Meet Our Team | Faculty & Staff

At Kuumba Academy, we believe in the importance of recruiting, retaining, developing, and supporting great teachers and leaders who can help our students meet high standards.  Read on to meet them!

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"What makes Kuumba special is that we recognize that, if we want to teach the whole child, in addition to the academic support that we want to provide, we want to make sure we give them the opportunity explore their passions. "

- Sally Maldonado | Head of School

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Dr. Natakie T. Chestnut-Lee

Chief Executive Officer

Education: Ed.D., Educational Leadership, Walden University, MPA, Public Administration, Wilmington University, M.Ed., Special Education, Cheyney University, M.S. Adult and Continuing Education, Cheyney University, BA, Social Relations, Cheyney University, Howard University Urban Superintendent Academy, and Harvard University National Institute for Urban School Leaders

Experience: Dr. Natakie T. Chestnut-Lee is a distinguished educational leader with a wealth of experience in school administration and district-level management. 

Renowned for my visionary strategies and collaborative decision-making, Dr. Chestnut-Lee has a proven record of developing and implementing impactful educational programs. 

Dedication to fostering a positive and inclusive organizational culture is evident in her focus on student achievement, staff development, and community engagement. 
With strong interpersonal and communication skills, she drives continuous improvement and exceeds organizational goals. 

Dr. Chestnut-Lee is passionately committed to promoting equity and excellence in education, ensuring compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.

Fun Fact: "I love to travel, explore different cuisines, and enjoy the theatre. Whether I'm savoring street food in a far-off city or taking in a live performance, I believe in the power of cultural experiences to inspire creativity and innovation."

E-mail: nchestnutlee@kacsde.org

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     Sally Maldonado

Chief Operations Officer

Education: Bachelors degree in Elementary and Special Education from University of Delaware; Masters degree in School Leadership from Wilmington University

Experience: Started my professional career in education right here at Kuumba Academy in 2002. Has taught 4th-6th and served as the Academic Dean before becoming the Head of School for Kuumba.

E-mail: smaldonado@kacsde.org

Kenneth Brown

Family Engagement Director

kbrown@kacsde.org

Kenneth Brown

Family Engagement Director<

Education: B.A. in Political Science from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and a M.Ed. fom Cabrini College in Pennsylvania.
Experience: Ken is a founder of Kuumba Academy Charter School and has been with Kuumba since the beginning. 28+ years
Fun Fact: Love to host parties and detail cars.
Cherri Carr

Lower School Coordinator/Enrollment Specialist

ccarr@kacsde.org

Cherri Carr

Lower School Coordinator/Enrollment Specialist<

Education: EDUCATION
Experience: EXPERIENCE
Fun Fact: FUN-FACT
Sheila Cratic

Upper School Coordinator/ Director of Before & After School

scratic@kacsde.org

Sheila Cratic

Upper School Coordinator/ Director of Before & After School<

Education: Bachelors Degree-Criminal Justice, Wilmington University, Delaware
Experience: 15+ years as an Administrator, 10 years as a janitorial coach, 3 years Educational Para, 2 years 21st Century Site Administration, 2 years Director of Before & Aftercare Program.
Fun Fact: Love to travel, Love family time, and instperation of my faith.
Taron Williams

Restorative Practices Coordinator

twilliams@kacsde.org

Taron Williams

Restorative Practices Coordinator<

Education: EDUCATION
Experience: EXPERIENCE
Fun Fact: FUN-FACT
Doris Kirkland

Lead School Counselor/ LPCMH, NCC, M.Ed

dcorbett@kacsde.org

Doris Kirkland

Lead School Counselor/ LPCMH, NCC, M.Ed<

Education: BS in Behavioral Science. Masters in Education focus in Counseling, Wilmington University
Experience: I have had the pleasure with working with children & Families for over 13 yrs, assessing, diagnosing and providing treatment to individuals and families dealing with emotional distress at various levels. Working within school settings, hospitals, state agencies as well as private practices has been a rewarding career and afforded me with various methodologies that I hope to utilize with students and families within Kuumba Academy.
Fun Fact: I am a fan of MMA & boxing, and like to travel to different bike trails and ride.
Ariele Castro

Behavioral Health Counselor

acastro@kacsde.org

Ariele Castro

Behavioral Health Counselor<

Education: EDUCATION
Experience: EXPERIENCE
Fun Fact: FUN-FACT
Keith A. Beckett

Middle School Counselor

kbeckett@kacsde.org

Keith A. Beckett

Middle School Counselor<

Education: Graduated from Wilmington University with a Masters in School Counseling
Experience: Over 17 years of experience in various areas of education. Served as a Paraprofessional ina the Colonial School District. Served at risk student at William Penn H.S. and John Dickerson H.S. as a Classroom Specialist. Served Special needs students at Appoquinimink H.S., Bancroft Middle School and Kuumba Academy and a Special Education Math teacher. Currently I serve as School Counselor for grades K-4
Fun Fact: I love to spend time with my family, singing and dancing, listening to music and going out with friends and family. I love to read the Bible, and cheering on my favorite sports teams.
Genelle Freeman-Saul

Dean

gsaul@kacsde.org

Genelle Freeman-Saul

Dean<

Education: Master's Degree from Wilmington University.
Experience: I started at Kuumba in 2008 as a first grade teacher. I served in that role for three years. I then served as the Reading Specialist for seven years. This is my second year serving as the Dean of Students for grades K-4
Fun Fact: I love the fall, Halloween, and  watching scary movies.
Deon Booker

Middle School Behavior Interventionist
Transportation Coordinator

dbooker@kacsde.org

Deon Booker

Middle School Behavior Interventionist
Transportation Coordinator<

Education: BSBM University Phoenix
Experience: 10 years Kuumba Academy
Fun Fact: Minister, Church of Christ. Love exercising and spending time with my family/grand kids.
Brandon Gray

Lower School Behavior Interventionist

bgray@kacsde.org

Brandon Gray

Lower School Behavior Interventionist<

Education: EDUCATION
Experience: EXPERIENCE
Fun Fact: FUN-FACT
Norberto Rivera

Building Engineer/Custodian

EMAIL

Norberto Rivera

Building Engineer/Custodian<

Education: EDUCATION
Experience: EXPERIENCE
Fun Fact: FUN-FACT
Email: EMAIL
Maureen Masters

Outside of School Time (OST) Coordinator 

mmasters@kacsde.org

Maureen Masters

Outside of School Time (OST) Coordinator <

Education: EDUCATION
Experience: EXPERIENCE
Fun Fact: FUN-FACT
Neva Person

Elementary School Behavior Interventionist

nperson@kacsde.org

Neva Person

Elementary School Behavior Interventionist<

Education: EDUCATION
Experience: EXPERIENCE
Fun Fact: FUN-FACT
Nic Williams

Middle School Behavior Interventionist

niwilliams@kacsde.org

Nic Williams

Middle School Behavior Interventionist<

Education: EDUCATION
Experience: EXPERIENCE
Fun Fact: FUN-FACT
Ralph Bradley

Human Resources Consultant

rbradley@kacsde.org

Ralph Bradley

Human Resources Consultant<

Education: EDUCATION
Experience: EXPERIENCE
Fun Fact: FUN-FACT
Wayne Kingston

Technology

wkingston@kacsde.org

Wayne Kingston

Technology<

Education: EDUCATION
Experience: EXPERIENCE
Fun Fact: FUN-FACT
Nadiah Lacy

IT Support<

Education: EDUCATION
Experience: EXPERIENCE
Fun Fact: FUN-FACT
Sariah Carr

IT Support<

Education: EDUCATION
Experience: EXPERIENCE
Fun Fact: FUN-FACT
Carol Moore

School Nurse

cmoore@kacsde.org

Carol Moore

School Nurse<

Education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Wilmington University. Basic School Nurse Certificate from the University of Delaware. Currently working on National School Nurse Certification
Experience: Twenty years of experience as a school nurse in grades K-8 and 5-8. Nineteen years of experience in medical-surgical nursing at Wilmington Hospital.
Fun Fact: Lifelong Learner. Enjoys vacationing and spending time with children, especially her eleven-year-old granddaughter Jordyn and her two dogs Bouncer and Grace as well as her grand dog Jackie.
Destiny Fulton

Elementary School Counselor

dfulton@kacsde.org

Destiny Fulton

Elementary School Counselor<

Education: EDUCATION: Delaware State University & Wilmington University Master’s in School Counseling 
Experience: EXPERIENCE: I have a background in education, going back to 2011. This will be my fourth year as an elementary school counselor.
Fun Fact: FUN-FACT: My hobbies include traveling and making flower arrangements. I’m working really hard at teaching myself how to garden - wish me luck 😊 
Nakeya Williams

Medical Data Entry

nwilliams@kacsde.org

Nakeya Williams

Medical Data Entry<

Education: EDUCATION
Experience: EXPERIENCE
Fun Fact: FUN-FACT