CFN 107 Team Biographies
Nancy Scala
This is Nancy's 18th year with the New York City Department of Education. She has always lived on the operations side of the street - beginning her tenure at the District 31 Business Office and then moving on to the Staten Island Regional Operations Center in 2003. She joined the Empowerment Zone as a Network Business Manager during its inaugural year, and has evolved along with the team to arrive at her current position as Network Leader.
Sammi Oerlemans
Sammi was a founding teacher of a small middle school in Brooklyn. In addition to her six years of teaching in Brooklyn, Sammi also has experience with teaching in private school and abroad, in a British secondary school. She graduated from the NYC Leadership Academy in 2008 and joined the network during its transition to Children First. Sammi's passions lie in English literature, the performing arts, and developing a community of collaboration and tolerance. The most enjoyable part of Sammi's job are the days she gets to spend working with teachers and students. Sammi is the network's technology geek.
Mary T. Brouder, from the NYC DOE Office of Teacher Effectiveness
Mary is a second generation teacher – both her parents taught high school in New York City. After nearly 10 years in the non-profit world, I became a teacher at the HS of Telecommunication Arts and TechnologyAs a school leader, I served the children of Abraham Lincoln HS as the Assistant Principal of English Language Arts and then the children of Automotive HS as Principal. As principal, our school was one of the first in the city to implement the Danielson framework, so I do know firsthand some of the challenges and benefits. I am currently in my third year as a Talent Coach. What I love about the work is supporting school communities as they evolve to meet the challenges of implementing Advance.
Mary is a second generation teacher – both her parents taught high school in New York City. After nearly 10 years in the non-profit world, I became a teacher at the HS of Telecommunication Arts and TechnologyAs a school leader, I served the children of Abraham Lincoln HS as the Assistant Principal of English Language Arts and then the children of Automotive HS as Principal. As principal, our school was one of the first in the city to implement the Danielson framework, so I do know firsthand some of the challenges and benefits. I am currently in my third year as a Talent Coach. What I love about the work is supporting school communities as they evolve to meet the challenges of implementing Advance.
Sherrhonda Daniels-Perrin
Sherrhonda has been with the Department of Education for 13 years and in those years she has worn many hats. This is her second year with CFN 107 as an Operations Analyst. In 1998 Sherrhonda began with the DOE in the Technology Department at 2 Metro Tech, Brooklyn, where she assisted schools with technical issues. In her many years of DOE service, Sherrhonda has also worked with the Office of Research Development and Dissemination (Tweed), the DOE Legal Department, and has worked with 16 Superintendents while "Regions" were in place. In 2003, School Food and Payroll (which are part of her current roles with CFN) were her first roles where she had direct interactions with schools. Sherrhonda currently assists schools with Transportation, School Food and Procurement and assists with back-up Payroll support.
Danielle Herman
Danielle's passion for social justice and educational equity brought her to teaching in 2007 as a New York City Teaching Fellow. A product of NYC public schools, Danielle feels deeply connected to the successful implementation of policy relating to student achievement. During her six years in the DOE, Danielle has served as a middle school and high school math teacher. Additionally, she's taken on various leadership roles including Data Specialist, Departmental Facilitator, and Instructional Leader. Danielle has a BS in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut, an MS in Adolescent Math Education from Pace University, and is enthusiastically pursuing an MA in Education Policy at Teachers College, Columbia University. In her free time, Danielle enjoys yoga, cooking, holistic wellness, and anything relating to art and design.
Danielle's passion for social justice and educational equity brought her to teaching in 2007 as a New York City Teaching Fellow. A product of NYC public schools, Danielle feels deeply connected to the successful implementation of policy relating to student achievement. During her six years in the DOE, Danielle has served as a middle school and high school math teacher. Additionally, she's taken on various leadership roles including Data Specialist, Departmental Facilitator, and Instructional Leader. Danielle has a BS in Business Administration from the University of Connecticut, an MS in Adolescent Math Education from Pace University, and is enthusiastically pursuing an MA in Education Policy at Teachers College, Columbia University. In her free time, Danielle enjoys yoga, cooking, holistic wellness, and anything relating to art and design.
Caroll Klapuri
Caroll began her teaching career in 1995 as an adjunct professor of Anthropology and Sociology, teaching at 5 universities in the NYC area. She entered the DOE in 2001. The following year, she was a founding teacher at the same middle school in Brooklyn as Sammi Oerlemans. She taught middle school social studies for 8 years and then became the dean of student discipline. This is Caroll's fourth year with Children First Network 107.
Pema Latshang
Pema joined the Department of Education in 2003 as a Teach for America corps member and began her teaching career as a middle school teacher in the South Bronx. Over the next 6 years Pema worked as a classroom and intervention teacher as well as an Academic Dean of Literacy. In the fall of 2009, she joined CFN 107 as an Achievement Coach specializing in Response-to-Intervention practices. Pema has a B.A. in Public Policy from the University of Chicago, an M.S. in Elementary Education from Pace University and an M.S. in Educational Leadership from Baruch College-CUNY. She is also a graduate of the Scaffolded Apprenticeship Model (S.A.M.) and has experience student-teaching in the Chicago Public School system. She is also the proud mother of two amazing babygirls named Zora and Athena.
Tzong-Jin Lee
Tzong-Jin (TJ) started her teaching career as a middle school Bilingual Special Education teacher at Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s Intermediate School 21 years ago. After 12 years of teaching, she went on to work at Region 8/CLSO/CFN 310/CFN 402 as an Instructional Team Support Specialist. During her time there she learned many skills and wore many hats and in addition to her deep knowledge of quality instruction, TJ is also well-versed in attendance compliance, impartial hearings, assessment systems, gifted and talented program and instruction and art programs. TJ earned her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Sandy Mayol
Sandy has been an educator in the New York City public education system for over 20 years. He began his career as a teacher of history, mathematics, and architecture. Sandy has held various positions within the public school system including lead teacher, architectural magnet coordinator, district staff developer, director of mathematics, director of school improvement, and founding principal of a new high school in Manhattan. Among his passions are world travel, literature, structure and design, music, cultural diplomacy, philosophy, and stretching students intellectually. Sandy is the proud dad of two beautiful, brilliant, and principled young daughters… in his humble and unbiased opinion.
Abby Miller
Abby has worked at the Network since 2009. Before joining the team, she taught English for 8 years and Self-Contained Special Ed English for a year and a half. She was also a dean and the Superintendent Suspension Liaison at James Madison High School in Brooklyn. Additionally, she coached girls' volleyball and softball, and the debate team at the Yeshivah of Flatbush High School in Brooklyn. Abby has 2 Masters' degrees in Educational Leadership and Administration and Secondary Education English. She is married to Steven Miller and they have an amazing baby boy named Dovie and a beautiful baby girl named Shoshanna!
Joseph Robateau
Joseph joined the Department of Education in 2006 and began his teaching career in a 6-12 school on the Lower East Side. During this time Joseph ran an after school credit recovery program which was a joint partnership between the school and DYCD. Over the next 7 years Joseph worked as a classroom teacher as well as the Data Specialist, Program Chair, and testing coordinator. Joseph joined the network as the Data Applications Specialist in 2013. Joseph has a B.A. in Neuroscience from Bard College, an M.S.T in Education from Pace University and he has completed a leadership preparation program at Baruch College-CUNY. Joseph has also been a researcher in the Fitzsimonds Lab at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven Connecticut. Joseph enjoys science fiction, science journals and moderate exercise in his free time.
Joseph joined the Department of Education in 2006 and began his teaching career in a 6-12 school on the Lower East Side. During this time Joseph ran an after school credit recovery program which was a joint partnership between the school and DYCD. Over the next 7 years Joseph worked as a classroom teacher as well as the Data Specialist, Program Chair, and testing coordinator. Joseph joined the network as the Data Applications Specialist in 2013. Joseph has a B.A. in Neuroscience from Bard College, an M.S.T in Education from Pace University and he has completed a leadership preparation program at Baruch College-CUNY. Joseph has also been a researcher in the Fitzsimonds Lab at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven Connecticut. Joseph enjoys science fiction, science journals and moderate exercise in his free time.
