Brooke began her journey as an educator at a campus childcare center while completing a dual degree program in Psychology and Elementary Education at Indiana University. As an early childhood teacher, Brooke worked with fellow educators in a diverse and progressive environment to create experiences that fostered the natural curiosity of the young children in their care and honored their family and cultural backgrounds. When Brooke started teaching kindergarten in South Los Angeles in 2002 as a Teach for America Corps Member, she immediately noticed the stark contrast in the educational opportunities offered to young children based on neighborhood, socioeconomic status, and race. She focused on building authentic relationships with children and families and continued to apply the principles of progressive education in public school contexts. As she grew as an educator, she became even more grounded in the belief that students learn best when involved in authentic experiences that connect with who they are as people and provide opportunities to make meaning in multiple ways. Over the next 10 years, she continued to study the work of progressive educators and created an integrated curriculum that emphasized literacy experiences in authentic, artful, and engaging contexts. During this time she moved to the east coast to teach kindergarten and first grade at Bronx Charter School for the Arts and Community Roots Charter School, completed the Literacy Specialist Master’s Degree Program at Teachers College, Columbia University, and became a National Board Certified Teacher.

In 2012, Brooke founded The Odyssey Initiative with Michelle Healy and Todd Sutler, and they worked to identify, document, and share effective practices in American schools. In 2014, the trio that founded The Odyssey Initiative went on to found Compass Charter School. Over the last 12 years, Brooke has worked with Compass leaders, staff, families, and children to build Compass into the vibrant and thriving school community it is today. During this time, Brooke also completed an additional Master’s Program in Progressive Leadership at Bank Street College of Education, leading to New York certification as a School Building Leader and School District Leader. As of July 2025, Brooke is now Compass’ Executive Director and her primary focus is to ensure continual growth and sustainability of the pre-K and elementary programs while also working on middle school expansion.

When not at 300 Adelphi Street with the Compass community, Brooke enjoys spending time with her partner and pets (including the Compass rabbit, Clover), reading fiction, baking sourdough bread, tending to her tiny balcony garden, and spending time outdoors.