IDRA Interns

Current Interns & Consultants

Tionna Ryan Headshot 50Tionna Ryan

Intern  – Education Law

Tionna Ryan is a third-year student at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. She has served as a 1L Representative for the Student Bar Association and vice president of the Thurgood Marshall Legal Society (TMLS), Texas Law’s Black Law Student Association chapter.  She currently serves as a research assistant, Academic Success Fellow for Texas Law’s Society Program, and continues to be an active member of TMLS.

Tionna graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she double majored in political science and education. Following graduation, she taught eighth grade language arts in Dallas for two years. Last summer, Tionna worked as a legal and compliance intern at the Teachers Retirement System of Texas. Tionna is interested in school law, juvenile justice and the intersection of the two.

In her free time, you can find her chatting about reality television, hanging out with friends, powerlifting, serving at church and enjoying all-you-can-eat sushi.

Rebekah Skelton

Rebekah Skelton photo

Intern – Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement

Rebekah Skelton is a second-year graduate student in the educational leadership and policy program at the University of Texas at Austin. Rebekah spent seven years teaching English at both the middle and high school levels in Houston, which inspired her to pursue graduate studies in education policy to fight for a more just and equitable public school system for all students. Her policy interests include the intersection of public education and prison abolition, and the ways in which curriculum can be designed to foster student and community liberation. Most recently, Rebekah worked for the Texas House of Representatives during the 2023 legislative session. She continues to teach as a volunteer instructor with a program that offers college courses to incarcerated youth and adults at no cost.

Rebekah is looking forward to using her previous teaching and learning experiences to advocate for and with Texas public school students as a TLEEC Fellow at IDRA.

Rebekah is a native Texan and previously earned a bachelor of journalism degree from UT Austin. She also holds a graduate certification in education policy and social analysis from Teachers College, Columbia University. Forever an English teacher at heart, Rebekah’s favorite books include Pachinko by Min Jin Lee, Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi, and anything by Hanif Abdurraqib or Walt Whitman.

Writings, etc., during Internship

Jeff Wheatcraft

Jeff Wheatcraft picConsultant – Educator & Student Support

Jeff Wheatcraft is a distinguished STEM educator known for his innovative teaching methods and dedication to student empowerment. He worked various jobs before landing his first teaching position at Kirby Middle School as an art instructor. He transitioned to the science department and started a school motion picture group where students created science documentaries.

Jeff then moved to Alamo Heights Junior School, where he developed a STEM program and an eighth-grade science class focused on real-world problem solving. Jeff empowered students with self-efficacy and purpose.

His innovative approach earned him multiple accolades, including the Trinity Prize for Teaching Excellence and the 2019 Texas Teacher of the Year. As director of STEM Education Growth at the Science Mill, Jeff supports students in low-income, rural communities with limited access to high-quality STEM experiences.

Also see our current fellows.

Summer 2024 Interns

Lindsay Anton

Lindsay Anton photoIntern – Communications

Lindsay Anton is pursuing a master’s degree in influential and critical communication. As a nationally decorated speech and debate competitor, she effectively uses her voice to address vital issues. Lindsay serves as a speech and debate coach, guiding students to win national titles, and is a graduate student assistant, contributing to curriculum development and teaching communication courses.

She is a six-time champion of her university’s research week and had the honor of presenting and publishing her research at the National Communication Association (NCA). She refined her communication skills working as a marketing and development intern at Georgetown Ministry Center, a nonprofit supporting people experiencing homelessness.

As a communication intern, Lindsay is excited to advance IDRA’s mission. She looks forward to deepening her understanding of educational equity issues and enhancing her strategic communication abilities as she works with a group of seasoned professionals.

Fiorella Fachini

Intern – Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement

Fiorella Fachini photo

Fiorella Fachini is a dynamic professional with a background in law, education and community engagement. Graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor of laws from the University of Lima, Fiorella combines academic excellence with a commitment to social impact. A proud Peruvian, she blends her cultural heritage to address educational inequities and foster inclusive environments.

Fiorella earned a master’s in education policy and analysis from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, focusing on identity, power and justice. This reflects her belief in the transformative power of education to address systemic inequalities for students of color and those from underserved communities.

Fiorella was a middle school teacher where she developed curriculum, fostered soft skills and increased community engagement. She also has led a school multilingual department, leading to increased English scores by 22% Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment (TELPAS). She co-founded Proud Latinas, empowering young Latine students in San Antonio.

Jessica Gonzalez

Jessica Gonzalez photoIntern – Legal

Jessica Gonzalez is a third year student at Michigan State University College of Law. She serves as senior associate editor for the Michigan State International Law Review, a Public Service Fellow, and a member of the Latino Law Society. During the academic year, she also contributes her skills to Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid.

Jessica earned her bachelor’s degree in social relations and policy from Michigan State University. Following graduation, she taught sixth grade for three years in south Texas. Her strong love and pride for the Rio Grande Valley drives her commitment to advocacy work. Jessica is passionate about issues that disproportionately affect the educational journeys of emergent bilingual students in K-12 public schools.

Last summer, Jessica gained invaluable experience as a summer associate at Rhoades McKee PC. This summer, Jessica will be interning with both IDRA and the Education Law Center.

Katja Krieger

Katja Krieger photoIntern – Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement

Katja Krieger is currently pursuing a master of public policy in education policy and works as an education research fellow with Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment.

Katja is also a government relations consultant with The Education Trust – Tennessee, and as a national consultant with the Partnership for the Future of Learning. In her consulting work, she has conducted research and supported school leadership, teachers and nonprofits in developing professional development tools and resources to best support students.

Katja’s advocacy work focuses adequate and equitable school funding, which she has backed on the local, state and national levels.

In her free time, she enjoys biking, reading, thrift shopping, and searching for the best coffee shops around her.

As a Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement intern, Katja is excited to support IDRA’s research, especially on emergent bilingual students, corporal punishment and policy priority areas in Texas and Georgia.

Charity Miller 

Charity MillerIntern – Research

Charity Miller is a Ph.D. student in sociology at Texas Woman’s University. She is also a nine-year U.S. Army veteran and has a bachelor of business administration in marketing and an M.S. in informatics.

Professionally, Charity has significantly contributed to projects aimed at supporting the BIPOC community. She has led initiatives to interpret and analyze data on grief experiences and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the healthcare industry.

She has experience as a research analyst focusing on DEI in academic medicine. Her work concentrates on understanding the experiences of students and faculty members. She aims to improve institutional policies and practices through her research findings.

Further, her personal research focuses on the impacts of bereavement on Black families. She specializes in how socioeconomic disparities influence grief processes of surviving relatives in Black communities.

Beyond her professional and academic pursuits, Charity enjoys hand-making Halloween costumes, socializing with family and friends, and being present in life’s special moments.

Anavi Prakash

Anavi Prakash photoIntern – Communications

Anavi Prakash is a sophomore at Northwestern University studying journalism and social policy. At Northwestern, she is involved in various campus publications and reports on education. She is also part of the Institute for Youth in Policy, a student-led policy organization, where she leads research projects related to civics education related policies.

Anavi is passionate about education policy and looking at how policies compare district to district, state to state, and country to country. This interest stems from her experience going to school in India, Canada and the United States.

Now, as an aspiring education journalist, her goal is to ensure all stakeholders – from students to administrators – have a voice when it comes to issues related to education. As a communications intern, Anavi is excited to collaborate with and learn from IDRA’s various projects and expand her knowledge about education policies and student opportunities.

Lily Zeng

Lily Zeng photoIntern – Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement

Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Lily Zeng is a senior at Trinity University, majoring in Global Latinx Studies with minors in urban studies and Spanish. She is involved in her school’s Mexico, the Americas, and Spain (MAS) department and recently returned from a study abroad semester in Madrid. At Trinity, she is a member of Altitude, the women’s and non-binary ultimate frisbee team. In the community, she serves as the current Secretary and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Chair on the San Antonio Ultimate Community (SAUC) board. In her free time, she enjoys reading by the pool or exploring nearby cities as a new Texan!

As a policy, advocacy, and community engagement intern at IDRA, Lily is excited to explore which area of educational policy she will focus on in her future graduate school path. Her interests lie in the intersection of immigration and educational policy for multilingual and multicultural students.

Spring 2024 Interns

Jordan Madden

Jordan Madden photo

Intern – Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement

Jordan Madden, a junior at Georgia State University, is majoring in public policy with a concentration in governance and management and a minor in English. A former Speaker of the Senate, Jordan brings a wealth of experience as a very active student leader on campus. Currently, he serves as the 93rd Student Government Association Speaker of the Atlanta Senate, leading with a constituency of over 33,000 students. In addition to his responsibilities at Georgia State, he takes on a pivotal role in The 1913 Society, leading as the student assistant and heading the advisory board. Jordan is also a brother of the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International, having joined the ranks of thousands of others in early 2023.

Jordan’s commitment to education equity and advocacy is underscored by his recent role as a legislative intern at IDRA in Georgia. He tracks and analyzes policies in the Georgia legislature, produces accessible advocacy materials, and performs legislative and policy analyses. His collaboration with IDRA staff enables him to develop and execute projects that align with the organization’s mission, providing him with opportunities to broaden his professional skills and experiences. The program, designed for capable undergraduate and graduate students, empowers interns to undertake a variety of tasks under minimal supervision.

Beyond his academic and professional pursuits, Jordan’s dedication to social impact is evident in his significant contributions as a former organizer at Georgia Youth Justice Coalition. His involvement in national initiatives includes being part of the inaugural cohort of the Social Action Alliance, a program by the National Volcker Alliance. Jordan has played various positions in the Sunrise Movement and various roles at Georgia Youth Justice Coalition. He previously served as the Legislative Aide for State Senator Sonya Halpern, District 39. Looking ahead, he aspires to pursue a dual degree in law and a master’s in public policy.

Jordan is passionate and dedicated to serving his community through advocacy, particularly in areas of education, climate and policies affecting people of color. His interest extends to understanding the daily implications of these policies on individuals. Moreover, Jordan invests in pivotal points in young students’ lives, seeking ways to help them excel and achieve success beyond K-12 education. With eight siblings and a twin, Jordan understands the dynamics of a large family. Adding to the mix, he has a pet bearded dragon named Draco and two pet dogs named Tatar and Peanut. Currently residing in Atlanta, Jordan’s diverse experiences and multifaceted approach contribute to his holistic understanding of community needs and his dedicated pursuit of positive change. Outside of his busy schedule, Jordan enjoys outdoor activities, traveling, reading and spending quality time with friends.

Writings, etc., during Internship

Hannah Rosales photoHannah Rosales

Intern – Educator & Student Support

Hannah Rosales is a student at John Marshall High School in her senior year. She is a passionate and curious student pursuing a STEM path in school, aiming to become a software engineer or software developer. At Marshall High School, Hannah is president of the Mexican American Studies Student Association, secretary of Rambotics (Robotics and Engineering Club), National Honor Society, and Science Honor Society. Currently, she is in the process of learning new coding languages, which include JavaScript and Python. After high school, Hannah plans to attend university and pursue a master’s degree in computer science.

Hannah was a member of IDRA’s MAS for Our Schools student research project. IDRA released in March 2024 the students’ report, MAS for Our Schools – A Youth Participatory Action Research Project on the Status of Mexican American Studies in San Antonio. The students presented their work at the annual conference of the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies in March 2024. They also co-wrote an article in the IDRA Newsletter, Mexican American Studies – A Deep Look by High School Students.

Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 Interns

Natalya Green

Intern – Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement

Natalya Green grew up in Port St. Lucie, Florida. After high school graduation, she moved to Orlando with her older brother to attend the University of Central Florida where she achieved her bachelor of science in elementary education. Following her graduation, she taught middle school social emotional learning at a charter school in her hometown. While she loved teaching her students, she was dedicated to bettering the lives of students and their families through classroom policy. After six months of teaching, she decided to further her education in order to make a bigger impact on classrooms.

Natalya is simultaneously pursuing her master’s and doctoral degrees in educational leadership with a concentration in education policy at the University of Florida. While working on her studies, she serves as a council member for the College of Educations’ Advisory Council and is an active member in the Holmes Scholars Program and Kappa Delta Pi. Natalya is an advocate for all things education, including diversity and equality in school curricula and student/teacher mental health. However, her research interests are centered on improving educational outcomes for students in foster care. Natalya aspires to work in education policy to advocate for the needs of students, teachers, and schools across the country. She began her internship with IDRA in the summer of 2022.

Makiah Lyons

Intern – Education Law

Originally from East Tennessee, Makiah Lyons is a third-year law student at the Howard University School of Law. Makiah was a teaching assistant in a Chicago charter school when the pandemic arrived, exacerbating existing issues of educational access and equity. During her second year of law school, Makiah served as president of the Education Law Society and chaired HUSL’s inaugural education law symposium. Makiah is deeply passionate about school discipline policy and restorative justice work and hopes to be an advocate for Black and Brown youth, especially girls who are often overlooked. When Makiah is not working or studying, she enjoys thrifting and trying new recipes she finds on TikTok. She began her internship with IDRA in the summer of 2022. She is now on staff at IDRA.

Writings, etc., During Internship

Shaca Sweet 

Intern – Communications

Shaca Sweet is a senior at the University of Texas at San Antonio, studying communication with a public relations concentration. AT UTSA, she is the student body vice-president and works to ensure she is the primary voice and advocate for her community. She is also a part of the Black Student Union at UTSA where she serves as a co-community service coordinator. During her time at UTSA, Shaca has had the privilege to serve on the College of Liberal and Fine Arts Dean Student Advisory Council, was on the Dean’s list, selected for George Washington Universities Public Service Weekend 2022 Cohort, and more! Moreover, Shaca plans on pursuing her graduate degree in public policy. As a communication intern at IDRA, she looks forward to learning and working toward the IDRA’s mission!

Summer 2022 Interns

Jailynn Eaton

Intern – Communications

Jailynn Eaton is a senior at the University of Texas at San Antonio where she will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in communication with a minor in sociology in December 2022. She is passionate about her studies, having made the President’s List for outstanding academic achievement her sophomore and junior year at UTSA and hopes to attend graduate school sometime in the future. She spends her free time reading, playing video games, and working with watercolor paint. Her future career goal is to use her strong writing skills by working with companies in creating effective communication plans and coordinating their social media. At IDRA, she is working with the communication team on a number of projects, including developing advocacy tools for students.

Haley Gray

Intern – Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement

Haley Gray, originally from Loganville, Georgia, is a second-year graduate student at Vanderbilt University, pursuing a master’s degree in education policy. She finished her undergraduate program at Vanderbilt University in May 2021 and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in child studies and a bachelor of science in human and organizational development. While at Vanderbilt, Haley has been an active member of several campus and community organizations that are dedicated to mentoring and providing equitable educational resources to students in families with low incomes and students of color in Metro Nashville Public Schools. Haley’s experiences working within the Nashville Public School System coupled with her current position as a research analyst for Resonant Education have refined her interests in school discipline, community schooling, and culturally sustaining curricula. As a policy, advocacy and community engagement intern at IDRA, Haley will continue her work and research on these topics by pursuing opportunities to advocate for policies that support the spatial legitimization of Black and Brown students.

Writings, etc., During Internship

Gabriel Martínez

Intern – Research

Gabriel Martínez is a second-year master’s student in the education policy and planning program at the University of Texas at Austin. Gabriel currently works as a graduate assistant for Project MALES (Mentoring to Achieve Latino Educational Success), a mentoring initiative focused on supporting middle and high school boys of color across the Austin area. He received his B.S. in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in education from Texas State University in the fall of 2020. Gabriel’s research interests include reviewing the socio-economic factors that impact particularly young men within the Latino educational pipeline, as well as the effects of community organizing and mentorship.

Melivia Mujica

Intern – Educational Practice

Melivia Mujica is a queer, first generation Chicana from the South side of San Antonio. She is currently pursuing her double major in law and environmental science as a junior at Texas A&M Kingsville. Since her sophomore year, she has been a student advocate at her Title I high school, where she was able to push her school toward greater structural equity through her leadership. Some of the main projects Melivia led on campus were a LGBTQ tolerance training for all faculty and staff, “know your rights” training for undocumented students and families, an on-campus community garden, a push for and acquiring more mental health services on campus and in her community, and a change in the disciplinary structure which took the system from being punitive to a more holistic approach that addressed students’ personal issues.

Melivia also managed to be active outside the classroom as a Youth Commissioner for the city of San Antonio. All while simultaneously maintaining a 4.0 GPA in her school’s early college program, leading as the captain of her swim team, running in her school’s cross-country team, participating as the editor for the yearbook, and working as a photographer for the athletic department. During this time, she also had to manage personal hardships and multiple mental illnesses. She has been featured in several local conferences and news outlets for her efforts, including: The San Antonio Express News, Univision, ABC KSAT12 News, The Rivard Report, The Chalkboard, Intercultural Research and Development Association LSDN Conference, The San Antonio International Women’s Day March, and The South San Kids First Conference. When she is not completely overwhelmed, you can find Melivia painting, reading or hanging outside with her pet tortoise Ophelia, who is named after the Shakespearean character that (much like her tortoise) had issues with swimming. You can follow her on Facebook www.facebook.com/melivia.mujica.3

Writings, etc., During Internship

Taylor Zey

Intern – Communications

Taylor Zey is an incoming senior at the University of Texas at Austin, studying communications and leadership with a minor in business. During her time in college, she has interned and worked for various nonprofit organizations, such as Girls Empowerment Network and the YMCA. These working experience enabled her to pick up valuable skills and knowledge on best practices regarding education and nonprofits. She puts her knowledge to use in real time as she serves as president of a student-run organization called Girl Up at UT. As president, she has been able to accomplish several success fundraisers, put on hygiene product drives for local women’s shelters, and spread knowledge surrounding intersectional feminism through tabling events. She plans to continue her work within educational nonprofits that are geared toward students and one day start a non-profit of her own. As a communications intern at IDRA she is expanding her knowledge on communications and best practices within nonprofits.

Spring 2022 Executive Interns

Adriana Cortes photoAdriana Cortes

Intern – Educational Practice

Adriana Cortes is a senior at L.E.E High School in the STEM Academy. She has been studying engineering and science since eighth grade and will be the only female student in the STEM Academy graduating in May 2022 with an engineering endorsement. Outside of Adriana’s academic work, she remains active as the treasurer of STEM Ambassadors, vice president of the ROSBOTS Robotics Club, and lead violinist of Mariachi Unido. After high school, Adriana plans on continuing her education and pursuing her degree in biomedical or chemical engineering.

Mia Covarrubias

Intern – Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement

Mia Covarrubias is a graduate student at Our Lady of the Lake University pursuing a master’s degree in psychology with a concentration in school psychology. She graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2020 with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. She is the education and social media board member for the PFLAG (Parents Friends and Family of Lesbians and Gays) San Antonio chapter. As well as volunteers for the Trevor Project. Her goal after graduation is to create a space where LGBTQ+ youth are safe and affirmed.

Writings, etc., During Internship

Lauren Fontaine

Intern – Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement

Lauren Fontaine, a fifth grade ELARSS-ESL teacher with Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, has had the privilege of teaching and learning alongside brilliant Texas youth in Title I schools for seven years. A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa with their M.A.E in disability studies/special education and two bachelor’s degrees in elementary education and philosophy, Lauren is delighted to support the IDRA EAC-South in expanding their technical assistance to be inclusive and affirming of LGBTQ+ youth, educators and communities. Lauren works with the ultimate goal of education, liberation, always on their heart and mind.

Writings, etc., During Internship

Allie Gonzalez Alejandra Salazar Gonzalez

Intern – Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement

Alejandra graduated from Yale University in May 2021, where she majored in ethics, politics and economics with a concentration in issues of educational inequity. During her time as a student, she conducted policy research on various education equity issues as an intern for the Public Interest Law Center, White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, and Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. As a community engagement intern at IDRA, she hopes to user her experience advocating for increased educational access to continue making the promise of a high-quality public education a reality for fellow youth in families with low incomes.

Writings, etc., During Internship

Monica Obregon

Intern – Educational Practice

Monica Obregon is a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin in the master’s of education policy and planning program. She currently works as a graduate assistant for the Transfer Year Experience program that creates transfer-specific academic spaces, connects students to experienced mentors and builds avenues to establish peer networks. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in interdisciplinary studies from the University of Texas at San Antonio in May 2021. Her interests include school finance, Texas legislation budgets as it pertains to the education system, and long-term impacts of inequitable funding in school districts across the state.

Writings, etc., During Internship

Darlissa Villanueva

Intern – Educational Practice

Darlissa Villanueva is a Rio Grande Valley native from Santa Rosa, Texas. She is currently a graduate student at the University of Texas at Austin pursuing a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy with a concentration in educational policy and planning. Darlissa graduated from Texas A&M University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. Prior to graduate school, Darlissa worked with Texas A&M’s AdviseTX chapter, which is a non-profit organization that places recent college graduates in Texas high schools to help increase college enrollment for first-generation students and students in families with low incomes. Darlissa served as an advisor at John F. Kennedy High School in Edgewood ISD and Navasota High School in Navasota ISD. Her focus is centered on ethnic studies, accountability, school censorship issues and access to higher education, particularly for students from low-income communities.

Writings, etc., During Internship

Contact

5815 Callaghan Road, Suite 101
San Antonio, TX 78228

Phone: 210-444-1710
Fax: 210-444-1714