OFPE's Community Engagement Division is proud to introduce a new Community Action Team (CAT). The team is comprised of four (4) individuals who represent two (2) wards each.

Each CAT coordinator is responsible for building and sustaining strategic relationships with key community stakeholders, specifically those who have been historically underrepresented in our decision-making process.

The CAT is also responsible for assisting DCPS stakeholders in support of their access to information and resources offered by DCPS and communicating emerging needs and trends back to DCPS.

Tweet us @DCPS_Community

Call (202) 719-6613 or email [email protected]

CAT Members

Raquel Ortiz, Wards 1 and 4

Raquel is a native Washingtonian and DCPS alum. A proud Latina from an immigrant family. As an educator, community development worker, and parent she has experience working with diverse youth and families in the area. Raquel believes education is a catalyst for social change, and that all children and youth deserve access to high quality education that prepares them to be successful members of our global society. In this role, she looks forward to helping families and school communities improve, create, and sustain learning communities that support children’s academic and social emotional needs. She holds a master’s degree in Sustainable Development and Program Management. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, painting, and enjoys tackling DIY projects. Visit the Facebook page.

Eli Hoffman, Wards 2 and 3

Eli is a native Washingtonian who grew up in Wards 1 and 3. He attended Oyster Elementary School, Deal Middle School and Wilson High School. He has worked with DCPS for the past 10 years, first with early childhood families as a Community and Parent Outreach Coordinator and then on the Child Find team at Early Stages, where he helped identify young children in the District who may be in need of special education or related services. Eli values engagement with Ward 2 and 3 communities around important DCPS issues. He currently lives in NW Washington with his wife Amanda and son Ethan, who attends Bancroft Elementary School. Visit the Facebook page.

Nikki D’Angelo Petty, Wards 5 and 6

Nicole “Nikki” grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan and has been a teacher in DC since 2008, teaching English Language Arts to students ranging from Early Childhood to 7th grade. Her passion for working with communities grew from classroom conversations about social justice with her middle school students. This passion was further fueled when she studied Community Organizing in graduate school. While obtaining her Master’s in Social Work in Community Organizing, she worked in Detroit with parents and community stakeholders to engage them around school-related matters and build parent leadership. Nikki is excited about involving Ward 5 and 6 parents and community members in the decision-making process about the direction of their children’s education. Nikki is an avid college football and basketball fan and lives in Ward 5 with her 2-year-old son Mochara. Visit the Facebook page.

Sharona Robinson, Wards 7 and 8

Sharona is a native Washingtonian who grew up in Wards 7 and 8.  She attended Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, Jefferson Junior High School, and Ballou High School. She is a Ward 7 resident and mother of a 2015 Ballou graduate and three DCPS students who attend school in Wards 6 and 8. Sharona currently serves as the PTSA President at Ballou High School and has served on a variety of education committees including the Chancellor’s Parent Cabinet and the DC Advisory Committee on Student Assignment. She believes that all children deserve a quality education, no matter where they live. Sharona’s goal is to engage more families and community stakeholders East of the River. Visit the Facebook page.