DR. ANTWAN PERRY I CHAIR

Dr. Antwan Perry is a Founding Board Member and Chair of the Board of Directors of All Rise. Dr. Perry presently serves as the Senior Policy Analyst for Higher Education issues at the National Education Association. Prior to his work at NEA, he worked for the Office or Equity for DC Public Schools and has worked in the field of higher education in various capacities for 15 years. Antwan received his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Hampton University, and a Master’s of Education degree and a Doctorate of Education degree in Higher Education from Regent University. Born and raised in Chesapeake, VA, Antwan resides in Maryland.

CHRISTOPHER JOHN I TREASURER

Christopher John Christopher, affectionately known as “CJ”, is a Board member and Treasurer of All Rise. CJ is a local of Boston, MA, although his parents both immigrated from Barbados and Trinidad. He launched his accounting career as an auditor for PricewaterhouseCoopers, conducting external audits for medical devices, educational, healthcare, and other non-profit organizations. He then worked at other companies such as iRobot and Smith and Nephew within their internal audit functions reviewing and improving various business operations and processes. CJ graduated from Boston College with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. He currently resides in Boston, MA.

ANTHONY DEVOE I SECRETARY

Anthony Devoe is the Secretary and a Founding Board Member of All Rise.  Anthony worked in television production before transitioning to public education in 1997. He is an elementary educator for the Norwalk/La Mirada School District in Norwalk California. Anthony earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, his teaching credential from California State University Long Beach, and a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis on Curriculum Development and Assessment from Walden University. Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Anthony currently resides in Downey, CA.

DR. MICHAEL TOWNSEL

Michael Townsel is a Founding Board Member of All Rise.  Michael presently serves as a guidance counselor at School for Advanced Studies, a collegiate high school in Miami, Florida.  He also serves as an adjunct Chemistry Professor at Miami Dade College.  Michael earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Bethune-Cookman College, a Master’s degree in Chemistry from Clark Atlanta University, and a Doctoral degree in Counselor Education from The Union Institute & University.  Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Michael and his wife raised three daughters in Miami before relocating to Miramar, Florida.

DR. REBECCA CHEEZUM

Dr. Rebecca Cheezum is Associate Professor and serves as the Program Director for the Public Health Program at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.  Prior to her work in higher education, Rebecca worked in HIV prevention and youth development work in the West Indies, Maine, and Boston.  Rebecca uses community-based participatory research approaches in much of her research and is particularly interested in the ways in which social, political, and economic factors are related to health inequalities. Rebecca has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Bates College, a Master of Public Health Degree in Social and Behavioral Medicine from Boston University, and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Health Behavior and Health Education from the University of Michigan.  She lives in metro-Detroit with her husband and daughter.

KENVIN LACAYO

Kenvin Lacayo is a native of Washington, D.C. and a fierce advocate for equity. His parents are both immigrants from Central America who came to the United States in the early 1980s. Immediately after graduating high school, Kenvin was accepted to The Literacy Lab’s Leading Men Fellowship. The Leading Men Fellowship focuses on diversifying the teacher workforce, preparing young children for Kindergarten, and putting young men on a path to careers in education. In 2018, Kenvin co-led The Literacy Lab’s team that won First Place in the national Saul Zaentz Early Education Initiative Innovation Challenge at Harvard School of Education for its Leading Men Fellowship program. The Zaentz Early Education Innovation Challenge recognizes promising new ideas and strategic approaches that have the potential to transform the quality of early education. Kenvin is an emerging national leader, traveling the country advocating for greater opportunities for young men of color.