MnEEP welcomes two race equity leaders to drive systems change for racial equity in education across Minnesota 

Exciting news! 

Minnesota Education Equity Partnership (MnEEP) is excited to announce the addition of two dynamic race equity leaders to our team! Tambryanna Williams and Janett Casillas will play pivotal roles in advancing our racial equity goals and strengthening our networks to foster meaningful, statewide systems change for racial equity in education across Minnesota.

Tambryanna Williams – Director for College Race Equity
Tambryanna Williams joins MnEEP as the Director for College Race Equity, bringing a powerful blend of higher education expertise, policy analysis, and community engagement to this new role. Tambryanna holds an MPA in Public Administration from the University of Maryland and most recently served as the Public Policy Manager at the CAPI Immigrant Opportunity Center, where she led impactful advocacy initiatives for immigrant and refugee communities and collaborated with state and local officials to drive equitable outcomes for Minnesota’s diverse communities.

Driven by her own experience as a first-generation graduate, Tambryanna also has a longstanding commitment to guiding and empowering students from diverse backgrounds on their path through higher education. During the pandemic, she founded College4U, an initiative to help first-generation students explore pathways to degree attainment. She also served as an academic advisor at Kishwaukee College in Illinois, where she tailored support services to meet the unique needs of marginalized students, enhancing retention and graduation rates.

In her role at MnEEP, Tambryanna will lead and support the College Race Advocacy Advisory Council (CREAAC), building strategic partnerships and deepening relationships across Minnesota’s colleges and universities to inform, shape, and advocate for key policies that advance racial equity in higher education. This collaborative work is essential for increasing higher-ed access, retention, and academic success for People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) students and for driving racial equity across our entire state.

Janett Casillas – Director for Research & Emerging Multilingual Learner (EML) Network
Janett Casillas brings to MnEEP her expertise in qualitative research strategy, project management, and dedication to racial equity in education. In her role as Director for Research & Emerging Multilingual Leaner (EML)Network, Janett will lead and support our Research Collaborative Table and EML Network efforts, collaborating with K-12 and higher education leaders, educators, researchers, students, and racial equity advocates across Minnesota. 

Janett brings both personal and professional insights to this critical work. Janett is a second-generation immigrant , English Language Learner (ELL ), and first-generation college student who was awarded the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Research Fellowship at Macalester University. Her strategic vision and collaborative approach will be instrumental in guiding initiatives that increase investments in and directly support Minnesota’s growing Emerging Multilingual (EML) students across the state.

Previously at Fusion Hill, Janett served as a research strategist, translating complex data into actionable insights for diverse stakeholders. Her background also includes experience as a College Access Coordinator at CLUES, where she guided students through college applications and career planning, working to remove barriers to higher education access and degree attainment.

We are thrilled to welcome Tambryanna and Janett to MnEEP and look forward to the impact their leadership will bring to our mission to advance racial equity in education.