Founder | Executive Director

email

Mike Rogers is the founder of Moving Everest Charter School and has served as the Executive Director since its inception. Prior to Moving Everest, Mike spent the bulk of his career in public and private education as a high school teacher, department chair, and school principal.

Director of Operations and Compliance

email

LaKeishia Hayes joined Moving Everest in 2015 as a founding member of the leadership team as the Director of Operations & Compliance. Before Moving Everest, Ms. Hayes was the Business Operations Manager at CICS-Longwood Charter School.

Principal, Grades K–5

email

LaRita Henry joined Moving Everest Charter School as the principal in 2018. Before coming to Moving Everest, Ms. Henry spent 17 years of service with Chicago International Charter Schools. Her career began at CICS-Longwood, where she taught 3rd grade for seven years and served as an Instructional Coach, Assistant Principal and Principal.

Assistant Principal, Grades K–5

email

Kerry Bartholomew joined Moving Everest as Assistant Principal (K-5) in 2022. Mr. Bartholomew has worked in Chicago charter and alternative-education schools for 23 years including: Assistant Principal at Garcia High School, special education teacher at Maryville Academy, and founding reading teacher at Noble Street Charter High School.

Director of Instruction (K-1)

email

Stefanie Dulak joined Moving Everest in 2017 as a 2nd grade Reading Teacher. Since then, Mrs. Dulak has taught reading intervention to scholars in grades K-3 and serves as the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Coordinator. Before coming to Moving Everest, Mrs. Dulak taught Preschool and 1st Grade in the West Contra Costa School District in the Bay Area of California.

Director of Instruction (2-3)

email

Laurel Copeland joined the Moving Everest team in 2015 as a founding teacher. She taught 1st Grade for three years before transitioning into the role of Director of Instruction in 2018. Before coming to Moving Everest, Mrs. Copeland taught at CICS Lloyd Bond.

Director of Instruction (4-5)

email

Lisa Rusen joined Moving Everest in 2016 as a kindergarten teacher. Ms. Rusen is currently the Director of Instruction for kindergarten, 4th, and 5th grades. Before coming to Moving Everest, Ms. Rusen was a teacher and school leader with Lighthouse Academies in East Chicago, IN. Ms. Rusen was a 2005 Teach for America corps member in the Mississippi Delta.

Principal, Grades 6–8

email

Michell Edwards-Hicks joined the Moving Everest team in 2016 as a second grade teacher. Mrs. Hicks then went to further her development as an administrator serving a Dean of Students and Assistant Principal. Mrs. Hicks now serves as Moving Everest Principal for grades 6th-8th. Before initially serving at Moving Everest, Mrs. Hicks was a teacher in the Academy of Urban School Leadership (AUSL) network of Chicago.

Assistant Principal (6-8)

email

Ms. Wazny is certified in Illinois as a Learning and Behavior Specialist Type 1. She joined the Moving Everest team in 2022 as an instructional coach for the diverse learning department. This is her eleventh year in education and second year serving as the Middle School Assistant Principal.

Director of Instruction (6-8)

email

Olivia Corya joined the Moving Everest team in 2024 as the Director of Instruction for middle school. Before Moving Everest, Ms. Corya taught for ten years in Indianapolis and Chicago and served as Director of Curriculum and Instruction for two years at Great Lakes Academy in South Shore, Chicago.  

Director of Technology

email

Brad Ritchie joined the Moving Everest team in 2018 as the Director of Technology. He continues to serve in that role today. Mr. Ritchie began his career at AT&T, then founded a technology service and support company. After forming his company, he migrated to the education field and worked at improving technology for a variety of schools in the Chicago area.