ROBLIN WEBB, Lead Founder & Executive Director
Roblin Webb has dedicated her life’s work towards striving for equality for all people. She now realizes that the modern day civil/equal rights struggle lies in providing a quality public education for all children. As a practicing education lawyer for a city school district, Ms. Webb began her work in pursuit of educational equality and opportunity for all children. Through her legal work, Ms. Webb became determined to find a way to make a deeper impact and see real progress towards her vision for the children of Memphis. Ms. Webb’s passion around making more immediate change and transcendent impact took her to a Deputy Director post with New Leaders for New Schools. At New Leaders for New Schools, Ms. Webb recruited educators to become school leaders and created community partnerships, including a partnership with the local chamber of commerce that connected successful corporate executives with rising school leaders in mentoring relationships. Ms. Webb graduated from Rhodes College with a bachelor’s degree in Urban Studies and holds a Law degree and Masters in Politics and Public Affairs from Rutgers University. Ms. Webb has trained for the past year through the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship. Building Excellent Schools is a national organization, based out of Boston, MA, that trains professionals to create, found, and open high performing, college preparatory charter schools in their communities. Ms. Webb was the first Fellow selected from Memphis. Ms. Webb is excited to bring the best practices and lessons learned from her school visits and training through Building Excellent Schools to the children of Memphis.
SUNDIATA SALAAM, Dean of Students
Sundiata Salaam attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock to fulfill his bachelor’s degree in English and completed his Masters Degree in Pan-African Studies at Syracuse University. He has done multiple Hip Hop and Spoken Word performances including the African American Studies department’s Bob Marley tribute, Student African American Societies Convocation featuring bell hooks, National Pan-Hellenic Council’s (NPHC) Hurricane Katrina Benefit featuring Mary Frances Berry, Pan-African Community of Central New York’s (PACCNY) Unity Fest, and was also a part of a troupe called the Guerilla Poets which did a feature show during the Black Artists League’s week at Syracuse University. He has sat on panels discussing the significance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the connection between Patrice Lumumba, Kwame Nkrumah, and Malcolm X, as well as presented on the value Malcolm X and Frederick Douglass at numerous Universities and community centers. Sundiata Salaam also completed a Masters thesis entitled Spirituality and Resistance: A Case Study of the Giriama people in Kenya. He was a volunteer instructor for the Youth Heritage Program which is a part of Syracuse Universities Science Technology Entry Program, and a community volunteer. Sundiata Salaam also taught students at Syracuse University, and Walker Mill Middle School in Capitol Heights, Maryland.
TERESA THORNTON, Director of Finance and Operations
Teresa Thornton comes to Freedom Preparatory Academy having worked in a variety of non-profit settings during the past 15 years. Most recently, she served as Chief Accountant for the Mississippi Blvd. Christian Church and Interim Finance Director for the National Civil Rights Museum. Before that she was Accounting/HR Manager for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-South. Ms. Thornton a native Memphian earned her Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management from Crichton College and is currently pursuing a Master of Accountancy degree from New England College.
DONIQUE NOBLES HARRIS, Founding Special Education Director
Donique Nobles Harris is a McComb, MS native. She attended the University of Mississippi and in 2006 received her BA in physics and minors in mathematics and English and was the first member of her family to graduate from a 4 year institution. Upon graduation, Donique was accepted into Teach For America as a member of the Memphis Charter Corps. In Memphis, she taught special education for the duration of her two year commitment. During her two years, Donique served in various capacities such as: Special Education Grade Chair, Special Education Learning Team Leader, Pom Pon Coach, etc. Donique was able to lead her students to make significant academic gains. While in Memphis, she enrolled at the University of Memphis to pursue her Masters in Special Education. Donique later joined Teach For America’s staff as a Recruitment Director. Since education is the great equalizer, Donique has returned to Memphis to serve as the Founding Special Education Director at Freedom Preparatory Academy. She is excited to embark on this new journey and see the students at Freedom Prep excel in college and life.
