Email: [email protected]
Deirdre joined OPEN in January 2010. A native New Orleanian and product of the city’s public schools, Deirdre Johnson Burel recognizes the importance of investing in public education. Citing her career development as the classic model of return on investment for her family, church, and local community, Johnson Burel views OPEN as a personal and moral imperative to institutionalize that which was given her in and by the New Orleans community. Johnson Burel attended Eleanor McMain Magnet Secondary School and went on to attend U.C. Berkeley for undergraduate study and New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service where she earned a Master of Public Administration in public policy and non-profit management. With more than fifteen years experience working to build viable educational solutions, Johnson Burel understands the importance of informed constituents and the critical role of empowered, engaged communities cultivating the environment for excellence in public education. She brings a career deeply rooted in social justice via educational programming (founding staff member for New Orleans’ first Americorps program, former Director of Franklin Summerbridge, Director of Programs at Urban League of Greater New Orleans) and education policy (Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget Policy Analyst, and Policy Director for the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education) to OPEN.
Email: [email protected]
Brandie joined OPEN in November 2011. She is a native of New Orleans and a proud product of the New Orleans Public Schools system. She attended Southern University and A&M College at Baton Rouge where she studied Nursing and went on to complete coursework in Business Administration at the University of Phoenix and Delgado Community College. Brandie brings over 10 years of professional experience ranging from her time serving in the city of New Orleans Mayor’s Office of Economic Development as a Fiscal Analyst and Business Service Representative. She also worked as an Executive Administrator and Funds Account Manager for Orleans Recovery Foundation. She is thrilled to join OPEN’s administrative support team utilizing her experience in office management, bookkeeping and being an executive administrator for over 10 years in the public and non-profit sectors.
Email: [email protected]
Zakenya Perry recently joined OPEN as the Director of Programs. She is a native New Orleanian and a product of the city’s public schools. She is a high performing, executive-level business professional with over 10 years of solid experience in the non-profit sector, particularly in the arenas of youth development, project-program design and execution, community relations, human resources management and partnership development. From developing strategic program management plans, systems processing and effective marketing strategies to community partnership building and managing out-of-school time programs for college students and youth, Zakenya has a broad range of top-notch managerial skills in non-profit leadership.
Ms. Perry holds a Master Degree of Arts in Organizational Management, which has afforded her the opportunity to work with local and national non-profit organizations and foundations, including Operation Reach, Inc; Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation; Communities In Schools of New Orleans and the NFL Boys and Girls Club. Ms. Perry prides herself as a community educator and has an undying passion to help people enhance their personal growth by working with organizations that are committed to providing needed resources to children, youth and families. In September 2012, Ms. Perry was named Community Trailblazer of the Year by Data News Weekly of New Orleans.
Email: [email protected]
Criketa Matlock joined OPEN in August 2013 as the Policy and Research Analyst. She is a highly talented and resourceful professional with broad based experience in state, legislative, and federal policy research; as well as in program development and administrative support. Criketa holds a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Public Policy from Louisiana State University (LSU). She also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA.
Criketa’s academic and professional background have afforded her much experience in community outreach and organizing; policy research and analysis; economic development; and program management. She has had a career in Public Policy and Policy Analysis with employers such as Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR) and Girl Scouts of the USA Public Policy and Advocacy office in Washington, D.C. She is very committed to a career in public interest.
Email: [email protected]
Deborah joined OPEN in September 2012. She is a native of New Orleans and product of Frederick Douglass High School located in the upper ninth ward. Deborah identified her passion for education justice work at Frederick Douglass as she was a student organizer working with Students at the Center and Fyre Youth Squad. Both youth organizations highlight the education disparities in New Orleans and work towards improving the conditions of Orleans Parish schools Post- Katrina. Deborah has been acquainted with the social justice community of New Orleans since 2004. Once graduating from High school her interest in studying how social groups were affected by political governance and public policy grew stronger. She majored in political science. During her college experience she has had the opportunity to collaborate with several other community non-profits locally in New Orleans, nationally, and internationally in Senegal, West Africa. She attended Dillard University receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science May 2013. Deborah brings to OPEN experience as a youth organizer and committed to ensuring that young people have a place at the table to discuss deep seated issues that affect their communities and schools.
Email: [email protected]
Nakita joined OPEN in August 2013. She has worked diligently to transform New Orleans’ criminal justice system while advocating on behalf of our city’s youth. As founder and executive director of the Dinerral Shavers Educational Fund and co-founder of the SilenceIsViolence Anti-Violence Organization, she is a community activist, mentor, and a tireless crusader in the fight for education reform and anti-violence. Nakita is a product of the Orleans Parish School Board. As a graduate of McDonogh #35 and the New Orleans Center for Science and Math High School, she has always possessed a desire to make New Orleans a better place.
Nakita has been featured in the CBS 48 Hours Mystery’s Emmy nominated episode “Storm of Murder,” CNN’s One Crime at a Time, Spike Lee’s documentary If God Is Willing and The Creek Don’t Rise, and HBO’s Treme’ Season 2 Episode 5 Slip Away. With a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science/Pre-Law from Florida A&M University, a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a Specialization in Non Profit Management and Leadership from Walden University, and an upcoming second Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Loyola University of New Orleans’ School of Graduate Studies, Nakita will continue to be a driving force in New Orleans’ political and non-profit communities.
Email: [email protected]
New Orleans native and proud product of the Orleans Parish public school system, Julia Ramsey joined OPEN in May 2013. In her position as Communications Coordinator, she handles OPEN’s internal and external communications efforts, providing communication strategy and content creation to ensure that OPEN’s community and media presence fully articulates its mission. She developed her communication and management skills by co-founding and editing Interrobang?! Magazine, and continued by moving on to a wide range of new media organizations. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Rhode Island and is an anthologized poet.
Email: [email protected]
Saundra joined OPEN January 2013. She is a native New Orleanian, educated in the city’s public school system. Through out her life, personally and professionally, commitment to God, family and community are hallmarks of her work. She retired after 33 years of service to the State of Louisiana in the Department of Social Service, and was a founding member of a major neighborhood organization and was its Board chair for five years. Ms Reed has distinguished herself through the years as a tireless community advocate, activist, and organizer, and has served as a consultant and facilitator at the local, state, national, and international level. Currently she is an independent consultant and facilitator. When asked what motivates her, Saundra says that she is inspired by her great-grandmothers’ mantra “leave a place better than you found it”.
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