Members of the board
Dr Anesha Fuller
Founder
"Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world"
Nelson Mandela
Dr. Anesha Fuller, Ed.D. is an NYC public school teacher, adjunct professor, and graduate of Capella University with a
Doctorate of Education specializing in Curriculum and Instruction. She is the founder of the No Rest Until Success Foundation, which serves the NYC community in education awareness, but whose central aims are helping NYC high school seniors pursue their dreams of college by providing them with scholarships. Dr. Fuller’s success story stems from her upbringing in the Brownsville/East Flat bush section of Brooklyn, NY, and being exposed to the power of education and the places that a solid education can take you. Raised without either of her parents, she managed to put herself through school and remain student-loan and debt free. Her personal struggles have created in herself a sense of purpose to motivate and encourage others to use education to lift themselves out of poverty or the battle or rut that they may be in. She hopes to inspire people to a promising tomorrow.
Dr. Fuller is also the author of the book “Growing up Forsaken,” which describes parental abandonment and the mental health issues that plague so many people, who then hide their hurt and pain from a judgmental society.
Her purpose for the No Rest Until Success Foundation is to leverage the resources that were made available to her to, in turn, help students tap into resources available to them in order to WIN!!! Education does not encompass only formal education—educating the mind with knowledge of all sorts can deliver people out of their present situations and unlock the doors to success.
Tyrone Blackburn
Co Founder
Tyrone Anthony Blackburn, Esq. is a corporate lawyer within the financial services industry. He graduated from Brooklyn College CUNY with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Finance. Following graduation, he worked for the Health and Hospitals Corporation of NYC and then went on to acquire a Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall University School of Law. Tyrone was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York to immigrant parents from the Islands of Trinidad and Tobago.
Tyrone is a community leader and advocate for educational equity with over ten years of successful impact in municipal government, non-profit management, and program development. Driven by a deep commitment to his community, Tyrone has served as a trusted adviser to city, state, and federal elected leaders and officials. He has worked closely with these elected leaders and officials to ensure students receive the resources and support they need to cultivate their innate ability to achieve. Tyrone believes that leadership is key to solving many of the nation’s most dynamic issues.
“The future is already here. It’s just not evenly distributed yet.”—William Gibson
This dark reality is something Tyrone knows well. A product of the NYC public school system, Tyrone has experienced and persevered through this flawed education system. It is this personal reality that is the driving force behind his pursuit of educational equity.
Tyrone’s mission is to use his resources to help the next generation of leaders navigate an educational landscape that is woefully inadequate to prepare them to compete in a global society. Tyrone’s vision for the No Rest Until Success Foundation is for it to meaningfully and measurably ensure that all children have the opportunity to attain an excellent education and achieve their potential. Tyrone understands that there is no single set of solutions that will work in every community, but that through engagement the Foundation can develop impactful, thoughtful solutions. Ultimately, the guiding question should be, “How will NRUSF create life-changing opportunities for all children in our communities?”
In the end, the only really substantial thing education can do is help us to become continuous, lifelong learners.
“Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire.”— W. B. Yeats
The staff of NRUSF are eager to light many fires.
Michelle K. Hunt
Director of Educational Services
Michelle K. Hunt is a Professional Certified Teacher for New York City Department of Education in General and Special Education for grades one to six. She graduated from York College, CUNY with a Bachelor of Psychology. Following graduation, she attended Touro College and graduated with a Masters in Early Childhood Education. Michelle started her career as a General Education Preschool Teacher. Shortly after obtaining her initial certification, she became a Special Education Teacher for Bilinguals, Inc. and later the Shield Institute. Michelle, in total, has been teaching for over twelve years. It has been her passion to serve the underprivileged children of New York City. She is dedicated to serving the public and making a difference in the school community. She is a Brooklyn native residing in Queens, New York.
Judith Roberts-Lewis
Director of Educational Development
Judith Roberts-Lewis is a grade K-2 Reading Coach. She earned an Associate of Hospitality and Tourism Management in 2001 and a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2002 from Monroe College. Due to her passion for learning, sharing information, and watching people grow, she pursued a career in education. In 2008, she received a Master of Childhood Education for grades 1-6 and then, in 2015, she received a Master of School Building Leadership. She received both degrees from Mercy College. She strongly believes that all students are capable of learning if provided with appropriate materials and explicit instructions in a loving and nurturing environment.
A teacher with the New York City Department of Education for over ten years, she has taught 3rd grade for 3 years at P.S. 279 and P.S. 249. Two of those three years were spent as a general education teacher in a Collaborative Team Teaching (CTT) Classroom. She has also taught both kindergarten and 2nd grade. As the 2nd Inquiry Team Leader, she analyzed students' data and used it to help teachers efficiently deliver explicit instructions to meet the needs of all students.
Judith is excited and honored by the opportunity to be a part of the Foundation, which will allow her to help the community grow academically, socially, and emotionally, all in preparation for a brighter future.
Lisa Merraro
Advisory Board Member
Lisa Merraro is the owner of Women With Voices (WWV). She has an Associate of Paralegal Studies from Berkeley College, a Bachelor of Science in Legal Studies from St. John’s University, an MPA from John Jay College, and an MBA from Full Sail University. Her academic expertise kept her ahead of the class and ahead of her time.
Lisa's desire to impact and give back to the community is due to the need to see others elevated, acknowledging that education is the key to success. She has a program called Women With Voices (WWV), which is a platform for women of all creeds, ethnicities, and backgrounds to be heard everywhere in the world. The platform allows women to get their story out and procure help and services needed to aid themselves and other women. The program is intended to bridge the gap between the women accomplishing their goals and the women who need guidance trying to find their purpose. The purpose of the program is to empower women, create a platform for them to be heard, and to inspire their peers—challenging women all over the atlas to be all they can be.
Correy Kaiten
Director of Communications and Public Affairs
Correy Kaiten is well known for orchestrating some of the most elaborate events in NYC for over 15 years, from Black Tie events to Inspirational Speaking Engagements. Corey attended Kingsborough Community College for Business. From a very young age, he has considered himself a leader and inspiration to his peers. He has said, "Education means a lot to me. It’s very important to go to school to get the discipline that you cannot learn on your own. I frequently try to instill that into individuals who are younger than I am, which is why I’m excited to be a part of this organization. Sometimes, all that these kids need is hope. They need to see someone who is actually doing what they dream of doing themselves. They need to see that it’s possible.” His most popular event is a Black Tie Ball called Black Excellence. An amazing experience, where everyone is dressed stunningly from head to toe.
A couple of years ago, Corey lost his brother to the streets. After that, he vowed to do more things for the community to keep kids busy and off the streets. Corey would like to start after-school programs where kids can come do their homework, converse with other kids their age about current events, sports, and other topics, or just have a “big brother” to talk to. Acknowledging that everything takes time, he feels that being part of the Foundation will steer him in the right direction.
Natasha Davis
Director of Finances
Natasha Davis is an accounting professional with over ten years’ experience. She holds a Associate degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Medgar Evers College, and a Master of Science in Taxation from Long Island University. Natasha is familiar with a wide array of accounting systems and has worked in various industries during her career. Natasha’s commitment to education is manifested by her academic pursuits over the years. After graduating from Canarsie High School, she enrolled at Medgar Evers College where she completed undergraduate degrees prior to her graduate degree. Losing her mother at an early age, Natasha used education as a medium through which she sought to improve her socioeconomic circumstances and blossom into a woman defined by her dreams and not by circumstances of loss. Natasha chose to align herself with the Foundation in the hopes of providing inspiration to young people such as she was, hoping that her life can be a testament to the fact that people can be much bigger than their circumstances.
Randolph m. bruny
Director of School Counseling Services
Randolph M. Bruny is a teacher and school counselor. He has a Bachelor of Science in Childhood Urban Education (grades 1 to 6) from Long Island University Brooklyn Campus, and a dual Master of Science in both School Counseling and Mental Health Counseling from Alfred University.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York by immigrant parents from the island of Haiti, Randolph worked as both a 2nd grade elementary school teacher and 5th grade middle school teacher for NYC Dept. of Education Public Charter Schools after graduation. With his drive and passion to further his career in education, he then went on to Alfred University to acquire his graduate degree.
As an Educator, Randolph strives to empower and equip all scholars to maximize their achievement so they can excel and be college-career ready. He believes that meeting the needs of the whole child academically, as well as social and emotional development is vital to ensure their success.
Randolph's mission is to provide proactive, comprehensive and developmental guidance addressing the needs of all scholars. As a mental health awareness advocate, Randolph believes that mental health issues are a silent and recurring problem that are marginalized within our communities and youth. The need for therapy, a socio-emotional curriculum, and coaching should no longer be optional, but mandatory. Alongside being a teacher and school counselor, he aspires to open his own practice one day as a Licensed Mental Health Therapist.
Randolph is excited and honored to be a part of the No Rest Until Success Foundation, where he can use the opportunity given to him to provide resources to give back to his community, and thereby ensure a bright and successful future for all.