Team

Jesse Solomon founded the Boston Teacher Residency program in 2003, Previously, he taught middle and high school math for 10 years — at the King Open School in Cambridge, Brighton High School, and City on a Hill Public Charter School. He was a founding faculty member, lead teacher, and a member of the board of directors at City on a Hill, where he began and directed the Teachers' Institute, a school-based teacher preparation program. Mr. Solomon has been an instructor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and is a National Board-certified teacher. He holds a BS in Mathematics from MIT and an MEd from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The Barr Foundation named Mr. Solomon a Barr Foundation Fellow in 2009 for his leadership, and he is also a Pahara-Aspen Institute Education Fellow. Contact: jsolomon@bpe.org

Clara is the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer, managing the finances of BPE and its two teaching academies, Dudley Street Neighborhood Charter School (DSNCS) and the Dearborn STEM Academy (DSA), including compliance with all internal financial controls and external regulations and reporting requirements. In addition, she oversees operations for the organization, including human resources, information technology, and office management. Before joining BPE, she led the finance team at Nurtury, Inc., a nonprofit early education organization. Clara holds a BA in Economics from the College of the Holy Cross, a graduate certificate in nonprofit finance and administration from Suffolk University, Sawyer School of Business, and an MBA in nonprofit management from Springfield College.

Dr. Tasheena Burnett is a lead learner in her work as Director of Boston Teacher Residency (BTR). She leads the BTR program and holds Boston families and their students learning at the center of all decisions she makes. Since graduating BTR in 2011, Tasheena spent a combined ten years in Boston Public Schools teaching English Language Arts and serving as a Data Inquiry Facilitator. She earned a B.S in English from Suffolk University, MS in Human Resource Management from Emmanuel College, M.Ed from UMASS Boston, and Ed.D from Regis College. Her research focus is on black male success in higher education. Her inspiration comes from her family, her students and their families, and her mentors. She is committed to developing teachers who bring joy, curiosity, and rich content knowledge to their classrooms.

Emily is the Director of Talent and Human Resources, providing strategic direction for talent, recruitment, hiring, human resources operations, and AmeriCorps administration. Prior to joining BPE, she worked for Young Voices, a RI non-profit organization working to transform youth into powerful advocates who partner with major state leaders to create systemic reform and policy change. Emily holds a BA in English from Juniata College and an MA in Humanities and Social Thought from New York University. When not working, Emily enjoys reading and being with family and friends.

A lifelong learner, Mr. Heckstall hails from Middletown, Conn. and attended Trinity College in Hartford, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Education with a concentration in Neuroscience. While completing his Master of Education from Lesley University, Mr. Heckstall became a Teach For America corps member and worked as a science and special education teacher at what is now the Dearborn STEM Academy. Mr. Heckstall remained working in schools as a teacher, a Dean of Students and finally his most recent school-based role as Co-Principal of the 9th Grade Academy of Lawrence High School in Lawrence, Mass.

As Chief Improvement Officer, Ed Liu oversees research and data across BPE's programs and schools. Before joining BPE, Dr. Liu was Assistant Professor of Educational Administration at Rutgers University, and he began his career as a high school history teacher and as founding co-director of Summerbridge Portland (a Breakthrough program). Dr. Liu holds an EdD from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he was an original member of the Project on the Next Generation of Teachers and co-authored "Finders and Keepers: Helping New Teachers Survive and Thrive in Our Schools" (AACTE Outstanding Book of 2005). He also earned degrees from Stanford University and Yale University, and serves on the board of the National Council on Teacher Quality.

Melanie Winklosky joined BPE in 2012 as the Chief Advancement Officer, leading BPE's team responsible for public and private fundraising and communications. Melanie has been working in public education for nearly 30 years and has led teams which have raised more than $100 million to support students, educators, and programs. Before joining BPE, she was the Vice President of Development and Operations at Mass Insight Education, and spent 13 years at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. She holds a BA in Psychology from Saint Vincent College and an MA in Human Development from Boston College. Melanie is the proud mother of two adult children, and writes fiction in her spare time. She serves on the Board of Survivors Say.

Tania Baez, Dearborn STEM Academy's new Work Based Learning Manager brings 7 years of experience working with youth in student support roles. As the Work Based Learning Manager, Tania brings to the role a wealth of knowledge and experience cultivating internship partnerships and laying the foundation not only for schools but also businesses to create internship programs designed for high school students. Tania holds a Bachelors Degree in World Languages and Culture and is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Higher Education in Student Affairs.

Monique Davis served as a recruiter for the Boston Teacher Residency (BTR) since the organization’s inception in 2003, recruiting talent on a local and national level and building relationships and cultivating partnerships. She currently oversees placement of BTR graduates in Boston schools and coordinates a network of over 250 alumni. Previously, Ms. Davis worked as an employment manager at the Home for Little Wanderers, a Boston-based non-profit human services organization. She has also worked for the Vinfen Corporation and the Boston Stock Exchange. Ms. Davis earned a BA in Finance and Accounting from Northeastern University and an Executive MBA from Dartmouth College in Minority Business.

Ms. Jacquays has worked in the field of education for 20 years, having spent many years as an elementary teacher and reading specialist/consultant. For the past ten years, she worked with the Boston Public Schools as a district-wide literacy coach, Vice Principal/Director of Instruction at the Ohrenberger Elementary School, and as a Response to Intervention (RTI) Curriculum Specialist at the Haley Pilot School. She has taught graduate classes at the University of Massachusetts and has worked as a literacy consultant for Tufts University.

Helene joined BPE in Spring 2020 as the Advancement Associate. Prior to BPE, Helene worked for several years at Year Up where she held positions in operations and events. A Dorchester/Roxbury native, Helene is excited to be a part of an organization that serves youth in these communities. In her spare time, Helene is an avid concertgoer and enjoys recording music.

Dr. Nicholl Montgomery (she/her) is a secondary English Clinical Teacher Educator. She received her doctorate in curriculum and instruction from Boston College’s Lynch School of Education and Human Development. Her dissertation was an analysis of Jacqueline Woodson’s middle grades and young adult literature with Black girl protagonists. Her dissertation topic was influenced by her work as an English teacher in Boston Public Schools and in the community where she used African American youth literature to engage young people and their families in critical conversations. When Nicholl isn’t teaching, she enjoys trying new recipes and knitting.

I began my journey with BPE as an intern in Fall 2018, later joining full-time after earning my Master's degrees in Accounting and Taxation from Suffolk University. When I'm not working, I enjoy watching soccer, reading, and exploring new places through travel.

Adina Schecter is a veteran educator and teacher leader who has shaped teaching and learning at the classroom, school, and district level for over two decades — from pioneering restorative justice practices as a high school English teacher, to leading school-wide instructional coaching, to launching district-wide equity work as the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Coach for Milton Public Schools.

Adina now serves as a Secondary BTR Teacher Network Coach, taking a boots-on-the-ground approach to support new BTR graduates through their first three years in the classroom — working alongside them and helping them study and grow their own practice. She also leads BTR's "Grad Groups," this year focused on restorative justice and middle school teaching. Across every role, her passion has been empowering adolescents — especially those who have not been traditionally successful in school — to read critically, write boldly, and speak with confidence.

Grace joined the financial department in August 2016. She graduated from Wuhan University of Technology with a bachelors in accounting, and worked five years as an accountant in China. Grace also holds an associate degree in accounting in the US and is pursuing a degree in taxation. She is so glad to be part of BPE. In her free time she enjoys watching movies, traveling, and hanging out with friends.

Kai has served two years at Dearborn with College Advising Corps - BU, working with students to develop their post-secondary plans. As a post-secondary adviser, he supports Dearborn graduates navigate college and their post-high school lives. Kai graduated from Davidson College in 2020 with a degree in philosophy. In his free time, he enjoys camping/hiking, cooking, following sports, looking at trees, and is a passionate player of kendama, a traditional Japanese wooden skill toy