Orchard STEM

Angelina Ferguson-Pryor joined Open Doors Academy February 2026. She is a proud Cleveland, Ohio native with both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Health Science from Cleveland State University.

Before transitioning into education and workforce development, Angelina spent many years serving the community as a certified Emergency Medical Technician. She went on to teach at several local colleges for eight years and most recently served as the Director of Career Readiness for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, where she connected scholars to high-quality, career-connected learning experiences.

Angelina was drawn to ODA’s mission of being 100% for kids and creating meaningful pathways for their success. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, binging true crime podcasts and documentaries, reading, and shopping. She is deeply committed to expanding opportunities for youth and strengthening families and communities through purposeful, student??'centered work.

Todd Hathaway is our Middle School Program Manager overseeing the Lead Coordinators of middle school programming. Since graduating from Indiana Wesleyan University with a bachelor’s degree in 2013, he has made his career within non-profit student programming by focusing on creating environments that foster community, relationship building, and producing leaders.

He is a big fan of Cleveland sports, his dog “Captain”, and karaoke.

Todd’s mission in life is to care for and serve people within the community he resides in and leave the world better than he found it. He is happy to be working at Open Doors Academy to help him fulfill that mission!

KariNoir Mallory joined Open Door Academy December 2025, bringing over 20 years of experience in youth development, education administration, and team leadership. She is deeply committed to creating safe, engaging, and high-quality learning environments where every child and team member feels seen, supported, and empowered to succeed.

A proud graduate of Spelman College, KariNoir also holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology and Diversity Management from Cleveland State University. Her academic background strengthens her people-centered leadership style and informs her commitment to equity, inclusion, and strong organizational culture.

Throughout her career, KariNoir has led dedicated teams, strengthened program systems, and partnered closely with families and community stakeholders to ensure meaningful and lasting outcomes. She believes strong relationships are the foundation of effective programming and leads with a balance of high expectations, compassion, and consistency.

As a proud member of the Greater Cleveland community, KariNoir values connection both inside and outside of the workplace. She enjoys spending quality time with her family, especially her two children, traveling to experience new places and perspectives, and reading books that inspire both personal and professional growth.

Tiersa Sullivan joined the Open Doors Academy team September 2019. She served as Campus Coordinator at Euclid Middle School for three years, as well as a Classroom Coordinator at the Citizens Academy Southeast Remote Learning Center, before becoming the Program Manager for the Breakthrough Public Schools and Euclid City Schools.

Tiersa attended school in the Bedford City School District for K-12th grade, graduating from Bedford High School in 2002. After high school, she attended The University of Akron, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. After college, she began her teaching career at a charter school in Cleveland Ohio for 4 years as a Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade teacher. After 4 years, she made the decision to devote her time in staying home with her 3 amazing kids.

In her spare time, she enjoys reading books, spending quality time with her kids/spouse, and shopping. She is devoted in continuing to help make a difference in the lives of our youth.

Jhosephine Bermudez joined ODA in 2021. Born and raised in Cali, Colombia, she moved to Greater Cleveland with her family and believes strongly in advocating for the needs of students, especially bilingual students who are learning in English-speaking schools.

Jhosephine has worked in an ODA remote learning center during the pandemic, in multiple ODA summer camps, and currently serves as campus coordinator at Orchard STEM School.

In her spare time, she enjoys making food from her native Columbia and patronizing Cleveland cultural instutitions and artists.

Shalaria Ray has always had a heart for helping others and inspiring young people to reach their full potential. Her journey began in a teacher preparation program, where she tutored and supported classrooms as a teaching assistant. She later spent many years working in the medical field as a nursing aide and phlebotomist, where she learned the importance of care, patience, and compassion — qualities she brings into her work with scholars every day.

Outside the classroom, Shalaria has served as a youth supervisor at her church, leading programs that help young people grow in confidence and purpose. She also has a deep love for music and believes it has the power to speak to the soul — a passion she often shares with her students to encourage self-expression and connection.

At ODA, Shalaria is excited to help scholars learn, grow, and shine — both inside and outside the classroom.

Damon Deal Jr. is a Cleveland, Ohio native, passionate leader, and dedicated advocate for youth and community development. Raised in a household of school teachers and community leaders, he developed a deep commitment to service, education, and faith.

He serves as a Coordinator at Breakthrough Woodland Hills Middle School, where he works to inspire scholars to believe, achieve, and become the best versions of themselves. Damon is also the CEO of an organization that promotes love, positivity, and faith through mentoring and community engagement, living by the principle of “each one, teach one.”

Above all, he is a proud father of three, committed to personal growth, serving his church, and making a lasting impact in his community.