Background:
Prior to joining Bellwether, Nate served as a school leader at Green Dot Public Schools in Los Angeles for six years. Most recently, he was the principal of Ánimo Mae Jemison Charter Middle School. During these years, Nate developed a love for building authentic partnerships with families in the Watts and Compton communities, cultivated strong and engaged student and staff cultures, and drove rapid student academic growth. In 2018, Ánimo Mae Jemison ranked in the top 1% of schools in major California urban districts for growing students’ math and ELA scores on the national Smarter Balanced assessments, and Nate was the recipient of Green Dot’s Principal of the Year award.
Prior to that, Nate worked in the Bay Area as an instructional coach, partnering with teachers and leaders across a range of school models to sharpen instructional toolkits, leadership skills, and academic programs. Nate began his career as a Teach For America corps member, teaching seventh- and eighth-grade math in San Francisco.
Nate holds a master’s degree in education leadership from the Principal Leadership Institute at University of California, Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from Princeton University, where he graduated magna cum laude. He currently lives in Athens, Georgia, with his wife, Rebecca, and their son, Owen.
Why I do this work:
I had the privilege of attending a K-12 independent school in Philadelphia, where I was granted educational and life opportunities that stood in stark contrast to what students received in public schools just blocks away. The inequities I saw across racial and economic lines planted a seed that drove me to build a career focused on pursuing social justice through public education. The thousands of students, families, and teachers I have served since then have deepened my resolve that educational equity is possible when the right policies, practices, and people converge around students at the center.
Experience at Bellwether:
Strategic Planning; Teacher Evaluation and Development Systems; Implementation Planning; CMO/Charter School Operators; District Schools; Continuous Improvement
Client segments served:
K-12 Schools; School Districts; CMO/Charter Schools; Nonprofit Organizations
Sample clients:
Texas Education Agency, New Schools Venture Fund, the Mind Trust, Achievers Early College Prep Charter School, Statesmen Academy for Boys, Fabens Independent School District, International Leadership of Texas