Hoover Education Success Initiative | Practitioner Council

For nearly 30 years, Jennifer Alexander has worked at the national, state, and local levels at the intersection of education policy, research, politics, philanthropy, and practice to ensure every student in every community gets the education needed to thrive. As PIE Network Executive Director, Jen works to support, connect, and catalyze the work of over 180 local, state, and national education policy advocacy organizations across the nation. Before joining PIE Network in 2019, Jen served as CEO of ConnCAN, a pacesetting model of effective state-level education advocacy. She began her career in Washington, DC, working in policy, research, and nonprofit leadership at the American Federation of Teachers and the American Institutes for Research. Jen is a graduate of George Peabody College at Vanderbilt University and holds a Master of Public Policy from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. She serves on the Board of Directors of Achievement First Amistad Academy, a public charter school in New Haven. Jen lives in Connecticut, and her most important title is Mom to her two daughters.

State Rep. Bob Behning has served in the Indiana House of Representatives since 1992 and represents House District 91, which includes portions of Marion and Hendricks counties. He was born and raised in Indianapolis and has been a proud Hoosier his entire life. In 1976, he received a BS degree from Indiana University. Throughout his tenure as a representative, he has advocated for education reform in Indiana. As chair of the House Education Committee, he led a multiyear effort to successfully pass the most comprehensive education reform package in the United States. Behning believes that all parents deserve the right to choose the school that best meets their child’s needs. In 2011, he authored legislation creating the School Choice Scholarship program, providing scholarships or vouchers to families who do not have the financial means to pay private school tuition. Indiana has the largest school voucher program in the United States. Behning currently works at Marian University as the director of external affairs for the Educators College.

Scott Bess serves on the Indiana State Board of Education, and is an education entrepreneur who has founded two innovative school models, serves as a consultant and advisor to multiple education organizations and recently founded the Indiana Charter Innovation Center, which is Indiana's charter association. Before that, he led the creation of Purdue Polytechnic High Schools (PPHS), designed to increase the pipeline of underrepresented minority students to Purdue University. Scott and his team redesigned the high school model, creating space for students to have a voice and choice in their work while also bringing rigor and equity into the student experience. Prior to coming to Purdue, Scott was President of Goodwill Education Initiatives (GEI). Under Scott’s leadership, GEI grew from a single, small high school to a network of schools serving over 7,000 students across Indiana and the United States. Scott began his career as a teacher and coach and served four terms as a member of his local school board. He received a bachelor’s degree in math education from Purdue and a master’s degree in teaching from Marian University, where he was a part of the Turnaround School Leadership program. He lives in Danville, Indiana with his wife Robin and enjoys hanging out with his four grown children and five grandchildren.

Dr. Holly Boffy is a member of the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, representing District 7. She was re-elected to serve a third term in 2019. Boffy founded EdTalents to support schools, districts, and organizations in building educator talent systems to attract, hire, place, develop, leverage, and retain strong teachers and leaders. Previously, Boffy spent six years with the Council of Chief State School Officers, supporting state education agencies with teacher and leader initiatives. She taught middle school for ten years, earned National Board Certification in 2006, and served as an adjunct instructor for the University of Louisiana–Lafayette. Boffy is the 2010 Louisiana State Teacher of the Year. She earned three degrees from Louisiana State University, including a bachelor of science, master of education, and education specialist in curriculum and instruction. She earned her doctorate from Walden University with a study on the implementation of student standards, Progression of Elementary Teachers in Implementing Language Arts Common Core State Standards.

Derrell Bradford is the president of 50CAN: The 50-State Campaign for Achievement Now. In his role, Derrell leads 50CAN’s SPARK work and trains and recruits local leaders across the country to serve as executive directors of state CANs, advocacy fellows, and citizen advocates. He also leads the National Voices fellowship which focuses on education policy, media, and political collaboration. Derrell previously served as the executive director at New Jersey’s Better Education for Kids, where he worked to secure passage of the tenure reform legislation TEACH NJ. Prior to B4K, Derrell spent nine years with New Jersey’s Excellent Education for Everyone (E3) as director of communications and then executive director. Derrell frequently contributes to education debates in print, digital, radio, and TV media. He serves on several boards, including Success Academy Charter Schools, yes. every kid., the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, the advisory boards of the Alliance for Catholic Education at Notre Dame and the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, the PIE Network, and was the founding board chair of EdBuild. A native of Baltimore, Derrell attended the St. Paul’s School for Boys and received a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania.

Manny Diaz Jr. serves as the interim president of the University of West Florida. A lifelong educator, Diaz began his career in 1994 as a social studies teacher and baseball coach in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. He later served as an assistant principal and advanced into higher education leadership as Chief Operating Officer at Doral College. Most recently, Diaz served as Florida’s Commissioner of Education, leading statewide efforts to improve educational outcomes, expand opportunities for students, and strengthen the state’s K–20 system. Prior to his statewide leadership, Diaz served in the Florida House of Representatives and Senate from 2012 to 2022.  He chaired the Choice and Innovation and the PreK–12 Education Appropriations Subcommittees and sat on the Education Committee as well as the K–12, Education Appropriation, and the Health Innovation Subcommittees. In 2018, Diaz was elected as state senator for District 36, and served as chair of the Education Committee as well as on several committees and subcommittees. Diaz holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Thomas University, a master’s degree in education from Nova Southeastern University, and completed a leadership program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Dr. Sydnee Dickson is a Special Assistant at the University of Utah College of Education. Prior to joining the University, Dickson served for eleven years as the state superintendent of public instruction. She previously served Utah public schools in roles including teaching, school counseling, and school and district administration. Dickson began her education in a two-room schoolhouse in rural Utah and went on to earn two master’s degrees in school counseling and school administration as well as a doctorate in education leadership and policy at the University of Utah. Dr. Dickson is a frequent participant on state and national committees, task forces, and boards, including serving on the board of trustees for the Council of Chief State School Officers and on the West Ed board of directors. Her professional expertise is grounded in engaging community partners, providing educators with evidence-based professional learning, and developing transformative school leadership. Dickson is passionate about developing equitable school systems to close achievement gaps and ensure students are prepared to have choices for their future.

Dr. Chad E. Gestson serves as the founding Executive Director of the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy, a collective impact group with a mission of cultivating solutions that drive educational and economic equity and prosperity in Arizona. He also serves as the Special Advisor to the President on K-12 Initiatives at Northern Arizona University. Gestson spent 22 years in K-12 education, most recently as Superintendent of Arizona’s largest high school district, Phoenix Union High School District. Gestson was formerly with the Broad Academy and Teach for America, and is a former member of Chiefs for Change. He has also served as a leadership director, high school principal, middle school principal, elementary school assistant principal, and teacher. Prior to his public education career, Gestson was a commercial construction superintendent. He holds a BA from the University of Washington, an MEd from Arizona State University, and an MEd and EdD from Northern Arizona University, where he was named the Outstanding Doctoral Student of the Year.

Michael Horn speaks and writes about the future of education and works with education organizations to improve the lives of students. A senior strategist at Guild Education, which creates partnerships to offer education and upskilling opportunities to America’s workforce, he is also cofounder and distinguished fellow of the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation. Horn has written multiple works on education, including Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns, Blended: Using Disruptive Innovation to Improve Schools, and, most recently, Choosing College, which aids students and parents in making better choices and schools in designing better experiences. He serves on the boards of the Robin Hood Learning+Tech Fund, and the LearnLaunch Institute; is an executive editor at Education Next; and is a venture partner at NextGen Venture Partners. Horn holds a BA in history from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Johnny Key served as the commissioner of the Arkansas Department of Education from 2015 to 2023. Key helped guide the agency in transforming Arkansas to lead the nation in student-focused education; and in providing leadership, support, and service to schools, districts, and communities so that every student graduates prepared for college, career, and community engagement. Key began his public service career in the Baxter County Quorum Court as a justice of the peace. Afterward, he was elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives and Arkansas Senate. During his state senate tenure, Key served on the Education Committee and served as chair for one term. Key graduated from University of Arkansas–Fayetteville in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering.

Christina Christopher, proud parent of four and grandparent of three, is a fierce advocate for children and families in our education system.  She currently serves the CEO of Bold Enterprises LLC, the Education Director of the National Action Network (a Civil Rights organization under the leadership of Reverend Al Sharpton), Trustee on the Board of Directors at Aspire Public Schools, and a community liaison for the Executive Order on White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans  She formerly served as Director of Policy and Legislation with National Parents Union, as Statewide Community Organizer for the California Policy Center and as local NAACP Education Chair.  With academic background in Political Science and Business Administration, a track record of advocacy on civil rights issues, and deep understanding of grassroots-community organizing, Christina empowers families to advocate for learning justice.  She elevates authentic family voices through articles and podcasts and now dedicates her life to training families in attacking persistent racial disparities in education. 

Patricia Levesque is the chief executive officer of the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd), a leading education policy organization founded by former Florida governor Jeb Bush. Working in more than 30 states across the nation, ExcelinEd develops customized student-centered solutions for policy makers seeking to transform education systems. Patricia is also executive director of ExcelinEd in Action, a national advocacy organization dedicated to turning bold, proven education reforms into reality. Levesque has served on the board of the Policy Innovators in Education Network and on the Florida Charter School Alliance, the External Advisory Committee for the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard, the Workforce Readiness Working Group for the Florida Talent and Development Council, and the Florida Government Efficiency Task Force. She previously served on the Florida Constitution Revision Commission (2018), the Florida Taxation and Budget Commission (2007–08), and the Florida Government Efficiency Task Force (2007), and was a Fellow Cohort 7 of the Pahara-Aspen Education Fellowship. Levesque has held leadership positions in education policy, including serving for nearly a decade in the Florida legislature and the executive office of the governor.

Dr. Eric G. Mackey serves as the Alabama State Superintendent of Education.  Since being named state superintendent in April 2018, Mackey has focused on innovative initiatives outlined in his strategic plan, Alabama Achieves, including the Alabama Literacy Act, STEM, Career Technical Education, and workforce development. Prior to being named State Superintendent, he served as Executive Director of the School Superintendents of Alabama, the professional association for local school system executives, for eight years. He began his career as a high school science teacher and then taught middle school science, where he discovered a passion for middle school education that continues to inform and influence his perspectives to this day.  He holds a bachelor’s degree from Jacksonville State University as well as a Master’s, Education Specialist, and Doctoral degrees from The University of Alabama.

David Mansouri is President & CEO of the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE). SCORE’s mission is to drive for changes that transform education – from kindergarten through postsecondary – so Tennessee students develop the knowledge and skills to succeed in school, college, career, and life. The nonprofit organization was founded in 2009 by former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and today works to prioritize a state education agenda, advocate for student-focused policy, support and invest in innovative education leaders and promising practices in both K-12 and higher education, and monitor progress and data to measure impact and identify challenges for students. Before joining the organization in 2010, David worked for the late US Senator Fred Thompson and Congressman Zach Wamp. In addition to his work at SCORE, David serves on the board of directors of the Policy Innovators in Education (PIE) Network and the Memphis Education Fund. He is an alumnus of the Pahara-Aspen Education Fellowship and Leadership Tennessee. A Tennessee native, David is a graduate of Rice University and received an MBA with honors from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management. 

Susan Patrick is a consultant and is the former President and CEO of Aurora Institute, a non-profit organization with the mission to drive the transformation of education systems and accelerate the advancement of breakthrough policies and practices to ensure high-quality learning for all. She is the former Director of the Office of Educational Technology at the U.S. Department of Education. Prior, Patrick served as legislative liaison for Governor Hull from Arizona. She served as legislative staff on Capitol Hill. She is a Pahara-Aspen Institute Fellow and an USA Eisenhower Fellow. She was awarded the AECT System Change Leader Award 2020 for making significant contributions to the evolution of learning, demonstrating systems thinking and positive impact aligned to future-focused education.

As Massachusetts secretary of education from 2015 to 2022, James Peyser directed the Executive Office of Education, which oversees early education, K-12, and higher education. He sat on each of the boards governing the commonwealth’s education agencies, as well as the University of Massachusetts system. He was Gov. Charlie Baker’s top adviser on education and helped shape the state’s education reform agenda. Before serving as secretary, Peyser was the managing director at NewSchools Venture Fund. He supported innovative education entrepreneurs in urban communities to transform public education. He chaired the Massachusetts Board of Education from 1999 to 2006. He also served as education adviser to governors Bill Weld, Jane Swift, and Mitt Romney. He developed state policies of standards and assessments, school accountability, and charter schools.

Charlene M. Russell-Tucker was appointed as Commissioner for the Connecticut State Department of Education in August 2021. Prior to becoming Commissioner, she served as the Department’s Deputy Commissioner, managing educational supports and wellness priorities, and as Chief Operating Officer overseeing the Office of Student Supports and Organizational Effectiveness. She also served as Associate Commissioner of Education and Bureau Chief within the department, overseeing a portfolio of programs and services that included student health, nutrition and safety, family engagement, afterschool efforts, adult education, special education, as well as Magnet and charter schools. Ms. Russell-Tucker earned a master's degree from Albertus Magnus College, formerly serving as an adjunct faculty member at the college’s School of New Dimensions.  
 

Angelika Schroeder is a member of the Colorado State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education. She formerly represented Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District on the Colorado State Board of Education. Appointed in January 2009 and re-elected three times, she was named chair in 2017. Schroeder earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and an MBA and PhD in accounting from the University of Colorado–Boulder. She is a former tax CPA and college professor of accounting. She has long been active in education issues at the local, state, and national levels. She was appointed in 1995 by then governor Roy Romer to Colorado’s Teacher and Special Services Professional Standards Board, and from 1999 to 2008 was a member of the Boulder Valley School Board, serving as treasurer and vice president. She has also served on the Colorado Association of School Boards and the Alliance for Quality Teaching. She is currently on the Education Leadership Council, a board member of the Colorado Public Education and Business Coalition, a recent Gates Foundation Fellow, and treasurer/secretary of the board of the National Association of State Boards of Education.

Dr. M. Jeremy Tucker has served the Liberty Public Schools community since 2014 as Superintendent of Schools. He possesses a unique perspective from a lifetime of learning experiences overseas as well as in the United States. He was identified as a “20 to Watch” educator for 2016-2017 by the National School Boards Association and named the Missouri Superintendent of the Year in 2019. During his time in LPS, the District opened EPiC Elementary (2022 National Blue Ribbon School), partnered with industry to create Kansas City Tech Academy, established the UnSchool Challenge, and created micro-schools within several secondary schools. Dr. Tucker has led the LPS community in designing a Graduate Profile, establishing a Vivid Vision, and development of an equity-centered strategic plan. Believing that we are each positioned for purpose, he strives to advance innovative learning experiences for all through his advocacy and service as a facilitator of the Success Ready Students Network, founding board member of Third Culture Kids International Academy, and appointee to the Missouri Governor’s Competency-Based Learning Taskforce. Dr. Tucker completed his EdD in Educational Leadership through Saint Louis University.

Margie Vandeven serves as the Education Branch Chief for the Missouri Department of Conservation. A lifelong educator dedicated to improving lives through learning, Margie has provided education leadership in classrooms, in schools, and in state and national roles assumed throughout her career. Dr. Vandeven joined the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in 2005. She was appointed commissioner of elementary and secondary education by the Missouri State Board of Education in December 2014 and served in that capacity until December 2017. She was reappointed in January 2019. During the interim, Vandeven worked as the director of educational partnerships for the SAS Institute in Cary, North Carolina. Vandeven earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Missouri State University and a master’s degree in educational administration and supervision from Loyola University Maryland. She received a doctorate of philosophy in educational leadership from Saint Louis University and has been recognized by Missouri State University and Saint Louis University as a distinguished alumna.

Jenn Vranek is an expert in district, state, and federal education policy, politics, and advocacy. Over the last 20 years, she has worked with K–12 and postsecondary school educators, policy makers, and philanthropists in more than 30 states. She has advised many national foundations and education organizations such as the Aspen Institute, Achieve, American Federation of Teachers, Council of Chief State School Officers, Data Quality Campaign, Educators 4 Excellence, Thomas B. Fordham Institute, National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, Teach Plus, and the US Department of Education. Before starting Education First, Jenn made advocacy grants at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, led and lobbied state legislators for Washington State’s Partnership for Learning, cofounded the Washington, DC, office of Achieve, and researched academic standards at the American Federation of Teachers. Honored as one of Puget Sound Business Journal’s “40 under 40” in 2010, she also volunteers as vice chair of the Danielson Group board of directors and as an advisory board and PAC board member for Washington’s Stand for Children. Jenn earned her MPP from Georgetown University and her AB from the College of William & Mary.
 

Dr. Carey M. Wright was appointed State Superintendent of Schools by the Maryland State Board of Education in April 2024. A native Marylander, she previously served for nine years as State Superintendent of Education for Mississippi. Under her leadership, Mississippi initiated aggressive education reforms that increased literacy skills in pre-K through 3rd grade, pushed student achievement on the National Assessment of Educational Progress to a faster improvement rate than that of most other states, and increased the graduation rate to an all-time high of 84 percent. Wright spearheaded initiatives in Mississippi that nearly doubled the Advancement Placement participation and success rate, resulted in significant annual gains in English language arts and mathematics proficiency, and earned Mississippi annual recognition from the National Institute for Early Education Research as one of only seven states meeting all or most quality standards for early childhood education. Wright is a member of the National Assessment Governing Board, past president of the board of directors of the Council of Chief State School Officers, and a Chiefs for Change board member. In 2022, Wright earned the Mississippi Top 50 Most Influential Leaders Award.

Dr. Caprice Young is Chief Executive Officer and Superintendent of Navigator Schools. Caprice's leadership experience spans multi-state and international operations, instruction, technology, finance, philanthropy, educating high-need students, advocacy, and organizations undergoing significant transformations. She has led five charter public school systems ranging from 1,750 to 49,000 students and four to 85 school sites. She received the Coro Crystal Eagle for Excellence in Public Service, the California State University Los Angeles K-12 Educator of the Year award, and the National Charter School Hall of Fame membership. She is the former president of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education (1999-2003) and the founding CEO of the California Charter Schools Association. She graduated from Yale University, received her masters from USC, and her doctorate from UCLA.