Tuwanda Jackson is a contributing Forbes author, veteran educator and DMV native. She has over a decade of college and career counseling experience working with middle and high school students. Tuwanda’s love for education grew as an undergraduate student at Hampton University, where she was heavily involved in the Student Support Services (SSS) program, as well as completed her work study with Educational Talent Search and then she became a Ronald E. McNair Scholar. All of which are branches of TRiO programming. When the SSS program offered her many resources, such as mentorship, life skill development and more importantly, scholarship money to cover her costs during her senior year, it was in that moment that she wanted to help the misguided. As a McNair Scholar she conducted research at Virginia Tech regarding support systems for minority students attending HBCUs and PWIs (Predominantly White Institution). This research planted the seed for her to work with college bound students. Upon graduating from Hampton University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, she began her educational career as a Senior Academic Advisor at Upward Bound, yet another branch of TRiO Programming, which drove her passion to educating students on college and career readiness. She realized that she could help students and their families with necessary resources for college and career readiness, just as the TRiO programs she had worked with in the past did with her while in college. Tuwanda also wished that she had that same knowledge during her high school years to be better prepared for college. She later went on to obtain her Master of Education degree in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Adolescent Studies and College Counseling at Howard University. Tuwanda’s love for her work with the youth stems from wanting to help youth not because she has to, but because she wants to help. She enjoys the intrinsic feeling of holistic growth in students. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, listening to music (like Erykah Badu, Beyonce, 2Chainz and 90s R & B), planning events, and doing arts & crafts.Tuwanda Jackson, a native of the Washington, DC area, brings over a decade of experience in college and career counseling to her role as a contributing Forbes author and veteran educator. Her journey in education began at Hampton University, where she actively participated in the Student Support Services (SSS) program, completed her work-study with Educational Talent Search, and became a Ronald E. McNair Scholar, all integral components of TRiO programming. The support and resources provided by the SSS program, including mentorship and scholarship assistance, fueled Tuwanda's desire to guide students who may be navigating similar challenges. During her undergraduate years, Tuwanda's passion for education deepened as she conducted research at Virginia Tech on support systems for minority students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). This research laid the groundwork for her future work with college-bound students. After earning her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Hampton University, Tuwanda embarked on her career as a Senior Academic Advisor at Upward Bound, another TRiO program. Here, she honed her skills in college and career readiness, recognizing the importance of providing students and families with essential resources for success. Reflecting on her own high school experience, Tuwanda wished she had access to the same level of knowledge and support.

Sandra Lazo has been with Aspire Public Schools for 18 years. During that time, she served in different capacities including working with Aspire’s Home Office on the Secondary Team overseeing all of Aspire’s high schools across the 3 regions in California (Bay Area, Central Valley and LA) and coming back full circle to her original site of hire at Aspire Benjamin Holt College Prep Academy in Stockton as their Academic/College Counselor for the last 15 years. With nearly 700 students in 9th-12th grades, Benjamin Holt Academy consists of a very diverse population, predominantly made up of Hispanic, Asian, Black and Caucasian students with over 60% of them being first-generation college students. Sandra has a passion for teaching her students to be strong, independent and resourceful and to make well-informed decisions for their futures, whichever post-secondary pathway that may be. She strives to give them the tools they need to achieve their potential, pursue their passions and make positive contributions to their communities.

Halima Moore is the Director of Counseling and College Counselor at College Achieve Central Charter School with over 22 years of experience. She graduated with honors from Virginia State University earning a Bachelor’s in Administration of Justice and a Master’s Degree in Counseling. She has worked in a Juvenile Correctional Facility, as a Family Psychotherapist, Group Home Supervisor, Teacher, Substance Abuse Counselor and a Rehabilitation Counselor, before finding her true love for School Counseling. While working at Learning Community Charter School she earned her second Masters from St. Peter’s University in Education with a concentration in Administration and Supervision. During her 15 years as a school counselor in Newark Public Schools, Halima found success with her students by tapping into their passion to help them identify and cultivate their purpose. As a wife and mother of 3 boys, she believes that when passion meets purpose students find life more rewarding and live more productive, happier lives in and out of the workforce. As her students biggest cheerleader, advocate, counselor and in many cases mother figure, she has affectionately been nicknamed #thecollegemama by her students, because she treats them like her own. Halima’s favorite saying is when you do what you love it never feels like work and that is what she wants for all of her students.

Barbara is a creative communications leader with a background in guiding successful publicity campaigns. In her role at Larson Communications, she works with school leaders, teachers and education reformers to tell their stories and champion their causes. Barbara is also the mother of a high school senior currently navigating the complex and evolving college application journey alongside her daughter. Barbara holds a degree in English Literature from the University of Virginia.