OUR BOARD

Damaris Alvarado

Board President

CEO, Children’s Playhouse Early Learning Center
CEO, Innovative Educational Consulting Services

A dedicated advocate for children, Damaris Alvarado-Rodriguez launched the non-profit organization Latinos Educando Juntos (LEJ), to support small business owners, especially childcare providers, in the LatinX/Hispanic Community. She has been recognized as a leader in the field of early childhood education and in the world of business.

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Dionne Wright-Chambers, M.Ed

Board Vice President

Dionne Wright-Chambers is the co-founder and principal consultant of Learn, Empower, Grow Consulting Group. Known as “The Abolitionist Educator,” she works to support and develop programs for children, family and fellow educators who stuggle for educational liberation throughout the world–in Philadelphia, in China and Nigeria. Her consulting company’s mission is to bring programs that can change the trajectory of access to educational programs to individuals who have not have access to quality education. Wright-Chambers has been instrumental in supporting inclusive practices in early childhood education. Her work at Thomas Jefferson University has developed a sustainability protocol for inclusive practices in early childhood education. She is leading the education committee for “The National Council of Negro Women” Philadelphia Chapter and has developed a STEAM curriculum for the documentary “The Invisible Warriors,” African American Rosie the Riveter. With a passion for learning, she has earned a master’s degree with a dual certification in Early Childhood Education and Special Education, Pre-K to 8th grade. Her master’s degree is from Chestnut Hill College focusing on Educational Leadership and she has a degree from Temple University in Pan African Studies.

Samantha Rodriguez, MBA

Board Secretary

Samantha Rodriguez comes to education naturally, always appreciating the importance of high quality early childhood education. With a Master’s degree in Business and Leadership from Eastern University and a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE) from Eastern University, she has forged ahead to hold several positions at Children’s Playhouse in South Philadelphia. Presently she is the Director of their Newbold location, and, prior to that, she was Education Coordinator. Very involved in the community, Samantha holds several
leadership positions. She is a member of the Racial Equity Provider Council through Children’s First, PACCA Member, Children’s Playhouse DEI Advisory Council, SEPEEC Advocacy, Board Secretary of Latinos Educando Juntos, Exceptional Bilingual Leadership Cohort 1 Fellowship and ambassador, Organizational Leadership Consultant through
Innovative Educational Consulting Services, Pediatric First Aid/CPR certified Instructor.

Katie Lear

Board Treasurer

Katie Lear is the Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee for Latinos Educando Juntos (LEJ), where she provides strategic financial oversight and helps strengthen the organization’s fiscal sustainability. She brings more than 13 years of experience in accounting, financial management, office operations, and nonprofit support.

Katie currently serves as an Accounting Professional and Office Manager at JW Kelly Associates LLC, where she oversees firm operations, prepares and reviews financial statements, supports nonprofit organizations, and implements accounting systems. She is a Pennsylvania Bonded Notary Public and a CPA Candidate, having successfully passed the AUD and REG sections of the CPA Exam. Katie earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting with a minor in Business Administration from Chestnut Hill College.

Passionate about community impact and sound financial stewardship, Katie is committed to advancing LEJ’s mission of strengthening early childhood education and expanding opportunities for Latino children, families, and educators.

Aliya Johnson-Roberts, M.Ed

Board Member

Aliya Johnson-Roberts is a highly respected education and business consultant. Watching her mother be an entrepreneur and, ultimately, be of service to the community, Aliya knew her path would be similar, especially in the field of early childhood education, when she partnered with her mother. Through education, skill development, and resources for self-building and self-sustaining skills they changed lives and now she is carrying that torch making a huge difference in the world. Today, this passionate leader is the Executive Director and Co-Owner of two early childhood education programs, Pratt Street Learning Center and Bustleton Learning Center in Philadelphia, PA, serving 250 children. She has a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Educational Leadership from Arcadia University.  She is currently a PhD candidate in Arcadia University’s PhD program for Educational Leadership as she prepares to expand Bustleton Learning Center’s services from toddler, and preschool education to kindergarten through 3rd grade. Aliya Johnson Roberts is a Goldman Sach’s 10,000 Small Businesses alumni and serves on the Board of Directors for Tree House Books and the Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA). She has served on the Public Health Management Corp (PHMC) Fiscal Planning Committee and as a token panel speaker on numerous platforms with a focus on providing insight to Early Childhood Education business practices, experiences, and support needs.

Adamary Sosa, M.Ed

Board Member

Adamary Sosa has long been committed to enhancing the lives of young children and their families. Currently, she is the Vice President of Economic Mobility of Norris Square Community Alliance, in Philadelphia. In this role, she is responsible for the creation and implementation of new projects and programs and the improvement of academic outcomes for children and youth. She is committed to providing opportunities for others to improve their living conditions, their education, and achieve better employment opportunities. Raised in the “Badlands” of North Philadelphia, Adamary credits her struggles, her childhood experiences, her family upbringing, her faith, her culture, and her hardships, for her commitment and determination to improve the way of life for others in the same Barrio that raised her. Adamary is a graduate of Eastern University holding a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a Master’s degree in Education with a concentration in Special Education. In addition to her degrees, she has a Nonprofit Executive Leadership Certification from Bryn Mawr Graduate School of Social Work, and a certificate from University of Pennsylvania in Executive Presence and Influence. She also serves on the Latino Equitable Development Collective (LEDC) led by Ceiba, which is a collective compromised of Latino-led organizations that acts collectively on equitable development issues impacting the Latin-x community. With over 15 years of experience in the education field and 10 on the development and management of comprehensive federal and state educational programs, Adamary seeks to prepare individuals with the skills and tools necessary to succeed in life and have better opportunities.

Gilbert Casul

Board Member

Gilbert holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Communications and has amassed over a decade of experience in telecommunication sales. Throughout his career, he has developed a strong background in telecommunication, infrastructure, and daycare policies and procedures, making him a versatile professional in these fields. His expertise extends to a thorough familiarity with Keystone Stars, a quality rating and improvement system for early childhood education programs. In addition to his professional achievements, Gilbert is dedicated to giving back to the community. He has volunteered with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), an organization that aims to empower the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development. Through his involvement with SHPE, Gilbert has contributed to fostering a love for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics among young students, helping to inspire the next generation of innovators and leaders.