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Alicia Rodriguez Bower
Executive Director
 Alicia Rodriguez Bower, a life long educator, joined Breakthrough in May of 2009. Prior to joining Breakthrough she has been a teacher, Principal and has helped found and manage many charter schools in the state of Florida. Ms. Rodriguez Bower graduated from Purdue University with a BA in English and Spanish and received her Master’s Degree in School Administration and Leadership at Indiana University. She also attended Ball State University for advanced studies.
Among her achievements are becoming the Founding Principal of the first Spanish Immersion Magnet program in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Ms. Rodriguez Bower was the recipient of the 1997 First Lady of Ft. Wayne Award, awarded by the Ft. Wayne Women’s Bureau, the Indiana/Purdue University FAST program Achievement Award, the Realizing the Dream award given the by the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in the State of Indiana, Outstanding Teaching Award given by the University of Chicago, YWCA Woman of Achievement Award and Outstanding Spanish Teacher Award given by Indiana University. She served as chief consultant for EMC Publishing Company in Minnesota and published “Mexico – Journey to the Sun.”
Ms. Rodriguez Bower is a native of Havana, and left her country when she was 11 living in Mexico and Venezuela before her family being sponsored by a church in Indiana where she spent her formidable years. She has dedicated her career in education to holding students of all backgrounds accountable to high academic expectations and providing educational experiences that are creative and relevant to the students’ lives.
Her educational mission has also been to make people aware of the importance of knowing another language and the difference it can make in their lives.
Elissa Vanaver
Director, Strategic Development
Elissa Vanaver, an award-winning newspaper editor and media executive who joined our staff in the new position of Director of Strategic Development in December 2011, is actually a familiar face around Breakthrough Miami. Elissa is a long-time Breakthrough friend and supporter, a former Breakthrough parent and has been a dynamic member of the Breakthrough Board of Directors - including Board chair - for many years.
Before joining Breakthrough, Elissa was Vice President of Human Resources and Assistant to the Publisher for the Miami Herald Media Company. In addition to workforce development and strategic planning, she was responsible for community affairs and corporate communications. She directed several of The Herald’s signature programs, including the Silver Knight Awards, the Herald Charities’ WishBook and Operation Helping Hands.
Prior to 2002, Elissa was Managing Editor in The Miami Herald newsroom, where she was part of a Herald team that won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News on the Elian Gonzalez story.
Elissa holds B.A. with High Honors from the University of Virginia, and a master's degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa has completed the Kellogg Graduate School of Management’s Advanced Executive Program.
Alvaro Perez
Data and Accountability Associate/College Bound
Alvaro Perez joined the Breakthrough Miami team as the Data and Accountability Associate in April 2010. He is excited and passionate about the work that Breakthrough Miami does across Miami-Dade county communities.
Alvaro is a Miami-Dade local, growing up in West Dade and attending Coral Park Senior High. He went on to attend Florida International University where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Anthropology and Sociology. His back-ground in the Social Sciences has enabled him to work well with communities across the greater Miami area. Alvaro plans on attaining a Master's in Community Education and continue to work with local organizations. He started working in education and youth programs while at the Miami Science Museum, located in Coconut Grove. At the Museum, he worked for the Math and Science Upward Bound program for 5 years. He then continued to work with Upward Bound at St. Thomas University, located in North Miami, for another year. He then was given the opportunity to work with Breakthrough Miami in early 2010. He is a dedicated team member that wishes to grow with Breakthrough Miami as we expand to new heights.
Lauren Kellner
Senior Site Director
 Lauren joined the Ransom Everglades team, full-time,on June 2007. Before this, she was the site facilitator for Breakthrough Miami during the 2006 summer program at F.S. Tucker Elementary. She has 3 years of teaching experience in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Lauren taught in Exceptional Student education for two years and ran the gifted program at F.S. Tucker Elementary School. In addition, she organized the after school journalism program. Lauren attended the University of Miami where she received her B.S. of Education in Special Education. She returned soon after to work on her M.S. in Special Education and Reading which she completed in December of 2006.
Webber J. Charles
Associate Site Director
 Webber J. Charles is the son of a Haitian immigrant mother whom migrated to the United States to provide a future for her child Haiti could not afford her. After graduating from G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School, a college preparatory magnet school, Webber attended Florida International University were he acquired a Bachelor's Degree in Liberal Studies with a minor in Visual Arts Photography.
In 2003, he began his work with the Miami Dade County Public school system. Teaching art, Webber fostered an environment of self expression, encouraging the bright faces of Edison Park Elementary to make full use of their imagination. Honing his creativity and innate ability to inspire children has crowned him with distinction.
In 2007, he coached an inner-city chess team to a State Championship Title. The following year his team of neophytes took the scholastic chess world by storm winning a District, Grand prix, and National title.
He is considered to be one of the most talented art educators in the district and has been recognized by the school board and city officials for his accomplishments. He has an outstanding relationship with the local media and community at large. Chronicled frequently by the media, the children under his mentorship and auspices have experienced amazing social and academic success, many of them attending the best middle schools in the County. Webber is currently studying mass communications at St. Thomas University.
Dwanita Fields
Associate Site Director
Dwanita Fields was born and raised in Miami, Florida. During her early childhood, she attended a small predominately African American Catholic School located in Overtown called St. Francis Xavier School. Excelling in that environment, afforded her an opportunity to enter the Summerbridge family back in 1993. It was the second year of the Summerbridge program and although that was many years ago, her experiences were unforgettable. After that summer, Dwanita was offered an opportunity to attend Ransom Everglades Middle School. Before graduating from Ransom Everglades in 2000, she did have an opportunity to give back the time, love, and energy that was dedicated to her during her two years in the Summerbridge program but this time as a teacher in 1999. After graduating from Ransom Everglades, Dwanita continued her educational career at Howard University located in Washington, D.C., where she received a Baccalaureate of Science. When she relocated back to Miami after college, she became a math teacher at Highland Oaks Middle School. Simultaneously during her three years as a teacher, she was pursuing a Master’s of International Business Administration at Nova Southeastern University, which she received in June of 2009. "It was such a profound moment to reunite with my Summerbridge Family (Breakthrough Miami) as an Associate Site Director and I am ready to immerse myself into the program and assist in making sure that the program sustains its success."
Jeneen Garcia
Senior Site Director
 Jeneen Garcia joined Breakthrough Miami as Senior Site Director for the Ransom Everglades Campus on November 10, 2008. She is currently Senior Site Director for the Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart site. Prior to joining Breakthrough Miami, Ms. Garcia held the position of Project Associate for the Bronx Institute at Lehman College under the U.S. Department of Education Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). There she worked in New York City public schools developing academic enrichment programs designed to prepare under-served youth to succeed in post-secondary education.
As a college student at Wesleyan University, Ms. Garcia dedicated her summers to the Summerbridge program (currently known as Breakthrough) as a teaching intern at Concord Academy in Massachusetts. Her experience as a Summerbridge teacher inspired her to pursue professional and educational opportunities that would prepare her for a role in educational leadership, administration and reform. After acquiring her Master's in Public Administration and Education Policy from Columbia University's School for International and Public Affairs, Ms. Garcia held positions at the Academy for Educational Development as a Project Associate for the Schools for a New Society national education reform initiative. Ms. Garcia also served as a Special Assistant to the Executive Director of the newly formed Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation at the New York City Department of Education.
Ebony Rhodes
Associate Site Director
Ebony Rhodes was born and raised in Fairfax County, Virginia, a fast paced and diverse suburb of the nation’s capital. After high school, she moved to South Florida in order to attend the University of Miami, where in Fall of 2009, she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Philosophy and Religious Studies. Ebony was honored with the Ramon M. Lemos Award for Excellence in Philosophy for graduating top of her class within the Philosophy Department.
Her relationship with Breakthrough Miami began her Junior year of college, and since then, she has proudly worked with the program as an office intern, a teacher, a program manager, and now as Associate Site Director of the all girl Breakthrough Miami site at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart. Ebony continues to be inspired by the Breakthrough Miami mission, and all of the students that we reach.
Jamael Stewart
Senior Site Director
 Jamael joined the organization in January 2008. He was fortunate in both academics and athletics in his formative years and received a full Academic/Athletic scholarship to Bethune- Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Florida. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies in the spring of 2005. He is the co-founder of Prep and Sports Inc, a non-profit organization in Delray Beach, Fl geared to mentoring young men academically and athletically. Jamael has a passion for reaching out to our youth by shaping and molding their minds so they can be productive citizens. Jamael was the Assistant Director with South Florida Summerbridge at Saint Andrew's School in Boca Raton, Fl before coming to Breakthrough Miami. Jamael is the Senior Site Director for both Miami Country Day and The Cushman School.
Helbert Asprilla
Associate Site Director
Helbert Asprilla first joined Breakthrough Miami during the summer of 2009 as a Mentor Math Teacher at Doctors Charter School. Having completed his first summer at Breakthrough Miami, Helbert enthusiastically accepted the position as the Associate Site Director and quickly became part of a team of leaders who are committed to developing future leaders. Helbert is a graduate of Borough Academies Two Bridges School in Manhattan, Valencia Community College and the University of Central Florida where he received a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in History. In 1998 Helbert served in the United States Marine Corps as an Infantry Squad Leader for five years and two combat tours which included Kosovo (1999) and Iraq (2003). Helbert also served as the President of Soldiers to Scholars non-profit organization for two years while working towards his degree. After completing his degree he joined the Teach for America two-year teaching through AmeriCorps where he taught fourth and fifth grade students at Arcola Lake Elementary School. Nominated as Rookie Teacher of the year for 2009, Helbert assisted in closing the achievement gap in Miami-Dade County. Utilizing his diverse skill set, he infuses his military leadership training as well as his educational experience to enrich the Breakthrough program while maintaining a clear focus on the programs overall mission. Helbert will be the director of The Cushman School's 2011 summer program.
Rosy Corrales
Associate Site Director
Rosy Corrales joined Breakthrough Miami as their Executive Office Assistant in January 2010. Prior to working at Breakthrough Miami, Rosy worked for a charter school management company. Rosy attended Carlos Albizu University in Miami, FL. She has a B.A. in Psychology and a Masters in Exceptional Student Education. Rosy has been promoted to Associate Site Director at Miami Country Day School, after serving as Executive Assistant for over a year.
Ariel Edwards
Senior Site Director
Ariel first joined Breakthrough during the summer of 2009 as a Mentor English Teacher at Ransom Everglades. After a successful summer she welcomes the opportunity to be a part of a team of leaders who are committed to developing future leaders. Ariel is a graduate of Miami Central Senior High and Florida State University where she received a B.A. in English Literature and Business. In 2005 she began a career in Education as a Language Arts Teacher in Miami Dade County Public Schools where she was voted Teacher of the Year at Miami Edison Middle in 2009. Teaching has allowed her to develop a deeper understanding of the academic and emotional needs of youth thereby fostering a passion for advocating for quality education for all students. Ariel was excited at starting her new adventure at the Doctors Charter and The Cushman school sites. She has now been promoted to be the Senior Site Director at Palmer Trinity School and wishes to add to the great things that are occurring at Breakthrough every day, particularly at Palmer Trinity.
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