Fulton Jackson

Ruben Morris

Ruben Morris was born in Birmingham, AL to a single parent home of a first grade teacher. A product of Jefferson County Public Schools, Ruben saw first hand the impact of educational inequity as his mother worked long hours in the under resourced Birmingham City Schools. Upon graduating from Morehouse College, Ruben joined Teach For America in 2004 where he taught 5^th and 6^th grades in the Houston Independent School District and Atlanta Public Schools. After a brief break from the classroom to work in the family real estate development business, he returned to the education reform world as the Director of District Strategy for Teach For America Atlanta. After helping to significantly grow the footprint of TFA in Atlanta, Ruben moved to Denver to pursue a Master’s in Social Change. While completing his Master’s, Ruben went back to the classroom as a 7^th grade History and Reading teacher at KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy on Denver’s Southwest side. While at KIPP, Ruben posted the highest combined 7^th and 8^th grade Reading growth in DPS and 4^th in the state in his first year. Also while at KIPP, Ruben served as the grade level chair for his team and the Stand for Children site coordinator. After his time at KIPP, Ruben moved into school leadership at Collegiate Prep Academy and into a leadership fellowship with Get Smart Schools. Ruben has a passion for high quality data-driven instruction and ensuring all students get to and through college. This life long commitment to educational equity is rooted in a family call of service given that Ruben’s wife, mother (a 43 year veteran), and sister all work for DPS in the Far Northeast.

Annashay Sutherland

Annashay Sutherland began her educational career as a middle school social studies teacher, first on the Navajo Nation and later at STRIVE Preparatory Charter Schools in Denver. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Reed College and a Master of Arts degree in secondary education from Western New Mexico University. She has also worked as a DPS charter school program evaluator, and as an instructional coach both for Teach For America and Denver Public Schools. She is currently enrolled in the University of Denver's Ritchie Program for School Leaders, and is excited to become part of the DCISM team!