Sebastian Barraza-Shackelford

Dedicated professional with a lifelong commitment to the nonprofit sector, combining experience in education with a results-oriented approach to driving positive change. Proven ability to manage projects effectively, coordinate teams, and deliver impactful outcomes that uplift communities and serve the needs of individuals. Excels in fostering collaboration and building strong relationships with stakeholders to achieve shared goals.

• Progressively advanced leadership of the Excellence in Education Awards program, a high-profile initiative in partnership with the Kansas City Royals Foundation, Sherman Family Foundation, KCPS, and MCPSA that distributes upwards of $200,000 in individual awards to 20 local educators annually. Demonstrated strategic vision by internalizing all program processes, significantly increasing organizational control, transparency and impact beyond previous funding and event management.
• Successfully assumed responsibility for the school pantry program, managing all facets of support operations including coordinator support and Harvesters collaboration, for 45 school pantries serving upwards of 2,700 unique families each year within the KCPES footprint. Strategically led the program's transition to a new backbone organization.
• Developed a detailed program matrix by compiling 7 years of historical data, breaking down investments to the individual school and program level. This matrix, which tracked enrollment, total investment, and progress toward the "quality school" indicator, established a new organizational standard for granular data tracking and informed SchoolSmartKC's first Impact Report (November 2023), enhancing future data analysis and communication of organizational value to the Kansas City educational community.
• Spearheaded the launch and implementation of an innovative team-based staffing model within 3 initial Kansas City schools, leveraging insights from Arizona State University's Next Education Workforce model and 5 other educator-talent organizations. Successfully trained and on-boarded incoming Director of Talent to take over program supervision.
• Founding team member of Ewing Marion Kauffman High School; established the Literacy-Based Social Studies content area and designed rigorous curriculum expectations for the department, composed of over 120 original lesson plans organized into a 9-month academic calendar.
• Founded and Launched Extracurricular Programs: Initiated and managed 4 separate school-based athletic programs in addition to yearly open clinics for over 100 student-athletes yearly. Led the Men's High School Soccer Team to its first-ever district playoff appearance.
• Served as Founding Health and Fitness Content Lead: Launched and maintained alignment of PE department curriculum with Grade Level Expectations across grades 5-8, directing deployment of high-rigor pedagogy for myself and 5 other teachers serving around 1,000 students each school year..
• Demonstrated Broad Teaching Expertise: Personally instructed upwards of 1,200 students in grades 5-9 across a diverse range of subjects including Social Studies, Physical Education, Health, and Science (Grades 5-6), in addition to Advisory, over a seven-year tenure.
• Served as sole Bilingual Field Organizer (Missouri Workers Center, KC), providing critical outreach to over 50 disenfranchised Spanish-speaking workers in addition to upwards of 200 other low-wage workers. Cooperated the organization of 5 successful rallies featuring between 30 and 100 workers and community supporters.

• August 2015 State of Missouri, Elementary Education, Teaching Certificate
• May 2015 – July 2017 Teach for America, Kansas City – 2015 Corps