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.

Caroline Crowley, a deeply curious professional, has worked within schools in Chicago, Providence, and the Boston area. She brings a strong blend of therapeutic insight, educational knowledge, and interpersonal skill to her position. Currently pursuing a M.A in Counseling Psychology at Framingham State University, she also holds a M.Ed in School Counseling and a B.A in History with a Certificate in Business Studies from Providence College. She is guided by a deep commitment to educational equity, access and quality education, specifically for historically marginalized and underserved communities. Her professional experience includes serving as a school counselor at Bishop Feehan High School, where she supported students’ academic and social-emotional growth, and as a mental health counselor at a partial hospitalization program, providing trauma-informed, evidence-based care to adolescents and families. Guided by empathy, adaptability, and a growth mindset, she is dedicated to fostering meaningful relationships, promoting holistic development, and empowering others to see the gifts they already have within them. As a licensed School Counselor and certified Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion specialist, she is passionate about cultivating inclusive, supportive environments that prioritize wellness, equity, humor, and continuous growth.

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.

Sarah Holden has spent more than two decades helping students and families navigate the path to high school, college, and beyond. She comes to Beacon Academy as the new Director of Enrollment and Placement, bringing a career shaped by a deep commitment to educational equity and opportunity for historically underserved students. Developing personal relationships, utilizing data wisely, and leveraging professional partnerships to extend and deepen impact have been the cornerstones of her work. At Brooke Charter School, she built and scaled a college success program that helped first-generation and low-income students persist in college, collaborated with colleagues to create an alumni support fund that raised over $1M, and partnered with schools and nonprofits across Boston to expand opportunities for students. Earlier in her career, she served as the Guidance Director at Beacon High School and held leadership roles at Citizen Schools, designing and leading enrichment programs for middle school students. She holds an Ed.S. in School Counseling from UMass Amherst, an M.Ed. from Lesley University, and a B.A. from Wheaton College.

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, originally from Chicago, IL, began his Beacon journey as the school's math teacher and co-curricular coordinator, where he focused on building a curriculum that encouraged analytical reasoning, persistence, and confidence building. He now works in the Enrollment & Placement department, organizing logistics for school visits, interviews, and recruitment. Nihal is passionate about improving educational accessibility and advocacy, and values working at an institution that shares these commitments. He especially loves working with the students at Beacon and, in addition to teaching math, has taught the acapella class and facilitated the leadership club. He graduated from Oberlin College with a degree in Math and Economics and is currently pursuing a Master's in Education Policy and Analysis at Harvard University.

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.

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.