MEET OUR TEAM
Our work is about our stories, our stories come from our people, and our people are what make Equity Institute a team of passionate advocates for educational equity.
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
SHE/HER/ELLA
Born in El Salvador and raised in Providence, Rhode Island, Karla Vigil serves as the chief executive officer and co-founder of the Equity Institute. Karla ensures ongoing programmatic excellence, rigorous program evaluation, and consistent quality of finance and administration, fundraising, and communications systems. Additionally, she’s a strong advocate for recruiting, developing, and supporting historically underrepresented education professionals.
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CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
HE/HIM
Carlon is the Chief Devleopment Officer and Co-Founder of Equity Institute. In his role, he oversees organizational strategy, internal operations, and implementation of Equity Institute’s educator pathway program. Carlon is an avid reader and lifelong learner who spends much of his time exploring topics related to social science, history, and leadership.
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CHIEF OF OPERATIONS
Chief of Operations
SHE/HER
Katya M. Rodriguez Roman is a Mexican immigrant (proud Cachanilla) raised in California and serving in Providence since 2017. As Chief of Staff, she enhances organizational efficiency, drives cross-functional collaboration, oversees program evaluation, and serves as a strategic advisor to the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Development Officer providing insights, recommendations, and support on organizational strategy. Katya believes that all students deserve a high-quality education regardless of their zip code and strives to develop an equitable education system throughout the country.
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DIRECTOR OF EDUCATOR PATHWAY PROGRAMS
SHE/HER
Arryana was born, raised and taught in the Bronx, NY where her experiences on both sides of the public school system have developed her ideas and philosophy around education and ways to engage the BIPOC community in systems that have historically marginalized their voices. She oversees the development of instructional content and materials used to support aspiring teachers as they obtain their certification through our educator pathway programming. Arryana’s goal is to help build innovative methods for educating communities of color outside of K-12 institutions.
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PROGRAM MANAGER
SHE/HER
Karla Castillo is a former early childhood educator and passionate advocate for education. She graduated from College Unbound, where she dedicated her studies to understanding how to create inclusive learning environments that celebrate diversity and meet the unique needs of every student. Karla firmly believes in the transformative power of early childhood education. She has spent her career working to ensure that every child has access to high-quality education, regardless of their background.
MEET OUR PROGRAM ASSOCIATES
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PROGRAM ASSOCIATE
HE/HIM
His education career began in the summer of 2020 after joining Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes as a speech clinician and eventually, a coach.
This position inspired Faizaan to pursue full-time teaching and became a member of Indianapolis Teaching Fellows, working as a high school chemistry teacher at a public charter school while earning a Masters in Teaching at Marian University.
Currently, Faizaan is enrolled in Brown University’s Urban Education Masters Program and works as an associate for Equity Institute.
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PROGRAM ASSOCIATE
HE/HIM
DaQuan Brown is a graduate student at Brown University pursuing a master’s degree in Urban Education Policy. A native of Decatur, Georgia, and a proud Morehouse College alumnus, DaQuan is passionate about educational equity, community service, and youth empowerment. He has served as a Leading Men Fellow, interned with the Rhode Island Department of Education, and currently works with the Equity Institute, advancing initiatives that promote culturally responsive and inclusive education. Through his love of creativity, he has published two children’s books, created interactive learning materials for a nonprofit in the Dominican Republic, and won three film festivals for his work highlighting the Black perspective.
MEET OUR BOARD
We pride ourselves on the exceptional leadership and expertise of our board members. Each individual brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, guiding our strategic vision and fostering our success.
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Vice President of Programs and Grantmaking, Cambridge Community Foundation
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Vice President of Operations, Eve by Boz
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AG Group Consulting/Principal & Founder
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
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CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER
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President & CEO of Mass Insight
MEET OUR CONSULTANTS
We understand the value of expertise and diverse perspectives when it comes to delivering outstanding results. That's why we have assembled a team of highly accomplished consultants who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table.
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Financial Consultant from Wallace Consulting
Dirk Wallace was born in Jamaica and has been a Rhode Island resident for the past fifteen years. Dirk brings over a decade of experience in financial management and advisory. At the Equity Institute, he provides a strategic, high-level approach to the organization’s finance and accounting needs. He works closely with the CEO, CIO and Chief of Staff to develop and implement strategic plans and goals that support the organization’s mission and vision to maximize returns on operations. Dirk is also a husband, father of two children, and active member of his faith community. In his spare time he is a musician, pool player, and food enthusiast.
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Training Consultant from PLEE
Ramona has been a parent advocate for over 10 years primarily working with families of students with disabilities within the school system and other systems of care.
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Marketing & Communications Consultant
Tanya is a writer, editor, translator, artist, educator, community builder and consultant based in Washington, DC with a passion for family stories and social change.
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Training and Curriculum Development Consultant from Corajus
Michaela Pommells believes that in order to end racism, patriarchy, and all forms of oppression, we must cull together creative energy to build new, resilient, anti-capitalist, community-controlled institutions that achieve revolutionary justice. She is passionate about eradicating development-induced-displacement, achieving gender equity, and educating towards collective transformation and radical healing. In her free time, she enjoys woodworking, reading, and spending time with her three children and partner.
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Training and Curriculum Development Consultant from Dulari Tahbildar Coaching & Consulting
Dulari Tahbildar (she/her) has over 20 years of experience working across the fields of education, youth development, and workforce development Shehas facilitated dozens of visioning, strategic planning, program development, and collaborative problem-solving processes that have engaged diverse audiences and centered equity and justice. Dulari believes strongly in peer leadership as a tool for community and power building and seeks out opportunities to work in solidarity with BIPOC young people and workers on initiatives that will improve the communities in which they live and work. Outside of work, Dulari enjoys puzzles, walks by the water, lifting heavy things, coaching mindful movement with kettlebells, and being a golf mom.
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Designer
Sophie “Fi” Engel was born and raised in Connecticut and spent her early adulthood in New Mexico. She is a designer, illustrator, and maker. She is assisting the team with visual content and the display of information in engaging, accessible, and exciting ways. Sophie believes design is a way to cultivate self resiliency and promote anti-oppression ideology. When not working she can be found drawing or sewing with her cats Cowboy and Little My.
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Training and Curriculum Development Consultant from MKS Education Partners
Maureen Sigler started her career in education teaching 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th grade in Washington DC Public Schools. After her years as a classroom teacher, Maureen served in various leadership roles including Director of the History MAT program at Brown University, as a national consultant to districts and schools across the country, and Director of several federal anti-poverty programs. In 2020, Maureen founded MKS Education Partners where she serves as CEO. Her work includes supporting teachers and administrators through personalized coaching; facilitating strategic planning and advising at the school and district level; curriculum development and guidance; and administrator and teacher professional learning. Her expertise includes, culturally responsive and sustaining teaching, blended and personalized learning and the purposeful integration of education technology in the classroom, social-emotional learning, college and career ready standards, curriculum development and strategy, and equitable change management. She is driven by a focus on educational justice and is passionate about creating educational environments where all students can thrive. Maureen has a BA from Trinity College, and a Master's Degree in Education from Harvard University.