Career- Connected Learning
Senior Director of Career- Connected Learning
Ms. Bloom grew up just outside of New York City. She attended Syracuse University where she majored in pre-medical studies and nutrition science and minored in psychology. After college, Ms. Bloom began teaching as a member of the 2011 Teach for America Corps where she worked as a Special education and science teacher with 9th through 12th graders. During this time she completed her master’s degree at Hunter College and participated in the Sci-Ed Fellowship where she gained additional experience in facilitating students’ active engagement in science, including participation in a science fair. During her free time, Ms. Bloom enjoys dance, yoga, and outdoor summer activities.
Yadira MartinezCareer-Connected Learning Coordinator & Attendance At-Risk Specialist
Ms. Martinez was born and raised in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, NY. Ms. Martinez graduated with a B.S. degree in human services and Master’s in public administration specializing in public policy and inspection/oversight. Before coming to MESA Charter High School, Ms. Martinez worked for the New York City Law Department where she investigated abuse, neglect, and excessive force cases that were committed by the New York Police Department and the Department of Corrections. Ms. Martinez then worked in the New York City Department of Education (DOE) as an Equal Opportunity Investigator investigating sexual harassment and discrimination cases. While working for the DOE, Ms. Martinez realized that she wanted to interact more with children to guide them during their most important years. Ms. Martinez has found that working at MESA has been such an amazing experience and she enjoys building relationships with her students. Ms. Martinez believes that the best part of working at MESA is being called “Mom” by many of the students.
Julie Kwong is a proud daughter of Chinese immigrants born and raised in Rockville, MD. She is a low-income first generation college graduate with a B.A. in Psychology and a certificate in secondary math education from Princeton University. After graduating, she taught Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and AP Calculus at MESA for close to 5 years before working as product manager and Chief Product Officer at SubjectToClimate, a climate education nonprofit. This past year she also served as the NYC program facilitator for ImmSchools, a nonprofit focused on creating safe and welcoming spaces for immigrant and undocumented students. She is so excited to be back at MESA to support alumni with their college and career pathways. During her spare time, you can find Ms. Kwong taking long walks, sampling new cuisines, and traveling.