Alaina is a Senior Manager on the Schools and Talent team, working to support organizations that cultivate and train education leaders, as well as organizations that bolster citywide efforts to improve outcomes for students with disabilities and their peers through a focus on school quality and equity. Her experiences at both the school and district levels reinforced her commitment to working for high-quality, inclusive educational experiences for all students. Alaina was drawn to Education Forward DC because she believes strongly in the power of diversity, equity, and inclusion to transform the educational experience for all students. As a woman of color who spent the majority of her educational career in predominantly white institutions, Education Forward DC’s focus on addressing the impact of systemic racism on public education resonated with her.

Before joining Education Forward DC in 2020, Alaina spent more than ten years cultivating strong relationships and honing strategy development skills within the DC education landscape. During her tenure at DC Public Schools, Alaina saw first-hand the positive impact engaged strategic investment can have on children and families. Through her work developing and managing several grant-funded programs designed to level the playing field for underserved students, Alaina deeply felt the influence that hands-on funding, excellent school leaders, and empowered families can have on student outcomes. Alaina earned a BA in Sociology and minor in Government from Dartmouth College. Originally from Washington State, Alaina lives in Northeast DC. She is an avid college basketball fan and animal lover, and she regularly competes in the equestrian sport of three day eventing with her re-trained racehorse, One Tough Muffit.