RECN CORE TEAM

Movers, Shakers and not afraid to be Agitators

We are union members of color and various marginalized groups (and other interested parties) working together to identify and address issues affecting us as well as our students of color and all marginalized student groups.

SHAWNA MOORE

HEA Lead Core Member

Shawna Moore is a dedicated educator of 20 years. Her passion is ensuring all students have a caring adult they can rely on in their educational setting, as well as educating professionals about the power of relationships and human connection. She is currently teaching PE at Tyee High School in Seatac, Washington. She is an athletic coach of Track and Volleyball, peer mentor for her building and the Highline School District. She is a WEA Culturally Responsive Trainer, as well as a Core team member of RECN (Rainier Educators of Color Network). Prior to teaching Shawna spent 22 years in the Navy supporting and defending our country. Her motto is...You only have two jobs in this lifetime, inspire someone to be better than yourself and leave the better than it was given to you. Shawna double majored in her bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education, as well as a double major in her Master’s in Master Teaching and Curriculum Development. In addition she is endorsed in Fitness and Health.

ANEEKA FERRELL

RPTA Core Team Member

Aneeka Ferrell is the Substitute Coordinator for the Renton School District. In her role, she is responsible for hiring, onboarding, and coordinating all aspects of the Substitute Office for the District. Aneeka is a certified Frontline Education administrator and manages the oversight of the Frontline Education Absence Management system for the District. Aneeka Ferrell is a member of the core team for the Rainier Educators of Color Network, a member of the Professional Technical Education Association, and a member of the Rainier Uniserv Council. Aneeka is an Implicit Bias and Microaggressions trainer as well as a Paraeducator Certification and Cultural Competency (Equity Track) trainer for the Washington Education Association. Aneeka holds a Bachelors Degree in Communication (with honors) and a dual Masters Degree in Business Administration and Public Administration (with honors). Aneeka Ferrell and her husband of 26 years have a son, 25 and daughter, 15.

DOMINIC CORR

REA Core Team Member

Dominic is a Physical Education Teacher (PE Specialist) at Risdon Middle School, Renton School District. With over 20 years of experience as an educator he has built a comprehensive physical education program complete with a curriculum inclusive of physical, psychological, and nutritional information. He has built relationships with a variety of community providers from bowling to ballet, inclusive of taekwondo, yoga and golf to exposure his students to the vast variety of ways to set fit, healthy and active throughout their lives. Dominic has worked on school climate surveys to improve staff engagement and student morale; as well as, worked on comprehensive school improvement plans. Assisted in implementing a mentor program; created a self-management group; helped with student discipline. Other accolades Omega Commitment to Youth (OCC) Program, Created OCC (Omega Commitment to Youth) a mentor program that targeted at hope youth. Secured 7 mentors and saw positive changes in student behavior due to being exposed to positive role models. Received Omega Psi Phi Citizen of the Year award for outstanding community service for starting the program.

VALISIA SIMPSON

RESP Core Team Member

Valisia has been an educator in the Renton School District for 6 years serving in many roles to support learners and staff. Growing up in Louisiana she experienced and overcome many aspects of racism. She's served on the RECN Core Team for 5 years and has supported countless educators in their journey to dismantle racism through awareness, organizing, and activism. Valisia's family are her biggest supporters. She has been married for 27 years and has 4 amazing children and 7 grandchildren and 2 great grandsons. Besides managing the front office of a high needs middle school she is serving her first term as President of the Renton Education Support Professionals, the largest classified local union in Renton. She also serves on the ACT (Action Coordinating Team) and on the board of RUC (Rainier Uniserv Council) where she works to ensure all ESP's voices are heard and included.

EDISSA JARAMILLO

HEA Core Team Member

Edissa Jaramillo has been in the education field since 2009, starting as a bilingual kindergarten teacher, then a paraeducator (bilingual and special education) then became a Special Education teacher. She worked in the Seattle and Kent districts as a paraeducator and Highline as a teacher. She currently teaches in a self-contained Special Education IAC (Intensive Academic Center) classroom at Glacier Middle School. Her main passion is inclusion of all students, focusing on ELL and Special Education inclusion. Edissa’s motto is all behavior is communication and all students can learn. She is a union rep and a RECN (Rainier Educators of Color) Core Team member. Edissa majored in Psychology and studied in Spain for a year. She is fluent in Spanish. She has a Masters in Teacher, with a Special Education endorsement. Edissa is a National Board Certified Teacher as a Exceptional Needs Specialist. She loves to travel (especially to new places) as well as spend time with family, friends, and her dog, Jessie.

SUSAN DUFRESNE

REA Core Team Member and AAC

Susan DuFresne [she/her/hers] is retired from teaching Integrated Kindergarten in the Renton School District. She lives on Vashon Island with her husband, son, chickens, cats, and dog. She considers RECN's Core Team to be her family and the Renton/Highline communities to be her 2nd home. Susan taught Special Education and General Education for 14 years in Renton School District and is now retired. She believes unfortunately, our BIPoC kindergarten children have already experienced racism and therefore all kindergartners are old enough to learn about antiracism. She is an artist, activist, author and illustrator, writing and illustrating The History of Institutional Racism in U.S. Public Schools published by Garn Press, 2018. She has been a CORE member of RECN since 2017 and believes it is our responsibility as Whites to research and correct our false perceptions/narratives of history, change policies and to dismantle institutional racism alongside our BIPoC and expanding RECN’s equity work to increase intersectionality between anti-racism work and oppression in the areas of gender and sexual orientation/LGBTQIA+, Dis/Ability/Ableism, ageism, and poverty/classism. She continues to be actively engaged as a RECN Core Team Member, designing the graphics, art, supporting in social media and our website.

JOE BENTO

REA Core Team Member

Joseph (Joe) Bento is an AP/IB Psychology and 9th grade Health teacher in Renton, WA. He has been involved in safe schools trainings for the last 15 years including his work as an NEA (National Education Association) trainer on Social Justice and LGBTQ issues for the last 10 years. Joe also advises the GSA at his school, is active in his local union, and is also the current chair of GLSEN Washington State and has worked with GLSEN for the last 15 years. Joe likes to travel, work in his yard, and hang out with his 2-year old niece. Joe is currently the Rainier UniServe Council Vice-President.

JANIE WHITE

WEA Vice President/Core Team Member

Janie White is the first Education Support Professional, and first black woman to be elected as the WEA Vice President. Before her election, she served as the office manager of Nelsen Middle School in Renton. She was the Renton ESP president, building rep, bargaining team member, Rainier Uniserv board member and WEA board member. Janie has been active on the Rainier Educators of Color Network (RECN) core team for eight, advocating for educators and students of color. WEA Education Support Professionals Action Coordinating Team (ACT), which advocates for ESPs and offers trainings and conferences specifically for ESPs for eight years. She is a graduate of the NEA ESP Leaders of Tomorrow program and the WEA’s ESP of the Year in 2017. Her passion is advocating for students, parents, members and the community

JOANNE BARBER

KEA Core Team Member and Ally

Joanne (Jo) Barber is a School Success Coach in the Kent School District. She is considered a master teacher in Kent with a personal focus on teaching with equity. She received her Masters in Education from Western Governors University and studied anthropology and sociology at The Evergreen State College, where she received her Bachelors of Arts in social sciences. She continues to work on professional development specific to the areas of social justice and equity. She is a trainer for WEA in the areas of The Science of Implicit Bias and Culturally Responsive Classroom Strategies and writes anti-bias curriculum for WEA as well. She is determined to elicit change within our educational systems by partnering on equity design within leadership committees. Currently collaborating with RECN, KECON, and KSD Equity Council. Through KECON, she participates in two subcommittees where members focus on professional development, curriculum, and Black Lives Matters resolutions. Her identity intersections are: white, cisgender female, single parent of a transitioning individual, socioeconomically challenged, living with hidden disabilities, and exploring non-traditional spirituality.

Welcome to the Rainier Educators of Color Network!