Opportunity Coalition/Leaders for Just Schools Cohort Leaders

Karen Moore: Coordinator of Level I, 'Leaders for Just Schools' Cohorts

Karen Moore is 26 year veteran teacher in Harvey Public Schools District 152. My service to IEA includes the following: building representative, local Secretary, Region 27 Vice Chair, IEA Minority Caucus Chair, Human and Civil Rights Committee Chair, and NEA Director. For the past 3 years, I have been a Leaders for Just Schools facilitator for Illinois cohorts out of the Matteson office and a co-coordinator for level one facilitators. On the national level I currently serve as the National Education Association Black Caucus Vice Chair and a member of the NEA Board's Internal Concerns Committee.

Adriana Cabellero: Coordinator of Level I, 'Leaders for Just Schools' Cohorts

Adriana Caballero is one of the instructional coordinators and a facilitator for IEA's Level 1 LJS Program. She has extensive knowledge and expertise in the areas of racial and social justice and equity in education. Adriana currently serves on the IEA Board of Directors as the Northern Ethnic Minority Sectional Rep, and is in her second term on the Executive Committee. She also chairs the Board subcommittee on racial and social justice and leads presentations and trainings for the members of the Board. For her actual job, Adriana is a bilingual teacher for the littles in Schaumburg.

Amber Jirsa: Coordinator of Level II, 'Building Opportunity' Cohort

Amber Jirsa is an experienced English teacher who has been making a positive impact in the lives of her students for over 14 years. She was recently recognized as the 2023 North Suburbs Region Teacher of the Year by the Illinois State Board of Education. One of Amber’s greatest strengths is her focus on building strong relationships with her students. She understands that students are more likely to succeed when they feel valued and supported, and she goes out of her way to ensure that every student in her classroom feels seen and heard. Amber also serves as a member of the IEA Human and Civil Rights Committee, as a member of her district equity committee and as the chair of her local’s equity committee. In 2022, Amber received a DEI certification from Cornell University. Amber has attended several leadership trainings, including the NEA Minority and Women's Leadership Training twice, Ethnic Minority and Emerging Leadership Training, and the NEA Leadership Summit. These trainings have equipped her with the skills and knowledge needed to be an effective leader and advocate for her students.

Ami Rodriguez: Coordinator of Level II, 'Building Opportunity' Cohort

I am currently an Inclusion Coach in CUSD 300 and a Level 2 Facilitator for Building Opportunity (LfJS). As an Inclusion Coach I work one-on-one with staff and students at Dundee-Crown High School to address cases of discrimination within our building. I run the Student Equity Committee, and the AAPI club in my building. I also assist in coordinating and planning Conversations on Racism and Conversations on Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation which are monthly meetings to educate staff. As a member of the D300 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team I work to bring equity to the 27 schools in our district by creating and delivering professional development on equity-related topics and collaborate with district leaders to create support groups for parents. At the district level, I coordinate our Hispanic Youth Alliances, am an active member of our district Equity Committee and co-lead our Connections with Family and Community strand of our district Equity Action Plan.

Anne Jacobson: Coordinator of Level III, 'Opportunity Coalition Network'

I was born and raised in Chicago and I am proud to be a former south-sider and Sox fan! I am a speech-language pathologist at Maine South High School in Park Ridge, IL. I have a Bachelors Degree in Speech-Pathology from Saint Xavier University, a Masters Degree in Speech-Pathology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a Masters Degree in Educational Administration from the American College of Education. I am passionate about social justice causes and have been honored to have completed the trainings for Leaders for Just Schools, and currently serve as a co-facilitator for the Level III/IV member cohort. In each quarterly session, we collaborate with members who serve as leaders in equity work to address educational and student inequities so that all students have a path for advancement and chances to succeed beyond the classroom.

Kristine Micheles: Coordinator of Level III, 'Opportunity Coalition Network'

Kristine Micheles (she/her) participated in the first year of Leaders for Just Schools in 2019-2020. She now serves as a co-facilitator of the Level III/IV cohort of the Opportunity Coalition Network. Kristine began her career 15 years ago as a special education teacher. She has both co-taught in general education classrooms and taught SEL self-contained at the elementary level, as well as taught self-contained reading and vocational skills at the high school level. Kristine is currently the Student Services Coordinator at an elementary building. Her additional roles include serving as an Equity Ambassador and a member of her district DELT. Kristine works to improve the inclusion and recognition of underrepresented students, including those with disabilities and the LGBTQ+ community.