Potomac Lighthouse Public Charter School

Mr. Richardson graduated from the University of California, at Los Angeles, in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts in History. Upon graduating from UCLA, he committed five years to teaching elementary students in the Compton Unified School District, at Ralph J. Bunche Elementary School, as a member of Teach For America. After teaching for five years in Compton, Mr. Richardson attended Howard University School of Law where he earned his Juris Doctorate. After graduating with his J.D., he practiced law as commercial litigator at Drinker Biddle & Reath. While working at Drinker, he also sat on Potomac Lighthouse’s Board of Directors, as a member of the board and as the Education subcommittee chairperson. Ultimately, Mr. Richardson left the legal field when he realized that as a commercial litigator he did not have an impact in the efforts to close the achievement gap for urban kids and our scholars at Potomac Lighthouse.

While studying in Boston attending Northeastern University, Mrs. Natanzon worked in many facets of education. She then went on to get her Master’s in Education and Creative Arts in Learning from Lesley University. After her seven years working in education and studying in Boston, she then relocated to Washington, D.C. and became a founding 2nd/3rd grade looping teacher at Potomac Lighthouse Public Charter School. Her students won highest in the network in Literacy before Mrs. Natanzon was asked to be the Teacher Leader Fellow, and then the Director of Instruction. While Director of Instruction, two of her teachers won highest in the network and the school received the Founder’s Trophy. This will be her 7th year at PLPCS working with some of the most amazing scholars!

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Mr. Shepard received his B.A. from The College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio. He received his graduate degree in education from Howard University through a partnership program in Prince George’s County Schools called, African-American Males into Teaching. After teaching for three years in Prince George’s County School District and receiving the Outstanding Elementary teacher Award for 1997, Mr. Shepard took his teaching talents to the District of Columbia and began working for Friendship Public Charter Schools in 1998. It was during his tenure there that he was selected by New Leaders for News Schools in 2005, a program that develops and supports dynamic school leaders. Mr. Shepard served as the Upper School Principal at the Arts and Technology Academy, where he continued his work in improving the lives of district students by providing them excellent educational opportunities. Mr. Shephard also holds a Master in Education Administration from Trinity University. One of his favorite quotes is “Teaching is truly the noblest and most important profession of all, because we influence the past, present and future.”

Before his arrival at PLPCS, Mr. Bailey served three years as an attorney within the Bureau of Competition at the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, DC. His educational background includes a 2008 Juris Doctor degree from Howard University School of Law and a 2005 Bachelors of Science degree in Marketing from Delaware State University. Outside of PLPCS, Mr. Bailey continually works to effectuate change among the youth in his community through his coaching position with the Silver Spring Saints youth football organization.