Welcome, and thank you for your interest in the Maya Angelou Public Schools and See Forever Foundation. Founded in 1997, we are the first charter management organization and foremost LEA-based voice dedicated exclusively to high school level and vocational schooling for alternative students and detained youth in Washington, DC.
We continue our 25 year tradition of character and career formation, academic excellence, and strong community ties by operating five independent campuses across the District. Students at all levels and abilities can succeed once introduced to the Maya Way!
The See Forever Foundation and Maya Angelou Schools are committed to building a diverse board of directors and staff which reflects the students, families, and communities where we serve.
🔍For information regarding our secured sites at New Beginnings, DCJail and Youth Services Center please contact Ms. F. Hayward via email (fhayward@seeforever.org)
High School Leadership Team
- Shantelle Wright-Cunningham, Principal
✉swrightcunningham@seeforever.org - Peter Smith, Assistant Principal of Culture
✉psmith@seeforever.org - Jasmine Groce, Assistant Principal of Instruction
✉jgroce@seeforever.org
Important Contacts for Students and Families:
- Stephen Liggon, Director of Community and Family Engagement
- Denean Stevens, Director of Student Recruitment and Retention (Enrollment)
Young Adult Learning Center Leadership Team
- Dr. Sean Yisrael, Director
✉syisrael@seeforever.org - Makuti Lee, Dean of Students/Student Development Manager
✉mlee@seeforever.org - Bruce Anderson, Assessment Specialist
✉banderson@seeforever.org - Emily Harrington, Enrollment
✉eharrington@seeforever.org
Important Contacts for Students and Families: Kewanna Wade, Enrollment Specialist
David Domenici, JD, Board Chair
Director, Center for Educational Excellence in Alternative Settings
Co-Founder, See Forever Foundation & Maya Angelou Schools
Clarisse Mendoza Davis
Chief Executive Officer
See Forever Foundation & Maya Angelou Schools
James Forman, Jr., JD
Professor, Yale Law School
Co-Founder, See Forever/ Maya Angelou Schools
Reid Weingarten, JD
Partner, Steptoe & Johnson, LLP
Emeritus Member*
Cheryl Mills, JD
Founder and CEO, BlackIvy Group
*All Maya Angelou Schools and See Forever Foundation Board members without lifelong or Emeritus memberships serve renewable two-year terms
📋 Chief Executive Officer ∙ Clarisse Mendoza Davis (cmendoza@seeforever.org)
📊 Chief of Institutional Advancement ∙ Leah Lamb (llamb@seeforever.org)
📓 Chief of Schools ∙ Azalia Speight (aspeight@seeforever.org)
🎯 Deputy Chief of Policy, Performance & Advocacy ∙ Nora Shetty (nshetty@seeforever.org)
🧩 Deputy Chief of Student Support Services ∙ Kamal Wright-Cunningham (kwright-cunningham.org@seeforever.org)
🔑 Deputy Chief of Secure Programs ∙ Felecia Hayward (fhayward@seeforever.org)
Reginald Belle
Campaigns and Programs Fellow
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Ernestine Brock | Parent Board Member
Michelle Brown | Board Member
Senior Case Manager
Fairfax County Public Housing
Darren Cambridge, Ph.D
Managing Director
Institute for Trustworthy AI in Law and Society
Crystal Carpenter | Board Member
Chief Program & Strategy Officer,
Campaign for the Sentencing of Youth
Cheryl Chun, M.D. | Board Member
Pediatric Physician,
Kaiser Permanente
Makeba Clay | Board Member
Vice President
The Pew Charitable Trusts & The
Pew Research Center
Chelsea Coffin | Board Member
Director
Education Policy Initiative
DC Policy Center
David Domenici, JD
Co-Founder, See Forever/Maya Angelou Schools
Executive Director
Break Free Education
James Forman, Jr., JD | Chair, Board Development & Engagement Committee
Co-Founder, See Forever/Maya Angelou Schools
Professor, Yale Law School
Joi Hayes-Scott | Board Member
Consultant
Russell Reynolds Associate
Julie Johnson, Ed.D | Board Member
Principal/Founder
Strategy Forward Advisors
Cheryl Mills, JD | Board Member
Founder and CEO
BlackIvy Group
Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, PhD | Board Chair
CEO/President
Amer Assoc of Colleges for Teacher Education AACTE
Thomas White | Board Secretary, Chair, Strategic Planning Committee
Partner
WilmerHale Law Firm (Retired)
Michael Stratton | Treasurer; Chair, Finance Committee
Senior Vice-President
Artemis