Jazmine Benoit is a first-generation Puerto Rican Dominican born and raised in the Bronx. She recently graduated from Harvard Graduate School of Education's Learning Design, Innovation and Technology Master's program. She obtained her bachelor's degree from Lehman college with a major in Sociology and Childhood Education. Jazmine specializes in learning design as well as educational and leadership coaching. She has over eight years’ experience working for educational nonprofit programs as well as public and charter school districts within the South Bronx. She started her journey as a paraeducator and facilitated classroom learning for grades K through 12, then went on to develop and implement curriculum, program, and training designs for after school programs and has recently spent time coaching educators. Having been a child that went through public education she understands the importance of having an educator workforce that is equitable and diverse so that it accurately advocates for its students. Jazmine has encountered many trials and tribulations on her own journey in education and teaching and uses those experiences to be passionate about empowering others to continue their dreams and have a positive effect on their communities.

Romie Robertson is a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Education Policy and Management program. She currently works as a Customer Success Specialist in a large EdTech company. In her previous role, she was a teacher in the Liberty City neighborhood of Miami, FL where she taught high school English, SAT prep, and AP Seminar. She has experience working with numerous elected officials with their community outreach efforts, such as Hillary Clinton, Bill de Blasio, and the Georgia State House of Representatives. She is from Atlanta, GA and enjoys reading, traveling, and visiting museums. She is excited to be working with the JET team because she is passionate about teacher diversity, equity, and accessibility

Emily is pursuing a Master's in Human Development and Education (Ed.M) from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Prior to graduate school, Emily served as a college advisor and Manager of Revenue for the college access nonprofit Matriculate. She also has experience as an early childhood educator, respite care provider for adults with disabilities, and qualitative researcher focused on workforce development and higher education.

By expanding opportunities for lifelong learning, Emily strives to build communities rooted in human agency and well-being. As a member of the JET Team, Emily is proud to support diverse paraprofessionals—who bring tremendous wisdom, dedication, and love—as they navigate their journeys into higher education and teaching.   

Emily holds a BA in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. She enjoys painting, watching local wildlife, and hiking with family and friends.

Lyrical Serenity, also known as Sarah Adu, is a dedicated student at Harvard's Graduate School of Education, specializing in the Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology track. Armed with a bachelor's degree in social work and business, Lyrical brings a unique blend of skills and experiences to the field of education. Her journey has been marked by meaningful contributions in various non-profit organizations. However, it was her recent role as a case manager for Communities in Schools in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, NV, that truly defined her commitment to student success. In this capacity, Lyrical worked closely with middle and high school students, providing crucial support to enhance their educational journey.

Beyond her academic pursuits, Lyrical is passionate about leveraging innovative learning design and technology to transform education.

With a deep belief in the transformative power of education, Lyrical is on a mission to contribute positively to the learning landscape. Her unique background in social work, coupled with her insights from the non-profit sector and practical experiences in schools, positions her as a dynamic force in the realm of education. Currently navigating the dynamic intersection of education, technology, and innovation at Harvard, Lyrical Serenity is poised to make a lasting impact on the future of learning.

Janet M. Smith, Ph.D., who operates as Edscape Consulting LLC in Arlington MA, is serving as an evaluation consultant to JET. Her consulting practice bridges evaluation and research, often of STEM programs, focusing on equity in education for various stakeholders, including paraprofessionals, students, parents and teachers. She also consults with the Goodman Research Group to evaluate projects of NASA’s Universe of Learning, and with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Previously, Janet worked in non-profits focused on college access, higher education, high school and multi-lingual adult education classrooms, the tech sector, and the US Peace Corps. She conducted internal evaluation at The Steppingstone Foundation, Boston University School of Public Health and Salish & Kootenai (tribal) College in Montana.

Dr. Smith earned her doctorate at Boston College in Curriculum and Instruction, Teacher Education, and Special Education. Her doctoral dissertation addressed immigrant Latinx parents’ perspective of parent engagement, for which she won an award for outstanding graduate research from the Northeast Educational Research Organization. She has a Master’s degree in Professional Studies in Communication from Cornell University, and a B.A. in Fine Arts and French Language from College of the Holy Cross.

Casel brings her multifaceted teaching and leadership skills to the development and implementation of the JET Success Seminars and JET Mentor Program.

Casel Walker is currently an Assistance Lead for the Statewide System of Support, Coastal Region in Massachusetts, helping districts and schools develop and build capacity in effective leadership, instructional practices and leadership preparation. She is also an adjunct instructor and Program Coordinator for UMass Boston’s Educational Administration Program, support the development of educational leaders She has been a Leadership Coach for novice principals in Cambridge, Weymouth and Lynn Massachusetts.

Casel has over twenty-five years of extensive educational leadership experience in the Boston Public School. She was the Executive Director of Boston’s School Leadership Institute, developing and implementing its leadership programs, identifying and mentoring future leaders and certifying leadership competencies. She served as the Acting Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, the Cluster Six (6) Leader, and a member of the Superintendent’s Executive Leadership Team. She was the principal of the Manning Elementary School for 10 years when it became a Compass School in Massachusetts by exceeding student performance targets set by the state.

Casel holds her M.ED in Educational Administration from Curry College.