RECTOR AND VISITORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Center for Community Partnerships As an Education Data Scientist
- Senior Education Research Specialist
Email Address
Asha joined the Center for Community Partnerships as an Education Data Scientist. She has a Bachelor's in Arts and Science from McGill University in Cognitive Science with a minor in Gender Studies. She completed her Master's in Public Policy at Georgetown University with a concentration in education policy. Her graduate thesis focused on the intersections between poverty, welfare, and educational outcomes of students in New York State Public schools. In previous workplaces, Asha has served as an electoral data analyst, criminal legal reform researcher, and reference librarian. Asha's passion for data comes from a drive to understand the complexity of our nation's policy problems. Her belief is that it is impossible to make tangible change in the lives of people without using intersectional analysis and engaging with community stakeholders.
Email Address
Ben is a first-generation quadruple Hoo, born and raised in Charlottesville. He earned his Ed.D. from the School of Education and Human Development, with research interests in culturally responsive leadership and building strong community partnerships.
He is a lecturer in the School of Education's Administration and Supervision Program and has experience as a high school history and AVID teacher in Washington, D.C., and Charlottesville. Most recently, he served as an elementary school associate principal in Albemarle County.
In addition to his work in education, Ben is a Captain in the Army Reserves. He has served as a logistician, military police officer, and currently as an intelligence analyst.
Job Titles:
- Senior Research Specialist
- Senior Researcher and Data Scientist for Community - Centered Analysis
Email Address
As a Senior Researcher and Data Scientist for Community-Centered Analysis, Beth contributes to research projects centered on regional thriving and community-engaged data science. Previously, she worked in the UVa Library Scholars' Lab as Community Project Manager, Community Advocate and DH Developer contributing to digital tools that enable wider access to and understanding of technical resources. Her work engages in accessibility, methods in data visualization, and the ethics of data collection. Beth received her PhD in the Constructed Environment from the UVa School of Architecture, where she also completed a Master's in Architectural History. Prior to arriving in Charlottesville, she was the coordinator for the public transportation and disability shuttle programs at the University of Washington, where she earned her Bachelors' in Architecture and Mathematics.
Email Address
Prior to joining the Center for Community Partnerships team, she worked at Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville for over a decade doing a variety of work including operations, asset & property management, fundraising, and communications. She earned a Bachelor's of Arts from New College of Florida and a Master of Liberal Arts from St. John's College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She lives in Ivy with her husband and two sons, Kingston and Myles.
Christopher Hu is an educational ethnographer who studies race and ethnicity as a doctoral candidate in the Department of Education Leadership, Foundations, and Policy at the University of Virginia School of Education and Human Development. Prior to UVA, he was a high school chemistry teacher in Virginia.
Job Titles:
- Starr Hill Pathways Program Manager
Email Address
Demetrious Trā Nicholson is a first generation, two-time graduate of the University of Virginia; and an integral part of our Starr Hill Pathways Program. He earned his Master's in Higher Education, bachelor's in Sociology, and is a recognizable alum of UVA's football program, class of 2015. Additionally, Trā received his second master's degree in counseling from the University of Lynchburg.
Trā's professional journey has traversed primary, secondary, and postsecondary education settings, as he has taken on various roles including mentor, advisor, coach, and school counselor. After interning at UVA's Career Center, Trā's professional career began as a Success Coach in Baltimore, Maryland at a Title I elementary school, where he implemented restorative practices to minimize missed instruction time for students combating traditional disciplinary policies. He returned to Virginia Beach, his hometown, as a Student Support Specialist supporting students with their transition from alternative education programs to public schools. In Virginia Beach, he also led two public schools in the Spartan Prep program, a college preparatory program for rising first generation college students. Trā's latest roles include serving as a student advisor, teaching 11th grade U.S History, serving as Learning Resource teacher, Youth Mental Health First Aid instructor, and as a middle school counselor most recently here in Charlottesville.
Job Titles:
- Operations Program Manager
Email Address
Deric earned his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Virginia's College of Arts and Sciences. He previously interned with the Attorney General's Office in Washington, D.C., where he worked on a team focused on rehabilitating juvenile offenders after conviction.
During his time at UVA, Deric also interned in Student Affairs, assisting first-generation college students in acclimating to the university, a role he connected with personally as a first-generation student himself.
Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Deric served as an undergraduate representative on the Mayor's Task Force on Policing and worked as a Youth Community Coordinator for the Houston Police Department, contributing to efforts aimed at making Houston a better place for all.
At the Center for Community Partnerships, Deric supports partnership-related logistics, helping to uphold the Center's mission and vision.
Job Titles:
- Community Partnerships Program Manager
Email Address
DeVon Wade is a Community Partnerships Program Manager, where he will support the Starr Hill Pathways program as well as broader Center initiatives. DeVon holds a bachelor's degree in mass communication from Missouri Valley College and a master's degree in education from Lindenwood University. He previously worked for UVA's Division of Student Affairs as well as the newly launched Public Service Pathways program. Prior to his arrival in Charlottesville, DeVon worked as a Community Engagement Specialist for World Relief's Sacramento, California field office. DeVon grew up in Stone Mountain, Georgia as a lifelong Georgia Bulldogs fan, and currently lives in Charlottesville with his wife Abi.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Community Research
Email Address
Jess' work is situated at the intersection of education, community, and arts. A native of the Charlottesville area, Jess holds a Master's in Educational Psychology from the University of Virginia, where she also earned an Interdisciplinary B.A in arts nonprofit management & education. She is currently pursuing a doctorate of education focused on out-of-school learning from the University of Pittsburgh. Her role at the Center for Community Partnerships is focused on supporting the Community Research team with community-embedded research and community projects. She has been published in arts journal Arts Praxis, the American Alliance of Museums, and other publications. Jessica is also the founder and Artistic Director of Empowered Players, a local arts education nonprofit dedicated to uplifting the human spirit through access to arts education.
The only officer who is not new in her role, Joy has been on the Board of LAJC since 1999 and has served as Vice President for more than a decade. Joy has a long and successful history of advocacy and leadership especially in the realm of public housing. Joy is currently the Board of Directors chair of Public Housing Association of Residents (PHAR) in Charlottesville, an organization she helped to establish in 1988 and which is helping to make the promise of resident-led redevelopment a reality in Charlottesville.
Job Titles:
- Local Steering Committee and National Advisory Board
Job Titles:
- Starr Hill Pathways Family Coordinator
Email Address
Karla was born in Mexico City, Mexico, and moved to Charlottesville at the age of ten. She spent seven years as a Teaching Assistant with Albemarle County Public Schools before joining the Center for Community Partnerships as a Family Coordinator for the Starr Hill Pathways program.
Passionate about helping others, Karla is deeply committed to advocating for her community. As a resident of the Southwood neighborhood, she strives to be a strong voice for her neighbors and works to ensure that youth have access to essential resources and opportunities.
Job Titles:
- Director of Strategic Initiatives
Email Address
Prior to returning to UVA, Larry was on the faculty at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies (DAAS) and the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education (CSHPE) from 2003-2017 and taught in the Honors College at Wayne State University. He is the Founder and Principal Consultant of LBMC Associates, L.L.C. , a strategic educational and leadership consulting firm. He was an Academic and Research Program Officer in the Rackham Graduate School where he managed several initiatives focused on recruitment, mentoring, and research training of undergraduate and doctoral students. He served as faculty co-advisor to the Summer Research Opportunity Program and the Rackham Summer Institute for Ph.D. students for twelve years. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the Program for Research on Black Americans (PRBA) at the Institute for Social Research prior to joining the Michigan faculty. He is an elected member of Omicron Delta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies and the recipient of the Faculty Cornerstone award, the Faculty Award for Outstanding Research Mentoring, the Rackham Graduate School Appreciation Award, and the Outstanding Service Award from the Edward Alexander Bouchet Honor Society. He is a member of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History and the American Sociological Association. He has also studied at Union Theological Seminary with a focus on Social Ethics and the African American religious experience. He received his B. A. from Old Dominion University and his M.Ed. and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.
Job Titles:
- Starr Hill Pathways Program Manager
Email Address
Lauren is a lifelong resident of Charlottesville, VA, graduating from UVA's School of Continuing and Professional Studies with a bachelor's in interdisciplinary studies. Throughout her career, Lauren has worked with Charlottesville/Albemarle area youth beginning with teaching and directing in various preschools, including UVA's Child Development Center (Copley location). Since then, Lauren has worked with Albemarle County Public Schools in various positions both in schools and supporting the administration of central office. Currently Lauren handles all things operations for The Starr Hill Pathways program.
Job Titles:
- Director of Starr Hill Pathways
Email Address
Lucy Montalvo is originally from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, having spent half her life in Puerto Rico and the other half on the U.S. mainland. She has 16 years of experience in education, including five years teaching World Languages at the elementary level and seven years as a 2nd-grade dual-language teacher (Spanish side). She also served as the lead teacher for the dual-language program.
As an educator, Lucy brings expertise in multilingual teaching and learning, as well as curriculum development and implementation. She holds a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Puerto Rico, a master's degree in Educational Leadership from Penn State, and a doctorate in Curriculum & Instruction with a concentration in Bilingual Studies from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
From 2021 to 2023, Lucy served as the President of the Virginia Dual Language Educator Network (VADLEN). She is also the co-author of the bilingual children's book El ABC de la Comida Puertorriqueña/The ABCs of Puerto Rican Food.
Currently, Lucy is the Director of Starr Hill Pathways, a youth program within The Center for Community Partnerships. The program serves rising 7th to 12th graders from Charlottesville City and Albemarle County Public Schools, guiding students through career and college exploration while providing academic support, mentoring, and internship opportunities. Starr Hill Pathways takes a holistic approach to supporting students on their educational and professional journeys.
Job Titles:
- Director of Community - Centered Analysis
Job Titles:
- Community Research Intern
Naomi is a third-year English major from Knoxville, Tennessee.
Nettie joins the Center for Community Partnerships as an AmeriCorps VISTA, bringing a unique blend of engineering expertise and advocacy. A 2022 UVA graduate with a B.S. in Engineering Science and History minor, Nettie's work bridges technical knowledge with community empowerment. At UVA, she served as an Undergraduate Research Fellow at the Environmental Institute and the Convergent Behavioral Science, and founded STRIVE (Students and Teachers Revolutionizing Inclusivity Values in Engineering) to create more improved curriculum and support just research.
Following graduation, Nettie embraced a Teaching Fellowship, instructing 9th-grade physics, coaching our robotics team, and advising eight 9th grade girls. Upon learning that one of the schools in her hometown of Lynchburg might be subject to closure, Nettie began organizing the community and together mobilized over 3,000 members opposed to closing schools and successfully advocated for a $3.7 million increase in school district funding which led the school board to rescind their vote to close the schools. Nettie has been a long-term substitute at T. C. Miller, first in Kindergarten and then in Special Education. Nettie is excited to join the Community Research team and be a part of the Center for Community Partnerships!
Job Titles:
- Senior Education Research Specialist
Email Address
Nina grew up in the Charlottesville-Albemarle area and completed her bachelor's degree in English from UVA and a M.A. in Teaching from Mary Baldwin. She worked as a high school English teacher before earning her Ph.D. in Teacher Education and Learning Sciences from North Carolina State University. She has taught in Albemarle County Public Schools and served the Charlottesville community through AmeriCorps. Her research has focused on arts-integration, critical literacy, and effective teaching practices in middle and high school classrooms and community-based organizations.
Job Titles:
- Data Management Specialist
Email Address
Samantha grew up in Charlottesville and earned her bachelor's degree in social psychology research from UVA. She previously worked as a Solutions Engineer and Partnership Manager at RStudio, with a focus on open-source technology advocacy. She believes that everyone should be able to make informed, data-driven decisions regardless of their means, and is passionate about enabling her community with tools to support more just and accessible analytics.
Job Titles:
- Community Fellow - in - Residence
Sandra Aviles Poe joined Charlottesville United for Public Education (CUPE) as Community Organizer in October 2022. She brings to CUPE her experience as a mother, immigrant and Charlottesville local, and is inspired by a passion for positive change.
Born in Los Altos Jalisco, México, Sandra is a first generation immigrant and a 2008 graduate of Monticello High School. She moved to Charlottesville with her family at the age of five and became an American citizen in 2019. Most recently Sandra worked for seven years in banking and is a mother to three children. She is fluent in English and Spanish.
Job Titles:
- Grant Writer and Advancement Officer
Job Titles:
- Director of Community Research
Email Address
Sherica has served the Charlottesville/Albemarle community for over 20 years. After earning her bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Mary Washington, she obtained an Education Specialist degree and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Liberty University. Before joining The Center for Community Partnerships, Sherica was a teacher, administrator and district level leader in Albemarle County.
Her work focuses on improving outcomes and expanding access. She has conducted extensive research on effective education models that foster student engagement and has presented widely on academic achievement and student-centered practices.
At The Center for Community Partnerships, Sherica conducts research, and leads efforts that bridge research with community-driven initiatives. She plays a central role in supporting local organizations through strategic planning, data-driven decision-making, and capacity-building. She manages the Community Fellows program, which empowers local leaders to address priority issues in alignment with The President's Council, community identified priorities. She also oversees collaborative projects focused on reentry support, community safety, and youth engagement. She has been instrumental in developing partnerships that enhance access to services, improve public engagement, and promote long-term solutions for economic and social mobility.
Job Titles:
- Starr Hill Pathways Family Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Communications Specialist
Email Address
Sydney is the communications specialist for The Center for Community Partnerships.
Sydney received her Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Hampton University in May 2022. A passionate storyteller with research interests in environmental justice and the barriers between historically underserved communities and natural resources, Sydney traveled to Chennai, India to write a news story about sustainable and community-driven solutions to water scarcity as a 2022 Pulitzer Reporting Fellow. Previously, Sydney brought visibility to the missions, identities and people behind several brands, businesses and nonprofit organizations as a senior account executive with Manhattan-based public relations and marketing agency TAG Collective.
Originally, Sydney came to Charlottesville to provide well-rounded news coverage about the Charlottesville and Albemarle County communities with The Daily Progress newspaper in 2022. Since then, she has made Charlottesville home. Her role at the Center is focused on ensuring that its message is one that aligns with and uplifts the work of its community partners.
Job Titles:
- Starr Hill Pathways Program Manager
Email Address
Traci has served the Charlottesville/Albemarle community as a passionate leader in education for over 25 years. As an integral part of the education and local government systems, she has worked with many elementary, middle, and high school students. In addition to her experience as a long-term substitute teacher and teaching assistant, she has extensive experience working with local school districts to implement HR policies to ensure access to academic services and to support the development of educational programs that resonate with youth. She has obtained HR designations as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) and the Society of Human Resources Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP). Prior to her role with the Center for Community Partnerships, Traci worked with the federally funded program Upward Bound at the University of Virginia to assist college-bound first-generation students to prepare and thrive in their post high careers.
She received her B.S. degree in Information Systems Management from the State University of New York, College at Buffalo and her Educational Technology Certification and an M.Ed. degree in Learning, Design, and Technology from James Madison University in the summer of 2024.
She is married to Edward, a native of Albemarle County, and they have three adult children.