Mira Staff

Allison (she/her) is committed to fostering collaborative partnerships that support learners, invest in educators and bolster educational systems. With over eighteen years of experience in the field of education, she has served as a public high school teacher and department chair, an instructional designer for higher education, and a curriculum writer for the Colorado Department of Education. She holds a Master of Education degree with a specialization in Curriculum & Instruction, equipping her with the knowledge and experience to facilitate impactful change within educational spheres.

Mariah (she/her/ella) is an expert storyteller and community builder. She is passionate about equity in education and creating opportunities for dialogue. In addition to her five years as a middle school Spanish teacher, Mariah has over a decade of experience in education and communications. Prior to her work at Mira Education, she was a Senior Communications Specialist for a consulting firm in Houston and served as the founding Social Media Manager for The RISE Center for Liberation. Mariah holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish with a minor in Anthropology from the University of Oklahoma and a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of Houston  as well as her certificate in Digital Marketing from Rice University.

Iesha (she/her) is a fourth-generation educator who is a strong advocate for the success of all students and teachers. She holds three degrees including a Master of Education from Concordia University-Texas with a Principal Certification. During her time in the classroom, she served as a high school AP English teacher and an adjunct English instructor at a community college. She has designed and delivered professional development, written district level curriculum, and coached a humanities department through two academic years. Prior to joining Mira Education, Iesha served as an Implementation Manager for a nonprofit ed tech company, serving as advisor and thought partner to districts and schools using new approaches to support instruction.

DeAnna (she/her) leads financial operations for Mira Education. She has 17 years’ experience in accounting and finance, with 11 of those dedicated to the nonprofit sector. DeAnna previously worked in labor and employment law as well as tax preparation and auditing for an international CPA firm. A lifelong learner, she is committed to staying on top of the latest accounting guidelines and regulations through continuing education and professional development to help lead efficient and compliant accounting processes for our team. In her spare time, DeAnna loves traveling, karaoke, cooking, and DIY home projects.

Alesha (she/her) sees complex challenges as opportunities for collective learning and leadership and for rethinking how schools and systems can serve each learner equitably and effectively. Her work at Mira Education accelerates the organization’s impact as a design and implementation partner to teams and organizations throughout P20 education. Originally trained as a high school ELA teacher, Alesha’s passion for systems led to a decade of work in community organizing and engagement, policy, and philanthropy, all of which inform her approach to engaging diverse leadership teams in innovation efforts. Since joining Mira Education in 2009, she has co-developed professional learning and support models for teachers and administrators, researched conditions and practices for effective school leadership and educator retention, and co-led partnerships with more than 100 teams leading sustainable change in their schools, districts, and other organizations. Alesha holds a Master of Public Policy (MPP) from Duke University and a B.A. in English and secondary education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Lori (she/her) leads efforts that include designing and implementing collective leadership structures, rethinking how students engage in their learning, and redesigning how time in school is structured. She has 25 years of teaching experience and is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early Adolescence (EA) Science. Prior to joining Mira Education, she designed and helped bring into form the Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy, a collaboratively led school where she served as co-lead teacher for three years.

Candace (she/her) provides support to the finance and administrative team. She comes to Mira Education from Florida where she worked in construction accounting, payroll, and contracts. Prior to Florida, she worked in her home state of California conducting audits and leading training and development in a retail environment. She graduated from Mira Costa College in Oceanside, CA, and holds an associate degree in mathematics.