Jayda Batchelder currently serves as the Founder & CEO 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!

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 and Innovation.

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

The starting shortstop for the Boston Red Sox.

Roscoe Compton-Kelly serves as the Senior Director of External Affairs at Education Opens Doors, where he leads the cultivation, relationship management and strategy around EOD partners and donors.

Prior to joining Education Opens Doors, Roscoe worked at Scholastic Book Fairs for over 20 years and served in several leadership capacities during his tenure. Most recently, he worked as Territory Manager of Strategic Partnerships where he oversaw the business strategy and implementation of new business partnerships in school districts across the southern US.

Roscoe is a Texas native, a child and spouse of current Texas educators. Roscoe attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. He is an avid reader and traveler. Roscoe also serves on the Board of Directors of Dallas Hope Charities, and also as singing member of the world-
renowned Turtle Creek Chorale.

Stephanie Epps serves as the Senior Director of Programs for Education Opens Doors. She was born and raised in Indiana although she has spent most of her adulthood in the Bay Area. As a Stanford alum with a B.A. in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, Stephanie started her career at Google and went on to work in tech/educational technology at a couple of start-ups where she realized her passion for college access, workforce development, and program management. She also provides DEI, team/culture building, and professional development resources and training to professionals in need. In 2014, Stephanie combined her passion and skills to shift from tech to the mission-based work of the non-profit world and has loved it ever since. She focuses on social impact through working with low income, first generation college students and communities of color to help support their paths to success.

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

a CFO of a Fortune 500 company.

Jordan Bender currently serves as Director of Advancement for Education Opens Doors. Before joining the Education Opens Doors team, Jordan worked as the Development Manager for ScholarShot, where she managed donor relations and played a key role in developing Corporate partners. Jordan has a wide range of experience in development; her specialties include fundraising, cultivating donor relationships, planning and coordinating special events, social media marketing, and grant writing.

Jordan received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Marine Policy from the University of Miami. Jordan began her career in non-profit environmental education, but eventually transitioned to a non-profit career focused in fundraising. While she is originally from South Florida, Jordan now considers herself to be a Texan. Jordan has committed herself to serve her community and helping individuals realize their full potential. As a former educator, she knows and recognizes the disconnect in communities with education and has prioritized working to close that gap.

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

an astronaut or marine biologist!

Joe completed his BA in Linguistics, Russian Studies, and Comparative Cultures at Brandeis University. The social justice mission of his alma mater inspired Joe to join Teach For America in 2015 to work directly in addressing educational inequity. He loved working with his students to empower their growth, but soon saw that the academic mastery his students achieved was not enough to ensure their long term success. It was after this realization that Joe knew he needed to address the systemic barriers students faced, not just the academic ones. He joined Education Opens Doors in 2019 as the Executive Assistant, where he coordinates the daily operations of the office and supports the planning and execution of organizational initiatives. He completed his Masters of Education at Southern Methodist University.

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

A science fiction author.

Kelsey Martin is an Instructional Designer & Digital Content Developer. She comes to the EOD team with experience in both local and international education arenas and is passionate about changing the narrative of what seems possible in digital learning spaces.

As an English Language Arts educator at a Title I high school in Central FL, Kelsey sought to educate the whole student through thoughtful approaches to literature and social complexities. Upon leaving the classroom, Kelsey served as a founding creative team member for an educational start-up based in Beijing, China focusing on mobile app development and the social-emotional development of young children. Through these experiences, she was equipped to enter the dynamic world of higher education where she partnered with various subject matter experts and university officials to create equitable and inclusive digital learning materials in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic. She is honored to join the Education Opens Doors team in the Instructional Designer role and excited to continue their life-changing work in Dallas, TX and beyond.

Kelsey holds a BA in Secondary English Language Arts Education from The University of Central Florida and a M.Ed. in Instructional Design & Technology with certification in Digital & Distance Learning from The University of South Florida.

when i was in middle school, i wanted to be…

A detective.

Susan is excited to continue to serve the Dallas-Fort Worth community as the Manager of Talent to help provide educational access to all students, regardless of their background.

As a college student, Susan had the privilege to intern on Capitol Hill where she first began to work on legislation initiatives to reduce the burden of student loans and close the achievement gap. Upon graduation, Susan was accepted as a 2014 Teach for America Corps Member where she worked as an 8th Grade English and Language Arts teacher for 3 years. Following her Teach for America commitment, Susan continued to support the West Dallas community as a Middle School Reading Interventionist. Susan has experience developing student-centered curriculum, creating and leading adult professional development, as well as mentoring new teachers.

Susan was awarded one of five Dallas Mavericks Teacher of the Year awards in 2018. She holds a BA in Political Science from The George Washington University and an MA in Education from Southern Methodist University.

when i was in middle school, i wanted to be…

An Academy Award winning actress.

Nia is excited to continue to serve the Dallas-Fort Worth community as an Impact Manager to help provide educational access to all students and empower the next generation of leaders. Prior to joining the EOD team, Nia professionally worked as a single-gender educator in Dallas, Tx. In 2016, she began her career in education as a DFW Teach for America corp member teaching 8th grade english language arts and reading for 2 years.  Upon leaving 8th grade she continued teaching scholars reading and language arts from grades 5 to first. Through her experiences working with students from diverse backgrounds and populations, one thing has remained evident: education opens the door for opportunities for others to live out their purpose. She whole-heartedly believes that the gift of knowledge and understanding of opportunities and one’s own potential, ignites their ability to walk in their God-given purpose. Nia has experience developing student-centered curriculum, creating and leading adult professional development, as well as mentoring new teachers.

Phil Ward is excited to continue to serve the Dallas-Fort Worth community as an Impact Manager with Education Opens Doors, supporting teachers in equipping their students with the awareness, knowledge, and skills they need to become the next generation of leaders and world changers.

Prior to joining the team at EOD, Phil worked as an facilitator and program manager, equipping and training young adults on soft skill development and life skills, while empowering them to walk boldly into Fortune 500 companies through internships that led to gainful employment. While his experiences working with students from different backgrounds and socio-economic populations has varied, he has held firm to the belief that elevation and empowerment isn’t just tied to purpose, it’s tied to perspective. He aspires to not just “open doors”, but open the eyes of as many people as possible, encouraging them that while opportunity is not always created equally, determination and will are, and they never have to settle for being defined by the situations or circumstances they may have been born in. For over a decade, Phil’s life mission has allowed him countless opportunities in the areas of curriculum development, facilitation, people empowerment and life coaching and has resulted in creating a ripple effect that will profoundly impact this community and beyond for generations to come.

when i was in middle school, i wanted to be…

The starting Point Guard for the Los Angeles Lakers!

Maxi Anderson currently serves as an Advancement Associate at Education Opens Doors. Before joining Education Opens Doors, Maxi worked at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas in the resource development department. She worked as a corporate relations manager. She developed and managed account strategies for multiple corporate partners increasing revenue through employee-giving campaigns, volunteer engagement, sponsorships, and significant, mid-level, and corporate gifts.

Maxi received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship, Venture Management, and Marketing from The University of Oklahoma. Her minor areas of study focused on nonprofit organizations, non-governmental organizations, and African-American Studies. Maxi is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Drexel University. She is a Texas native and has multiple lifelong educators in her family. She enjoys traveling and exploring the globe (visited all seven continents) to help understand and bridge cultures. To live her life as a reflection of her passion, Maxi loves assisting others in reaching their full potential.

A seasoned educator, Kristen is passionate about providing college readiness skills and knowledge to students in order to empower them through their educational journeys and beyond. In her time teaching, she often came across students who wanted to go to college but simply didn’t know what to do to achieve their goals. This sparked a career-long commitment to providing students with the information and skills they need to set and attain their aspirations. She deeply believes that all students should be equipped with the knowledge and tools to make informed decisions about their future.

Kristen is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and continues to serve on the UTeach Liberal Arts Advisory Council. She received a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of North Texas and focused primarily on college readiness and gifted and talented education in her course work. Kristen taught for 14 years throughout North Texas.

Jorgie Marin serves as the Manager of Partnerships at Education Opens Doors. She was born and raised in Los Angeles County. It was at the University of California, Riverside that Jorgie found her passion supporting freshman students through programming as a Program Coordinator, in particular serving as a mentor to first-generation college students such as herself. This brought her to the DFW metroplex where she became a bilingual elementary teacher at Fort Worth ISD, Dallas ISD, and eventually Momentous Institute. Early on, Jorgie discovered how social emotional learning and culturally responsive pedagogy could propel her students of color beyond any other measure. While in the classroom, Jorgie created her own social emotional learning curriculum, implemented culturally responsive teaching practices, and created parent workshops to equip parents with the academic tools to support their children at home – all in hopes of teaching the whole child. Outside of the classroom, Jorgie has participated in various fellowships including Leadership for Educational Equity’s Policy Advocacy Fellowship and the Policy Advisor Fellowship, Teaching Trust’s Adult Leadership cohort, the Urban Leaders Fellows, and Leadership ISD. It was during a summer at College Track Los Angeles that she gained a better understanding of how to break down the barriers students face to access higher education. As she continues to learn more through her experiences in education policy, organizing, and professional development, Jorgie is committed to serving teachers and students in high need communities to create access and equity in education. She currently supports Dallas ISD partners in districts 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9.

Jorgie holds a B.A in Public Policy and a minor in Political Science from the University of California, Riverside.

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

A veterinarian.

Christine Vu serves as the Manager of Partnerships at Education Opens Doors. She is a first-generation college graduate and received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Masters in Marketing from the University of Texas at Dallas.
Christine has always had a passion for education and the opportunities it provides. After starting her career in the private sector, Christine decided to dedicate her efforts toward combating social disparities and focused on education. She is an AmeriCorps alum and served in Title I schools, leading literacy programs for underserved students and communities in Dallas. She continued her work in Title I schools managing education programs for multiple schools across the Dallas metroplex focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Christine believes in the power of community and in the ability we all have to transform lives. She enjoys cooking, practicing yoga, and taking road trips with her dogs and husband.

WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, I WANTED TO BE…

a veterinarian!

Marcus currently holds a B.F.A. in Theatre with a minor in Business Administration from Southern Methodist University and as well as a M.S. in Information Technology and Management from the University of Texas at Dallas.  Originally joining Team EOD as the Executive Assistant and now acting as its LMS Administrator, Marcus strives to be a vital part of EOD’s Digital Programs Team. He aims to continue his journey of helping people from low-income and/or minority backgrounds circumvent the systemic obstacles they face every day.

Out of all his positions such as after-school program counselor, camp counselor, and other jobs centered on helping kids, his favorite has been working with the teachers and kids in the DISD Deaf Education portion of the Callier Child Development Center; a program with a focus on discovering and meeting every child’s specific needs. Marcus has also been awarded the renowned title of Cooper Camp Counselor of the Year, an accolade voted on by 5-year-olds to 13-year-olds in Cooper Aerobics’ Summer Fit & Fun Camps. He attributes this award to his belief in empathetic-driven environments where one can learn and grow, but also have a whole lot of fun in the process.

WHEN I WAS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL, I WANTED TO BE…

a chef. (I still make a great omelet!)

Devon Lockard, M.Ed., is the Data Manager at Education Opens Doors. Devon’s education background started out with a position as a physics and math teacher in a high-needs school in Wichita, Kansas where he conducted a mentorship program targeting Black male students and coached Track and Field. He later became a program director for a TRIO college access program that targets low-income and first generation students before he relocated to Dallas and taught math in Dallas Public Schools. Devon gained experiences in education research as an assistant data scientist at the University of Oklahoma finding ways to improve campus policies to increase retention, as well as being a research assistant at Southern Methodist University delving into student debt and teachers of color in the labor market. Devon holds a passion for youth development and mentorship as a previous board member and program advisor for a non-profit focused on college access for Black male students.

Devon Lockard received his Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education: Physics from Wichita State University and also completed a Master’s degree in Adult and Higher Education: Institutional Research from the University of Oklahoma. Devon is currently a Ph.D. student in Education at Southern Methodist University with research focuses in econometrics and access, retention, and success of underrepresented populations.

when i was in middle school, i wanted to be…

An astronomer.

Jeff McGuire is the Manager of Policy & Advocacy at Education Opens Doors. Prior to joining EOD, Jeff served as an 11th grade AP English teacher and IB English teacher in West Dallas for three years. Before becoming a classroom teacher, Jeff worked for an education non-profit advocacy group in Washington, D.C., where his work focused on improving the educational circumstances for military-connected children. Prior to his career in education, Jeff served five years as an Airborne Infantryman in the U.S. Army, serving one twelve-month deployment to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and one eighteen-month deployment to South Korea.

Jeff received his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Oklahoma and holds a Master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University in Education, and a Master’s degree from George Mason University in Conflict Analysis and Resolution.

when i was in middle school, i wanted to be…

A writer.