““We can change outcomes for our city’s youth by equipping them with skills to write and advocate; and we can change our city by ensuring youth voices are heard.” ”
OUR TEAM
Whitney WARD Birenbaum, Executive Director
Whitney taught middle school Language Arts and Humanities in Baltimore City Schools for 13 years. She has been recognized locally and nationally for her work in the classroom. She co-founded CHARM because she saw how much her students grew—both academically and in their self-confidence—when they produced writing that made an impact on the world around them.
Madison Mattison, Field Trip Facilitator
Madison Mattison currently works as CHARM's Partnership Coordinator and focuses on maintaining working relationships within the CHARM community. She is a graduate of Goucher College and received her BA in Professional and Creative Writing. Madison is a Baltimore native who loves crabs, the Orioles, walking around her neighborhood and hanging out in Fells Point. She has poems published in CHARM Lit Magazine and her debut short story published in Grub Street of Towson University.
Albert Phillips Jr., Program Director
Albert Phillips Jr. is an award-winning, Baltimore-based writer and educator whose work explores the layered alchemy of Black life, past and present, with a focus on identity, place, family, memory, and the necessity of community. Writing from the streets, corners, and cafés of Baltimore City and its surrounding counties, his voice is grounded in lived experience and a deep commitment to storytelling as both craft and community practice.
Albert earned a B.S. in Print Journalism from Morgan State University, a Master of Science in Education from Johns Hopkins University, and an MFA in Creative Writing & Publishing Arts from the University of Baltimore.
Annalies WInny, Workshop Coordinator
Annalies Winny is a journalist covering the intersection of public policy, development and urban life. She has reported from several cities including Baltimore, Monrovia, Liberia, London and New York. Her work appears in Global Health NOW, The Guardian, VICE News, The Atlantic’s CityLab, Prospect Magazine, Baltimore City Paper and others. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Nonfiction Writing from The New School in New York City. Twitter and Instagram: @annalieswinny Website: www.annalieswinny.com
Jakerya Randolph, Communications Specialist
Jakerya is a communications and IT professional who has worked in higher education, government organizations, and lifestyle brands. She knows how to take a complicated idea and make it simple, useful, and worth paying attention to. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and Marketing from Frostburg State University, and holds both an MBA and a Master’s in Information Systems from Bowie State University. She enjoys untangling tough problems and building tools that help people get the information they need.
Nere Eyeguokan, Program COORDINATOR
Nere Eyeguokan is a former elementary and middle school teacher, having taught in Baltimore City Public Schools for 5 years. A Teach For America alumni, he is committed to working towards educational equity for all students in Baltimore and beyond. Outside of CHARM, Nere works for Reading Partners Baltimore creating equitable access to literacy education as a Program Manager. In his free time Nere is a hobbyist analog photographer and enjoys binge-watching TV series.
OUR Advisory Board
Row 1:
Abigail rybnicek, ALR Consulting
Alanah Nichole Davis, Emeritus Member, City of Baltimore
Courtney Cass, CWC Consulting
Dana Collins, Baltimore City Public Schools
Row 2:
Matthew Schofield, Venable, LLP
Michael Rennard, Baltimore City Public Schools
Rochelle Burnley
Sarah Sandoval-Mohapatra, CHAIR, Leadership for Educational Equity
Past Board Members
We are grateful for your service and support!