Meet new City Year Milwaukee board member Kiesha Johnnies

City Year Milwaukee, an education-focused nonprofit that unites young people for a year of service in Milwaukee Public Schools, announces new board member, Kiesha Johnnies, CEO and Senior Consultant of The Coaching Consultant.

“I am excited to welcome Kiesha Johnnies to our team of powerful leaders,” stated Meralis T. Hood, City Year Milwaukee’s Vice President and Executive Director. “We are honored to have a City Year Milwaukee, founding corps alumna (‘10) on our team. The work we do at City Year is made possible by the lifelong leadership of our alumni who continue to be powerful leaders in our community, and I am beyond grateful for Kiesha’s support of our AmeriCorps members.”

We know, and studies have shown, that City Year alums continue to give back long after their year of service is completed by embracing civic responsibilities and leadership skills, modeling a lifelong practice of service to others. Learn more.

Kiesha Johnnies is the CEO and Senior Consultant of The Coaching Consultant. Kiesha’s involvement with training and development began with City Year Milwaukee in 2010 as their Training Project Leader. Her passion for educating and developing others derived from a lifetime of experiences, conversations, and knowledge about Milwaukee’s educational disparities. She understands the influence that individual leaders can have on their teams if they are properly coached and trained.

“The impact of the corps’ service spans well beyond the individual, team, or school site. As a founding City Year Milwaukee AmeriCorps member, I couldn’t be more impressed with the service that has continued over the past decade,” stated Kiesha. “I’ve experienced and witnessed the sites growth; now, I look forward to supporting City Year Milwaukee as we enhance to create more opportunities for the students we serve.”

In addition to founding The Coaching Consultant, Kiesha works at Milwaukee School of Engineering University (MSOE), where she is the Coordinator of Clinical Practice, Coaching, Alumni Relations, and Recruitment for the MBA Education Leadership Program (MBA EL). Prior to her work with MSOE, Kiesha was the Founding Principal of an Elementary School in Milwaukee. She made impactful strides during her tenure by managing three expansion projects, doubling the student population, and training educators and administrators to advance student achievement. Kiesha has been a leader in various education sectors for more than a decade: non-profit, charter, choice, and higher education.

Kiesha continues to serve leaders in Wisconsin by coaching MBA EL students and co-chairing the Alumni Board of City Year Milwaukee. She continues to focus on growing and developing transformational leaders in Wisconsin who drastically impact the lives of the students and the staff they serve. Her work with Partnership MKE-United Way has assisted in developing leaders that are courageous and desire to understand biases that plague our community.

Kiesha graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Welfare. Later, she received her Masters in Urban Education from Cardinal Stritch University. She also completed the National Principal Fellowship Program in New York through Relay Graduate School of Education. She graduated from MSOE with her Masters in Business Administration in Education Leadership. Kiesha feels that coaching others to reach their highest potential is one of the most humbling and fulfilling services she can provide.

City Year Milwaukee AmeriCorps members serve full-time in 13 Milwaukee Public Schools reaching nearly 8,000 students each day. City Year AmeriCorps members partner with teachers and principals to provide academic and social-emotional support to students. At City Year, we believe that all students can succeed and that developing the skills and mindsets of children and young adults contributes to strong, vibrant communities—outcomes that benefit all of us.

City Year Milwaukee’s impact is made possible by a public-private partnership between corporations, philanthropic individuals, Milwaukee Public Schools and the Corporation for National and Community Service.

To learn more about our impact in Milwaukee or to make a donation in support of our AmeriCorps members, visit our website.