Our team brings their unique experience and expertise into History UnErased's curriculum content, professional learning services, special projects, and behind-the-scenes operations.
Kathleen Barker (she/her) is a library and information specialist and public historian with over 20 years of experience as a museum and library educator. She is our program director and lead professional learning facilitator, as well as developing and hosting our UnErasing LGBTQ History and Identities "Deep Dives and Backstories" podcast episodes. Kathleen also provides training on diversifying classroom collections and school libraries and has co-authored some of History UnErased's thematic units and case studies.
Dinah Mack (she/her) is editor and producer of "Deep Dives and Backstories" episodes for our UnErasing LGBTQ History and Identities Podcast, professional learning facilitator, coordinator of youth equity programming. She is a former, veteran middle school Social Studies educator and has a Master's degree in both Education and Cultural Anthropology. Dinah is the author of two books and has worked as a freelance curriculum writer, technology integrationist, and K-12 teaching coach.
Mor Erlich (he/him/Mor) is our video content creator and animator. His visual design, 2D animation, and motion graphics are woven into the primary source materials to bring our Intersections & Connections curriculum to life. Mor is the visionary and creator of the Sez Me web series, a multidisciplinary educational program to facilitate conversations about gender and identity with people of all ages. Mor was a referral specialist for the LGBT Center in New York City and has worked with homeless LGBTQ youth at the Ali Forney Center.
Jocardo Ralston (he/him) is a professional learning facilitator, teaching coach, and content developer. He is a veteran special education educator, working with students within restrictive classroom environments. He is in the last year of his doctoral studies in the Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education Ph.D. program at the Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania, and his research delves into the intersections of Queer identity, BIPOC identity, and restrictive special education placements for students identified with behavioral difficulties.
Basel Touchan, M.D. (he/him) is a professional learning facilitator and content developer. Holding an M.D. from Aleppo University, Syria, he combines his healthcare and educational expertise to propel DEIB initiatives in both education and public health. He also serves on the Board of the ACLU of Kentucky and holds a position as Commissioner on the Mayor’s International Affairs Advisory Commission. His research and writings have been showcased in the Journal of Endocrinology, the Washington Blade, and more.
J Eric Fisher (he/they) is a professional learning facilitator, teaching coach, and content developer. He has a Master’s degree in Educational Theater and English Education with a focus on theater for social justice and community-engaged dialogue. Eric is a former, veteran kindergarten to middle school educator for the New York City Department of Education, and also a research activist and ethnographic performance-maker. His out-of-school time work folds in learners of all ages, from age three and up.
Triana Wilson (she/her) is a professional learning facilitator and specialist in LGBTQ inclusion in multicultural, multilingual classrooms and learning environments. She is a former, veteran high school educator serving new immigrant and refugee students. Triana connects LGBTQ cultural competency with public health policy and services.
Dr. Don Romesburg (he/him) is a researcher and curriculum content developer. He is the author of Contested Curriculum: LGBTQ History Goes to School (Rutgers UP, 2025) and editor of the Routledge History of Queer America (2018). As the lead scholar working with advocates to pass the FAIR Education Act, he helped usher LGBTQ content into California's 2016 K-12 History-Social Science Framework and subsequent textbooks. For these efforts, he is the namesake of the LGBTQ+ History Association’s Don Romesburg Prize for K-12 Curriculum. Don is also a co-founder of the GLBT Historical Society Museum in San Francisco and Managing Editor of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly.
Jude Schoenfeld (they/them) is a professional facilitator and LGBTQ+ policy and curriculum consultant. They were previously the Coordinator of LGBTQ+ Programs for New York City Public Schools before moving to Los Angeles and working with History UnErased's "The Past Is Always Present" Educational Theater Project with high school students on the West Coast. They also serve as the Program Manager for PFLAG LA, and run an annual Fall festival for trans, nonbinary, and gender queer filmmakers.
Janaya Little (she/her) is a professional learning facilitator. She is in the last year of her doctoral studies in the Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education Ph.D. program at the Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania, and has taught elementary-level students and middle school English and History in Tennessee and Massachusetts.
Danny Roberts (he/him), our former operations manager, is now an envoy for special programs and events. He studied foreign Language Education and French at the University of Georgia, and soon after graduation, he found himself on one of the earlier seasons of MTV's "Real World" (New Orleans) and became one of a few groundbreakers OUT on national television. His season drew attention to the controversial "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of the US military due to his on-screen relationship with a covert US Army captain. From there, he began advocacy work and then tech startup talent recruiting.
Marilyn Valiente (she/her) is a multi-faceted contributor and assistant to our leadership team. She is our lead generation specialist, researcher, and communications and networking strategist. She is one of the first members of our team, and her skills and expertise continue to expand History UnErased's professional affiliations and connections with potential K-12 schools and districts as contracted partners.
Becca Veth (she/her) is a multi-faceted contributor and assistant to our team. She holds Master's degrees in both Licensed Professional Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, and is an advisor for our customized training for school counselors and social workers. Becca also manages monthly reporting to various offices within the New York City Department of Education in support of our ongoing contractual work, as well as managing communications with New York City Public School educators and leadership teams.
Jayson Caluag (he/him) is our graphic designer and brand specialist. He is one of the first members of our team and has created hundreds of unique designs to capture the essence of every component and time period of our Intersections & Connections curriculum. Prior to joining History UnErased, Jayson was a Senior Graphic Artist for Halcyon Digital Media Design, Inc.
Fatima (Timmy) Al Muntafik (they/them) is an ambassador for History UnErased. They are an accomplished musician and taught elementary and secondary-level Arabic Language and Musical Arts courses in Baghdad, Iraq, before moving to the United States in 2015. Before taking the role of Admissions Counselor for Diversity at Middlesex Community College, Timmy was a professional learning facilitator for History UnErased.
JOHN COOPER
John Cooper (he/him) is our web architect and manager of both the digital curriculum platform and our public-facing website. He is one of the first members of our team and has woven years of feedback into the features and functionality of our curriculum platform to provide the most intuitive, high-quality experience for teachers and students alike. John is also meeting the needs of staff with streamlined and efficient tools to manage school accounts and communications with partner schools.
Meet our team members who contribute in a variety of capacities when needs arise.
Hadiel Mohamed (she/her) is a specialist in cross-cultural dialogue and liberatory education. She has a Master’s degree in Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management and is focused on transforming systems and mindsets so that minoritized people can live a life of authenticity void of harm.
Leslie Anne Frye-Thomas (she/her) has extensive experience as a Creative Consultant, Senior Copywriter, and manager of multi-platform content creation. Leslie has a Bachelor of Arts in Screenwriting and was the Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library National Education Program Manager and consultant. Leslie balances her work as Creative Director and Senior Copywriter for Reel Stories Creative with her work with History UnErased.
Aliza Kapel (she/her) is a high school-level history curriculum developer, and she is a veteran, former middle school and high school social studies educator in the Bronx. Aliza holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Washington State University and a Master's degree in Social Studies Secondary Education from Lehman College.
Dr. Warren Blumenfeld (they/them) is a researcher, content developer, and guest speaker. They were a member of the Gay Liberation Front in Washington, DC in the early 1970s and their activism propelled them into academia. They have taught a variety of College of Education courses at Colgate, Iowa State University, and now at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Warren is a prolific writer and is the author of "The What, The So What, and The Now What of Social Justice Education" and co-editor of "Readings for Diversity and Social Justice."
