Alexis Coleman |  Executive Director

Alexis is a passionate and transformative educator that works tirelessly inspiring urban youth to strive for excellence. During her time as an educator for LAUSD, Alexis developed & supervised social fellowship, awareness campaign activities, and corporate sponsorship programs that secured donations to fund annual events and programs for over 4,000 students, parents, and local community members.

As Urban Scholar Academy’s co-founder & executive director, Alexis has developed and supervised “award winning” programs (Homework Club, Tutoring, Distance Learning & Seasonal Camps); growing the organization’s base from twelve to over six hundred families served, in which students grow 214% faster towards mastering math & reading Common Core standards and over 12,000 individualized tutoring sessions have been conducted.  

The honors and awards Alexis has received during her 18-year educational career exemplify her commitment to the community and education. Among these honors include being a recipient of the 2023 WWE Community Champion Award, 2022 Super Bowl LVI Legacy Champion Award , 2021 & 2020 Los Angeles Clippers’ “Community Hero” Award, 2020 Global Giving/Red Backpack National Female Entrepreneur Award & 2020 Faithful Central Bible Church’s “Most Innovative Teacher” Award; a 2019 Heah Girlfriend Network Business Entrepreneur honoree, a 2010 John Legend’s Show Me Campaign grant recipient, 2011 Seventy-Fourth Street Elementary School’s Making a Difference Award recipient and the 2007 AEMP Spirit Teacher of the Year award recipient.

Recently, Alexis was selected as one of twenty Black leaders within the nation to participate in the Institute of Nonprofit Practice’s Black Leadership Institute 18-month program (2022-2023). Additionally, she is also a member of the Community Response System of South Los Angeles (CRSSLA) and Los Angeles African-American Women’s Public Policy Institute (LAAAWPPI). Alexis received her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in African-American Studies (2002) and her Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum & Instruction (2004) from Howard University, Washington, D.C. Alexis is currently pursuing her Master of Educational Leadership degree at Capella University.

Imhotep Coleman | Film Academy & Development Director

Imhotep Coleman is an Assistant Director of television and motion pictures, and is a member of the Directors Guild of America. He has served on the production team of several critically acclaimed and commercially successful productions and is a trustee of the Directors Guild Assistant Directors/Producers Training Program.

When he is not leading a film or television crew, he is the founder of Urban Scholar Film Academy, a program dedicated to sharing the communal and collaborative process of filmmaking with urban youth. Imhotep is also a  Man of Valor for Faithful Central’s Bible Church “ Rites of Passage” youth development program.

Imhotep received his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Radio, Television, and Film (2001) from Howard University.  He and his wife Alexis are natives of Kansas City, Missouri, and currently reside in Inglewood, California. They are the proud parents of two boys who are loving and destined for success.