Who We Are

Christina is the managing director of learning & design at Citizens of the World Charter Schools. Previously, Christina served as a middle school leader at Citizens of the World Silver Lake where she focused on equitable outcomes for all students through the implementation of constructivist learning, just grading systems, and the design of a developmentally appropriate middle school model. Prior to her work as a school leader, Christina was a founding teacher and coach in New York City public and charter schools. Her career in education began as a Teach For America corps member in 2008. Christina holds an AB in political science from the University of Chicago, and an MA in childhood education. She is a Pahara Fellow and has held fellowships and research residencies from the University of Chicago, the Cullman Center, the Academy of Teachers, and Fund for Teachers. Christina is a lifelong learner and lives with her husband and sons in Los Angeles.

Maureen Lamorena-Tatsui is excited to coach Citizens of the World Leader Institute Fellows this year. In her 13 years as a school leader at Citizens of the World Silver Lake TK-5, Maureen found the most fulfillment in tending to and growing the adults who worked diligently to equitably and joyfully serve students by coaching them, building effective leadership teams, and leading professional development. She is deeply committed to coaching as a powerful and transformational practice that can develop concrete leadership skills, shift mindsets, and build resilience and career longevity. She is most especially committed to doing this for leaders of color.
Prior to joining CWC, Maureen began her education career through Teach for America and taught 2nd through 5th grades for 10 years in the Compton Unified School District.
A So Cal native and UCLA graduate, Maureen continues to live in the greatest city in the world – Los Angeles– with her husband, son (a CWC Silver Lake alumni!), and dog. She finds joy in her family, cooking, reading, and lifting heavy things.

Jessica Aranda is a skilled movement strategist, facilitator, popular educator, coach, strategic planner and evaluator with a background in organizing, grassroots advocacy and traditional medicine. She has deep relationships as a trusted convenor in progressive movements across the United States. She is the Managing Partner at Aranda Strategies where she advances social and economic justice, deepening and strengthening leadership within key organizations and communities.
Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jessica has over twenty-five years of experience and a career dedicated to educational equity, worker and immigrant rights, gender and reproductive justice, land rights, and collective healing. She has successfully built over a dozen social justice organizations and supported the launch of one community-based school in Chicago and one charter school in Albuquerque.
With extensive experience in community circle curation and facilitation, Jessica leads the Race and Gender Equity Working Group of the New Mexico Civic Engagement Table, convening policy advocates in monthly gatherings, improving Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (JEDI) practices, deepening relationships, forming a shared sense of history and analyzing internal movement practices. She is also the co-creator and co-facilitator of the Somatic Circle for Women and Gender Non-Binary Healing and Reconciliation, an original 9-week space that supports women and non-binary leaders by building up tools in somatic healing and traditional medicine to confront patriarchy and misogyny in daily life. She also served as the space holder and support facilitator for the Circle for Chicanx and Latinx Confronting Anti-Blackness and Anti-Indigeneity, a 10-week space supporting Latinx leaders in analyzing and confronting the impact and trajectory of racism, colonization, colorism, anti-Blackness, anti-indigeneity and erasure in daily life.
Jessica is a certified professional coach, primarily focused on supporting the leadership of BIPOC and queer educators and social justice leaders. She holds an MA in Contemplative Education from Naropa University and a BA in Anthropology and Latin American Studies from Beloit College. She is currently in the process of receiving certification and in-depth training in restorative mediation and navigating conflict with an abolitionist lens. She is also a traditional healer and mesa carrier in the Munay-Ki Quero and Native New Mexican Healing traditions.

Sheeba Jacob is the Director of Middle School Design at Citizens of the World. She began her education career as a Teach for America corps member in Washington D.C. She has a range of experiences both domestically and internationally as a teacher, school leader, coach, consultant, and curriculum developer. She is committed to the social-emotional health of young people, to youth voice, and to humanizing middle school spaces.
Sheeba is a graduate of Macalester College. She received her M.Ed in Language and Literacy from Harvard Graduate School of Education and her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from Loyola Marymount University. She lives in LA with her husband and two children and always enjoys great books, great songs, and great conversations!

Eva Schlomann is a teacher leader committed to advancing equity, social justice, and academic excellence. With 10 years of experience in elementary education, she currently serves as a 4th Grade Lead Teacher at Citizens of the World Hollywood in Los Angeles. Prior to her work in LA, Eva taught in Oakland, California, and previously managed an arts education program in the nonprofit sector. Eva earned a Master of Arts in Education from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and Spanish from Tulane University.
Through this institute, Eva is excited to grow her impact and deepen her leadership practice. During her time at CWC, Eva has been a member of both the English Language Arts and Math Instructional Leadership teams, in addition to serving as a mentor teacher for new educators. Eva seeks to continue to develop her leadership skill set by building meaningful coaching and professional development opportunities for teachers and staff.
Outside of school, Eva spends her free time taking hikes with her partner Jon and adventure pup, Ivy, and camping in state parks near and far.