Gabriella Abbondanza, Director of Curriculum & Coaching

Gabby holds a Masters Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, a Bachelor of English and Middle School Education, and is in the process of earning her AMS Adolescent Montessori Diploma from the Cincinnati Montessori Secondary Teacher Education Program. She is a founding designer, instructional coach, and teacher at Truth, and prior to that pioneered a blended-learning pilot of the Summit Learning program in her classroom at Columbia Heights Education Campus in DCPS. She has extensive experience with incorporating self-directed technology-based learning in the classroom, and as a Summit Learning Fellow has facilitated training for schools across the United States. 

Email Mrs. Abbondanza at gabbondanza@truthpcs.org.

Ryan Abel, Founding Chief Operating Officer

Ryan is the parent of a Truth middle school and a Truth high school student, and joined the school’s founding core leadership team in 2019 with prior experience from his time as the Founding Director of Operations at Libertas School in Memphis, TN where both of his kids also attended. Libertas is Tennessee’s first public, neighborhood Montessori school, and Ryan created systems and provided leadership in all day-to-day operations. Building schools that are “good enough for my own kids” drives his commitment to his work. Community and family empowerment have been the focus of his 20 year career in education, where he has worked from the neighborhood level to the international level to help bring people together.

Email Ryan at rabel@truthpcs.org.

Chellie Colbert, Special Education Coordinator

From Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. C is a Special Education teacher and Compliance Manager dedicated to continuous learning and problem-solving. Along with being a Sojourner Truth PCS veteran, he also has experience teaching middle and high school, holds a degree in Mass Communication from Virginia State University, and is a military veteran. In addition to coaching Truth's Flag Football team, Mr. C enjoys building positive relationships with his students and interacting with them to see them achieve greatnesses and success in the classroom.

Email Mr. C at ccolbert@truthpcs.org.

Denise Edwards, Founding Principal

Denise holds an AMI Montessori administrator’s certificate from the Whole School Leadership Institute, and has fifteen years of experience as a teacher and leader in both D.C. public charter schools and D.C. Public Schools.  Prior to co-designing and founding Truth, she was a founding teacher at Cesar Chavez PCS in 2004 and worked in D.C. Prep PCS, Paul PCS, and as an assistant principal at Columbia Heights Education Campus in DCPS.  Over administrative tenure, she has overseen initiatives in personalized, competency-based learning that have resulted in wide and holistic gains, including significant PARCC growth in both ELA and math.

Denise is a creative contributor, critical thinker, and problem-solver with an excellent track record of student achievement with competency-based and project-based education. 

Email Principal Edwards at dedwards@truthpcs.org.

Shaka J. Greene, Director of Culture & Climate

Shaka is an experienced educator with more than twenty years in the field of education.

Originally from Memphis, TN, Shaka is a deliberate educator who has received numerous awards and recognitions for his creative and innovative teaching methodology. He has lived and worked in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area for the past ten years, and currently serves as the Founder & Executive Director of Bravo Zulu Chess Academy, a nationally recognized and highly decorated chess hub for children and young adults.

Shaka is licensed and certified to teach all K-8 content areas, he holds a Reading Specialist endorsement, as well as a K-12 Administrator’s license. He is currently in the process of completing his Ph.D. in Educational Leadership.

Email Mr. Greene at sgreene@truthpcs.org.

Justin Lessek, Founding Executive Director

Justin Lessek wants to radically empower students to be the owners and drivers of their learning.  Prior to his work as Truth’s founding Executive Director and co-designer, Justin served as a teacher, instructional coach, and administrator in D.C., Santiago, Chile, and Chicago.  Throughout his career he has led successful initiatives in competency based learning, personalization, blended learning, and biliteracy, and he brings a dedication for innovation to his work at Truth.  Justin is passionate about creating inclusive, fluid learning environments that reimagine the relationships between students, teachers, and school itself.

Email Justin at jlessek@truthpcs.org.

Rodger Perkins, Assistant Principal

Dr. Rodger E. Perkins, Jr. is a founding designer and teacher at Truth. Dr. Perkins is in the process of earning his AMS Adolescent Montessori Diploma from the Cincinnati Montessori Secondary Teacher Education Program. He attended Temple University, where he received a B.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Criminal Justice. He also holds advanced degrees in Law/Public Policy and a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from California University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Perkins is a veteran of both the United States Army and the United States Air Force. After completing his undergraduate studies, Dr. Perkins commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force in 2006 and served as a law enforcement Special Agent and later as a Counterintelligence Agent. He has conducted and supervised multiple operations in Germany, Qatar, Ethiopia, Italy, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Turkey, and France. He also has multiple deployments in support of both Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Before his military separation in 2018, Dr. Perkins served as a Senior Military Advisor to senior leaders of the Department of the Air Force.

Dr. Perkins is certified to teach Secondary English and Biology. He enjoys teaching and playing chess, and is an accomplished jazz saxophonist. He is currently authoring a book discussing the School to Prison Pipeline phenomenon as it pertains to minorities in the American education system.

Email Dr. Perkins at rperkins@truthpcs.org.

Tyecia Powell, Wellness Coordinator

Tyecia Powell is a co-designer and the founding Wellness Coordinator at Truth. She is a native Baltimorean who believes that change starts at the root. Tyecia has worked in public schools for over ten years as a teacher, academic coach, and most recently as an Assistant Director of Urban Teachers, an alternative teaching certification program. Through these various roles, she has always strived to foster growth and development in everyone she encountered.

Tyecia is a trained Pilates, CPR, and Mental Health & Wellness Instructor, as well as a trained basketball, softball, and track coach. She is a lifelong learner, and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Education (UMBC), a Masters Degree in Teacher Leadership (Valdosta State), a Specialist Degree in Leadership (Walden University), and is currently working on her Educational Doctorate in Leadership & Management (St. Thomas University).  Throughout all of her roles, she has aimed to work with kids and adults in the community to change bodies, minds, and lives through mental health and wellness.

Email Coach Ty at tpowell@truthpcs.org.