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:

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.