Meet Our Board

Paula Alejandra Lozano Roa

Paula Alejandra Lozano Roa (she/hers) is a poet, youth & family advocate, and bearded dragon owner. She works at Friends of the Children as the East Boston Program Manager, where she was an elementary mentor for 5 years. She’s currently collaborating with nonprofit leaders from various programs on the Family Support Action Team, where they bridge Eastie resources to expand community impact. Being a graduate of BU’s psychology & sociology programs, she learned that liberation & well-being falls to the hands of the local community and the working people. Being on the development committee has challenged her to think creatively as to what community support can look like. Her favorite podcast, Inner City Left, radicalizes her more with every episode.

Shaquanda Brown

Shaquanda Brown (she/hers) works as a METCO Coordinator/School Adjustment Counselor at a K-5 school in Reading, MA. She has over 10 years of experience working for non-profit organizations, most prominently the Phillips Brooks House Association; where she learned about fundraising, non-profit management, and event planning. Shaquanda was first introduced to TCS and clinical social work (where her passion lies) via her mentor of over 15 years; Tara Venkatraman. As a board member, Shaquanda serves as the secretary and collaborates with staff on donor engagement and cultivation.

Max Greenberg

Max Greenberg (he/him) is a writer and educator. He works as a Senior Lecturer in the Sociology Department at Boston University, where he teaches courses on Nonprofits, Youth, Gender, and Politics. He has over fifteen years of experience working with nonprofit organizations across Boston, helping to build the infrastructure of organizations so that they can thrive. Max is a member of the finance committee.

Whitney Golden

Whitney Golden (She/Hers) is a Social Worker at Martha Eliot Health Center in the primary care department. Whitney had completed an Americorp year with a program called Tenacity, which is a literacy and tennis program working with middle schools in the City of Boston. Tenacity started her on the journey to social work. Whitney's start with The City School began with filling out an interest form to partake in an innovative project that is the Mental Health Crisis Response (MHCR) for the City of Boston. Whitney is currently a part of the governance committee.

Connie Shui-Yi Chow

Connie Shui-Yi Chow (she/hers) traverses disciplinary boundaries, sectors, and continents to create joyful, welcoming, collaborative, and intellectually challenging learning spaces - in K-16 classrooms and out-of-school-time programs - by combining her passion, training, and experience in science, education, social justice advocacy and cross-cultural collaboration. She is currently a senior research associate at the University of Kansas’ Center for Certification and Competency-based Education and teaches in the department of Curriculum and Teaching at KU, as well as UMass Boston, with a focus on equity in STEM education and teacher preparation. She is the founder and former director of The Exploratory, a Ghana-based NGO, and was the first executive director of Cambridge, MA-based Science Club for Girls, both with a mission to increase access to hands-on learning for children and youth from historically marginalized communities. In her free time, she lets her chickens roam and plays taiko. She is a member of the Finance Committee.

Talia

Talia (she/her) works as a software engineer, public health student, and bunny mother. She first became involved with The City School when she participated in the Summer Leadership Program in 2018. Now living in New York City, Talia is involved in organizing around the struggle for Palestinian liberation in the city. Talia is a member of the finance committee.

Nastasia Lawton-Sticklor

Nastasia Lawton-Sticklor (she/they) is an educator, activist, nonviolent direct action trainer and practitioner, photographer, and parent to two youngsters, aged 6 and 9. Nastasia is a Fellow at the Climate Disobedience Center focusing on anti-capitalist and anti-colonial approaches to climate justice and restorative transitions away from fossil fuels. She is a national convenor for the Council for an Uncertain Human Future. Nastasia’s previous work at the Hiatt Center for Urban Education at Clark University involved cultivating spaces that uplift youth voices through qualitative research using storytelling, multimedia arts, and photography to explore social injustices and create pathways for change. She is inspired by youth knowledge and perspectives and became involved with TSC to support youth changemakers. Nastasia is a member of the governance committee, focusing on board growth and relationships.

Kennie Etienne

Kennie Etienne (she/her) is a Product Marketing Lead at a tech firm in Boston, a racquetball enthusiast, and a major fan of “prestige TV.” She first became involved with The City School when she participated in the Summer Leadership Program in 2015, where she was inspired by both leadership and participants. In her free time, she volunteers for Big Brother Big Sister and the Haley House. Kennie is currently a member of the governance committee.

Dewayne Green

Dewayne Green (he/him), is a poet, advocate, educator, proud cancerian, and post-secondary access professional from Cambridge, MA. He started to get involved in TCS in 2016, participating in SLP which was a transformative experience for his development as a leader. He also worked as a youth staff in 2018, as well as co-teaching an identity class virtually for private high school students with Mariko Dodson in 2020. Currently, he works at Breakthrough Greater Boston as the Manager of High School Programming for their Somerville campus. With his current role, he works with high school students on leadership development, academic and professional skills, as well as post-secondary support. He is passionate about youth work and is excited to be back at TCS as a board member to help move the organization forward to new heights!

Natalie García

Natalie García (she/her), is a radical free thinker and experienced facilitator for political education. She is a full-time student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) currently working towards her Bachelor of Arts in Biology with a concentration in Chemistry. In addition to her work with The City School, Natalie is involved in political action at UNC with the student-led organization, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), which demands UNC’s immediate divestment from the genocide of Palestinian people and the implementation of an anti-imperialistic approach to all institutional operations. Natalie draws inspiration from Audre Lorde’s authentic and raw poetry, and its role in an expanding social revolution that centers the lived experiences of marginalized and intersectional people. As a new member of TCS’ Board of Trustees, Natalie is excited to bring a thought-provoking perspective to the team!

Yani Burgos

Yani Burgos (she/they): After being introduced to community organizing as a teenager, Yani has committed to community-led social change. For the last 10 years, she has explored how different communities might collaborate to build power, particularly among folks of color and LGBTQ+ communities. Now at Movement Sustainability Commons, Yani looks to bring their organizational infrastructure eye to the work of The City School! Outside of work, Yani enjoys finding innovative ways to use a slow cooker and searching for the latest and greatest in (discounted) sneaker fashion trends.