Dr. Burgos is a career educator whose journey spans the public, nonprofit, and private education sectors. She currently leads the Wilmington Learning Collaborative, a cross-district partnership designed to accelerate school outcomes through increased autonomy and decision-making at the school level. She has spent over 20 years in the sector, previously serving as a principal, teacher, and nonprofit leader. Her areas of focus have included change management, leadership development, and cross-sector partnership. Dr. Burgos is an alum of the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Ed.L.D. program and completed her residency at the Center for Educational Leadership (CEL) in Seattle, with a focus on the alignment of mission, strategy, and impact.
Carly has 20 years of leadership experience in schools and national education nonprofits in NYC, Philadelphia and Delaware. In her role as Director of Educator Pathways, she focuses on developing initiatives that support aspiring and current educators across schools within the WLC. Prior to joining the WLC, she served as the Senior Director of Program Delivery for City Year Philadelphia where she led the program team responsible for overseeing management and implementation of AmeriCorps service in schools across the School District of Philadelphia. Carly has held numerous program leadership roles within the education nonprofit sector, including iMentor NYC, a national college success mentoring program and Teach For America. Her previous work with Maritime Academy Charter School in Philadelphia, Harlem Village Academies in NYC and now the Wilmington Learning Collaborative in Delaware has shaped her understanding of the structured supports necessary for school success. Carly holds a Master of Public Administration from New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service and a Bachelor’s degree from the nation’s first HBCU, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania.
Jessica Ka is an administrative professional with over seven years of experience working with the State of Delaware. Her passion for education and serving children and their families in the community is evident in her work. She most recently served as the Administrative Assistant for the Department of Education – Office of Early Learning , First Start Delaware Early Head Start program, where she contributed a positive impact on the lives of children and families by helping to build a strong foundation for future learning and growth.
Franklin Cheng
Education Pioneer Fellow
Franklin Cheng
Education Pioneer Fellow
Franklin has worked across diverse sectors—including a nonprofit resettlement agency supporting incoming refugees, a college career lab serving public middle and high school students in New York, and an education technology company focused on gamifying learning experiences. Despite the variety of settings, a common thread runs through all his work: a deep commitment to understanding people’s needs and designing solutions that improve their experiences.
Whether conducting user experience research to enhance digital platforms for a fantasy football–style math league, facilitating culturally responsive learning programs for underserved students, or collaborating with stakeholders in product management at a technology company, Franklin’s approach has always been people-centric.
His passion for the education space stems from his experience designing program curricula and leading learning sessions for over 100 underrepresented public schools in New York. As a first-generation international student, Franklin has experienced firsthand the inequities embedded in our education system—and how transformative quality learning can be. These experiences have strengthened his belief in empathy and user-centered design in education, ensuring that policies, resources, and technologies truly address the needs of students, educators, and administrators.
Franklin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from New York University and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Human Factors with a focus on User Experience at San José State University.
Our council members contribute collective wisdom for driving impactful decisions at the WLC.
Helen Anderson
WLC Chair, Mayoral Appointee
AJe’ J. English
WLC Vice Chair, Red Clay School District
Deirdra Joyner
Christina School District Superintendent
Dorrell Green
Red Clay School District Superintendent
Dr. Lisa Lawson
Brandywine School District Superintendent
RaShona Brown
Red Clay School District Parent Representative
Mia Elliott
Christina School District Parent Representative
Rahid Flonnory
Student Representative
School Principals
The school principals shaping educational excellence are the heartbeat of our WLC schools.
Tracey Roberts
Harlan Elementary School
Andrea Collins-White
Stubbs Early Education Center
Eunique Lawrence
The Bayard School
Dr. Deirdra Joyner
Maurice Pritchett Sr. Academy
Tessa Wallace
Pulaski Early Education Center
Deborah Ashton
Shortlidge Academy
Kimberly G. Price
Warner Elementary School
Maribeth Courtney
Joseph E. Johnson Elementary School
Christopher Romano
William C. Lewis Dual Language Elementary School
Educator Leader Team
The Educational Leadership Team (ELT) is composed of teachers and staff members from our partner schools and acts as the decision-making body for those schools. The ELT is currently navigating its first major decision concerning the approach to one of its outcomes. This decision marks a significant step in the team’s journey as they exercise full autonomy and authority over shaping the educational landscape.
Some examples of ELT Innovation Projects currently underway include creating sensory rooms for our schools, implementing professional development programs, collaborating with other schools nationwide to learn about best practices, and many others.
Partners
At the WLC, our mission is made possible through the invaluable support of our diverse partners, including community organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies. Their collaboration is crucial to driving meaningful change in our schools and creating a lasting impact for our students.
