RECN
meet OUR TEAM
For Mobile Users, meet our team by Clicking the links under each leader's image
Karen Bush
Karen Bush
Mrs. Karen Bush is currently the Associate Director of the College Board for the Midwest Region. Prior to this, she worked as the College and Career Resource Center Director and the District Graduation Coach for the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township for 9 years. With over 20+ years of experience in higher education, college access, and business marketing Karen has brought her talents and strengths to the College Board to promote a strong college-going culture throughout the state of Indiana. Before working at Pike, Karen was the Community Alliance Manager for the Indiana Commission on Higher Education and Learn More Indiana where she led statewide college access and success campaigns for the Commission and formed partnerships with local and state organizations to further assist low-income first-generation students to prepare for college success. Karen holds a Masters in Higher Education and Administration, and another Master’s in General Management with a minor in Education/Training. She also has her Bachelor’s in Marketing and Business Communication. Karen is a dedicated wife and mother of two young boys ages 16 and 14. She is also an active member of the New Horizons Church and a 34-year member of her sorority Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Chapter.
Alex Morales
Alex Morales
Alex has 20+ years of experience in non-profit operations management. He holds a master's degree in adult and community education and is passionate about the lived experience of people of color in Fishers, Indiana. Originally from New York City, Alex is of Puerto Rican descent, speaks fluent Spanish, and is a father of two students in Hamilton Southeastern Schools.
Lisa Finn
Lisa Finn
Lisa Finn resides in Fishers with her husband , 2 teenage daughters, and very spoiled dog Bella. She is committed to the Fishers community not only as a resident and mom, but also as an educator. Lisa is a proud Ball State graduate and has spent the past sixteen years as a music teacher for Hamilton Southeastern Schools. Lisa has been part of the equity work in HSE schools since the first ever equity committee formed fifteen years ago. She currently serves as an equity coach and teacher for Riverside Intermediate and was honored to be named the “Riverside Teacher of the Year” in 2018. She has dedicated much of the past decade to her own personal and professional growth in DEI work. She feels blessed to have had access to many wonderful trainings, workshops, courses and mentors on her equity journey. Lisa enjoys sharing what she has learned with others and using her knowledge and skills to disrupt inequities and create safe spaces for all people. In her spare time, you might find Lisa spending time with family and friends, teaching piano or clarinet lessons to her private students, or teaching summer theatre camps!
Kate Young
Kate Young
Ms. Kate Young is an English teacher of twenty years and a resident of Fishers. She is married and has two young boys, ages seven and eleven, as well as a rambunctious puppy. She attended Wittenberg University, where she double-majored in English and Studio Art. During her junior year, she was able to travel to Italy, where she learned how to paint in an Etruscan walled-in city. Kate went on to earn her Master of Science in Education degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. She worked at North Central High School, in Indianapolis, for twelve years, and has been teaching at Fishers High School for the last three. Kate has been involved in equity work in and around Fishers for years, but the work truly came alive for her when she participated in a Racial Dialogue Circle three years ago. RECN was born from an action step of that RDC. Since then, Kate has led her own RDC with a fellow RECN leadership team member and helped facilitate several “RECNing with Whiteness” trainings alongside members of Indy SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice). She looks forward to continuing the ever-important equity work in and around Fishers.
Uday Murthy
Uday Murthy
Uday Murthy has been a resident of Fishers, Indiana, for the past 29 years. An avid member of Indian cultural organizations, he is currently the Director of the Fishers chapter of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh(HSS), a non-profit organization that strives to bring cultural awareness about Hinduism to mainstream American society. By profession, he is a software engineer at Eli Lilly and has been an active member of DEI efforts at his work. He enjoys gardening and volunteers to maintain the community veggie garden through Boy Scouts Troop 199, which is an initiative that helps guide young scouts with gardening. Apart from the DEI efforts, he enjoys traveling with his wife and two kids and loves photography.
Dr. Erica Buchanan-Rivera
Dr. Erica Buchanan- Rivera
Dr. Erica Buchanan-Rivera has served in education as a teacher, principal, diversity trainer, director of curriculum, and adjunct professor. During her time as a principal in Lawrence Township, she was recognized as an Administrator of the Year award recipient, and her international school was nationally recognized as a Magnet School of Excellence under her leadership. Dr. Buchanan-Rivera was formerly the Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer in Hamilton Southeastern Schools, the first DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) role in a Hamilton County school district. She is currently the Director of Equity and Inclusion at Washington Township Schools. Dr. Buchanan-Rivera completed her doctoral degree from Indiana State University in 2017. Her scholarship is centered on identity-affirming environments and antiracist pedagogy. She has published award-winning educational articles and her work continues to be in a national spotlight while featured in numerous podcasts, panels, and keynote presentations. Dr. Buchanan-Rivera has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Indianapolis and her alma mater, Butler University where she received the College of Education Distinguished Alumni Award in 2020. She teaches undergraduate courses that focus on educational equity and critical race theory. Dr. Buchanan-Rivera believes that all students deserve a classroom environment that values their authenticity.
Henry Brown
Henry Brown
After previously serving in the United States Army for 24 years-- of which he led a top-10-in-the-nation Army Healthcare Recruiting team of seven, served as the primary advisor to the Company Commander on All Soldier, Brigade Master Trainer, and Subject Matter Expert-- Henry now serves as the Director of Coaching and Leadership Development for One Heart Indiana at Sagamore Institute focusing on at-risk youth and incarcerated youth to help reduce violence & recidivism. As an alumnus of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity at Central State University at Alpha Mu who served at the highest level of all local chapters, Henry Brown has also been credited with starting the most chapters in the modern era. Currently, Henry serves as the Assistance Regional Polaris over an eight-state area of operations, and he is also in his 11th season at Marian University as a part-time running backs coach/special teams kick returners and punt returners coach. As a coach, Henry Brown has a strong belief in teaching his players about character: discipline, demeanor, selflessness, and integrity. Furthermore, he is also a member of the Race and Culture Relations Leadership Network of the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee. As you can see, Henry takes on several notable roles! However, his role(s) as a husband to his wife Tabatha Brown, father to three daughters, and grandfather to four grandchildren remain the most cherished of all.
Renee Isom
Renee Isom
Teacher/Librarian at Fishers High School. Equity Coach, Racial Dialogue Facilitator, Mom to two teenagers, wife to a patient man. I have been in education for over 26 years the last 16 in HSE schools. I have a passion for equity and providing identity-safe spaces for students, colleagues, and parents to learn and grow.
Brice Willey
Brice Willey
Brice Willey lives in Fishers, IN with his wife and two young daughters. He has been an educator for 8 years (5 as a teacher and 3 as an administrator). In addition to being an assistant principal, Brice is a proud member of his district’s equity team and also the district’s SEL steering committee. Upon becoming an administrator, Brice was a fellow with The Institute for Citizens & Scholars (formerly The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation) where he earned an MBA in Educational Leadership. His capstone project centered on implicit bias in school and ABAR education. He is passionate about creating identity-affirming spaces for students and community members alike. More casual passions: Pod Save America, Broadway shows, the Indiana Hoosiers, and watching Doc McStuffins with his daughters.