Melissa Katz
Vice President, Inclusive Education

Melissa is an inclusion and equity advocate for historically underserved populations in NYC charter schools. She leads the Collaborative for Inclusive Education, ensuring that schools have access to the essential supports, trainings, resources and technical assistance necessary to secure the success of all of their students. As part of her advocacy work, she participates in special education and MLL/ELL citywide coalitions, serves as a delegate in NYCPS advisory councils and working groups, and represents New York City at the national level for special populations support organizations. Prior to joining the Collaborative, she worked as a French dual language teacher and an ESL teacher within NYCPS. During her time in the classroom, she strived to provide equity and access for all her students through culturally relevant pedagogy and research-based language supports. Melissa holds B.A.s from Trinity College (Hartford) in French, Spanish and English, earned her M.S. in TESOL as a Teach For America corps member from Fordham University, and her M.S. in Educational Leadership from Hunter College. You can reach Melissa at mkatz@nyccharterschools.org.

Melissa’s Top Recommended Collaborative Blogs
Creating Inclusive Classrooms: Essential Back-to-School Strategies for All Learners
In Conversation with 2025 S.P.A.R.K. Award Winner Charisma Wright
Meet 2025 S.P.A.R.K. Award Winner Angela Singh

Eleanora (Ellie) Grose
Inclusive Education Specialist

Eleanora (Ellie) is the Inclusive Education Specialist for the Collaborative for Inclusive Education. Ellie works closely with schools in creating inclusive programs that support all students. She joins the Collaborative after spending over two decades working in special education and supporting special populations in many different capacities. She began her career in private education, specializing in language-based learning disabilities. She spent 8 years teaching in the public charter specialized & integrated classroom before moving to administration—and has proudly served as a teacher, coordinator, and director of special populations for some great schools. Ellie holds a B.A. in Psychology from Syracuse University and a M.S. in Special Education from Simmons University. You can reach Ellie at egrose@nyccharterschools.org.

Ellie’s Top Recommended Collaborative Blogs
The Power of Language: Transforming School Discipline Vocabulary
A School Leader’s Guide to Managing Difficult Conversations
Celebrating Neurodiversity: It’s Autism Acceptance Month!

Angelica Maddox
Inclusive Education Specialist

Angelica is an Inclusive Education Specialist with the Collaborative for Inclusive Education. Angelica works closely with schools to help the creation of inclusive programs that support all students. She joins the Collaborative after spending over a decade working in special education and supporting special populations in high schools. As a former special education teacher of multiple content areas and a dean of special education, she brings much lived experience to her work. Angelica holds a B.A. in American History from SUNY Old Westbury and a M.S. in Special Education with a concertation in History from Long Island University. You can reach Angelica at amaddox@nyccharterschools.org.

Angelica’s Top Recommended Collaborative Blogs
Beyond Punishment: A Comprehensive Guide to Rethinking School Suspensions
National Teenager Day: What Teens Really Think About Violence, Social Media, and High School Life
Beyond the Parade: Why Caribbean Heritage Month Matters in Our Classrooms

Rene Minnocci
MLL/ELL Specialist

Rene is the MLL/ELL Specialist for the Collaborative for Inclusive Education, where she promotes equity and access for multilingual students and families through professional development, coaching, technical assistance, and advocacy. She joins the Collaborative after a decade serving MLL populations in Connecticut and New York, teaching in a variety of language models including Spanish-English Dual Language, Transitional Bilingual, Sheltered English, and English Immersion. Most recently, Rene served as the MLL lead of a NYC charter school in Washington Heights, designing and implementing the school’s MLL programming, coaching teachers, and serving students directly, including MLLs with IEPs. Rene holds a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature with Elementary/Special Education coursework from Providence College and an M.A. in Bilingual Bicultural Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. You can reach Rene at rminnocci@nyccharterschools.org.

Rene’s Top Recommended Collaborative Blogs
Welcoming with Intention: One MLL/ELL Teacher’s Process for Introducing Newcomers to School and Staff
Creating Opportunities for Every Student: An MLL/ELL Coordinator’s Impact
A Conversation with Colin Farabee: Innovating Multilingual Education

Anna Reeve
Part-time Special Education Specialist

Anna is a global educator and special education leader with over twenty years of experience focused on inclusive, high-quality education. For the past decade, she has served as a literacy and special education consultant for the New York City Collaborative for Inclusive Education, Los Angeles Unified School District Office of Charter Schools, and numerous charter management organizations nationwide, supporting instructional quality and systems improvement. She spent five years living in Port-au-Prince, where she helped develop alternative teacher certification pathways through a continuing education center under Université Quisqueya and the Haitian Ministry of Education. She continues to work in Haiti, collaborating with educators and creatives through Lakou Kajou, a Haitian multimedia education program that builds foundational literacy, numeracy, science, and social studies skills for young children.

Kimberly (Kiki) Almonte
Senior Administrative Coordinator

Kimberly (Kiki) Almonte is the Administrative Coordinator for The Collaborative for Inclusive Education. Kiki provides vital logistical and administrative support for events, and ensures that charter schools have access to resources that support their ability to serve diverse populations. Prior to joining the Collaborative, she worked as a Special Education Coordinator at Success Academy Charter Schools, and has a background in IT Support and Data Management. Kiki holds a B.A. in History from Hunter College.​ You can reach Kiki at kalmonte@nyccharterschools.org.

Kiki’s Top Recommended Collaborative Blogs
Top Tips for Communicating with Your Autistic Students: An Autistic Perspective
Beyond Safe Browsing: Digital Citizenship in Today’s Classroom
Autism in Adolescence and Adulthood: Supporting Late-Diagnosed Students in School