Stories of Success

Chris Lee – Actor/ Performer/ Singer/ Songwriter

Student Alumnus
National Ambassador’s Council – Breakthrough Collaborative
Broadway Musical Actor and Singer

Chris Lee is a multi-talented actor, musician and Broadway Star. He’s graced the stage in Broadway sensation musical Hamilton and currently stars on a CW show called Legends.

But first, he was a Breakthrough student.

Chris’ passion for pursuing his dream of a career in entertainment started when he was a middle school student at Breakthrough Atlanta in the early 2000s. Chris attributes his introduction to the arts and having big dreams from his experience at Breakthrough.

Chris says, “Breakthrough was the first place that I actually performed in front of any peers, ever.  And that’s incredible because now that’s what I do for a living.  I absolutely found myself there. It’s so different because it’s such a safe space where you can try new things, and fail, and get encouragement, and thrive.”

The Breakthrough Spirit is evident in Chris and can be seen in the song, “The Breakthrough Song” which can be viewed HERE, that he wrote and sang with Breakthrough Atlanta Students. Chris remains involved with Breakthrough Collaborative as a member of the National Ambassador’s Council.

Chau Ngo – Program Director, Breakthrough Manchester

Student and Teaching Fellow Alumna
Program Director – Breakthrough Manchester 

Chau Ngo is making a difference in the lives of students and families in her community as the assistant director at Breakthrough Manchester.

But first, she was a Breakthrough student and teaching fellow.

Chau joined Breakthrough as a first-generation student in middle school and went on to volunteer for the program and serve as a teaching fellow in the summer of 2017. Chau says, “It was not until I had the privilege of joining Breakthrough Manchester that I developed a passion for learning. I experienced first-hand the positive impact the program has on students; it supported my family and me in ways that my schools could not.” Chau credits Breakthrough for supporting her on the path to college with financial aid and college applications. 

After graduating from Keene State College and Massachusetts College of Art & Design with a degree in art education, Chau decided to pursue her interest in education and non-profit work, joining Breakthrough Manchster as assistant director in 2019.

Aditya Kaddu – Founder & CEO, Edstruments

Teaching Fellow Alumnus – 2010
Board Member – Breakthrough Collaborative
Founder of Edstruments

Aditya Kaddu is a Stanford graduate and founder of an education tech startup to help school districts manage finances efficiently.

But first, he was a Breakthrough teaching fellow.

Aditya Kaddu‘s experience as a 2010 summer teaching fellow at Breakthrough Fort Worth transformed his career focus from engineering to education. “Breakthrough played an integral part in shaping my passion for education equity and showed me that I can play a meaningful role in helping to give all kids a fair chance at a bright future.”

He worked as a consultant for McKinsey and Company before founding Edstruments in 2019 to provide K-12 leaders with tools and training to more effectively manage their financial resources on behalf of students and staff. His vision is a public school system where resources are used equitably across all students and where administrators are empowered to make the best decisions they can.

Heavyn Lee – Analyst, Harvard Undergrad CBE

Student Alumna and Teaching Fellow Alumna 

Heavyn Lee is a Gates Scholar and will attend Harvard this fall with a full ride. 

But first, she was a Breakthrough student and teaching fellow. 

Heavyn joined Breakthrough Miami in the summer leading into the 5th grade, and stuck with it all throughout high school, eventually serving as a teaching fellow. Heavyn describes Breakthrough Miami as an environment that pushes inclusivity and diversity to the greatest extent, which fostered valuable lessons about how to use her voice and navigate spaces predominantly occupied by white peers. Heavyn says, “Breakthrough taught me that there is strength among people of color, there is strength among women…it’s taught me to not only occupy or take up space, but to own it.” 

As she begins her next chapter, Heavyn believes that it’s important to have “excellence as your mantra” and to “keep going and be bold.”

Kevin Xiong – Commercial Director & Chief of Staff, Cedar

Student and Teaching Fellow Alumnus
Senior Business Analyst at McKinsey & Company

Kevin Xiong graduated with top honors from Harvard and the University of Cambridge.

But first, he was a Breakthrough student and teaching fellow.

Kevin joined Breakthrough Greater Boston after seeing his brother David’s transformative experience there as a student and teacher. Coming from an immigrant family that has always believed that hard work and advancement through education are the most important keys to success, Kevin found the opportunity to grow not only academically, but also personally and professionally, at Breakthrough.

According to Kevin, “After two summers, I grew from a quiet and soft-spoken middle school kid into a student with high expectations – for my teachers, for my peers, and for myself”. At Breakthrough, Kevin nurtured a love for learning and the self-confidence to become a Breakthrough Teaching Fellow and to continue on to pursue degrees from Harvard and Cambridge.

Kevin continues to give back to Breakthrough as a member of the Breakthrough Greater Boston Alumni Committee.

Gricelda Ramos – Foreign Service Officer, US Department of State

Student and Teaching Fellow Alumna
Dartmouth & Johns Hopkins Graduate

Gricelda Ramos is a graduate of Dartmouth and Johns Hopkins universities and was recently accepted to the Wharton School of Business. 

But first, she was a Breakthrough student and teaching fellow.

Gricelda joined Breakthrough Miami in the 5th grade after being recruited at her elementary school in Little Havana. Gricelda stayed involved with Breakthrough through high school, eventually becoming a teaching fellow and volunteer. Gricelda went on to receive her BA from Dartmouth and her MA in international economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins. Gricelda recalls, “The first economics class I ever took was at Breakthrough…I remember feeling at ease because of my Breakthrough teacher, who was a college student and a woman of color. Even now, when I feel uncertainty in graduate school, I recall that summer: if I passed an economics class then, I can surely pass it now.” 

Gricelda credits her mom’s sacrifices and the support she received from Breakthrough in becoming a first-generation college graduate and going on to achieve her dreams.  

Ez Gadson – Chief Partnership & Strategy Officer, Treadlines Colorado

Student and Teaching Fellow Alumnus
Operations Manager at Denver Public Schools

Ez Gadson is a husband, father, and educator with Denver Public Schools.

But first, he was a Breakthrough student and teaching fellow.

Ez attributes his personal growth and understanding of sense of self from his experience as a Breakthrough student at Kent Denver.  Breakthrough impacted him professionally as well by providing his first professional experiences as a SuperHero, program ambassador and eventually as a Teaching Fellow.

“When I think about my development growing up, the biggest ‘X-factor’ was Breakthrough,” Ez recalls. “At Breakthrough, I was having conversations about college, developing academic skills, growing emotionally, being challenged, and as a result, I was developing a sense of pride in myself.”

Ez chose to continue his career in education as an Operations Manager at Denver Public Schools in order to provide insight into decision making based on his past experiences as a student and Teaching Fellow at Breakthrough.

David Jernigan – President & CEO, Boys & Girls Club Atlanta

Teaching Fellow Alumnus
Board Member – Breakthrough Atlanta
President and CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta

David Jernigan is a champion for educational equity through his leadership in public schools and educational organizations in Atlanta. 

But first, he was a Breakthrough teaching fellow.

David Jernigan was introduced to Breakthrough as a college student studying business in North Carolina. He had no intention of pursuing a career in education until his experience as a teaching fellow at Breakthrough Houston opened his eyes to opportunity gaps in urban school environments. 

David credits Breakthrough as the “change of his trajectory” to pursue a career focused on improving educational outcomes for students in urban cities. After his Breakthrough experience, he continued his career journey in the education field as a Teach for America teacher in Atlanta, receiving his teaching certificate and Masters in Educational Administration. He also went on to become the Executive Director of KIPP Atlanta and the Deputy Superintendent for Atlanta Public Schools. David continues to give back to Breakthrough as a current Board of Trustee for Breakthrough Atlanta. You can see more about David’s Breakthrough story HERE.

Ieesha Collins – Managing Director, ConnextMSP

Angela Duckworth – Founder & CEO, Character Lab

Angela Duckworth is the founder and CEO of Character Lab, a nonprofit whose mission is to advance scientific insights that help children thrive. She is also the Rosa Lee and Egbert Chang Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, faculty co-director of the Penn-Wharton Behavior Change for Good Initiative, and faculty co-director of Wharton People Analytics.

A 2013 MacArthur Fellow, Angela has advised the World Bank, NBA and NFL teams, and Fortune 500 CEOs.

Prior to her career in research, Angela founded a summer school for underserved children that was profiled as a Harvard Kennedy School case study and, in 2018, celebrated its 25th anniversary. She has also been a McKinsey management consultant and a math and science teacher at public schools in New York City, San Francisco, and Philadelphia.

Angela completed her undergraduate degree in Advanced Studies Neurobiology at Harvard, graduating magna cum laude. With the support of a Marshall Scholarship, she completed an MSc with Distinction in Neuroscience from Oxford University. She completed her Ph.D. in Psychology as a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania.

Angela’s TED talk is among the most-viewed of all time. Her book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance is a #1 New York Times bestseller. Angela is also the co-host, with Stephen Dubner, of the podcast No Stupid Questions.