designed to elevate leaders of color within Noble—for five years. Recently, they accepted 12 new members into the competitive and popular program for their 6th cohort.

Congratulations to the newest members of the Diverse Leaders Fellowship program:

This photo is a professional headshot of Brittany Miller. She is a Black woman with long, straight black hair. In this photo, she is wearing a cream white headband that matches her cream white blazer. She is wearing a black blouse underneath the blazer and has a simple silver necklace and earrings on. She is smiling and her arms are relaxed to her sides with her hands slightly crossing in front.

Brittany Miller | Noble Support Team

Brittany Miller was born and raised on the Westside of Chicago. She currently serves as the administrative operations coordinator at Noble Schools.

Brittany served as a Notre Dame Americorps member for two years. During that time, her love for students and working in education began. After that, Brittany returned to the community she called home for four years in high school—Rauner College Prep. She found opportunities to serve at both Golder College Prep and DRW College Prep in various Support Team roles during her five years at Noble.

Brittany is a first-generation graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication & Radio/ TV Broadcasting and a Master of Arts in Student Affairs Leadership. Her desire to learn more and develop her skills in leadership kept motivating her to keep pushing through.

Supporting and serving is what she enjoys doing the most, but in her spare time, you will also find her anywhere there is music involved (mainly singing).

This photo is a professional headshot of Brittany Parks. She is a Black woman with medium-length black locs. She is wearing a simple black blouse, gold earrings, and has a nose ring, two nose studs, and a few gold loc jewelry pieces in her hair. She also has an intricate all-black tattoo of a flower on her left forearm. She is smiling and crossing her arms confidently.

Brittany Parks | Rauner College Prep

Brittany Parks was born and raised in Chicago and serves the students and families of Rauner College Prep as a college counselor.

She graduated from Northwestern University in 2013 before beginning her teaching career with Teach For America Delaware. Brittany taught in Philadelphia and Japan before joining Noble as an English Language Arts teacher at Rauner College Prep and, later, a college counselor at Mansueto High School.

She is passionate about college access and improving postsecondary outcomes for Black and Brown Chicago youth. In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her dog, spending time with friends and family, and practicing self-care.

This photo is a professional headshot of Cierra Howard. She is a Black woman with medium-length straight black hair in loose curls. She is wearing a black blouse with a black blazer on top of it. She is smiling and her arms are relaxed to her sides with her hands slightly crossed in front.

Cierra Howard | Muchin College Prep

Cierra Howard is a South Side Chicago native. Her experience of growing up in the inner city has shaped her perspective and passion for understanding those around her. She currently serves as the dean of culture for Muchin College Prep.

She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences with a focus in social work and sociology from Eastern Illinois University in 2018 and her Master of Science in Administration in 2020.

She has teaching experience with preschool through 2nd grade and a background in social services, focusing on foster care for youth from six to eighteen years old. Cierra began working for Noble Schools as a culture specialist and then as an assistant dean of culture before her current position.

She is passionate about working with Chicago youth and leading other education professionals in understanding that each student has a unique story to share and that educators can learn from. Cierra is honored to participate in the Diverse Leaders Fellowship and looks forward to collaborating with fellow educators and leaders of color to use their voices as advocates for change.

This photo is a professional headshot of Dyryl Burnett. He is a Black man with short dark brown locs. He is wearing a maroon t-shirt with a dark blue blazer closed over the top of it. On the left lapel of his blazer, there are three pins: a yellow flower, a black-and-white pin that says "be dope", and a Omega Psi Phi Fraternity crest. He is wearing two simple chains around his neck, one silver and one gold, and has two gold earrings on -- one of the earrings is a cross. Lastly, on his wrists, he is wearing a black smartwatch and a simple beaded bracelet. He is smiling and his arms are relaxed to his side with his hands clasped in front of his waist.

Dyryl Burnett | Butler College Prep

Dyryl, pronounced “Der-rell,” Burnett currently serves as a financial literacy teacher and 12th-grade lead at Butler College Prep. He is a husband to Tichina, father to Naomi and Adonye, son to Daryl & Lynette Burnett, and the eldest brother to Devin, Kaleb, and Jenay, along with many other titles to those who know him.

Born inside the historic Cook County Hospital, Dyryl Burnett, often called “DB,” is a native of the West Side of Chicago—though his family migrated throughout the western Chicagoland area (Chicago, Maywood, and Bellwood) for most of his early life. After graduating from Proviso West High School, DB started his college career at Illinois State University, where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications and then his Master of Arts in Art Technology. During these years, Dyryl hosted over 100 live events, founded & led an organization that still exists on campus today, became a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., and was seen as a leader for many minority students.

Dyryl began his education career in 2009. He went from being an after-school counselor to a janitor before becoming a teacher in 2011. In 2015, Dyryl started his career at Noble Schools.

Dyryl desires to teach and reframe the “American dream” by serving students and the public with his biblical spirit, entrepreneurial ambitions, generational-wealth-building mindset, and personal testimonies.

This photo is a professional headshot of Kim Rocha. She is a Latine woman with medium-length dark brown wavy hair with blonde highlights. She is wearing a black blouse with a cream white blazer buttoned closed on top of it. She is also wearing wide glasses with dark red rims and gold hoop earrings. She is smiling slightly and her arms are relaxed to her sides with her hands clasped in front of her waist.

KIMBERLY “KIM” ROCHA | Noble Street College Prep

Kim Rocha is a learning specialist at Noble Street College Prep—the Original Campus (OC). She has been at the OC for over twelve years and is also an alum.

She champions diverse learners’ rights, working alongside like-minded individuals who value diversity and equity. Kim is the founding teacher for the life skills course at the OC and has been working in collaboration with several special education educators across the Noble network who are committed to building a life skills curriculum for all campuses. Kim is also an adjunct instructor for the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Born and raised in Chicago, Kim is proud to live in the community she teaches in, with her son attending their neighborhood Chicago Public Schools campus. Being of Mexican-Guatemalan descent, Kim prides herself on family and culture as her most valued pillars in life. She is looking forward to spending her upcoming summer in Antigua, Guatemala, to celebrate her son’s graduation from school.

This is a professional headshot of Laurice Sabala, a Filipina-American woman with long straight black hair. In this photo, she is wearing a multicolored short-sleeved blouse with a floral-like pattern. She has a think gold chainlink around her neck. She is slightly smiling and her arms are relaxed to her sides with her hands clasped in front.

Laurice Sabala | UIC College Prep

Laurice Sabala is a Chicago-born 1st generation Filipina-American and a teacher at UIC College Prep.

She received her Bachelor of Arts in English at Rutgers University and Master of Education in Secondary English Education, with a focus on urban education, at the Rutgers Graduate School of Education.

She worked six years in the Greater NYC area after finishing her graduate degree. From 2010-2012, she worked with Rutgers Future Scholars as a program facilitator and mentor to 1st generation DREAMers, then spent the years 2012-2016 teaching 9th to 12th English in Linden, NJ.

After spending nearly a decade on the East Coast, she felt it was time to return to her roots. She taught for two years in Chicago Catholic schools. Then, in 2021, after taking some time off from the classroom, she finally found her home at UICCP. She will be entering her 3rd year as a proud Firecat educator!

She enjoys cooking for friends and family, spending time with her husband and 5-year-old son at the many beautiful parks in Chicago, and listening to 90s hip hop and R&B music. Laurice hopes to bring true justice and equity in education for all students of color, particularly those of immigrant backgrounds, and unveil the invisibility of being a Filipinx-American.

This photo is a professional headshot of Manuel Cardoza-Gonzalez. He is a Latine man with a black buzz cut and a short salt-and-pepper beard and mustache. There are some spots of dipigmented skin on the front of his neck. He is wearing a long-sleeved dark blue button-up with small white polka dots. He is smiling and his arms are relaxed to his sides.

Manuel “Manny” Cardoza-Gonzalez | Rauner College Prep

Manuel Cardoza-Gonzalez is a Latino man and Noble alum currently serving as a learning specialist at Rauner College Prep. He was born in Mexico and raised in Chicago.

As a DREAMer, he pursued higher education to inspire those who look like him and encourage them to be firm believers in their dreams. He recently graduated with his Master of Arts in Teaching in Specialized Education. Manuel has been at Noble for four years, initially as a paraprofessional and now in his current role.

He continues to be passionate about learning and advocating for his diverse learners and Latinx community. Manuel plans to support all his students in creating their own pathways to long-lasting and successful lives after high school.

This photo is a professional headshot of Marlene Rios. She is a Latine woman with medium-length wavy dark brown hair with a few locks of blonde in the front. She is wearing a white long-sleeved button-up with a burnt orange sweater vest over it. She is also wearing a string of pearls around her neck and gold dangling earrings with big pearls at the end. She is smiling and crossing her arms confidently.

Marlene Rios | Noble Support Team

Marlene Rios serves as an alumni success coach at the Noble Support Team.

She is a first-generation Posse Foundation alum who graduated with honors from Middlebury College, where she got her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Psychology. While at Middlebury, she and her friends founded PALANA, the first social organization with a residential space that catered to multicultural identities on campus, with over 200 active members.

Marlene was fortunate to have access to programs and mentors that supported her through high school and college, so she wanted to do the same for other first-generation students of color in Chicago. Therefore, she always worked closely with non-profits focused on educational and employment development in underrepresented neighborhoods.

Marlene is currently finishing her second year as an alumni success coach for two Noble campuses—The Noble Academy and ITW Speer— with a caseload of approximately 600 students. She provides personalized guidance and support to Noble’s graduates while they pursue college and/or the workforce. Marlene has been able to relate closely to alumni and foster a space where they feel heard and supported.

This photo is a black-and-white close-up casual photo of Mark Triana. He is a Latine man with short salt-and-pepper hair, long on the top and buzzed on the sides. He also has a short beard and mustache. He is wearing button-up with a tie. He is slightly smiling.

Mark Triana | ITW David Speer Academy

Mark Triana is a 12th-grade English Language Arts teacher at ITW David Speer Academy.

Before coming to Speer, he spent the first eight years of his career teaching first-year writing at three different universities. As a second-generation immigrant, the son of Cuban refugees, and a heritage language learner, he always wanted to work more closely with Black and Latinx students and families—which eventually led him to accept a position at Speer in April 2020.

Ultimately, he wanted to play some role in helping students realize at least three truths: 1) writing is powerful, 2) stories are powerful, and 3) you are powerful.

This photo is a professional headshot of Paul Smith. He is a Black man with a very short black buzzcut and a medium-length black beard with a mustache. He is wearing a white button-up with a light grey blazer buttoned on top of it. He is also wearing a light purple, gold, and white paisley tie. He is smiling slightly and his arms are relaxed to his sides with his hands clasped in front of his waist.

Paul Smith | Noble Support Team

Paul Smith was born in Chicago and raised in the Austin neighborhood. He is a CPS child who attended Lovett Elementary and graduated from Northside College Prep. He currently serves as the manager of selection and hiring at Noble Schools.

After high school, Paul attended Northeastern University for two years before transferring and graduating from UIC. Paul began working right out of college but did not find his passion until 2016 when he started a career in talent and human resources. By 2018, Paul had navigated his way to the nonprofit world—helping unemployed people access employment opportunities and career paths.

By 2020, Paul was looking to make a larger impact through management, which brought him to his current position. Paul is a proud Chicagoan who’s seen many parts and phases of the city that have shaped him and his outlook on life.

This photo is a professional headshot of Ricardo Quezada. He is a Latine man with a very short black buzzcut and beard. He is wearing a white button-up with a black blazer buttoned on top of it. He has on a black and silver striped tie. He is also wearing a black smartwatch on his wrist. He is smiling and has his arms relaxed at his sides with his hands clasped in front of his waist.

Ricardo “Ricky” Quezada | Pritzker College Prep

Ricardo Quezada Jr. is a Latino man born and raised in Cicero, IL. He currently serves as the Dean of Culture at Pritzker College Prep.

Ricardo attended Illinois State University, where he completed his Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice Sciences. Shortly after graduation, Ricardo spent some time working with Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. He then worked as an assistant residence hall director and later a student life coordinator at Dominican University. It was there that Ricardo received his Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution.

At Noble, Ricardo has served three years on the Culture Team at Pritzker College Prep—first as a culture specialist and then as an assistant dean of culture before moving into his current role.

In his free time, Ricardo enjoys working out, playing video games, and hanging out with his friends, family, and dog, Jax. He also loves sports, particularly football and basketball. He is a big fan of the New England Patriots, Chicago Bulls, and Chicago White Sox. As a first-generation college student, Ricardo is passionate about working with minority students in the City of Chicago. He looks forward to continuing to make an impact on inner-city youth!

This photo is a professional headshot of Tyesha Thomas. She is a Black woman with long, curly light brown locs. She is wearing a medium-sleeved black blouse, a thin silver chain with a small red gem at the end, a gold smartwatch on one wrist, and a white beaded bracelet on the other. She is smiling with her arms crossed confidently.

Tyesha Thomas | Johnson College Prep

Tyesha Thomas is an extraordinary educator from the Southside of Chicago who currently serves as a teacher at Johnson College Prep.

With an unwavering passion for teaching and an unyielding commitment to her students’ success, Tyesha has established herself as a beacon of inspiration and role model in her school community. Her passion, dedication, and ability to forge strong relationships earned her the honor of being 9th-grade Teacher of the Year twice.

Tyesha ignites a lifelong love for learning in her students and empowers them to become confident, compassionate, and successful individuals. She understands that education is not solely about imparting knowledge but also about nurturing the hearts and minds of her students. Through her genuine care and abiding support, she instills in her students a sense of compassion, empathy, and social responsibility, nurturing future leaders who will make a positive difference in their communities. 

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In this graphic, there is a background photo that shows Noble Schools parents sitting at tables in a gym, looking toward speakers that are not pictured. On top of that image is a dark blue transparent box. In the bottom left corner is a yellow box with dark blue text on it that reads "Noble Schools Parents Gather to Support Charter Renewal". In the bottom right corner is the Noble Schools logo.Noble Schools Parents Gather to Support Charter Renewal
In this graphic, there is an image in the background of the 5th cohort of Noble Schools' Diverse Leaders Fellowship program posing for a group photo after their graduation ceremony. On top of that photo is a dark blue transparent layer. On top of that and in the bottom left corner is a yellow box with blue text on it that reads "A Deeper Look at Noble Schools' Diverse Leaders Fellowship". The Noble Schools logo is in the bottom right corner.A Deeper Look at Noble Schools' Diverse Leaders Fellowship

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