Laura’s 20-year career in education has been inspired by a belief in the civic mission of schools. After teaching middle and high school in New York City and Boston, Laura held a variety of leadership positions at the global non-profit Facing History and Ourselves, where she developed innovative classroom resources, designed transformative learning experiences for educators, and led strategic partnerships. She writes about history, current events and education for publications including the New York Times, Educational Leadership, Greater Good Magazine, and Social Education.

A first-generation college student, Laura graduated from Wellesley College and later received graduate degrees in literature and history from Oxford University, where she studied as a Rhodes Scholar. 

Anna began her journey as an educator working with elementary and middle school students as a literacy specialist. She has over ten years of experience, teaching in Boston and Denver before serving as an instructional leader for a charter management organization in Atlanta. Anna holds a BA in teaching English as a second language from Moody Bible Institute and an MA in teaching literacy and ESOL from Georgia State University. She is passionate about advancing a more equitable society by increasing access to authentic learning experiences for all learners. Currently, Anna is the Director of Program Development at WPS where she works closely with forward-thinking community leaders to expand education ecosystems.

Carrie Wihbey is an experienced educator with over 20 years at the middle and high school levels teaching English and developing professional learning experiences. She has implemented innovative curricula in a wide variety of learning contexts, from the Lawrence, Massachusetts public school system to the Meadowbrook School, and Phillips Academy. As a teacher, she has specialized in fusing emerging technologies with creative arts and literary analysis. She has also served as a facilitator and consultant to school communities in the experiential education field. Carrie was born and raised in Brattleboro, Vermont, and as a first-generation college student, earned her bachelor of arts in English literature from Gordon College and her master’s from Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English. She believes wholeheartedly that every child deserves access to invigorating, inspiring and life-changing education.

There's hardly anything more rewarding than witnessing curiosity bloom, perseverance pay off, and a sense of belonging and purpose grow among youth and families, which is why I feel thrilled and privileged to support Salem's middle school pilot. For more than 10 years, I've walked alongside youth and families through a wide variety of roles within the Massachusetts education ecosystem: from serving as a City Year corps member in Dorchester to teaching math in Lawrence to fostering holistic youth development at Tenacity in Boston. I also bring experience from building a community-based startup focused on youth employment, as well as coordinating collective impact efforts among youth-and-family serving nonprofits in Boston. Matching my personal and professional pursuits, I hold a bachelor's degree in anthropology from Amherst College and a macro-oriented Masters of Social Work from Boston College.

After almost a decade in schools, Rachel is thrilled to be moving into the Program Manager role at WPS. Rachel has taught middle school students for the last 8 years, and has always had a fierce love for the unique needs and unexpected joys of preteens. Rachel has worked both in and outside of the classroom as a student and family advocate, instructional coach, school administrator, and teacher mentor. She has taught in traditional public and charter schools in the Greater Boston area. In 2018 she was nominated for the Education Pioneers Visiting Fellowship. She also served as an Instructional Coach with Breakthrough Greater Boston from 2018 through 2020.

Rachel graduated in 2014 from Tufts University with degrees in both Mathematics and Spanish. She completed the Match Teacher Residency program and completed the Charles Sposato Graduate Program. She is passionate about the transformative power of education, and believes in the strength of communities to create learning experiences open to everyone.

Will Adams moved to Newton with his wife and two children in 2012.  Will has been a longtime volunteer and advocate for the Newton Public schools.  He has served as co-Treasurer and co-President of the Mason-Rice PTO, co-President and Treasurer of Brown PTO and as co-President of the PTO Council of Newton.  Professionally, Will spent a career in strategic consulting.  He holds a B.A. from Hamilton College.