Our Team
Michael T.S. Wotorson
Michael Wotorson is executive director of the Campaign for High School Equity (CHSE), an unprecedented partnership of 10 of the nation’s leading civil rights and education organizations focused on high school education reform. He is responsible for overseeing the coalition’s federal policy agenda and its public outreach and education activities.
Michael has spent his career advocating in support of educational equality and civil rights, working for more than 15 years as a researcher, advocate, and policy analyst. Prior to joining CHSE, Michael was national education director for the NAACP, and has held positions at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Mid-Atlantic Equity Center, National Association of State Universities & Land-Grant Colleges, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund, Fair Employment Council of Greater Washington, and Anti-Defamation League.
Born and raised in West Africa, Michael holds Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees in political science from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. and a former general secretary of the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas.
May Kou Yang
May Kou Yang is a research and policy associate at the Campaign for High School Equity (CHSE), an unprecedented partnership of 10 of the nation’s leading civil rights and education organizations, where she helps to establish and advance the policy direction of CHSE through research and publication development.
Prior to joining CHSE, May was a consultant and editor in the Emergency Planning and Preparedness Unit in the Chancellor’s office at California Community College. In this position she was responsible for creating and editing the first Emergency Planning and Preparedness Newsletter, as well as compiling materials, information, and pictures for subsequent issues.
May gained policy analysis experience while serving as an executive fellow for the California Department of Education Capital Fellowship Program. She was responsible for tracking and analyzing California education legislation as well as recommending bill positions to the Government Affairs Deputy and Superintendent. She gained leadership experience as the president of the Laotian American Student Representatives Club at the University of California, Berkeley, and as vice president/North California representative of the Hmong Student Inter-Collegiate Coalition.
May graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Asian American and legal studies and a minor in education. She is fluent in both written and spoken Hmong.
Altagracia Espinal
Altagracia Espinal presently serves as the Executive Assistant to Michael Wotorson, Executive Director of the Campaign for High School Equity (CHSE). In this capacity, Ms. Espinal directly assists the Executive Director and staff with office management and logistical support. Additionally, Ms. Espinal provides direct support for the short and long term planning of CHSE partner meetings and national briefings.
Prior to joining the Campaign for High School Equity, Ms. Espinal served as the Administrative Assistant and event support staff for JLB Floral, Inc., a leading floral design company based in Alexandria, Virginia. During this time Ms. Espinal was also a freelance bilingual consultant. As an independent contractor, she worked closely with Hispanic Strategy Group, a Washington-based government relations firm. In this capacity, Ms. Espinal's efforts were primarily focused on working with the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), a premier Hispanic civil rights organization with an affiliate network of more than 300 community-based organizations. Ms. Espinal was responsible for providing direct planning and technical assistance for the NCLR Annual Conference that gathers over 20,000 people. Additionally, Ms. Espinal was contracted to provide planning and event management support for the production team of the NCLR ALMA Awards, the only English language awards show that honors Hispanic entertainers on a major television network. Her ability to manage high intensity projects and provide superior event management support has been instrumental to employers and clients she has worked with.
Ms. Espinal's experience and dynamic interpersonal skills are invaluable assets to her work. She has a commitment to people and service. She has been a massage therapist for over 8 years and, prior to her work as a freelance consultant, Ms. Espinal was a certified bilingual Realtor that specialized in assisting Hispanic families in the purchase of their first home.
As a member of the CHSE team, and a parent of two children, Ms. Espinal combines her professional commitments with her perspective as a parent in a work place that strives to establish greater educational opportunities for all children.