IDEA's Staff

Jerchel Anderson

Jerchel Anderson is the Director of Finance and Personnel at IDEA. She manages IDEA’s project budgets, tracks grant spending, supervises staff, and prepares research proposals.  Jerchel is also the manager of UC ACCORD, where she provides similar financial services. Jerchel has a daughter in college and a son in high school. She enjoys romance novels, photography, computer technology, and football (especially the Dallas Cowboys). 

Melanie Bertrand is a Graduate Student Researcher at IDEA. She conducts qualitative research for the annual Educational Opportunity Report. Melanie is a Ph.D. student in education at UCLA and is interested in critical discourse analysis and race. She enjoys dancing and hiking.

Ebony Cain is a Graduate Student Researcher at IDEA. She researches the Multiple Pathways approach to high school, which provides students trajectories for both college and career. Ebony is a Ph.D. student in education at UCLA and is interested in civic engagement among youth. She enjoys live music and opportunities to discuss and experience all aspects of popular culture.

Carolyn Castelli is the Publications Coordinator at IDEA. She provides administrative support to the director and is responsible for proof-reading all publications, brochures, and proposals generated by IDEA. She loves to read, swim and travel. An avid gardener, she grows tomatoes and a variety of herbs in her garden. Carolyn and her husband attend all of the UCLA men’s basketball home games.

Jessie Castro is an Administrative Specialist at IDEA, where he manages logistics for meetings, travel, special events, and publications. He also provides technical support for the staff. Jessie is a Formula One auto racing enthusiast and enjoys going to the beach. A UCLA graduate in political science, Jessie continues to support Bruin football.

Maritza Del Razo is a Public Administrative Analyst for IDEA and the Pathways to PSE+ Project with UC ACCORD.  She assists with a variety of research projects focused on college access for underrepresented groups, parent education, organized labor and education collaboration, and access to post-secondary education in high-poverty communities. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Ethnic Studies from the University of California at Berkeley and a Masters in Education with an emphasis in student affairs from the University of California at Los Angeles.

Sophie Fanelli is Director of Research at IDEA. She manages the production of IDEA’s annual Educational Opportunity Report and works closely with researchers examining Multiple Pathways, educational equity and adequacy, parent and student engagement, and state and federal educational policies. Prior to joining IDEA, Sophie was a research fellow at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, where she was a key member of the Williams v. State of California litigation team. Sophie has a law degree and a Master’s degree from Université D’Aix-en-Provence, in France, and a joint Masters in history and political Science from Université d’Aix and Universita La Sapienza, in Italy.  Sophie also conducted research at the University of Texas at Austin as a Foreign Lawyer Fellow. Originally from France, Sophie is a foodie who enjoys playing tennis, hiking with her dogs, and attending political rallies.

Julie Flapan is a Research Associate at IDEA. She facilitates the Educational Justice Collaborative, a statewide network of grassroots organizations, policy advocates and researchers working toward more equitable and fully resourced public schools in California. Julie's research interests include community organizing for school reform, anti-bias education, and cross-racial teacher/student relationships. Her publications include Tolerance Matters, Diversity Education in the U.S. Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, Julie completed her doctorate at UCLA.  She enjoys dancing, art, and yoga, as well as playing in the park with her three small children.

Arlene Ford is a Graduate Student Researcher at IDEA. She manages an evaluative study of a coalition of non-profit organizations working for educational change. She is a Ph.D. student in education at UCLA and is interested in reforming school environments in order to promote educational equity. Arlene enjoys running, hiking, and spending time with her three children.

Rhoda Freelon is a Graduate Student Researcher at IDEA. She analyzes state and national education data for IDEA's annual Educational Opportunity Report. Rhoda is a Ph.D. student in education at UCLA and uses quantitative research methods to investigate the intersection of race and class in educational inequality. She enjoys tennis, travel, music, and photography.

Nickie Fung provides administrative support at IDEA. She performs a range of office tasks, updates the website with daily compilations of news coverage about education, and archives news articles. Nickie is a student at UCLA who is entering her third year. She serves on the UCLA Dance Marathon Committee and enjoys meeting new people.

Erica Hamilton is a Graduate Student Researcher at IDEA. She is involved with the Multiple Pathways project and provides technical assistance to the California State Assembly’s Education Committee on issues regarding Multiple Pathways and school site leadership (which are also her research interests).  Erica is a Ph.D. student in education at UCLA and loves to hike, travel and sing karaoke.

Kim Lawrence provides administrative support at IDEA. She assists with communications and research projects and maintains and updates IDEA’s social networking sites. Kim is an student at UCLA majoring in Communications. She enjoys dancing and reading.

Martin Lipton edits the written material produced by IDEA, including a weekly summary of education news. He was editor of Learning Power: Organizing for Education and Justice by Jeannie Oakes and John Rogers, and he was co-author with Jeannie Oakes of Teaching to Change the World and Making the Best of Schools, among other projects.

Jane Margolis is a Senior Researcher at IDEA who studies segregation within learning environments; gender and race socialization in education; and how inequality is produced in our society. She has received several National Science Foundation grants focused on these issues. She has built partnerships between higher education and K-12 to address inequities within computer science education. Jane is the lead author of two award-winning books: Stuck in the Shallow End: Education, Race, and Computing and Unlocking the Clubhouse: Women in Computing. She enjoys writing, visual arts, music, travel, and nature.

David Medina is a Graduate Student Researcher at IDEA. He analyzes state and national education data for IDEA’s annual Educational Opportunity Report. David is a Ph.D. student in sociology at UCLA and his research interests include education, social stratification, and immigration.

Nicole Mirra is a Graduate Student Researcher at IDEA. She co-facilitates the Mayor’s Council of Youth Research, a group of high school students investigating conditions in local schools. She is a Ph.D. student in education at UCLA who is interested in critical pedagogy and curriculum in English Language Arts classrooms, civic engagement, critical race theory, among others. She enjoys photography, literature, traveling, film, theater, restaurants, baseball, and chess.

Dianna Moreno is a Graduate Student Researcher at IDEA. She conducts research on the digital divide in technology use in public schools. She is a Ph.D. student in education at UCLA and is interested in ‘critical spiritual pedagogy,’ an approach that supports students’ spiritual and emotional development, facilitates critical engagement in traditional classroom settings, and prioritizes academic achievement for all students. Dianna loves going hiking with friends and her pitbull-lab mix Canela.

Jesse Moya is a Graduate Student Researcher at IDEA. He is currently involved in the Multiple Pathways project, which studies an alternative approach to high school. He is a Ph.D. student in education at UCLA whose dissertation research focuses on the learning and development that take place as urban youth participate in community-based activism organizations. Jesse likes to travel and play sports.

Nery Orellana is the Art Director at IDEA. He designs brochures, posters, logos, murals and websites. Nery has a BA in Art from California State, Los Angeles, and worked with designer Saul Bass for five years. He is interested in a range of art forms, including painting, illustration, ceramics, block printing, and photography. Originally from Guatemala, Nery is bilingual/bicultural and enjoys learning about the world’s cultures, music and languages.

Lindsay Perez Huber is a Graduate Student Researcher at IDEA.  She is interested in Latina/o education pipeline analysis, race, immigration, education, and college access issues. Lindsay is a Ph.D. candidate in education at UCLA who is analyzing data for her dissertation, entitled “Sueños Indocumentados: The Educational Experiences of Undocumented Chicana College Students in California.” Lindsay has published several articles related to her research interests.

Jared Planas is the Communications and Technology Coordinator at IDEA. He manages the institute’s website and administers technology solutions for the staff. Currently Jared is earning at Master’s in Urban Planning at UCLA, focusing on housing and community economic development. Jared is a music and computer technology aficionado.  

Jean Ryoo is a Graduate Student Researcher at IDEA. She conducts research on the digital divide in technology use in public schools. Jean is a Ph.D. student in education at UCLA whose research interests include Korean dual-language schools and homeless youth. She enjoys surfing and hiking with her dog Soda.

Marisa Saunders is a Senior Research Associate at IDEA who researches the Multiple Pathways approach to high school education. A graduate of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, she is interested in the K–12 and postsecondary transitions and trajectories of underrepresented youth and the alleviation of disparities in students’ access to basic educational resources. She was the co-editor with Jeannie Oakes of Beyond Tracking: Multiple Pathways to College, Career and Civic Participation.

Arif Shaikh is the Director of Communications and Public Affairs at IDEA. His work includes media relations, legislative relations, messaging and framing, website content development, communications strategies, and communications support to Education Justice Collaborative partners. Additionally, Arif coordinates with senior research and technical staff to develop long-term goals related to communications activities. Arif has worked in several different capacities in the Public Relations and Communications field, mostly in the non-profit and educational sectors. Arif is a lifelong Southern California native, and is married with two children.

Christopher Sweeten is a Graduate Student Researcher at IDEA. He conducts research on the engagement of parents with school administrators on the topic of disciplinary action against students. Christopher is Ph.D. student in education at UCLA and is interested in disciplinary policy within the context of the school-to-prison pipeline and the life trajectory of youth.

Claudia Vizcarra is the Communications Specialist at IDEA, where she edits the Education News Roundup, a daily compilation of news coverage about education reform.  With a background in popular education and translation, she develops bilingual participatory presentations to make IDEA's research accessible to diverse parent and student groups. Her background includes serving as an Economic Development Legislative Deputy to former Los Angeles City Councilmember Jackie Goldberg. She enjoys swimming, hiking, and the natural world.

Trang Vo provides administrative support at IDEA. She assists with a range of research projects, including an evaluative study of a coalition of non-profit organizations. Trang is a UCLA student majoring in history. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.