Raising Expectations Inc.

Where we deal in possibilities

Meet the Team

May 2015

Tangee Allen
Co-Founder

tangee@raisingexpectations.org

As a co-founder of Raising Expectations, Tangee Allen has worked alongside Maria Armstrong (the two met while both were enrolled as students at Georgia State University) to create and develop our nonprofit youth development organization into the award-winning program and resource it is today. In addition to Tangee’s experience working in the nonprofit sector, she has also worked for local government for over nine years. As a Program Manager in the Mayor’s Office for the community-focused Department of Weed and Seed—an innovative, comprehensive multiagency approach to law enforcement, crime prevention, and community revitalization—Tangee was responsible for working with the designated Weed and Seed sites to develop and implement their 5 year strategy under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Justice. As an active participant in her community and staunch advocate for Atlanta’s youth, Tangee has been recognized by a variety of organizations and has received a host of community awards from the City of Atlanta, Spelman College, Enterprise Foundation, Morehouse College and the WB Channel 36.

Maria Armstrong
Co-Founder

maria@raisingexpectations.org

Maria Armstrong has served the Atlanta area for nearly two decades in a variety of academic and service-oriented capacities. In addition to her primary role as co-founder of Raising Expectations, growing and guiding our organization alongside Tangee Allen, Maria’s diverse educational experiences have also included working as a high school teacher, mentor, teaching in alternative educational settings and serving as an administrator in a public charter school. A graduate of Georgia State University, Maria was also the creator, director and administrator of a collaborative after school program model that served over 400 students with interactive academic and enrichment activities. Her comprehensive experience extends to resource development with community organizations and program development in elementary, middle and high schools. Maria was a runner up for the MTV Brick Award and was featured in the inspirational book As I Am. She was also honored with a Sisters Who Serve Award from Spelman College and an Unsung Hero Award from the WB 36 television station as one of Atlanta’s top young leaders along with an Unsung Heroine Award from the Atlanta Chapter of National Coalition of 100 Black Women.

Staff

Faith Porter

Program Director, fporter@raisingexpectations.org

Faith Porter is an educator, researcher, and activist currently serving as Program Director at Raising Expectations, Inc. An alumna of Spelman College where she served as a Bonner Community Service Scholar, Faith holds degrees in International Studies and Spanish. Through the Bonner Scholars Program, she gained hands-on experience through internships at several Atlanta-based non-profits, as well as those located throughout the United States and in the Dominican Republic and received a certificate in non-profit management.  

Faith is a 2016 recipient of the U.S. Department of Education’s Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS), through which she studied Portuguese language and Brazilian culture at Middlebury College. She possesses years of classroom experience through her positions as a lead English Language Development and Spanish teacher as well as a teacher’s assistant during her tenure at Summer Institute for the Gifted. The 2022-23 academic year signals Faith’s fourth year as a member of the Raising Expectations team, where she previously served as Project DREAM Elementary Coordinator and Program Director at RE’s main site. 

Empathy and cultural competence are at the core of Faith’s personal and educational philosophies. She is passionate about child advocacy and is committed to using her skills to assist RE in the fulfillment of its mission.  

 

Dana Matthias

Project DREAM At-Promise Coordinator, dmatthias@raisingexpectations.org
Born and raised on the Caribbean Island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dana left to attend the University of Maryland College Park for her Bachelor’s in Animal Sciences. Upon returning to her country post studies, she became an educator and possesses over 12 years of classroom experience as a Biology and Integrated Science high school teacher. She has also served as an Executive Member as well as the Vice President of the St. Vincent National Science Teachers Association, that worked alongside other entities to plan and execute the annual National Science Fairs. Her interests have always been introducing youth in St. Vincent to the various STEAM subjects as well as job opportunities.

As a recent transplant to Atlanta, Dana is excited to take up her role as the Raising Expectations Project DREAM At-Promise Coordinator overseeing program operations at the At-Promise South and West locations alongside her team. This allows her to continue her passion for cultivating interest in the youth that are in underserved communities.

Cassidy Windsor (Curriculum Data Coordinator),

Cassidy Windsor,  Raising Expectations’ Curriculum & Data Coordinator, is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. Cassidy attended Georgia State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Statistics. She originally served as a STEAM Academic Leader (SAL) at Raising Expectations. Before coming to R.E., Cassidy mentored and tutored students of various ages, in various subjects (specializing in high school and undergraduate math courses). As a SAL, Cassidy employed her passion for mathematics and education to advocate for Raising Expectations’ high school students in the school year and summer programs.

Coming from an inner-city area herself, Cassidy has worked to remain conscious of her students’ struggles and to advocate for culturally competent education for youth in crises. One of Cassidy’s core beliefs is that people cannot learn where they do not feel safe, so her goal is to prioritize her students’ physical, intellectual, and emotional safety. She finds great fulfillment in making mathematics (and high school as a whole) approachable, achievable, and fun. Cassidy applies her passions and skills at Raising Expectations in hopes of fulfilling their mission.

Montanez Baugh (High School Coordinator) ~Coming Soon~

Tamara Burke (Office Manager) ~Coming Soon~

 

S.T.E.A.M Academic Leaders (SAL’s)

Project DREAM (5th-8th)

**COMING SOON**

Project DREAM-At Promise Center (7th-12th)

**COMING SOON**

Project STEMWARE (9th-12th)

**COMING SOON**