Celena Siprajim works with K12 education leaders to develop strategy and implement initiatives that cross areas of focus, including educator preparation, talent systems and practices, strong instruction, and supportive environments. She works on the Outstanding Educators team and is committed to the work of ensuring every child gets the education and opportunities they deserve. Celena has worked alongside foundations, nonprofits, IHEs, state and local education agencies, including the Council of Chief State School Officers, New Schools for New Orleans, New Orleans Public Schools, the Arkansas Department of Education and the Walton Foundation.
Prior to joining Education First, Celena was a Partner at TNTP leading work in Louisiana and Arkansas. Celena led two teacher training programs and TNTP’s engagement in the New Orleans SEED collaborative. This unique partnership between a local HBCU, nonprofits and IHEs successfully mapped a model for shared practice within a community to improve recruitment, development and retention of diverse educators. She also managed a multi-year project with New Schools for New Orleans and six LEAs to support the development of performance-based compensation systems and career pathways for educators. Celena provides support to the Arkansas Department of Education in service of the state’s instructional materials strategy and Educator Effectiveness initiatives, recently seeding the launch of a new job-embedded degree and licensure pathway for aspiring teachers in Arkansas.
As a first-generation college student, Celena has focused her career on supporting students. She entered education as a community liaison, teaching in after-school programs for the Baltimore Museum of Art in partnership with Baltimore City Schools. Following that, she worked in higher education leading recruitment and admissions. Celena holds a bachelor’s degree in art and community arts education from the Maryland Institute College of Art and she completed graduate coursework in business management and marketing at the University of Baltimore. She lives in New Orleans, LA with her husband and daughter. Outside of work you can find Celena designing family costumes for a local parade, hosting a dinner party or relaxing beachside with a book.
As a Consultant on the Effective Organizations and Investments team, Hannah Bartlebaugh conducts research and analysis to inform evidence-based strategies that support government agencies, nonprofits and foundations in strategic decision making. Hannah believes that a strong and equitable education system is the foundation for addressing inequality. This has driven her career and experiences, which include working to elevate student voice in school and philanthropic decisionmaking at YouthTruth, supporting efforts to increase faculty diversity across the South at the Southern Regional Education Board, and conducting research and policy analysis at several education-focused organizations.
Hannah earned her BA in Political Science and Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara and her MPP from Duke University. Outside of work, Hannah enjoys hiking and is constantly searching for the perfect burrito.
Evan Rhinesmith is the senior program officer for Missouri with the Walton Personal Philanthropy Group. WPPG provides services to the family of Sam and Helen Walton to support their philanthropic activities. These services include program and grant management, strategy consulting, and grant administration.
Before entering philanthropy, Evan was the executive director of the Policy Research in Missouri Education (PRiME) Center, associate director of the SLU/YouGov Poll, and an instructor at the School of Education at Saint Louis University. During this time, he led the Center’s efforts to conduct and disseminate research and policy for the state of Missouri. This included co-authoring multiple journal articles and reports published in national outlets, featuring them in presentations before the state board of education, and using them in testimony before the House and Senate Education Committees.
Prior to his doctoral studies, Evan taught third and fourth grade in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C., as a member of the ACE program. Evan earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Wabash College, a master’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, and a doctorate in education policy from the University of Arkansas. He lives in St. Louis with his wife and kids.
