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At the Equity Assistance Center – South, our team is dedicated to improving equity in the public education system. We have pulled together a group of experts with experience in teaching, school board administration, education research, technical assistance, program management, and communications. Get to know us a little better.
Eshé P. Collins
Director
Eshé P. Collins is director of the Equity Assistance Center-South (EAC-South) at the Southern Education Foundation (SEF). She oversees the center’s operations and leads its work with public school systems to address long-term disparities in pre-K through 12 education across 11 southern states and th...
Eshé P. Collins
Director
Eshé P. Collins is director of the Equity Assistance Center-South (EAC-South) at the Southern Education Foundation (SEF). She oversees the center’s operations and leads its work with public school systems to address long-term disparities in pre-K through 12 education across 11 southern states and the District of Columbia. Eshé also is responsible for identifying and establishing partnerships with like-minded organizations to advance equitable practices in education in the region.
She brings a wide range of experience to the EAC-South, holding such roles as the senior director of programs for the education nonprofit Jumpstart, senior program director for the Georgia State University College of Education, and an educator with Atlanta Public Schools. She currently serves as a member of the Atlanta Board of Education. Early in her career she served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable James A. Winn, Jr., on the North Carolina Court of Appeals and a policy analyst for the Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, D.C.
Eshé has earned high recognition for her work, including the Andrew and Walter Young YMCA Woman of Innovation in Education award; Carl V. Patton President’s Award for Community Service and Social Justice; and the Martin Luther King, Jr., Torch of Peace Award. She also was named to Georgia Trend magazine’s and Georgia State University’s 40 Under 40. A civil rights lawyer, Eshé earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Spelman College, master’s degree in educational leadership from Georgia State University, and her Juris Doctor from the North Carolina Central University School of Law, where she graduated cum laude.
Max Altman
Technical Assistance Lead
Max Altman is the technical assistance (TA) lead for EAC-South and the director of research for the Southern Education Foundation. As the TA lead, Max assesses the needs and assets of a school district and develops individual training and TA plans to assist schools with addressing their unique equit...
Max Altman
Technical Assistance Lead
Max Altman is the technical assistance (TA) lead for EAC-South and the director of research for the Southern Education Foundation. As the TA lead, Max assesses the needs and assets of a school district and develops individual training and TA plans to assist schools with addressing their unique equity challenges. Max also designs, develops, and implements research agendas to improve policies and practices.
Max previously served as a managing researcher and Task 5 (Training, Coaching, and Technical Support) lead for the Pacific Regional Educational Laboratory at McREL International, where he facilitated ongoing technical support projects in Hawaiʻi and throughout geographic Micronesia. A former high school math teacher, Max has also taught courses at the University of Michigan and has served as a professional developer and curriculum writer. His work has emphasized the implementation of culturally responsive policies that support student success in K-12, college, and workforce contexts.
Max earned his bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and secondary education from Vanderbilt University and a doctorate in educational administration and policy from the University of Michigan. He has published several articles and a book chapter on topics related to education equity and justice.
Danielle Harris
Program Manager
Danielle Harris is the program manager for the Equity Assistance Center-South at the Southern Education Foundation, overseeing the Center’s day-to-day operations.
Prior to this role, Danielle was the manager of development and donor operations for SEF, managing the donor-relations progra...
Danielle Harris
Program Manager
Danielle Harris is the program manager for the Equity Assistance Center-South at the Southern Education Foundation, overseeing the Center’s day-to-day operations.
Prior to this role, Danielle was the manager of development and donor operations for SEF, managing the donor-relations program and fundraising initiatives for the organization. She previously served as operations and strategy program associate, assisting with key strategic initiatives and new pathways for impact, partner engagement, and the development and management of organizational strategy and operations.
With more than a decade of experience in education with Atlanta Public Schools, Danielle previously served as a site director, revamping an out-of-school enrichment curriculum to align with the development needs of the students. Her work also led to three out-of-school programs becoming nationally accredited through the Council on Accreditation.
Danielle holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Georgia Southern University.
Rhonda Parker
Program Associate
Rhonda Parker is the Program Associate for the Equity Assistance Center-South at the Southern Education Foundation, where she supports the Center’s daily operations. Before this role, Rhonda served as the Executive Administrative Assistant in the Commissioner’s office at a local health agency, provi...
Rhonda Parker
Program Associate
Rhonda Parker is the Program Associate for the Equity Assistance Center-South at the Southern Education Foundation, where she supports the Center’s daily operations. Before this role, Rhonda served as the Executive Administrative Assistant in the Commissioner’s office at a local health agency, providing high-level administrative support to five executives. With 17 years of experience, she has significantly contributed to organizational success by efficiently managing her responsibilities and fostering strong relationships with staff, partners, vendors, and legislators. Rhonda has a Master of Business Administration from American Intercontinental University. She is also dedicated to her community, serving as a tutor and mentor to youth.
Alan Richard
Communications Lead
Alan Richard is the Director of Communications for the Southern Education Foundation and communications lead for the EAC-South. A veteran education writer, he fosters public discourse on important education issues and highlights SEF’s influential research, policy, and leadership programs.
Alan Richard
Communications Lead
Alan Richard is the Director of Communications for the Southern Education Foundation and communications lead for the EAC-South. A veteran education writer, he fosters public discourse on important education issues and highlights SEF’s influential research, policy, and leadership programs.
As a journalist, he covered the South and rural America for Education Week. His work also has been published by The Washington Post, PBS NewsHour, The Nation, and many others. He was awarded national first prizes by the Education Writers Association for his coverage of school inequality in the South and rural communities.
Alan joined SEF after serving as the Southern Regional Education Board’s (SREB) media relations officer. Earlier in his career, he had served as SREB’s director of communications.
He also has worked with many education organizations as an independent consultant and at Hager Sharp, a public relations firm in Washington, DC.
A national board member for Parents for Public Schools and the Rural School and Community Trust, he began his career as a reporter for newspapers in his native South Carolina. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina.