Center X Leadership Team

Center X has a distributed Leadership team chaired by Faculty Director Megan Franke and Executive Director Lynn Kim-John. The team meets regularly and includes directors who represent the Center’s major work areas.

Megan Franke
Faculty Director, Center X

Megan Franke is a Professor in the Urban Schooling division at UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Dr. Franke’s work focuses on understanding and supporting teacher learning through professional development, particularly within elementary mathematics. As a part of Center X, she works with UCLA’s Teacher Education Program, Principal Leadership Institute, the California Subject Matter Projects, university researchers, community administrators and teachers to create and study the development of learning opportunities for students in Los Angeles’ lowest performing schools.

Emma Hipolito
Director, Teacher Education Program

Emma Hipolito has many years of experience as a history-social science educator, serving as a high school teacher in Santa Monica USD, a middle school teacher in Alhambra USD, a professional development leader, and a teacher educator for the UCLA Teacher Education Program. She has developed and coordinated several professional development programs with funding from both state and federal agencies.

Kristine Ho
Director, UCLA Mathematics Project

Dr. Kristine Ho serves as Director of Math Programs at UCLA, Center X since June of 2017 where she leads intitatives to improve, advocate, and equip communities, students and teacher leaders.   UCLA Mathematics Project (UCLAMP) is part of a statewide program that strives to positively impact TK-12 educators, students, communities and school districts in the Los Angeles basin. Kristine is know for her innovative approaches to professional development and her dedication to fostering a love for mathematics in both educators and students.  Together with her team at UCLAMP, Kristine partners with these groups to provide rich and transformative Mathematical experiences by developing programs that help prepare equity-focused, reflective, and responsive leaders in Mathematics. 

Jackie Honda
Program Manager, Teacher Education Program

Carrie Usui Johnson
Director, UCLA Center X Coaching Partnerships Project

Carrie Usui Johnson is the Director of Coaching Partnerships at UCLA Center X, bringing over 25 years of experience in education to her role. With a background as a teacher, district curriculum specialist, coach, and university partnership director, Carrie’s work focuses on nurturing strong coaching communities, fostering partnerships with urban schools and districts, and facilitating equity-centered conversations across the state of California. Her efforts are dedicated to supporting coaching, leadership development, and whole-school transformation initiatives, all with a steadfast commitment to equity.

Lynn Kim-John
Executive Director, Center X

Tonikiaa Orange
Director, UCLA Principal Leadership Institute and Director, Culture & Equity Project

Tonikiaa Orange is the Director of the UCLA Principal Leadership Institute and the Director of the Culture & Equity Project at UCLA Center X. She is dedicated to advancing educational leadership with a strong emphasis on equity, social justice, and culturally responsive practices. Tonikiaa is known for her impactful work in empowering educators and leaders to create inclusive and transformative learning environments.

Marvin Selga
Director of Business Administration, Center X

Tiki Valentino
Executive Assistant, Center X