About Us
Who We Are
SustainED Leaders is a nonprofit organization led by passionate educators who have extensive experience partnering with schools and districts to implement research and evidence-based practices that accelerate all students' learning.
What Makes Us Unique
Customized Solutions
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We partner with leaders to design and implement customized solutions based on the unique context of the school and district.
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Evidence & Research-Based Practices
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We leverage research and evidence-based practices in our support and development of leaders and teachers.
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Experience Leading Continuous Improvement
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Our team has extensive experience supporting leaders to implement high-leverage practices that enhances the quality of teaching and learning for all students.
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Our Team
Jacob Stainbrook
CEO
Before co-founding SustainED Leaders, Jacob served in senior leadership roles at multiple school districts. He has coached and managed leaders as the Vice President of Schools at IDEA Tarrant County and as a Managing Director at Uplift Education. As a principal, he led the turnaround of a low-performing middle school in Dallas, Texas, transforming it into one of the highest-rated middle schools in Texas. Jacob has worked as a national consultant at TNTP and taught instructional leadership courses to graduate students as an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University.
Naima Blakes
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Senior Program Director
Prior to becoming a Senior Program Director for SustainED Leaders, Naima worked as a school leader with Uplift Education. As a school leader at Uplift, she revamped teacher and leader development to increase the effectiveness of professional learning communities on campus and she created strategic school-wide learning acceleration plans that resulted in the campus repeatedly outpacing the district in yearly reading and math growth. Before serving in campus leadership roles, Ms. Blakes worked as a Math Intervention Specialist and Science Teacher in the states of Texas and Nevada. Naima holds a B.S. in Biology from Howard University and an M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Nevada at Las Vegas.
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Rachel Yearwood
Managing Director
Rachel Yearwood is a Managing Director for SustainED Leaders. Before this role, she founded and led a campus as an Academic Director with Uplift Education for six years. While obtaining her Master's degree from Harvard Graduate School of Education, Rachel was an elementary school principal intern in Cambridge Public Schools. She started her educational career in Spring Branch ISD where she was able to teach middle school Science, lead as Department Chair, and work with the district curriculum over a five-year time span. She has received a B.S in Biology from Prairie View A&M University and an M.Ed. in Science Education from the University of Houston.
Grace Jackson
Managing Director
Grace Jackson is a Managing Director at SustainED Leaders. Prior to this role, Grace worked at Uplift Education for 10 years, where she served as a PYP Dean and Academic Director. In addition to serving as a school leader, Grace also worked as a Residency Mentor for the Summit Learning Teacher Residency program, where she coached a cohort of new teachers toward earning their credentials. After graduating from the University of Florida, Grace moved to Dallas to begin her career in education as a middle school science teacher at KIPP TRUTH Academy. She received her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University of Texas at Arlington.
Caitlin Wright
Managing Director
Caitlin Wright is a Managing Director at SustainED Leaders. She graduated from Grambling State University with a B.S. in Elementary Education. Since then, she has led and taught students in grades PreK-8 for over twenty years. While working for San Bernardino City Unified School District, she taught dual immersion, grades K-6, served as campus Admin Designee, and on district curriculum committees. After moving to Dallas, Caitlin completed the Ed Fellows program with Teaching Trust. Most recently, she was with Uplift Education for eight years where she served as Interventionist, MYP Dean, and a founding Academic Director.
Aaron Joseph
Leadership Development Director
Aaron Joseph is a Leadership Development Director for SustainED Leaders. Previously, he served as a principal, where he led his school to become the top performer in Dallas ISD for positive culture and climate and earned the Gold Ribbon Award from Children At Risk for outstanding student achievement and school effectiveness. He also successfully converted Edna Rowe Elementary into Dallas ISD’s eighth Montessori Choice School (Buckner Terrace Montessori). Aaron’s career includes roles as a network coordinator, assistant principal, instructional coach, and teacher. He holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Urban School Leadership from Southern Methodist University (SMU).
Marina Guerra
Leadership Development Director
Marina Guerra is a Leadership Development Director at SustainED Leaders. Before joining the organization she served in Dallas ISD as an administrator, instructional coach, and teacher. As a school administrator, she worked in the district’s Accelerating Campus Excellence (ACE) initiative to lead accelerated school turnaround. In her leadership tenure, she was part of a team that was responsible for leading a school from an “Improvement Required" to a “B” rating in one academic school year. Most recently she served as the administrator for the district’s highest-performing P-Tech program, an initiative that provides students the opportunity to earn their associate degrees during high school. Marina holds a B.S. in Neuroscience from Texas Christian University and an M.Ed. from Southern Methodist University in Educational Leadership with an Urban School Specialization.
Mimi Hutchison
Leadership Development Director
Mimi Hutchison is a Leadership Development Director at SustainED Leaders. Before joining the organization, she served in several instructional leadership roles at Uplift Education, including Primary Literacy Director and K–2 Literacy Curriculum and Instruction Specialist. In her role as Literacy Director, she led the district-wide implementation of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), supporting leaders across 19 campuses, training over 500 teachers, and impacting thousands of PK–5 students. She began her career in education as a teacher of kindergarten through third grade and later served as an Assistant Principal at KIPP Pleasant Grove. Her work has centered on early literacy, teacher development, and system-level support in high-need school communities. She holds dual bachelor's degrees in Journalism and English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master's degree in Human Rights and International Politics from the University of Glasgow. She is also a National Board Certified Teacher.
Melinda Cardenas
Director of Strategy & Development
Melinda Cardenas is the Director of Strategy & Development at SustainED Leaders. Before this role, she served as a Campus Coordinator at Dallas ISD, working with teachers and administrators to build thriving school cultures. Melinda began her educational career as a Secondary Science Teacher and Campus Instructional Coach, guiding teachers in delivering STEM education and leading through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before her career in education, Melinda worked at Lockheed Martin, driving change management and quality improvement in various lines of business, including satellite, defense, and software production. Melinda holds a B.S. in Supply Chain Management & Marketing from the University of Maryland, an M.Ed in Secondary Science from Johns Hopkins University, and an M.Ed in Urban Educational Leadership from Southern Methodist University.
Dr. Haley Tomerlin
Leadership Development Director
Dr. Haley Tomerlin is a Leadership Development Director at SustainED Leaders. Previously, she served as an Assistant Principal in Fort Worth ISD, where she played a pivotal role in leading campus instructional programs, developing strong educators, and fostering a positive school culture focused on high achievement for all students. Before her work as an administrator, Haley was a Master Teacher and taught middle school math for six years, consistently supporting student growth and instructional excellence. She also contributed to teacher development as a Professional Learning Coach for Teach For America, coaching new educators to strengthen their practice. Haley holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University Texas and earned her Ed.D. in Learning and Organizational Change from Baylor University.
Brian Coppedge
Managing Director of Finance and Operations
As Managing Director of Finance and Operations, Brian provides strategic leadership and oversight to ensure effective internal operations and long-term sustainability while helping to maximize SustainED Leaders’ impact.
Prior to joining SustainED Leaders, Brian served as Vice President of Finance and Operations for Leadership ISD and later The Concilio, overseeing all business functions, including finance and accounting, HR, operations, and technology. During both tenures, he strengthened organizational efficiency and effectiveness by implementing strong financial systems, equitable HR policies, and innovative operations systems that enhanced cross-departmental collaboration. Previously, Brian developed outreach and mentoring programs for a large global nonprofit. Additionally, Brian helps small and medium-sized nonprofits build financial and administrative infrastructure to scale their programs and deepen their impact through his consulting practice. Brian holds a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in innovation and organizational management from Colorado State University.
Dr. Denisse De La Cruz
Instructional Manager
Dr. Denisse De La Cruz is an Instructional Manager at SustainED Leaders. Before joining the team, she served in instructional and leadership roles at Dallas ISD and Canutillo ISD, including Assistant Principal, Instructional Coach, Reading Interventionist, and Classroom Teacher. In these roles, she focused on improving literacy outcomes, supporting teacher development, and driving campus-wide instructional initiatives. She is committed to fostering equitable, student-centered learning environments and empowering educators through collaborative coaching and strategic curriculum design. She holds a Master’s in Curriculum & Instruction from Texas A&M University, a Master’s in Principalship, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership & Innovation from Arizona State University.
Erin Hogan
Leadership Development Director
Erin Hogan is a Leadership Development Director with SustainED Leaders. Before joining the organization, she served as a Deputy Chief of Instructional Excellence at KIPP Public Schools, where she managed the district-wide implementation of HQIM and supported leaders across the state of Texas. Prior to that, Erin was a Leadership Development Partner with LiberatED Way, where she coached and managed principals on curriculum implementation, observation and feedback, and professional learning systems, and the Regional Managing Director of Instruction at IDEA Public Schools in Fort Worth, Texas, where she led her region from an F rating to an A rating by developing data systems and driving research-based instructional practices. In this role, she also managed a team of instructional coaches across eight schools and designed professional trainings to strengthen curriculum implementation and leader development.
Earlier in her career, Erin served as Director of Leader Development with IDEA Public Schools and as an Assistant Principal and Instructional Leader with Uncommon Schools in Newark, New Jersey. In these roles, she coached teachers and leaders, developed data-driven curriculum, and achieved sustained academic gains for students. Erin holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and an M.A. in Special Education, both from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh.
Giovanni Outram
Leadership Development Director
Giovanni Outram is a Leadership Development Director at SustainED Leaders with over a decade of experience in education across Fort Worth ISD, Uplift Education, and IDEA Public Schools. He has opened three schools in leadership roles and, as principal, led the turnaround of IDEA Achieve Academy from an F to an A rating, earning 5 out of 5 TEA distinctions in under one year. A former regional math coach and school principal, Giovanni has coached dozens of educators into leadership roles. He holds a master’s degree in education from Southern Methodist University and is a Teach For America alumnus and Leverage Leadership Institute fellow. Giovanni is driven by his own journey as the son of immigrants and his unwavering belief that great schools change lives.
Jessica Lemmer
Instructional Manager
Jessica Lemmer is an experienced educator and instructional leader, now serving as an Instructional Manager for SustainED Leaders. With over a decade in public education, she has led campus-wide instructional improvement, coached teachers across grade levels, and driven significant gains in student achievement. Prior to joining SustainED, Jessica served as a Campus Coordinator and math instructional coach in Dallas ISD, and contributed to statewide curriculum development. She holds a Master’s in Urban Educational Leadership from SMU and is passionate about building strong systems that support teachers and accelerate student growth.
Jillian Turner
Instructional Manager
Jillian Turner is an Instructional Manager at SustainED Leaders. She brings over two decades of experience in education, with a focus on the implementation of HQIMs, instructional coaching, and school transformation. Before joining SustainED Leaders, she led campus turnaround efforts in Dallas ISD, helping to move a school from an "F" to an "A" rating. A highlight of this work was receiving and managing an innovation grant while also achieving a top 10 climate survey data. As a teacher, she was selected as an exemplary model for Dallas ISD's teacher evaluation system and featured in a professional development video playlist. Jillian is passionate about empowering educators to find their unique strengths and joy in their work so they can, in turn, help students become global change-makers. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Boston University.
Joi Rhodes
Instructional Manager
Joi Rhodes is an Instructional Manager for SustainED Leaders, bringing over a decade of experience in the education sector. Her career is marked by a proven ability to drive significant academic improvement. As an Early Learning Specialist for Dallas ISD, she played a key role in elevating Reinhardt Elementary from a "C" to an "A" rating within a single school year. Joi's experience spans both leadership and the classroom, having taught pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Multicultural Education from The University of New Mexico and a Master of Arts in Educational Administration from Concordia University Texas.
Katie Woodiel
Leadership Development Director
Katie Woodiel is a Leadership Development Director for SustainED Leaders. Previously, she served as a campus leader with Uplift Education for nearly a decade as an Academic Dean, Academic Director, and Head of Schools working at the middle and high school levels. Before these roles, she worked in Dallas ISD and Houston ISD as a teacher, instructional coach, and assistant principal. Katie holds a M. Ed from Southern Methodist University in Educational Leadership with an Urban School Specialization.
Kimberly Herrera
Instructional Manager
Kimberly Herrera is an Instructional Manager for SustainED Leaders. Before joining the team, she served in various instructional and leadership roles at Uplift Education, including Math Interventionist, Instructional Coach, Campus Testing Coordinator, and Grade-Level Chair. In these roles, she supported teacher development, curriculum alignment, and school-wide academic planning. Kimberly is passionate about building equitable learning environments and supporting teachers to grow their practice through meaningful coaching and collaboration. She holds a Masters of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts in Government with a minor in Justice and Peace Studies from Georgetown University.
Michael Padgett
Instructional Manager
Michael Padgett is an experienced educator and school leader with an expertise in secondary mathematics. Having served as a teacher, coach, and administrator, he brings a well-rounded perspective to school leadership and instructional improvement. Michael has successfully improved student outcomes at both middle and high schools.
With a Master's in Urban Education from Southern Methodist University, he works from the core belief that all students can achieve their highest potential when educators hold supportive, high expectations for them.
Tamara Phillips
Leadership Development Director
Tamara Phillips is a Leader Development Director at SustainED Leaders. Before joining SustainED, she held key roles in education as both a teacher and leader. Tamara spent eight years teaching Middle School Science, where she developed a passion for STEM education that went beyond the classroom. She served as a school leader with Uplift Education for ten years, where she focused on creating an engaging learning environment and building a strong school culture to support student achievement. Additionally, Tamara contributed to curriculum development, authoring science curricula designed to foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Her dedication to STEM also led her to collaborate with the Lyle School of Engineering at Southern Methodist University, where she designed and facilitated forensic science camps for students.
Our Board
Our Board of Directors are trusted advisors and partners who each have led meaningful change in education.
Our Core Values
Commits to Excellence
Continuously Learns & Improves
Thinks & Acts Strategically
Leads Courageously
Builds Trusting Relationships
Utilizes Evidence-Based Practices
Donors
Rosemary & Michael Perlmeter
Ellen Wood
David Wallenstein & Family
Karen Pollock
