Krystile Birdsall, Board Chair
Krystle Birdsall is a seasoned education professional with over a decade of experience, marked by a commitment to creativity, servant leadership, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. She has made significant contributions in underserved and underrepresented communities nationwide.
Krystle’s academic credentials include a Master’s degree in Psychological Studies in Education from UCLA and teaching certificates from Temple University. Starting her career in the classroom and social services, she has broadened her impact through curriculum development, school leadership, coaching new teachers, board governance, and policy and advocacy. With a passion for continuous learning, who knows when she will expand her impact next.
Recently, Krystle has transitioned into entrepreneurship as the owner and operator of Challenge Island – Camden County NW, a STEAM enrichment program. This venture aligns her interests in STEAM, education, and social justice by catering to the needs of today’s imaginative children, empowering them to become successful adults in the global landscape.
Lori Abernethy, Secretary
Lori has proudly served the students of the School District of Philadelphia for over 25 years and hopes to continue for many years to come. She has taught self-contained 5th grade, Technology Education, and currently teaches Digital Literacy at Thomas Holme Elementary School.
Her enduring goal throughout her years of teaching is to foster a love of learning in all of her students and to share her love of problem-solving. She has coached teams in the Future City Competition for over twenty years and more recently became a FIRST LEGO League coach, bringing three teams to the competition.
Lori holds her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Lock Haven University, her ESL certificate from Temple University, and her Master’s Degree in Technology Education from Ball State University.
Maggie Deptola, Board Treasurer
Maggie is the Finance, Grants and Operations Manager for the Building Movement Project, an organization that supports and pushes the nonprofit sector to tackle the most significant social issues of our times by developing research, creating tools and training materials, providing guidance, and facilitating networks for social change.
An advocate for high quality STEM education opportunities in schools, Maggie’s previous roles include serving as the first Chief Operating Officer of Coded by Kids, a Philadelphia-based tech education nonprofit serving students across the region. She was instrumental in building the systems and partnerships that fueled the organization’s early expansion from a small, scrappy team of 3 serving 100 students to a team of 12 serving 500 students annually in 3 states.
Maggie is passionate about economic mobility, educational equity, and capacity-building for social enterprises. She has a bachelor’s degree in international area studies from Drexel University and a certificate in nonprofit management from La Salle University. Maggie is currently a second-year Executive Master of Public Administration student at the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania.
Kristopher Robinson, Director
Kris is a proud educator and Associate Director of College Access and Equity with Philadelphia Futures Steppingstone Scholars (PFSS) at George Washington Carver High School for Engineering and Sciences, where he oversees program implementation, services and academic advising. As a Philadelphia native, he has developed a unique view of the complex school choice process and educational landscape of the city, while focusing on ways to integrate high quality enrichment programs and activities that prepare students for post-secondary success.
He has worked as a FIRST Robotics coach for community teams in the North Philadelphia area and has worked as an educator and college access counselor throughout the Philadelphia region, as a middle grades science teacher and AmeriCorps Alumnus. Kris earned his BA at Temple University in both Sociology and Anthropology.
Neferteri Strickland, Director
Neferteri Strickland is a Cybertechnology Strategist, military officer and adjunct professor who aligns with her communities through emerging technology initiatives in K-20 Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education.
At the start of the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic Neferteri launched TEACHERS & the Design to Disrupt community to support education stakeholders navigating the future of education.
She, her loving husband, and two amazing children, reside in the Greater Philadelphia Region where she serves as an adjunct professor in Blockchain Technology at Saint Joseph’s University and a lecturer at The Wharton School of Business.
Paula Don, Director
Paula Don recently retired from over 33 years with the School District of Philadelphia. During her tenure she served as Director of Gifted Education and as director of Educational Technology. Paula serves as a consultant with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), reviewing educational products for alignment to the ISTE Standards. She is also a certified LEGO Education trainer and provides training to schools and districts using LEGO Solutions in the classroom.
Paula received her BA and MS Ed from the University of Southern California. She began her career in the Los Angeles and Long Beach Unified School Districts before moving to Philadelphia in 1982.
Robin Walker, Board Director and Community Impact Advisor
Throughout her career, Robin has held significant roles with the School District of Philadelphia and YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School, focusing on organizational programming, program design and delivery, and partnership management. Her expertise in these areas has been instrumental in creating impactful programs that address the needs of the community and promote sustainable development.
Ebony K. Stevenson, Board Director and Financial Advisor
Ebony K. Stevenson is a strategic planning professional and the former Strategic Planning Executive Director at Wells Fargo, where she led the Process Transformation Department until March 2025. Prior to her tenure at Wells Fargo, Ms. Stevenson served as the Ultra High Net Worth Regional Executive Director for Underwriting at Morgan Stanley Private Bank in Coppell, TX. Her career in financial services began in 1996 at Beneficial Financial in Missouri, and she has held leadership roles at prominent firms such as Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and Citibank.
Ms. Stevenson holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Northwood University and a Master’s in Business Administration in Management from the University of Dallas. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Strategic Planning and Leadership, with an expected graduation date of 2028.
In her personal time, Ebony enjoys mentoring, volunteering with local and national non-profits, and visiting her daughter, a Navy veteran, in Oakland, CA.