Our Team

Amy Tran-Calhoun is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees and a proud native Californian. She completed her BA in Sociology and Masters in Social Welfare at UC Berkeley. Following her passion to advocate for the rights of underrepresented communities, Amy began her career in labor and national student organizing. Amy joined the Education Opens Doors team in 2014. In her role as the Director of Programs, Amy coaches the Impact Manager team to cultivate meaningful and lasting partnerships with school administrators, teachers, and community partners.

When I was in middle school, I wanted to be…

An architect because I took a drafting and wood shop elective and really enjoyed making things.

Prior to joining Education Opens Doors in 2015, Andy spent eight years pursuing his loves of teaching and travel, working with underprivileged students in Taiwanese cities, an impoverished Chilean desert town, and a marginalized indigenous Panamanian island. As a result of these and many other global and local experiences, his perspectives (and wonder) have deeply broadened, affirming his belief in the value a degree holds no matter where one calls home. Andy earned his Bachelor of Arts in History and Secondary Education from Holy Cross in 2006 and a Masters of Public Service from the University of Arkansas Clinton School in 2015. In his current role, Andy is deeply entrenched in most facets of the organization’s operations. Human resources, research and development, supply chain management, financial reporting, and major marketing initiatives are some of the areas that he oversees as Director of Operations.

When I was in middle school, I wanted to be…

The starting shortstop for the Boston Red Sox.

Bill earned his BA from a business college in Detroit. The first person in his family to go to college, he experienced the usual struggles but made it through despite them—or maybe because of them! Some years later, while working as a corporate manager, he realized that he really wanted to do something about disparities in education. Bill quit his job to enter graduate school in library and information science at Florida State University. He has spent the last fifteen years working in academic and non-profit settings, trying to take down the barriers that keep people—across the full range of diversity—from getting the information they need to realize their dreams. As the Administrative Assistant, Bill works closely with the Executive Director to develop systems to increase office efficiency, and the day-to-day operations of the office as a whole.

When I was in middle school I wanted to be…

A teacher. I spent summer vacations in my parents’ garage teaching math and English to neighborhood friends.

Celestino Carreón is the Data Manager overseeing data collection, reporting, systems management, as well as evaluation and assessment. Additionally, Cele is the Accounts Manager leading the accounts receivable and supply chain management for the organization. He came to EOD after serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco. Celestino earned his B.S. in Social Studies Education from Bowling Green State University and an M.A. in Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Siena Heights University.

When I was in middle school, I wanted to be…

A marine biologist.

Courtney Fadley’s career in education began while peering over the shoulders of young learners asking herself the question, “Why aren’t we asking them to do more?” As a middle school science teacher, and now Curriculum Specialist for Education Opens Doors, she has kept that question as a central part of her work. Through the years, she developed her teaching practice (how we ask them to do more) by utilizing project based learning, critical thinking strategies and inquiry based instruction. Since 2013, she has applied those skills and experience to crafting the Roadmap to Success into a comprehensive classroom and mentorship program, helping students achieve their limitless potential.

When I was in middle school, I wanted to be…

I could not wait to become a marine biologist!

Ellen Miller currently serves as the Marketing and Program Coordinator at Education Opens Doors, where she leads communications and marketing initiatives including the recent rebrand and website overhaul. Ellen became passionate about education while volunteering as a tutor at Facilitating Leadership in Youth, a mentoring organization in Washington, D.C. which ultimately led her to pursue an AmeriCorps term of service with Reading Partners in Dallas.

In addition to her work at Education Opens Doors, Ellen is an active community advocate, serving as a literacy tutor with Reading Partners and on the board of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN) Dallas.

When I was in middle school I wanted to be…

A forensic anthropologist.

Emily Cook has been with Education Opens Doors since 2014, and currently serves as the Manager of Development. She has a B.A. in English and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from Texas A&M University. Emily has always loved the field of education and worked as a teacher before shifting her focus to nonprofit fundraising. Her experiences with middle school students led her to understand the importance of supporting the whole child throughout their entire educational career. Emily currently supports Education Opens Doors by managing all aspects of its philanthropic income.

When I was in middle school, I wanted to be…

A journalist.

Jayda Batchelder currently serves as the Founding Executive Director of Education Opens Doors, setting and achieving strategic priorities, raising capital through fundraising and program sales and attracting and retaining top talent while responsibly managing the organization and budget.

Jayda was inspired to create Education Opens Doors while working as a Teach For America corps member at a high need middle school in Dallas, TX. It was through her work as an award-winning science teacher that she realized content mastery alone did not adequately prepare her students for success. She searched for a resource or program to meet this need, and when she realized one did not exist, she developed the Roadmap to Success student manual. In 2012 she left the classroom to launch Education Opens Doors to expand student access to the Roadmap to Success.

Jayda’s work in the college access sphere has garnered her a number of accolades. In 2015, Jayda was named a “40 Under 40” honoree by the Dallas Business Journal. In 2016, she was selected as a Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation Entrepreneur and in 2017 was selected as a Marshall Memorial Fellow. Most recently she was honored as an inaugural recipient of the I Stand for Parkland Community First Award.

When I was in middle school, I wanted to be…

I wanted to be a marine biologist (funny because I lived in a landlocked state) or a veterinarian!

Jorgelina Marin graduated from the University of Southern California, Riverside in 2014 where she earned her BA in Public Policy and a minor in Political Science. It was at UC Riverside that she found her passion supporting freshman residents as a Program Coordinator. Jorgelina became a Teach for America corps member in Fort Worth, Texas where she recognized the high need in the community. She sought to empower students and parents by implementing a social emotional curriculum in her classroom, and creating parent workshops to equip parents with the academic tools to support their children at home – all in hopes of teaching the whole child. Her experience in the classroom led her to a summer fellowship at College Track, a college access non-profit, where she gained a better understanding of the barriers students face to access higher education. She joins Education Opens Doors as an Impact Manager, where she is eager to support teachers through the Roadmap to Success program.

When I was in middle school, I wanted to be…

A veterinarian.

Kia Williams, a native of the Washington, DC area, is a nonprofit leader with nearly 15 years of experience in strategic partnerships, branding communications, and community relations. As the Director of Strategic Partnerships at EOD, Kia establishes relationships with schools and districts to expand programming within new markets, identifies ways for the organization to collaborate with community partners and helps share the EOD story locally and beyond.

Kia obtained a Bachelor of Science in Communications with a concentration in Public Relations from North Carolina A&T State University and began her career in communications with NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program. After many successful years in corporate America, Kia returned to her community-based roots in the nonprofit sector and earned a Master’s degree in Counseling and is currently pursuing a graduate certification in Nonprofit Management from Harvard University. Known for her passion, integrity, and creativity, Kia is committed to being a lifelong learner who makes a relevant impact within her community.

When I was in middle school, I wanted to be…

A lot of totally unrelated things across a wide spectrum. My top three were a lawyer (inspired by Claire Huxtable of the Cosby Show), a ballerina (specifically “Firebird” the star of Stravinsky’s ballet re-choreographed by the Dance Theater of Harlem), and a youth pastor.

As an Impact Manager who specializes in curriculum design, Sandra Godina supports teachers who use the Roadmap to Success program. While visiting their classrooms she gathers feedback from students and teachers which then inform the improvements that are made to the program.

Sandra taught 5th-grade reading and math in Fort Worth, Texas, prior to joining the team at EOD. Sandra, a first-generation college graduate, connected with her students by sharing her own college memories and listening to their own dreams about their future. She fundamentally believes that education is a key lever in ensuring that all communities experience the equity that they deserve.

When I was in middle school, I wanted to be…

An SNL cast member or a radio DJ.

As an Impact Manager, Summerlin Northrup makes an impact by training teachers and helping them implement the Roadmap to Success program, the cornerstone of Education Opens Doors. Summerlin has the privilege of visiting schools on a bi-weekly basis, developing relationships with both the teachers and their administrators. She shares, “The best part of my job is not only engaging with students about their passions and hopes for their lives, but knowing I am a part of the very positive influence Education Opens Doors provides to them.”

Summerlin graduated in 2014 from Baylor University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Education and became a 4th grade math teacher in Mesquite, TX, with a mission to inspire students to strive for their absolute best, no matter their circumstances. She now has the opportunity to provide students with a tool that inspires them to pursue their most daring aspirations, while also educating them on their college and financial aid options so that they can live a prosperous and fulfilling life.

When I was in middle school I wanted to be…

An author. Reading and writing has been my passion as far back as I can remember, although since graduating from college my writing skills have become quite rusty.