Joy Lindsay
National Office
Manager of Budgeting & Reporting
How does your background connect with our mission?
Prior to joining New Leaders, I worked in Systems Integration & Technology consulting for Accenture, and volunteered with numerous educational non-profits as a mentor and tutor to high school and middle school students. Currently I am a team leader for the New York Youth at Risk Woman to Woman Program and am pursuing a Masters in Public Administration at the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. In the future, I plan to combine my business background with my passion for education, improving the quality of education across the globe, decreasing the global “achievement gap,” and opening specialized schools for at-risk youth.
Why did you join our staff?
After earning my B.A in finance from Howard University, I utilized my business skills in corporate finance, investment banking, and education internships, and decided that what I was looking for was an organization concerned with more than just the bottom line. Working for New Leaders allows me to provide financial support to help further our mission through fundraising, reporting, and financial management. I am so pleased that I’ve succeeded in my goal of being part of an institution focused on improving the world we live in, particularly the education disparities in our nation.
What keeps you here?
There are a number of things that keep me at New Leaders —being able to do work that I enjoy, knowing that I play a part in work that is crucial to our nation’s youth, developing skills that allow me to grow as a leader, and working with such amazing people.
What do you most enjoy about the working environment here?
I most enjoy the people, particularly the finance team. It’s great to go to work and feel like you’re working with extended family, not just co-workers!
Tim Carnahan
Chicago
Program Coordinator
How does the work you do, or your previous experience, connect with New Leader’s mission?
After earning my BA in Religious Studies from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, and an MA from the Missouri School of Journalism (University of Missouri), I became a print and radio reporter and producer covering education issues for WBEZ (Chicago’s public radio station) and other outlets in Chicago, Missouri and Minnesota. I also worked for the Minnesota State Senate, the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice and as an Assistant Teacher in early-childhood education in Minneapolis. All of this experience informs and shapes my work as a Program Coordinator focusing on delivering support to our New Leaders, whether they are still in training or already in the field. I help them focus on Data Driven Instruction, I track local data streams, coordinate communications regarding our work in Chicago, ensure the fidelity of our Chicago database and aid in our local fundraising efforts through grant-writing and end-of-year report writing. In all these ways, my current position allows me to deeply connect with our community of school leaders and the great work they do on behalf of students every day.
Why did you join New Leader’s staff?
I joined New Leaders after encountering the organization and some of the principals New Leaders had trained while working as a journalist. As a reporter, I had been struck by how quickly many conversations about educational equity devolved to finger-pointing, excuses and blaming. New Leader’s focus on solutions to these problems and on the essential stakeholders in the conversation—students—was a breath of fresh air. I realized that working for New Leaders was an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of children in Chicago.
What keeps you at New Leaders?
Aside from our dedication to children, and the amazing educators I am honored to meet in the work, I love New Leader’s organizational focus on self-reflection and professional growth. New Leaders encourages all staff to be consistently reflective about their professional practice and provides multiple and varied opportunities to give back to the organization. Working here has helped me grow both personally and professionally; I have been given the opportunity to cultivate new skills and collaborate with amazing people, all dedicated to the academic success of students. And I love the opportunities I receive to meet the teachers and students our New Leaders work with and support every day.
What do you most enjoy about the working environment here?
I am inspired daily by the organization’s commitment to educational equity, the people we have trained and currently support as school leaders, and my fellow co-workers who live the mission every day.
Michelle Pierre-Farid
Washington, D.C.
Executive Director
How does the work you do, or your previous experience, connect with our mission?
Directly before training to become a New Leader principal, I was a counselor and facilitator for minority and low socioeconomic students in gifted and talented programs. I was originally trained as a teacher—these days it’s an anomaly, but I actually studied education (and sociology). I have always believed that all children can learn at a high level, and I have dedicated myself to fighting for that belief every single day.
Why did you join the New Leaders staff?
The position I held directly before becoming the Executive Director for New Leaders-Washington D.C. was as Deputy Chief Academic Officer for Friendship Public Charter Schools. At Friendship I was made constantly aware of the overwhelming needs of so many students, which made me want to make the maximum impact. As a New Leader Principal I could touch 550 children, as Academic Officer, 1,800. But as Executive Director for New Leaders in D.C., my reach was instantly so much bigger—and I am a product of New Leaders training. So, although I loved my job at Friendship, I thought: Who better to support my own people? Who else should do this work? I also remembered all the times I’d said, “If they’d only taught me XYZ, it would be so much easier now.” I can’t complain and then not come back to try and help make improvements!
What keeps you here?
First of all, until I get it right, I’m not going to leave. I want to make sure I figured out the right mix of support, theory and action to support the principals in D.C. 100 percent. As long as I am a part of the New Leaders team, I will do what is right for children. Secondly, I truly believe if it’s not New Leaders, then who will it be to reform schools? Lastly, I am excited that people are focused on education, but until the conversation includes leadership and its importance to the education field, I feel that it is important to keep reminding key stakeholders. I want to make sure that those conversations do happen, and I am here to remind people that it is principals who recruit and retain great teachers and who facilitate the process of making them the best stewards for students.
What do you most enjoy about our working environment?
I think there is a nice balance at New Leaders. The organization truly cares about their people. To show that they care, they have policies that help to create a strong work/life balance. For example, summer hours are great—leave a little early and enjoy the sun, take a little holiday. The other aspect is its focus on getting the job done. Since our mission is focused on the kids we serve, I think we work extremely hard to deliver on the mission, which means we are continuously reflecting on how we are doing as an organization. We then rethink, and refine, and retool—so that we can be a better organization. I think that is what makes us different from other organizations; we hold ourselves accountable.
