Faculty & Staff

Dr. Carter has committed his career to improving social and economic justice for Black and Brown communities and has more than 20 years of experience working with children and families with few resources and limited access to power and privilege. He approaches this work with equal parts curiosity, humility, passion and humor, aiming to positively impact the systems and organizations that work on behalf of vulnerable populations. Before joining Beacon Academy, Dr. Carter was a Founding member of the leadership team for Project Evident, a national organization focused on helping not-for-profit organizations and philanthropic foundations harness the power of evidence to achieve greater impact. He also co-created and led a virtual learning program for practitioners and leaders called a Talent Accelerator. Similarly, Dr. Carter designed and piloted the Data & Evidence Equity Guide, a tool to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion principles into evidence building. Prior, he served as Deputy Director and Chief Strategy Officer at the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, where he created a learning strategy and built the capacity of individuals, organizations, and systems to drive and scale innovation.

Dr. Carter is currently a Trustee for Concord Academy and the Foundation for MetroWest, and a member of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation National Evaluation Advisory Committee. He has been an Adjunct Faculty member at Boston College Graduate School of Social Work and guest lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education and Simmons College Graduate Schools of Management and Social Work. He earned his master’s degree in Social Work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his Ph.D. in Social Work from Boston College. He lives in the MetroWest area with his wife Robyn and their two children.

Jennifer Angelone is a licensed mental health clinician who has worked in the mental health field for the last 15 years. She received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University Maryland. Then, she received her master’s degree from Assumption College, specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Child and Family Therapy. She additionally has advanced graduate certificates from Cornell University in Women Leadership and Wellness Coaching. Jennifer is also a freelance trainer with the Life is Good Playmaker Project. This non-profit organization teaches other child-centered professionals how to harness the power of optimism to create life-changing relationships with children who may have been impacted by adversity. She is an active volunteer and chapter coordinator for The Mended Hearts Inc., a national organization supporting other heart patients and their families. She recently chartered a group for young adults through the Young Mended Hearts program.

Before joining Beacon Academy, Jennifer had a private practice that offered individual, family, and sibling outpatient mental health therapy. Jennifer’s approach was a blend of strength-based, solution-focused, and cognitive-behavioral therapies. Still, the most important element was the therapeutic relationship and providing a space that was safe, loving, joyful, and empowering.

Kate is an educator, author, and poet originally from Philadelphia, PA. Kate taught middle school and high school English for over a decade for Boston Public Schools before transitioning to publishing and development. Kate holds her B.A. from Vassar College, her M.Ed. from University of Massachusetts Boston (Boston Teacher Residency), and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing for Young People from Lesley University. Her debut novel, THE SONG OF US, was published by HarperCollins and was named a 2024 Notable Verse Novel by the National Council of Teachers of English.

Ali enters her tenth year of teaching, having spent the last eight years living and working at the Groton School, where she taught Eighth Grade Science and Chemistry. Ali also worked as a dorm head, field hockey and lacrosse coach, designed DEI programming for students, and completed faculty evaluations. She began her teaching career as a Teaching Fellow at Phillips Academy Andover. She holds a degree in Chemistry from the University of Rochester. Ali is excited to start at Beacon Academy and continue teaching in a small, tight-knit community of passionate students and adults. Outside of teaching, Ali enjoys rock climbing, crocheting, and time with family. She lives in Jamaica Plain with her wife, Nat, one-year-old son Owen, and dog Moose.

Cary Hammonds has worked with students who represent a wide variety of ages, privileges, and cultures in Florida, Texas, the Czech Republic, Spain, and South Korea. In each environment, her goal is always to instill empathy and build equity. Cary believes that the study of humanities—of history, of literature—plays a strong role by offering students windows into the past, mirrors to who we are today, and opportunities to dream of better futures. She holds a degree in English from Rollins College and state certifications, and she has served a previous school as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Co-Chair.

Annie Jean-Baptiste is a dedicated education professional with a Master's degree (M.Ed) in Teacher Education History and Education Policy from Brandeis University. She is committed to positively impacting individuals and communities through education and civic engagement. With a solid foundation in teacher education, she has seamlessly transitioned into various roles in the education field. As a classroom teacher, facilitator, and guidance counselor, she had the privilege of guiding and supporting students through their academic and personal development journeys. Her passion lies in fostering an inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students, especially empowering young girls and women. AnnieJB is also a proud member of the 2024-2025 SPARK Boston Council, serving as a youth advisor for the great city of Boston in the Mayor’s office.

Nihal Kodavarti is originally from Chicago, IL, and graduated from Oberlin College with a degree in Math and Economics. Before joining Beacon Academy, Nihal worked as a Teaching Fellow at Providence Day School in Charlotte, NC, becoming familiar with different pedagogical practices in math education and independent school culture. He is passionate about improving educational accessibility and actively tries to make his teaching practices more equitable. His approach to teaching math focuses on analytical reasoning, problem-solving, and persistence, emphasizing the foundation behind concepts and how they apply to a student's broader academic experience. Finally, he firmly believes that no one is "bad at math" and that anyone can succeed with confidence, drive, and practice!

Karen, a Boston native, brings extensive experience working with youth and families across diverse settings. Known for her results-driven leadership, she excels at developing systems that prioritize efficiency and outcomes while demonstrating attention to detail, intellectual curiosity, and strong problem-solving skills.

Karen holds a Master’s in Education with a focus in Language and Literacy from Simmons University and a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Smith College. She has worked as a reading specialist in public schools, helping students develop strong literacy skills. In the nonprofit sector, Karen has held leadership roles, directing after-school programs, overseeing operations, and managing recruitment and enrollment. She also served as the first female Director of Camp Hale, a historic overnight camp on Squam Lake, New Hampshire.

Natalia Lindsey grew up in Boston, MA, and brings to Beacon Academy a strong commitment to education equity and a dedication to supporting youth in the Greater Boston area. Most recently, Natalia was an Enrichment Instructor at the Old Colony YMCA - Brockton, where she collaborated with Brockton Public School staff to teach social-emotional learning lessons to elementary school students. Prior to that, Natalia was a litigation paralegal at Ropes & Gray LLP, and she has additional experience in political advocacy, nonprofit development, global health research, and student advising. Natalia also spent a semester teaching English in Logroño, Spain as a Fulbright recipient. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Health and Societies from the University of Pennsylvania.

Born and raised in Dorchester, Massachusetts, Ashley Miranda comes to Beacon Academy with an unwavering dedication to education equity and a passion for supporting students through educational transitions. Most recently, Ashley was the Associate Director of Talent at BES, leading recruitment and selection operations and strategy for the school-founding fellowship program. Prior to that, as the Assistant Teen Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester, she created youth development programming and spearheaded community outreach efforts on behalf of the organization. She has also worked as an Alumni Services Coordinator for Roxbury Preparatory Charter School, and served as a National Teaching Fellow with Citizen Schools, providing high school placement support to eighth graders. She received her Master of Arts in Digital Culture & Society from King’s College London and her Bachelor of Arts in English from Amherst College.

Ben Perez has a keen interest in storytelling through visual documentation, Ben Perez BA’19 uses videography and photography to share his life experiences of being a recent graduate of Phillips Academy Andover and a current college student at Columbia University. With hopes of providing a blueprint of such academic experiences to aspiring students, Ben uses social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram to connect with other like-minded students and their families/caregivers across the globe. As a remote intern, Ben helps plan and create multimedia content aimed at connecting you with the Beacon Academy community by showing you the day-to-day experiences of current students and alumni.

Born and raised in the Boston area, Alexander Rodriguez brings experience from public, charter, and independent schools in both Massachusetts and Texas to his new role at Beacon Academy. He earned his B.A. in Mathematics from Boston University and has cultivated a classroom practice that celebrates mathematics as a profoundly human pursuit—relevant, creative, and accessible to every learner. Drawing on lessons from a range of educational settings, Alexander designs inquiry-based lessons that center student voice and connect algebraic ideas to real-world contexts, helping young people build the “mathematical courage” they’ll need to thrive beyond Beacon.

Joni Shaw-Prophete has been a nurse for 27 years including 10 years as a public health nurse in Boston providing health education through workshops and small classes. The other portion of her nursing career has been with school nursing which she has come to love. Born and raised in Boston, Joni raised her children here as well. She is a mom of 7 (4 biological and 3 bonus children) and a Nini (grandmother) of 2. Joni’s passion is helping people understand and have access to comprehensive healthcare and she’s always looking for ways to both educate and empower the community.

Scott Steele is the Director of Finance and Operations and has been a member of Beacon Academy’s Finance Committee since 2019. Prior to joining Beacon Academy, Scott was the Director of Finance and Operations at the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (BFIT), a Boston-based minority-servicing technical college founded in 1908. Scott was previously co-founder and Managing Partner of JMH Capital Partners, a private capital investment firm. Prior to JMH, Scott was a Principal at Parthenon Capital in Boston and a Principal in the New York office of Electra Investment Trust PLC, a London-based private investment firm. He started his career in the Leveraged Funding Group at Heller Financial in New York.  Scott received his B.B.A. from the University of Michigan and his M.B.A. from the Stern School of Business at New York University. In addition to his work at Beacon Academy, Scott serves on the board and chairs the finance committee at the Wily Network, a non-profit that serves college students who don’t have academic, emotional or financial support from family. Scott lives in Newton with his wife Ursula, their three boys, and their new rescue dog Zeke and closely follows all things related to University of Michigan athletics.

Anne-Marie Yu-Phelps is a strong believer in the value of education, especially for those trying to break out of a cycle of poverty into which they may have been born. She came to Beacon Academy from João Pessoa, Brazil, where she worked for three years in a women’s holistic health and education center as a Maryknoll Lay Missioner. Previously, Anne-Marie taught for ten years at Newton Country Day School and taught English in a school for orphaned and abandoned children in Honduras and to refugees in Hong Kong and El Paso, Texas. Anne-Marie graduated with honors in English and Spanish from Amherst College and earned her Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard with a focus on teaching and curriculum for secondary school English.