CEO/Team Lead

Prior to joining the St. Louis Public Schools Foundation, Haliday was the founder and CEO of Sons & Daughters of St. Louis (SDSL), a 501 (c)(3) consulting organization that aims to help nonprofits and social good initiatives to use the perspectives of folk they aspire to support in solutions design and implementation. Before his most recent return to St. Louis in 2020, Haliday worked in C-suite manager roles to lead change in policy and practice across five states, including: California, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, and Tennessee.

Haliday’s areas of expertise include organizational strategy, K-12 program management, program development, metrics design, talent management, and DEI. Haliday holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Bowdoin College, and a Master’s in Education Policy and Performance Management from Harvard University.

Chief Impact Officer

Nikki joins us from the Institute for School Partnership (ISP), where she worked as Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives. Committed to equity and social justice, Nikki’s previous work has centered on access and opportunity for our most underserved communities. During her time at the ISP, she collaborated with the District on programming that positioned SLPS teachers and school leaders to adopt innovative approaches to school transformation. The goal? To transform the status quo of SLPS schools toward radically equitable outcomes.

Nikki holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Missouri – St. Louis (2002), a Master of Arts in International Relations from Webster University (2005), and a Master of Social Work from the Brown School at Washington University (2014).

Program Impact

Jada oversees the implementation of health and wellbeing grantee programming. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, where she received her Bachelor’s of Science in Developmental Psychology before relocating to St. Louis. In St. Louis, she continued her education at the Brown School at Washington University, where she graduated with a Master’s in Social Work with a concentration in Children, Youth, and Families, and a specialization in Management.

Jada is passionate about work supporting students, families, and communities. She brings her social work skills to the Foundation, to help build capacity for direct service supports in high-need schools throughout the St. Louis Public Schools District.

Development & Operations Support

Starting her career in crisis care, Helen provided crucial support to individuals facing difficult circumstances. Her genuine empathy and unwavering commitment made her a trusted source of assistance during critical times. Recognizing her potential to make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children and families, Helen transitioned to foster care case management. There, she worked tirelessly to ensure the safety, well-being, and access to resources for children in the foster care system.

Helen possesses innovative thinking and attention to detail, which have led to the successful implementation of new strategies and systems. Outside of work, Helen advocates for social justice and dedicates her time to community initiatives. She believes in empowering individuals to overcome adversity and achieve their full potential.

Program Operations Support (Contractor)

Brian Nichols is an effective professional with a diverse background in education, entrepreneurship, and project management. As the founder and CEO of Edventory, Inc., Brian raised venture capital and built a platform and community for educator-created professional development content. Additionally, Brian has a ten-year track record in small business, having successfully started and managed four small businesses in the real estate industry.

Brian brings his diverse background in business and education St. Louis Public Schools Foundation, where he contributes to post-secondary opportunity support, as well as general operations and project management. He is committed to driving growth and achieving impactful outcomes in Saint Louis’ public schools. Brian holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Louis University in Political Science.