About Us

Our Story

WAM Academy

At WAM Academy, we’re bridging the mentoring gap by connecting thousands of Black, Brown, and diverse learners with mentors passionate about helping shape the future. Our revolutionary platform features on-demand video storytelling that will motivate youth and teach them the skills to prosper. It’s what we like to call the “WAM mentor effect,”—and it’s changing young lives, one story at a time.
our team

Leadership

Christopher King

Founder and CEO

Teresa Lasley

Program Design Partner

Mykel Ellis

Facilitation Partner

Shyanne Valentine

Curriculum and Learner Success

Janay Barnes

Marketing & Creative Partner

Lorenzo Brown, MSW

Facilitation Partner

Pervis Taylor, III

Facilitation Partner

Infinite

Advisors

Marie Prentice

Advisor

Jason Green

Advisor

Quinton Lampkin

Advisor

Alex Johnston

Advisor

Lledon Stokes

Advisor

Will Bruner

Advisor

Meagan Sunn

Advisor

Sara (Bartolino) Krachman

Advisor

Abner Oakes

Advisor

Ben Austin

Advisor

Erin O'leary

Advisor

A Timeline of WAM Academy's Impact and Growth

2016
Established

We Are Marcus LLC was established in Brooklyn, NY, with the Early College Initiative City University of New York WAM Pro and Harlem Village Academy pilot, as well as a Black Enterprise feature and market validation with 60 demo sign-ups from 10 states in a week.

2017

WAM received sponsorship from Village Capital and launched the Black Excellence Sale, along with the development of WAM Pro.

2018

2018 saw the implementation of the EL Haynes Charter School after-school wolfpack cohort in spring.

2019

WAM partnered with Conscious Venture Labs in Baltimore, Maryland, for a cohort and showcase, as well as with Hustle Lab and Eduk8 for an immersion program in St. Anne, Jamaica. A CTO was also hired.

2020

2020 brought participation in the 1863 Ventures program and feature, as well as student training at Hart Middle School and remote training of youth cohorts with the ABC Youth Foundation in California.

2021
WAM Impact Partners is Created

2021 marked the establishment of WAM Impact Partners 501C3 with donor support at $250k, research and design for WAM Academy, and an Education Pioneers fellowship.

2022

WAM Impact Partners received $850k donor support for WAM Academy research and design, as well as customer discovery for the education sector in the US and abroad.

2023

2023 brings the launch of WAM research and consulting, the Statesmen Academy College Prep for Boys in DC measuring love impact research, and deployment of the year-round platform. Additionally, WAM received the National Institute of Health Challenge.Gov award in 2019 to study the social determinants of health, substance disorders, and online mentoring, and was awarded by the Mayor DC and Greater Washington Economic Development in 2018 for a pitch competition at Inclusive Innovation Incubator (IN3), Howard University.