Jalil Mustaffa Bishop

Mission Facilitator (he/him)

Dr. Bishop is a critical qualitative scholar who’s experienced in college affordability, student debt, anti-racist policymaking, and racialized geography of life opportunity. Dr. Bishop has worked with a wide range of postsecondary institutions and organizations on developmental evaluations and is the principal investigator of the first national study on Black student debt.

Jonthan C.W. Davis

Director of Research (he/him)

Dr. Davis is the Director of Research at EqRC. He identifies as a mixed-methods researcher-advocate with interest in inequitable K-12 schooling conditions that delimit post-secondary choices and opportunities for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. Dr. Davis most recently served as Senior P-12 Research Associate at The Education Trust.

Kaila Vanleer-Walker

Director of Operations (she/her)

Kaila studied business finance in her undergraduate and graduate studies. She has several years of experience assisting financial advisors and managing daily operations for large-scale programs and operations. Kaila is passionate about building operational infrastructure and providing resources to others. She most recently used her skills to establish and refine organization-wide policies and processes for a large tech company.

Keon M. McGuire

Principal Advisor on Research and Strategy (he/him)

Dr. McGuire is a leading scholar on race and gender in higher education and an associate professor in the NC State University College of Education. His work has been funded by the Spencer Foundation and National Science Foundation and is published in education's leading peer-reviewed journals. Dr. McGuire holds a joint PhD in Higher Education and Africana Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and in 2019 was selected as National Academy of Education (NAEd)/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow.

Oscar J. Mayorga

Director of Data for Freedom (he/him)

In tandem with his training as a sociologist of higher education, Dr. Mayorga brings 15 years of expertise in higher education leadership, including his previous role as Chief Diversity Officer at a small liberal arts college. Dr. Mayorga is a leading critical quantitative scholar who specializes in integrating anti-racism into survey design, statistical modeling, and institutional data reporting.

Shanell Hagood

Director of Strategy and Culture (she/her)

Shanell brings nearly 10 years of organizational leadership, research and evaluation, and project management experience in higher education. Most recently, Mrs. Hagood served as Director of Racial Equity, Strategy and Policy in the Mayor's Office for one of the largest cities in the country.

Tawana Bandy-Fattah

Senior Associate Researcher (she/her)

Tawana is a mixed-methods social science researcher with expertise on how programs and policies impact the well-being of populations with complex needs. Over the last decade she has led evaluations of two-generation approaches, school-based initiatives, and mentoring programs, always with a focus on problem-solving and strengthening investments. She remains most interested in using research as a mechanism to promote justice, shape policy, and effect real-world change.

Leila E. Ellis-Nelson

Senior Associate Researcher (she/her)

Leila E. Ellis-Nelson, Psy.D. is a dedicated higher education equity and mental health scholar and adjunct professor. With a multifaceted approach to her work, Dr. Ellis-Nelson has experience spearheading intentionally inclusive advocacy-centered initiatives. She's led the development of equity action plans, strategy and policy advocacy work, and the evaluation of resources aimed at fostering inclusivity within post-secondary institutions aimed at Black, Hispanic, LGBTQAI2S+, undocumented, and other historically excluded student access and success initiatives. In acknowledgment of her commitment to educational excellence, Dr. Ellis-Nelson, alongside her collaborators, received the prestigious Catalyst Award in the Training & Professional Development category from educational partners, Blackboard and Anthology, and her work continues to prioritize the needs and experiences of our most vulnerable future and current scholars.

Tina Davis

Senior Associate Researcher (she/her)

Tina is a mixed-methods researcher with over 8 years of research and evaluation experience across K-12, higher education, and EdTech. In her previous role at Instructure, she helped K-12 education providers to ensure their EdTech evidence met Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) standards. She also supported the National Student Clearinghouse Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP) to help colleges and universities track student outcomes. She has published research with the Department of Homeland Security and supported the development of the National Science Board’s Science and Engineering Indicators Report. She practices culturally responsive and equitable evaluation (CREE) and previously served as the Associate Director of the Leaders in Equitable Evaluation and Diversity (LEEAD) Program at Expanding the Bench. She is passionate about addressing systemic inequities and advancing communities of color with evidence-based research practices.

Katherine Wheatle

Senior Manager of Development and Justice Partnerships (she/her)

Katherine Wheatle, Ph.D., is the Movement and Grant Strategist at the Equity Research Cooperative, bringing 15 years of experience across higher education, public policy, and the nonprofit sector. Her career spans academia, federal agencies, policy research organizations, and philanthropy. Most recently, she served as Program Officer for the Culture, Race and Equity Team at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, where she co-led a $150M racial justice initiative. She also held roles as Director of Justice & Equity Grantmaking at the Packard Foundation, managing a $70M portfolio focused on combating anti-Black racism, and as Strategy Officer for Federal Policy and Equity at Lumina Foundation.

Dr. Wheatle combines research and practice in her strategic approach. At the Institute for Higher Education Policy, she researched systemic change strategies to improve college reenrollment and completion for returning students, in addition to consulting for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education. She began her career as a student affairs practitioner, and throughout her work as a grantmaker has advanced racial equity, developed foundation priorities, and supported capacity-building inside and outside of philanthropic institutions.

Jasmine Slovak

Senior Manager of Development and Justice Partnerships (she/her)

Jasmine Slovak is a strategic storyteller, marketing and stakeholder engagement leader with over a decade of experience in communications, organizational development, and fundraising. She has raised more than $5M in grant and donor funding and has led advocacy campaigns advancing Indigenous rights, food systems, environmental justice, and social justice. As an eldest daughter from a line of eldest daughters, she brings a legacy of stewardship and resilience into her work, bridging grassroots leadership with institutional funders and building systems that reflect community values while navigating complex political and cultural contexts.