Angela L. Bass, Ed.D. has served as the Executive Director for Program Implementation for the Western Region of New Leaders, a non-profit committed to advancing educational equity and excellence. Previously, she served as a vice president of another non-profit educational entity, a school district superintendent, assistant superintendent, area superintendent, principal, vice-principal, and teacher. With a deep commitment to equity, she has helped prepare and support leaders through her work with universities and county offices of education. As an Executive Coach, Dr. Bass brings to NCUST a strong history of supporting district and school leaders in ways that advance equity.

Cara Riggs is an Omaha Public Schools transplant to San Diego California, after spending her whole personal and professional life there. A 30-year career in the Omaha Public Schools allowed Cara a great range of experience as a committed public school educator. She has experience as a high school English teacher and then enjoyed 8 years as their AP and Athletic Director. Following a 9 year role as principal of Beveridge Magnet Middle School, Cara’s last 6 years in OPS were spent as the principal of Omaha South High Magnet School where she and her team transformed it into a school of hope, great academic and graduation rate improvement, huge enrollment increases and a college-going institution with the highest freshman enrollment at the U-NE- Omaha. She is the author of HOPE in the Urban Schools: Love Stories.

Today, Cara proudly works as an Executive Coach for the National Center of Urban School Transformation. Her work with NCUST allows her to team with schools and leaders around the country as they focus on transforming their own schools into places where ALL kids are receiving equitable and excellent outcomes.

In 2013, principal Alexa Sorden reopened Concourse Village Elementary School in the Bronx in New York City after it was shut down for poor performance and disrepair by her predecessor. Concourse Village has a combination of high expectations for students and a flat reporting structure that places a premium on teacher empowerment and an innovative literacy-first approach in all subjects. In 2018 on the state assessments, eighty-eight percent of students passed English and math state tests, more than 40 points higher than the citywide average. That same year the school was awarded a Blue Ribbon for Excellence from the U.S. Department of Education.