Our Team

As the Executive Director for The Ingenuity Project, Lisette oversees the overall strategy and operations of the program, including directing staff, programs, expansion, and execution of its mission, reporting to its Board of Directors.

Prior to her work with The Ingenuity Project, Lisette served as the Director of Knowledge Management within the Baltimore City Public Schools where her team created tools, processes, training and support around data-driven decision across the district. Her team also managed projects improving the sharing of information to help City Schools answer key questions to improve student achievement and school/district effectiveness. Lisette started her career as a classroom teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools.

Before returning to Baltimore, Lisette was the Director of Client Services for The Grow Network/McGraw-Hill where she was responsible for the company’s professional development services, customer support and program evaluation for assessment reporting technology products.

Lisette also served as a Program Manager for the national nonprofit The New Teacher Project where she managed the annual selection of over 8,000 alternative route teaching candidates for the New York City Department of Education and supported the design and implementation of an innovative Master’s degree program for over 700 alternative route teachers.

Lisette has a BA in Speech Communication and Business, and an MS in Education, Curriculum Design and Instruction. She also holds a K-8 teaching certificate in Maryland.

She is a proud mom of two children. In addition to spending time with her family, she also enjoys training for triathlons and other races with friends.

Dr. Nicole Rosen joined The Ingenuity Project in June 2018. For her first seven years with the organization, she served as Research Director, where she guided students in identifying their research interests, securing lab placements, and completing their research practicums.

In 2025, Dr. Rosen joined Ingenuity’s Leadership Team as the High School Director. In this role, she supports Ingenuity and Poly teachers in delivering a rigorous and engaging curriculum that challenges students, sparks curiosity, and deepens learning. She ensures that students are enrolled in advanced coursework and that educators are equipped with the tools and resources needed to foster academic excellence.

Dr. Rosen is also a Department of Defense (DoD) STEM Ambassador (Cohort 4, 2023–2024). As an ambassador, she participates in national STEM conferences and symposiums to stay informed on emerging research and resources that support students’ pathways into STEM careers.

She holds an M.A. in Sociology with a concentration in cross-cultural studies and a Ph.D. in Sociology with concentrations in gender studies and criminology. In addition, she earned a Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies and is a certified mentor and mentor trainer through The National Mentoring Partnership.
Linkedin Account: www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-rosen-04646473

Alka Sharma has over 18 years of teaching experience and 15 years of service on the Ingenuity program as a math teacher in middle school at Mount Royal Elementary/Middle. As Middle School Director, Alka will oversee ensuring the consistency of Ingenuity’s curriculum and working to provide all students with access to high-quality, motivational instruction.

Along with being a middle school math teacher and a team leader, Alka’s background involves developing and writing middle school mathematics curriculum and working as an adjunct faculty member, teaching college courses. She is eager to take her classroom experience into a leadership role where she can mentor teachers and support students on a bigger level.

Nicole now serves as the Operations Manager at The Ingenuity Project. In this role, she has expanded her expertise in Human Resources, as well as Budget and Finance, playing a key part in ensuring the organization runs smoothly and efficiently.

Prior to joining Ingenuity, Nicole served as the Executive Administrative Assistant to the CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools from 2009 to 2015. During that time, she developed a deep passion for serving the students of Baltimore City and gained extensive knowledge of district operations.

Outside of work, Nicole enjoys spending time with family and friends, singing, reading, camping, and weightlifting. She thrives on staying active and engaged through her many hobbies.

Faith Hudnall is a dedicated scholar, educator, and community advocate with a Master of Science in Applied Neuroscience and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Morgan State University.

She serves as the Dean of High School Engagement at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, empowering students through academic mentorship and research programming. A proud alumna of both the Ingenuity Project and Morgan State, Faith brings her experience full circle by guiding the next generation of scholars through research, education, and personal development.

Her work spans community service, student advocacy, and public relations, all grounded in her passion for equity, education, and mental health awareness. Through her roles in research, service, and mentorship, Faith is committed to helping students and communities thrive.

Keyha’s professional interests and motivation stem from her personal passion to give to others. She dedicates over 800 hours a year volunteering in the Baltimore-Washington area and abroad, including working in volunteer construction where she helped build centers of worship and helped those who have been impacted by natural disasters.

Every year for the past six years she’s hosted an annual tea to build love and friendships with young girls and women from ages 1 to 95. Keyha loves people and enjoys working with Ingenuity students and making a difference with everyone she meets. In her spare time, Keyha loves to read the Bible and apply what she learns in everyday life, travel, cook, and spend time with family. She’s also a huge Baltimore Ravens Fan!

Nijhier-Aleem Jules serves as the Development Director at The Ingenuity Project, where he leads fundraising, donor engagement, and strategic partnerships to advances the organization’s mission of preparing Baltimore City students to become nationally competitive STEM leaders. In this role, he oversees grants writing, individual and corporate giving campaigns, and high-impact events that expand Ingenuity’s visibility and resource base. His work centers building sustainable support for the program’s long-term investment in students from middle school through high school.

Nijhier brings over a decade of experience managing complex, multi-million-dollar education and leadership initiatives across government and higher education sector. Prior to joining Ingenuity, he served as Deputy Director of the USAID Donald M. Payne International Development Fellowship and managed fellowship programs with USDA and U.S. Department of State through Howard University. Throughout his career, he has specialized in grant acquisition, program growth, and inclusive outreach strategies that create access pathways for historically underrepresented communities. He is passionate about connecting resources to opportunity, and he’s excited to bring his expertise to Ingenuity to strengthen donor partnerships and help expand the organization’s impact across Baltimore.

Before coming to Ingenuity, Ashley had been part of the Baltimore education community for 12 years. Previously serving as a classroom teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools at John Ruhrah EMS as well as a mentor teacher for BCPSS and Teach For America and Interim Director at The Highlandtown Preschool, she is deeply committed to increasing opportunity and inclusivity for students in Baltimore City. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, she has a BA in Anthropology and Sociology from Miami University and a MS in Educational Studies from Johns Hopkins University. She also holds a Maryland Early Childhood Teaching License.

Ashley loves travelling (the Highlands of Scotland is her favorite destination so far!), reading and spending time outdoors and with family and friends. She lives in Southeast Baltimore with her husband, son and dog.

She has a B.A. in Mathematical Science from Rice University. In her spare time, she enjoys walks with her husband and dog, following the Dallas Stars hockey team and dining out. She is also active in her church community.

Prior to joining Ingenuity, Elisa had been in the field of Education for 10 years. She began her journey as a Middle School and High School Math Teacher in Baltimore City. During her years as a teacher in the city, she served as a department chair and as part of the instructional leadership team. After a few years, she expanded her teaching experience by moving abroad to teach math at an international school in Asia, teaching students from all around the world. Upon returning due to the COVID pandemic, she took on the role of the Director of Math Instruction at a middle high school in Baltimore City where she coached and led instruction for math teachers. In addition, she continued her love for teaching math as an adjunct professor.

Elisa has her BS in Biomedical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. She also has her MA in Curriculum and Instructional Design as well as in Educational Leadership. As a teacher, she loves to spread her joy of math and to provide opportunities for all students to explore and become confident innovative thinkers.

In her spare time, she likes to play various musical instruments and lead music at her church, play video games, go fishing, and travel.

Chris Jin earned his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Military Science from Stanford University and an additional Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland, College Park. He later completed his Master of Science in Bioinformatics at New York University, where he focused on developing software tools to visualize and interpret complex biological data for research applications.
During his academic and research career, Chris has combined his scientific expertise with computational innovation to enhance the clarity and accessibility of biological statistics. His work bridges the gap between data science and molecular research.
Chris also brings a distinguished record of military service, having served four years in the United States Army, primarily with United States Special Operations Pacific. He completed multiple deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq and was awarded two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star in 2018 for his valor and dedication.

Ian earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University and his Master of Science in Engineering Education from Purdue University. Throughout his career, he has worked with a wide range of students, teaching physics and engineering, and mentoring them through diverse and meaningful projects. He particularly enjoys seeing how collective effort culminates in projects that students truly take pride in. We are incredibly excited about the expertise and enthusiasm Ian brings to this vital role; his commitment to student success and his hands-on approach will be invaluable as we continue to expand and enhance our research initiatives at Ingenuity.

Prior to joining the Ingenuity Project, Joshua spent four years as a secondary mathematics teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools, having spent the first two years as a Corps Member with Teach for America. Joshua’s work is guided by a commitment to educational equity and the core belief that every student has the potential to be successful. Joshua holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University. With an academic background in linguistics and mathematics, Joshua strives to develop students’ skills as abstract problem-solvers while highlighting the critical role of language in shaping mathematical understanding and reasoning. He enjoys math contests and working with students on creative approaches to novel problems.

Ori holds a master’s degree in Social Design from MICA and has worked in advocacy and education, including as a teacher at forest preschool. They love working with students who like math and try to always encourage curiosity. Outside of the classroom, Ori enjoys climbing, listening to music, and going to the river.