Iyanna-Microsoft-Job TeenSHARP alumna lands Fortune 500 job

The TeenSHARP family would like to extend a huge congratulations to alumna Iyanna McCoy for starting a lucrative position with Microsoft as a business development analyst. Not only will she get incredible work experience, but as part of Microsoft’s game development team, Iyanna got the new XBox before anyone else.

Iyanna (C/O ’16) is a recent graduate of the University of Delaware. While in college she majored in Management Information Systems and served as president of her school’s National Association of Black Accountants.

Iyanna came to TeenSHARP in her senior year of high school—the year we launched our Delaware site. She had a 4.0 GPA, was taking six Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and was working close to 30 hours a week at McDonald’s to help support her family. As if that were not enough, she was teaching herself computer programming languages (e.g Python) as an aspiring computer scientist.

As part of TeenSHARP’s College Success Program, we helped Iyanna land a well-paid data analytics internship in Wisconsin: a critical launchpad for her career.

Before Iyanna even completed the internship, TeenSHARP connected her with the University of Delaware Center for Research in Education and Social Policy (CRESP) where she was able to further develop her analytic capabilities. 

College students of color are less likely to secure such important internships. Iyanna leveraged these early experiences to secure an internship with Microsoft that resulted in a job offer before she even began her senior year of college. 

During the 2019-2020 school year, Iyanna gave back to TeenSHARP through the AmeriCorps program. She served as a TeenSHARP college access coordinator where she mentored current Striver students. In her role, she supported alums as they searched for internships, served as a teaching assistant for Striver classes, reviewed student essays, hosted workshops, and much more. 

The biggest piece of advice Iyanna would give TeenSHARP students is to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. When she first received her internship offer from Microsoft she was not sure if the position would be a good fit for her. 

“Business Development is completely different from anything I experienced,” Iyanna said. “But if I did not take that leap, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Deborah Yanez

Parent Programs Manager

Deborah leads TeenSHARP’s parent empowerment work with love, conviction, and credibility. She grew up in one of America’s poorest cities (Camden, NJ), has served as an elected school board member, raised two sons who have accessed higher education successfully (one is a TeenSHARP alumnus and McCabe Scholar at Swarthmore) along with her husband, and has helped many more families prepare their children for college.

Zoha Fatima

Director of Operations & Special Projects

Zoha is driven by a deep passion for education and social justice. With over 8 years of experience in the development sector, she has made significant contributions to various education projects aimed at increasing access and equity. Zoha’s commitment to empowering learners stems from her belief that education is a fundamental right. She honed her expertise at Harvard University, earning a Master’s in Education and Technology, building upon her undergraduate studies in Public Policy.

Based in the Bay Area, Zoha loves exploring the diverse California landscape, especially through hiking. When she’s not championing educational equity, you can find her baking, hitting the trails, or enjoying the outdoor.

Sara Petty

Director of Pre-College Success

Sara Petty is TeenSHARP’s powerhouse Director of Pre-College Success, orchestrating a nationwide expansion to ensure that talented Black, Latino, and low-income students have a direct path to elite colleges. With a proven track record from her days scaling a college access program in Houston, Sara has a knack for turning educational challenges into triumphs. She thrives on transforming obstacles into opportunities and is known for her relentless drive and innovative solutions. When she’s not making waves in the world of education, you can find her brainstorming the next big idea over a cup of coffee or diving into a new book that sparks her curiosity. Sara’s mission? To make sure every student has the chance to unlock their full potential and claim their spot in the future’s top colleges.

Tamara Fentress

Chief of Staff

For over 18 years, Tamara has been a passionate advocate for educational equity, inclusion, and the overall improvement of support structures to build a solid foundation for the journey of learning. Driven by a desire to see all students and families thrive, she has successfully led major projects of varying budget sizes, while also co-creating and implementing innovative strategies at mission-driven organizations across various operational areas, from technology and project management to legal and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEIB) initiatives.

Her journey began in a large urban school district, where she spent a significant portion of her career leading the development of critical strategies that served over 86,000 students. This experience allowed her to work closely with a diverse team of over 10,000 employees, understanding and addressing needs across all levels of the organization. Her collaborative spirit extended beyond the school district, fostering strong partnerships with parent groups, community organizations, and government entities.

Tamara’s dedication to education stems from a deeply personal place. As a mother to two inspiring children, Harmony and Hudson, she sees firsthand the potential and power of having access to opportunities, caring adults, and belief in that which is greater than yourself.  This unwavering belief in the power of serving others, access, equity, and education to empower and transform lives fuels her commitment to continuous learning and creating equitable opportunities for all.

Tatiana Poladko

Co-Founder

Our “force of nature” founder came to New Jersey from Ukraine for graduate school over a decade ago and immediately put her hands to the work of community empowerment and expanding educational opportunity. She has experience managing youth programs for the UN in Ukraine (at the age of 19!), teaching at Temple University, building/managing nonprofit organizations, and supporting students to and through college. She is also a mother to three lovely kids (Zoryana, Nazariy, and Taras), plays guitar and piano, and makes amazing soups!

Atnre Alleyne

Co-Founder/CEO

As TeenSHARP’s resident historian, Atnre is quick to share stories of the organization’s humble church basement beginnings, its growing pains, and many milestones. With his background in research and evaluation, policy and advocacy, communications, technology, and instruction, he has the type of Swiss Army knife skills that are critical in a fast-paced social impact organization. He has three lovely children (Zoryana, Nazariy, and Taras), an amazing wife (TeenSHARP’s Co-Founder), and he plays bass guitar and blogs when he finds the time.