Dr. Nikisha Ware is the Executive Director for the Mississippi Learning Institute (MLI)—Mississippi’s only public school-university collaborative partnership. In this position she provides leadership for the direction, development and implementation of the nation’s only literacy-based professional development system. Dr. Ware has successfully secured, maintained, and managed nearly $7 million in federal and private funding to support MLI’s P-20 initiatives.
Dr. Kymyona Burk, Director of Professional Development and Training, monitors and ensures fidelity of MLI literacy initiatives through observation of instruction and professional development training to ensure integration of literacy skills in the classroom across subject areas. Dr. Burk provides coaching, modeling, and resources to teachers and literacy coaches in local school districts and in to JSU pre-service teachers.
Della Archie, ARM Regional Coordinator, came to MLI in December 2004 bringing with her more than 15 years of experience with service programs and volunteer management. A graduate of Jackson State University, Ms. Archie is the former director of the Metro Jackson Service Coalition AmeriCorps Program.
Dr. Summer E. Graves, ARM AmeriCorps Field Specialist, is a native of Jackson, MS, and a recent graduate of the Executive PhD program in Urban Higher Education. Dr. Graves has a passion for service that is demonstrated in her community volunteer with AmeriCorps and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
