Speaker

Pagee Cheung

Founder & Co-Executive Director at MESA Charter High School

Pagee Cheung is the co-founder of MESA Charter High School, which opened its doors in 2013 and since celebrated over 90% graduation rate for the past 5 years. MESA has emerged as a leader in the charter sector in several areas, earning plaudits for both its academic and operational performance. MESA has shared its

Speaker

Melissa Meza Melkonian

Founder and Executive Director at The American Dream Charter School (ADS)

Melissa Meza Melkonian is founder and executive director of The American Dream Charter School (ADS) in the south Bronx. The child of once-undocumented Mexican immigrants, Melkonian founded the school in 2014 in order to meet the needs of immigrant and non-native English speaking families in the poorest congressional district in America. The school provides an innovative dual-language curriculum and takes a whole-family approach to supporting its students, providing its families with social work and translation services, food and other support. This past June, ADS graduated its first senior class, nearly all of the members of which were first-generation American and first in their families to attend college.

Speaker

Celia Sosa

Executive Director at Hyde Leadership Charter School

Celia Sosa is the Executive Director at Hyde Leadership Charter School, which is located in the Hunts Point Section of the South Bronx. Prior to her role as Executive Director, Celia began her career at Hyde as a history teacher and was selected as the founding High School Director. Over the past decade as High School Director, she developed a top-tier high school program with exemplary student and alumni outcomes recognized across the country. She was awarded an Emerging Leader Fellowship for the 2009–2010 school year from the New York City Charter Center. During her time at Hyde, she chaired the social studies department, founded the Dynamics of Difference Committee, organized wilderness retreats, and coached the cross country team.

Moderator

Monica Morales

Reporter/Anchor at PIX 11

Monica Morales is an award-winning newscaster for PIX 11 in New York City. She is on PIX 11 every night at 5:55 pm.

Monica focuses everyday on helping families across the Tri-state area get repairs, respect, and social justice. Morales has hosted over 150 live “Monica Makes It Happen” Facebook shows. Her weekly show guests have included New York City’s Comptroller, Public Advocate, Police Commissioner, Legal Aid Society Lawyers, Tenant Leaders, Borough Presidents, State Senators, and City Council members.

Monica has a National Emmy for Breaking News, five local Emmys and an Edward R. Murrow Award for Investigative Series and Reporting. Morales has worked as an anchor and reporter at WNBC in New York City, WFXT-FOX25 in Boston, WTVJ-NBC6 in Miami and WDJT-CBS in Milwaukee.

Monica has also received numerous awards from the community. She received the 2018 Canon Fredrick Boyd Williams Community Service Award, endowed by the Rockefeller Foundation, from the Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement for her tireless work in fighting for affordable housing for families. Morales also received the 2018 Latina Voice of the People Award from the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, for her focus on helping Hispanic families across the Tri-state area.