Our Board

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Dr. Kimberly West is an award-winning educator and educational consultant with over 15 years of experience. Throughout her career, she has taught diverse learners including English language learners and students with disabilities. Dr. West has received many awards and recognitions, including being recognized as Teacher of the Year and Outstanding Technology Teacher of the Year. Additionally, she has served as a mentor teacher to pre-service and early career teachers. Dr. West has also extended her experience and expertise to the creation and development of instructional and assessment resources. She has also participated in district-level committees and chaired many school-level committees and task forces. Dr. West has developed and presented professional development sessions at gatherings and conferences at the local and national levels in the areas of improving instructional practice, technology integration in the classroom, and the sensemaking and implementation of federal and state education policies in the classroom. 

Dr. West holds a Ph.D. in Educational Administration and Policy from the University of Georgia, an Education Specialist with an emphasis in Curriculum and Instruction from Piedmont University, a Master of Arts in Middle Childhood Education from Otterbein University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a Marketing focus from Otterbein University. Dr. West also holds certifications in education leadership and teaching in numerous K-12 fields.

​Dr. Christopher Holmes a veteran educator and researcher who fights for equity and access for Black and Brown students being serving in impoverished communities. A native of Columbus, GA, Dr. Holmes holds degrees from Mercer University (BS, Biology), Troy State University (MS, Postsecondary Education), Valdosta State University (EdS, Education Administration), and the University of Georgia (PhD, Education Administration & Policy). He has worked in education for over two decades as a teacher, coach, specialist, Chief Learning Officer, administrator, and consultant. He is the CEO and Chief Consultant of Fully Engage Education that provides services in curriculum development, instructional leadership, teacher effectiveness, federal policy compliance, and school improvement efforts. He identifies as a teacher’s teacher and strongly believes in current and relevant understanding of evidence-based approaches to change via high quality and data driven decision-making. He is currently a BES fellow and will be the founder of a charter school that will open in Fall 2025.
 

He is a mentor, public speaker, advocate for students and parents, host of the webcast Teacher Talks, host of two podcast Edversations and Black Doctors Talk Podcast, a cofounder of a STEAM Connect Foundation, a nonprofit created with two undergraduate friends, and CEO of DCREE by Christopher Day, a faith-based bespoke men’s clothing and accessory company, and serves as a leader for The Achievement Institute, a 501(c)3 that provides both challenging and rewarding exposure and experiences to talented male students.
 

Dr. Holmes is married with two children and resides in metro Atlanta. 

Serah Okeke is from a small village called Abiriba, located in the Abia state in Southeast Nigeria. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2019 with a  Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a minor in French. In May 2023, Serah completed the Master in Public Health program from Georgia State University with a concentration in Health Promotion and Behavior. Serah currently works as a Cell Therapist where she spends the majority of her time developing immunotherapy made directly from patients’ cells following the FDA and cGMP guidelines. Serah also works with the Georgia State University IDEAL office supporting and promoting inclusive post-secondary programs for students with mild intellectual disabilities. Growing up in Nigeria Serah learned to lean on God and is very passionate about her religion and faith. Serah is also very family oriented and enjoys spending her spare time with family and friends. She loves to travel and dreams of one day achieving her goal of visiting all seven continents.

Dr. Ian Parker is an educator with both teaching and research experience, specifically focused on early childhood care and education. His teaching career spans from preschool to third grade in Atlanta, Georgia and he advocates for equitable access to high quality child care and education for low-income, Black and Brown communities. Dr. Parker also has almost twenty years of mentoring experience with the youth of his local community and is a champion for educating students from diverse backgrounds. He is currently a mentor through the Athens-Clarke County Public School District Mentoring Program, a research consultant for the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector, and a published children's book author. He currently is a board member for Montessori Partnerships for Georgia. And after a study abroad program to Ghana, he became the founder and executive director of Black Star Foundation for Early Childhood Education and Development, an organization that sponsors students in Mpeasem, Ghana by covering their school fees yearly. Additionally, Dr. Parker holds a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership.

Dr. Parker, a native of Morristown, New Jersey, holds a Ph.D. in Education Administration and Policy from the University of Georgia, a Master of Arts in Teaching Early Childhood Education from Mercer University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Morehouse College.