PA-NAME 25th Annual Conference

Nikole Y. Hollins-Sims, Ed.D., is an internationally recognized speaker, author and facilitator who serves as the senior educational consultant & strategist for Hollins-Sims Consultation. Nikole has formerly served as a technical assistance coordinator for the Midwest PBIS network and is a former Special Assistant to the Secretary of Education at the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). She is a Pennsylvania certified school psychologist  and has conducted research around caregivers of children of incarcerated parents and their motivation to engage in family-school partnerships. Dr. Hollins-Sims has been awarded as a Moral and Courageous Leader for Education by Cabrini University in 2021, the 2021 American Psychological Association’s (APA) Inaugural Anti-Racism School Psychology Emerging Professional Award and was named the 2021 Pennsylvania School Psychologist of the Year. She has also been honored with the 2023 Gateway to Equity Award by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) - Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Chapter. Some of her career highlights are serving as the lead author of the book titled: Creating Equitable Practices in PBIS and serving as a presenter at the 2024 MTSS Forum at the United States Department of Education. 

Ismael Jimenez is a dedicated educator who, for the last eighteen years, has worked with students in Philadelphia from preschool age to high school. For over a decade, Ismael has led numerous professional development sessions on social studies content for instructors teaching preschool to the post-secondary level across Philadelphia and the nation. Additionally, Ismael has facilitated workshops at prestigious postsecondary institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, Penn State University, and Princeton University on issues ranging from structural racism to bridging the knowledge and skill gap between high school and postsecondary education. Currently, Ismael serves as the Director of Social Studies Curriculum for the School District of Philadelphia and as an adjunct professor for the University of Pennsylvania’s Urban Teacher Apprentice Program (UTAP). The philosophical orientation that guides Ismael’s teaching and activism is rooted in the theoretical educational framework developed by Septima Clark, which emphasizes the interconnected nature of education and its role in participating in the transformation of the world.