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Atlanta Changemakers for Education Fellowship

Don’t just learn about the system. Improve it.

The Atlanta Changemakers for Education (A.C.E.) Fellowship is a dynamic, hands-on experience designed to deepen your understanding of public K–12 education and your role in shaping it. Through leadership workshops, policy discussions, and data deep dives, fellows build the knowledge needed to navigate and influence education systems. Hands-on experiences including community engagement, lively discussions, and a fellowship trip offer fellows the opportunity to translate learning into action, developing advocacy strategies and participating in grantmaking to drive real, community-informed impact.

Mission

To develop a network of Metro Atlanta leaders who understand public education systems and are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and relationships to advance education equity, influence policy, and strengthen public K–12 schools through advocacy and civic engagement.

Vision

A strong network of committed leaders actively advocating to ensure every Metro Atlanta student has access to a trajectory-changing K–12 public education, regardless of their neighborhood or background.

Fellowship at A Glance

Driving Change

The A.C.E. Fellowship is a transformative experience for community leaders and advocates who want to build their knowledge, strengthen their influence, and drive meaningful change in public education.

  • Duration: 9 months (August 2026–April 2027)
  • Time Commitment: 4 hours a month
  • Focus Districts: Atlanta Public Schools & Clayton County Public Schools

A.C.E. Fellows Gain

  • Greater clarity in their roles as leaders advancing education equity
  • A deeper understanding of how public education systems shape student outcomes
  • Relationships with influential education leaders
  • A powerful network of civic leaders committed to students
  • Skills to effectively advocate for equitable, high-quality public schools
  • Tools to turn knowledge into meaningful action for students

Impact to Date

While A.C.E. is a new program, its roots go back several years. RedefinED Atlanta created the Atlanta Reimagining & Innovating for Schools Everywhere (A.R.I.S.E.) Fellowship to drive lasting change in Atlanta Public Schools, and the Clayton County Grant Advisory Council was created to ensure families and community members shape how we invest in public education. Both were built on a simple idea: the people closest to the challenges should help shape the solutions. Now, RedefinED Atlanta is bringing them together to relaunch as one unified program: the A.C.E. Fellowship. Together, these programs delivered impact:
leaders
38
students across APS and CCPS
94 K
directed to organizations via participatory grantmaking
$ 793 K
My most joyous moment from the A.R.I.S.E. Fellowship was realizing that I had a voice. My capstone project was one of the most defining moments of my life. I was floored, I just kept thinking ‘I did that.’
Davida HuntleyFourth-generation Atlantan, dedicated APS mom, and 2024–25 A.R.I.S.E. Fellow
What makes the fellowship so beautiful is that it is compounding. Even though I’ve graduated now, I will always be a champion for education.
Egypt NoboaCollege and Career Specialist at the Urban League of Greater Atlanta and 2024–25 A.R.I.S.E. Fellow
Exposure to new things opens your eyes to new possibilities. When you feel like you’ve hit a dead end, you can see other people who have been where you’ve been and how they are making small incremental changes to make big things happen.
Saba AsfawCardiac Sonographer at Piedmont Healthcare and 2024–25 A.R.I.S.E. Fellow
The Council enables me to work collaboratively with fellow community members dedicated to ensuring that investments in Clayton County focus on equitable educational outcomes for all children.
LaTonya PaigeEducational Consultant and 2024–25 Clayton County Grant Advisory Council Member
Children and families in Clayton County deserve the best, and I want to be a part of the solution.
Patricia NealyParent & Advocate and 2024–25 Clayton County Grant Advisory Council Member
I am excited to be a part of the Advisory Council because it aligns perfectly with my mission to equip families with tools and resources they need to support their students’ success.
Ophelia NnoromParent Advocate and 2024–25 Clayton County Grant Advisory Council Member

Apply to the Fellowship

The A.C.E. Fellowship is a leadership program designed to cultivate a lasting network of leaders committed to advancing education equity across Metro Atlanta. The fellowship brings together leaders from a range of sectors—including parents, educators, and community stakeholders—to deepen their understanding of how public education works and define their role in driving meaningful change for students.

Grounded in leadership enhancement, network building, and education systems advocacy, the fellowship equips participants to use their leadership and influence to advance meaningful change. Fellows engage in structured sessions and hands-on learning to develop an understanding of how policy, data, governance, and funding work together to create our educational ecosystem, and to gain the tools they need to actively participate in systems change. Upon completion of the program, fellows join a growing network of education advocates working individually and collectively to ensure every Metro Atlanta student has access to a high-quality K–12 public education, regardless of their neighborhood or background.

RedefinED Atlanta created the Atlanta Reimagining & Innovating for Schools Everywhere (A.R.I.S.E.) Fellowship to drive lasting change in Atlanta Public Schools. Shortly after, the Clayton County Grant Advisory Council was created to ensure families and community members shape how we invest in public education. Both were built on a simple idea: the people closest to the challenges should help shape the solutions. Now, RedefinED Atlanta is bringing them together to relaunch as one unified program: the A.C.E. Fellowship, a bold, action-driven experience where Metro Atlanta leaders don’t just learn the system, they help improve it.

A.C.E. seeks current and emerging leaders who are deeply committed to improving educational opportunities and outcomes for students in Metro Atlanta.

Ideal candidates:

  • are community-rooted leaders—including parents, educators, and nonprofit/business professionals—interested in deepening their civic engagement.
  • demonstrate a strong desire to build their knowledge of the public education ecosystem and develop the skills needed to advocate for equitable, high-quality schools across the region.
  • bring a passion for student success, a willingness to engage across diverse perspectives, and a commitment to translating ideas into action that benefits students and schools.

Step 1 – Apply

  • Online applications opened May 11, 2026
  • Applications closed on 5:00 pm on May 29, 2026

Step 2 – Interviews

  • Beginning in early June, selected candidates will participate in interviews with RedefinED Atlanta

Step 3 – Selection

  • The 2026–27 A.C.E. cohort will be announced in early August
  • Final fellows are chosen based on:
    • Program fit
    • Readiness and leadership capacity
    • Demonstrated involvement in APS and/or Clayton County

Step 4 – Participation

  • The 2026–27 A.C.E. Fellowship will officially begin in mid-August and run through April 2027
  • Fellows are expected to participate in 4 hours of programming a month       (3 hours in-person session + 1 hour of supplemental learning)
  • In-person sessions will run from 6 pm to 9 pm
    • Session Dates:
      • August 12
      • September 9
      • October 14
      • November 18 (adjusted for Veterans Day)
      • December 9
      • January 13
      • February 10
      • March 10
      • April 14

Please note: The fellowship schedule is subject to change with notice to fellows.

Applications for the 2026-27 cohort have closed.

FAQs

The A.C.E. Fellowship is nine months. It kicks off in August 2026 and ends in April 2027.

Session dates are subject to change; preliminary dates are as follows:

  • August 12
  • September 9
  • October 14
  • November 18
  • December 9
  • January 13
  • February 10
  • March 10
  • April 14

 

Fellows are expected to dedicate 4 hours a month to the program. Once you’re accepted, more details will be shared about how those hours typically fall during the month. 

A.C.E. Fellows will be allowed one excused absence during the program.

There is no application fee or cost to participate.

All sessions will be held in person.

The fellowship brings together leaders from a range of sectors—including parents, educators, and community stakeholders. This year, we’re specifically focusing on leaders who have connections to Atlanta Public Schools and Clayton County Public Schools.

A.C.E. Fellows gain:

  • Greater clarity in their roles as leaders advancing education equity
  • A deeper understanding of how public education systems shape student outcomes
  • Relationships with influential education leaders
  • A powerful network of civic leaders committed to students
  • Skills to effectively advocate for equitable, high-quality public schools
  • Tools to turn knowledge into meaningful action for students

RedefinED Atlanta staff will review your application; if you are selected to move forward in the selection process, you will be contacted to schedule an interview for early June. Final fellows will be announced in early August.

Absolutely! We encourage anyone not selected this year to apply again in the future.

The A.C.E. Fellowship is merging the best parts of the A.R.I.S.E. Fellowship and the Clayton County Grant Advisory Council to create one unified program. Participants experience not only dynamic, hands-on learning, but also direct grantmaking and advocacy opportunities to drive real, community-informed impact.

No, but you should be able to demonstrate strong involvement in APS or Clayton County, including working or volunteering in these communities.
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Dr. Keith Colbert

Dr. Keith A. Colbert has served in the Clayton County Public Schools (CCPS) system since 1998, starting his career as a fourth-grade teacher at Northcutt Elementary School. After a two-year tenure at Northcutt Elementary, he transferred to Morrow High School, where he served as a math teacher, special education teacher, and assistant head basketball coach. To gain insightful leadership experience, Dr. Colbert shadowed the administrative team, gained useful school leadership experience, and obtained a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Troy State University.

Dr. Colbert was selected as assistant principal of Mundy’s Mill High School (MMHS) in 2003 under the leadership of Dr. Anthony W. Smith. During his tenure at MMHS, he was instrumental in preparing the first class to graduate from the newly constructed school.

Dr. Colbert was recognized as a future principal leader in the district and was selected as one of twelve future leaders to participate in the principal preparation program, “A Forward-LEAP.” After completing this program, Dr. Colbert was appointed principal of Lovejoy Middle School in 2006, where he led more than 1,400 students. At the time, Lovejoy Middle School was the largest middle school in the district and considered underperforming. Dr. Colbert and his team led the school to substantial improvements in student achievement and were consequently selected as the 2008 Georgia PTSA Principal of the Year.

Driven to nurture a class of students from 6th grade to graduation, Dr. Colbert was appointed principal of Lovejoy High School in July 2009, where he served for seven years. He is one of the few principals in traditional high schools who is fortunate to have guided sixth graders to graduation with the Class of 2013. During his tenure at Lovejoy High School, the school was recognized as a Title I Rewards school in 2012 and 2013, SAT’s greatest gains school in 2012, and a USA News top high school in 2011. Dr. Colbert’s achievements led to a finalist for Principal of the Year for Clayton County Public Schools in 2011 and 2013.

In June of 2016, Dr. Keith A. Colbert was appointed Assistant Superintendent of Schools for Clayton County Public Schools.

Cayanna Good, Ph.D.

Dr. Cayanna Good serves as Deputy Commissioner for Innovation and Impact at the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), where she leads systemwide strategic planning and drives organizational improvement across all institutional pillars.
Previously, she served as Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Adult Education, overseeing statewide literacy initiatives, workforce alignment, and Georgia’s high school equivalency credentialing program.

Before joining TCSG, Dr. Good held leadership roles at the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, the Georgia Department of Education, Teach For America, and TNTP. Her career began in the classroom in Houston — an experience that continues to ground her unwavering commitment to equity, access, and opportunity for all learners.

Dr. Good earned her bachelor’s degree from Fisk University, her master’s from Georgia State University, and her doctorate from Mercer University. She serves as Chairperson of the State Charter School Commission, she is a member of the Georgia Commission for Service and Volunteerism, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and a member of the Brookwood High School Local School Council.