ExcelinEd is pleased to introduce the inaugural cohort of Education Policy Residents, a premier professional growth program for those pursuing a career in education policy and aspiring to make a significant impact on students’ lives through effective public policy.
Launched Nov. 1, the two-year program equips residents with the essential skills, public policy expertise, advocacy acumen, networking and mentorship opportunities, and dedicated career support needed for a thriving career as an education policy leader.
Over the course of the residency, participants are fully immersed in ExcelinEd’s student-centered policy agenda and mission. Upon completion of the program, residents are ready to serve as catalysts for innovation and change in pivotal advisory roles at the highest levels of state government, including executive offices, state legislatures and education agencies.
Each ExcelinEd residency cohort includes four residents, and we launch new cohorts every six months. If you are interested in applying for the next cohort, you can read about the program and find application instructions here.
Arman Sidhu is an educator and administrator. He is the founder & former Director of iCubed Learning Inc., a volunteer-run, nonprofit microschool and homeschool resource center serving education scholarship families in Arizona’s East Valley.
Prior to founding iCubed, Arman served as a charter school principal, a middle school administrator and career and technical education instructor, teaching computer science, math and social sciences. He is an adjunct faculty for a non-traditional community college and is pursuing an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton’s Teacher’s College. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems from ASU and his master’s in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Springfield. Arman lives in Chandler, Arizona, with his wife.
If Arman could change one thing in education, he would embed the transformative power of competition into every state’s public education system and champion the development of a “permissionless environment,” empowering educators to be entrepreneurial. His views on education policy have been most influenced by Thomas Sowell.
Arman’s dream job after the residency is to become a state-level education policy advisor.
Katrina Notarmaso-Mahoney recently completed a Legislative Fellowship with the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, serving in the office of Ranking Member Bill Cassidy where she focused on education policy. Prior to her fellowship, Katrina was a Teach For America corps member and taught third grade in a Newark charter school. Before pursuing a career in education, she worked for an independent think tank, the Council on Foreign Relations, based in New York. Katrina earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from The College of New Jersey. She lives in Jersey City, New Jersey, with her husband.
If Katrina could change one thing in education, she would increase choice for families. Her views on education policy have been most influenced by Emily Hanford’s Sold A Story: How Teaching Kids to Read Went So Wrong.
Katrina’s dream job after the residency is serving as an education advisor to a governor.
Kyle Morin’s career has centered on teaching and education administration, most recently serving as the principal at James Madison Charter Academy, a public K-8 charter school in Colorado Springs. Before that, Kyle taught 5th-12th grades in both Colorado and Taiwan. He also completed a policy internship at Independence Institute in Denver and co-authored On the Road of Innovation: Colorado’s Charter School Law Turns 20.
Kyle earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and History and an MPA from the University of Colorado, Denver. He holds professional licenses in teaching and school administration from the Colorado Department of Education. Kyle lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with his wife.
If Kyle could change one thing in education, he would equalize education funding for charter schools. His views on education policy have been most influenced by Clayton Christensen’s Disrupting Class.
Kyle’s dream job after the residency is to work in a state agency.
Ryan Dellinger has focused his career on public policy and outreach, most recently working as an External Engagement Manager for the Mercatus Center. Before that, he served as the Executive Director for the Pennsylvania School Bus Association, held roles in the Pennsylvania Senate, and served in the Virginia Army National Guard. Ryan earned his bachelor’s degree from Virginia Tech, a Juris Master in American Legal Studies from Liberty University, and an MPA from Shippensburg University. Ryan lives in Greenville, South Carolina, with his wife and their two dogs.
If Ryan could change one thing in education, he would universalize school choice. His views on education policy have been the most influenced by a collection of thinkers, including his father who was a high school teacher.
Ryan’s dream job after the residency is to work on education policy in the executive branch.
Stay tuned for updates on the work our Residents will undertake as they continue to learn and grow throughout this program. Together, we are forging a brighter future for students across the nation.
