INFORMATION FOR
Majors: Secondary Education and English Writing; Humanities Honors Program
Current Title: Senior Program Manager, ZemiTek, LLC
Angela Cleveland is a senior program manager at ZemiTek, where she manages the USAID Education Support Initiative contract, focusing on the coordination and oversight of staffing and ensuring that highly qualified teams are in place to support USAID Center for Education’s mission of enhancing educational systems to provide access to quality education for all learners, particularly in underserved and vulnerable communities, helping them gain the skills necessary for lifelong success. Before transitioning into government contracting, Angela served as program director for the Counselors for Computing program at the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), where she led national efforts to equip school counselors with resources to guide students into computing careers. Previously, she worked for 15 years as a school counselor in New Jersey, earning recognition as the 2017 New Jersey School Counselor of the Year for her contributions to the field. Passionate about integrating technology into educational practices, Angela contributed a chapter titled “The Effective Use of Technology in the Role of School Counselor” to the textbook School Counseling Internship: Bridging a Gap Between Training and Practice, which provides school counselors with practical guidance on leveraging digital tools to enhance their professional presence and streamline their practice.
Proudest Professional Accomplishment: “I became increasingly concerned that many students, even at a young age, had already developed perceptions about who belongs in computer science careers—often shaped by media portrayals. Young women and students of color frequently don’t “see” themselves in these fields, reinforcing ingrained biases about who is suited for technology- related careers. Given how integral technology is across industries, I felt compelled to actively address these biases and dismantle barriers. I co-authored two books: 50+ Tech Tools for School Counselors: How to Be More Engaging, Efficient, and Effective, a professional resource for educators, and Coding Capers: Luci and the Missing Robot, a children's STEM book about coding and the power of persistence. I aim to empower educators and school counselors —who are uniquely positioned as champions of equity within the K-12 ecosystem—to expose all students to computational thinking learning opportunities and provide equitable access to transformative computing careers, while also providing resources to engage students in meaningful conversations about the development side of the tools we use daily.”
WP Pride. “William Paterson University provided me with a solid foundation that has been instrumental in my professional success. The education program, combined with a strong focus on technical writing and enriched by the Humanities Honors Program, equipped me with the critical thinking and communication skills that are essential in project management. I was honored to receive a full scholarship, and without that support, I would not be where I am today. WP’s commitment to education as a pathway to success laid the groundwork for me to confidently transition into new roles throughout my career, from school counseling to leading large-scale government contracts focused on global education initiatives.”
