Who We Are
It is not our role to speak to the people about our own view of the world, nor to attempt to impose that view on them, but rather to dialogue with the people about their view and ours.
— Paulo Freire
Jen Heymoss (she/her)
Jen believes in the ability of organizations and institutions to move into understanding their practices through an anti-oppressive lens. Before moving into the philanthropic sector as a Community Investment Officer, she spent fifteen years as a teacher, youth development professional, and teacher educator cultivating her passion for mentoring, innovating education, and equity. At the core of her work is a desire to cultivate educators and leaders who value anti-oppressive and abolitionist praxis.
Jen is a proud first-generation college student and is an instructor for the College of Education and Human Development at Western Michigan University and speaks and teaches in many settings. She holds a M.A. in Socio-Cultural Foundations of Education and a B.A. in Secondary Education from Western Michigan University. Jen is a proud long-time resident of Kalamazoo, MI and works with many community organizations as a board member and volunteer. She is also a trauma-informed yoga for youth educator.
When Jen isn’t working, you can find her out in the woods with her dog, enjoying live music (often played by her spouse), and going on adventures with her family.
Alyssa Moon (she/her)
Alyssa believes in creating inclusive learning spaces that welcome, listen to, and engage with a diverse group of people while also encouraging authentic communication and assessment. She has worked in education for fifteen years as a teacher, a youth development professional, and, in her current role, as an instructional designer. As an instructional designer at Western Michigan University, she spends a lot of time with instructors, talking through aspects of their courses, working side by side with them to improve their practice through workshops and one on one sessions, and supporting them in creating high quality learning experiences for their students. Other parts of her role include working with campus and community stakeholders to create positive learning experiences in a range of modalities for a range of learners.
Alyssa holds a M.A. in Online Education and Athletic Leadership from Michigan State University, a B.A. in Secondary Education from Western Michigan University, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership at Western Michigan University where she is studying how communities, organizations, and educational institutions can work together to support and promote equity and access to education for all students.
In her spare time, Alyssa enjoys traveling, a great house remodeling project, exploring great food, and the great outdoors - particularly the state and national parks - with her family.