Meet the Committee

Trese Booze
(she, her, hers)

Trese Booze is a senior director for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where she serves as the key operations and administrative leader for education-focused grants and programs. 

Booze has a master’s degree in counseling from MidAmerica Nazarene University, a bachelor’s degree in counseling from Calvary University, and is a national certified counselor.

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Trinity Davis
(she, her, hers)

Trinity Davis is the president and founder of Teachers Like Me, an organization dedicated to recruiting, developing, and retaining Black teachers in public education. Davis saw the need for progressive and radical change in recruiting and preparing educators, educating youth, and addressing systemic inequities in education. Davis’ service as a classroom teacher, literacy coach, associate professor, and assistant superintendent allows her to understand systems and disrupt the inequalities in education. Recently, Davis recruited Black teachers and recruited students of color to the College of Education. 

Davis received her doctorate in urban education and leadership at Kansas State University.

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Dr. Jason E. Gines

Dr. Jason E. Gines is the director of community engagement at Pembroke Hill School, where he oversees the installation of dignity principles across all sectors of the school community.

Through his leadership, he has successfully integrated diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity (DBIE) principles into all facets of the organizational culture, fostering environments where every individual feels valued and empowered.

Gines is an innovative executive leader dedicated to driving organizational excellence and fostering inclusive workplace cultures, with expertise in end-to-end program management, strategy development, and fostering diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity within organizations.

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Nicole Goodman
(she, her, hers)

Nicole Goodman is superintendent at Scuola Vita Nuova Charter School. She has experience as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and superintendent, in urban settings for all of her 27 years in education. She knows that education is the key to eliminating systemic barriers, which motivates her pursuit for equitable learning.  

Goodman has a B.A. in elementary education and sports administration from Simpson College; a M.A. in administration from Lindenwood University; a Master in reading and an ESL endorsement from Concordia University; and an education specialist degree in educational leadership with a concentration in superintendence from the University of Central Missouri. 

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Tonya Guinn
(she, her, hers)

Tonya Guinn is a founding member of Amplify and impact officer for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where she supports grants and education-focused initiatives through program development, project management, relationship building, and community management, e.g. Kauffman Education Fellowship, Amplify, Equity in Schools, and capacity building. As a Kansas City native, she attended Kansas City Public Schools and this drives her passion for establishing equitable, fair, and quality educational opportunities in the urban core.  

Guinn has a B.A. in business administration and a M.A. in management from Baker University.  

She is a 2020 BME Vanguard Fellow and Kauffman Fellow.  

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Keith Jones, Ph.D.
(he, him, his)

Keith Jones, Ph.D., has held leadership roles in middle and high schools since 2012. He is currently the head principal at North Kansas City High School. He has taught English, journalism, and video production. Dr. Jones is passionate about teaching the whole child and helping students develop life skills as well as advocating for college and career preparatory programs. Dr. Jones works with the BLOC Organization that supports educators of color.    

Dr. Jones is a graduate of Florida A&M University, Pittsburgh State University, and Baker University. He holds a B.A. in journalism, a M.A. in instructional leadership, and a doctorate degree in educational leadership. 

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Elise Kwenin
(she, her, hers)

Elise Kwenin is an entrepreneur, educator, and a product of Kansas City public schools. She has been working in Kansas City schools for over 10 years, serving as a fourth grade teacher, fifth grade math teacher, an Algebra 1 teacher, and now has her own business. Her greatest passions in education are community building and outreach. 

Advanced Care Academy is going into the 3rd year of operation and provides opportunities for families and students to engage in learning through private tutoring and math workshops. They support teachers through coaching and professional development. As a founding member of the Amplify planning committee, she is inspired and rejuvenated each year by this community. 

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Kyren Martin

Kyren Martin is an instructional coach and works in mental health and urban education through the Institute for Urban Education at UMKC.

A native of Ferguson, Missouri, Martin set his sights on being a pillar, resource, and advocate to the world. Martin’s life mission to be transformative in the areas of family advocacy, mental health, and education within the urban core. 

He has also served as the pastor of Online Worship Experience at Live Church STL and in various leadership roles at Evangelistic Center Church (KCK). Currently, Martin is the Young Adult Pastor at St. James UMC. He serves on the board for Kaye’s Learning Corner and the alumni council of MidAmerica Nazarene University.

Kyren received a B.A. from MidAmerica Nazarene University, and a Master’s in Education and Teaching from UMKC. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Ministry in Leadership where his research focus is in trauma in the context of Black Culture.

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Kayla McClellan
(she, her, hers)

Kayla McClellan teaches at Lincoln College Preparatory Middle School and coaches track and volleyball. A proud HBCU graduate and product of the Kansas City Public education system, she began teaching at Northeast Middle School.

She is honored to have been selected as a Green Fellow. This allowed her to take her students to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tenn., which was fully funded by Shark Tank for Teachers. She was selected as Teacher of the Year for her school, district, and Kansas City region between 2022 and 2023.  

She has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in history.

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Irvin Parga

Irvin Parga is in his eighth year teaching mathematics at the secondary level. He was born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas, and is a first generation Mexican-American and the first to graduate from high school in his family.

Parga is also a team lead and sports coach, having coached soccer for five years, and is currently in his fifth year coaching football, and second year coaching bowling and track. He’s a mentor in his district, building, for Avanzando at UMKC, sports teams, and in his community.

Parga loves to celebrate the accomplishments of others and believes that together, we are stronger for the communities that we serve.  

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James Taylor
(he, him, his)

James Taylor is the assistant principal at KIPP Endeavor Academy. He was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. The road to his education experience started in the sixth grade. In his economics class, a Black male teacher told him that he wasn’t going to be anything in life but the average athlete. Taylor told him, “I’m not just gonna be a great athlete, I’m also going to come back and take your job as a teacher.”  

In 2015, Taylor became a teacher at that same school. Five years later, he became an assistant principal.  

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Sedrick Ward

Sedrick Ward is a dedicated fourth-year elementary teacher at KIPPKC, where he teaches 1st and 3rd grades. At KIPPKG, Ward collaborates with the literacy team to ensure the curriculum reflects the diverse backgrounds of students, enhancing their learning experience. He is an active member of Brothers Liberating Our Communities (BLOC) and recently joined the Amplify Community Advisory Committee (ACAC).

With a strong passion for advancing literacy and social skills in his community, Ward is committed to fostering growth and development. As he approaches his senior year, he aims to graduate Magna Cum Laude, reflecting his academic dedication and achievement.  

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Karis Walker
(she, her, hers)

Karis Walker is currently the chief academic officer at Crossroads Academy – Central Street. She is a school leader who is dedicated to creating excellent educational opportunities for all students and empowering teachers and students to unleash their full potential.

Additionally, she is a Teach For America alumna, a Leading Educators alumna, and a Fund for Teachers grant recipient. Walker has an unshakable commitment to transforming the educational system and a passion for critical conversation.  

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Jennifer Collier
(she, her, hers)

Jennifer Collier is the superintendent of Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS). She has served as an educator in KCPS for over 20 years, serving as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and director of human resources. She is dedicated to securing a workforce that has the capacity, will and dedication to provide a quality educational experience for the children and families of KCPS. 

Collier has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas, master’s degree in education from Avila University, educational specialist in educational leadership from University of Missouri — Kansas City, and has a doctorate in educational leadership from University of Missouri — Kansas City.

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Charles King
(he, him, his)

Charles King is the founder and CEO of The Educator Academy, and has an unyielding commitment to seeing schools in the urban context succeed. He believes that it has to start one classroom at a time, one teacher at a time. For more than 20 years, he has worked in urban public schools as a teacher, principal, and charter management organization leader, fighting to end educational inequities, and in turn, close the opportunity gap.  

King earned a master’s degree in education administration from Houston Baptist University, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Morehouse College.  

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Tysie McDowell
(she, her, hers)

Tysie McDowell is the co-founder and superintendent of Crossroads Charter Schools. She was also formerly the chief academic officer of Crossroads Charter Schools. Before founding Nia Educational Consulting, McDowell taught at another charter school, as well as in the Kansas City Public School district, and as an adjunct professor at University of Missouri — Kansas City. McDowell is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., the Missouri Foster Care and Adoption Association, and the nonprofit board of To The World, Inc. 

McDowell graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.A. in elementary education and a minor in African world studies. She earned a master’s in school administration from Baker University. 

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Edgar J. Palacios
(he, him, el)

Edgar J. Palacios is the founder of the Latinx Education Collaborative (LEC) and Revolución Educativa (RevED). Palacios recently participated in the Deeper Learning and Equity Fellowship and the City Leadership Fellowship. Palacios was president of Young Latino Professionals of Greater Kansas City and the KC chapter of the National Society of Hispanic MBAs. He is currently board president of Scuola Vita Nuova Charter School. Palacios sits on the national Latino Educator Advisory Council through Latinos for Education.  

Palacios earned a master’s from Rockhurst University, a B.A. in music from UMKC, a certificate in nonprofit management from Georgetown University, and is a trained community organizer.

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