Lazear Charter Academy - Oakland Unified School District

Ms. Thomas started teaching in Oakland through Teach for America in 1993 and continued teaching
for six years before becoming a site administrator. During this time, she also worked as the Special
Education school director for the Teach for America Summer Institute. She holds a B.A in Economics
from the University of Pennsylvania, a Master's in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of
San Francisco, and a Master's in Administration, Planning , and Social Policy from Harvard University.
Jessica Evans, Chief Academic Officer
Dr. Jessica Evans has been the CAO of Education for Change Public Schools since inception and is
largely responsible for the dramatic gains made by the EFCPS schools. She was formerly the
Director of Elementary Education for the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD). Dr. Evans has
focused on improving instruction in Reading/Language Arts, English language development, and
Mathematics. She instituted site-based professional development through the Collaborative Inquiry
Cycle and Lesson Design Study. Dr. Evans also served as principal of La Escuelita Elementary
School. An experienced educator, Dr. Evans has served as a lecturer at UCLA in Reading methods
and as a research assistant in the education evaluation firm Education Matters, Inc. She holds a B.A.
from Stanford University, a M.Ed . from UCLA, and a M.Ed . and doctorate from Harvard University.
Fabiola Harvey, Chief Operating Officer
Previous to joining Education for Change, Ms. Harvey served as the Area Financial Manager for the
Las Vegas Cluster of Edison Schools. She led start-up and business operations for 7 schools with
over 6,000 students and 500 employees in the Clark County School District. This was the first time
that the district awarded a cluster of schools to be managed by one Charter Management
Organization. Prior to working in Las Vegas, Ms. Harvey was the Business Manager for one of the
most troubled schools in the San Francisco Unified School District. At Edison Charter Academy, Ms.
Harvey was able to turn around a difficult financial situation and get the school on a firm financial
footing . Ms. Harvey brings with her a wealth of experience and a long-standing commitment to urban
education.
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