FUTURE CHIEFS
Dr. T. Nakia Towns is the chief of staff at the Hamilton County Department of Education in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In her current role, Dr. Towns provides leadership and support to the Superintendent’s executive cabinet to ensure that the district’s strategic goals and objectives are met. She oversees communications, community engagement, external relations, accountability, strategic planning, and federal programs. She coordinates across all departments in the district towards continuously improving academic achievement and postsecondary opportunities for students.
Prior to joining Hamilton County, Dr. Towns was assistant commissioner, division of data and research, at the Tennessee Department of Education. During her time at the department, she served on the executive leadership team and helped set the strategic direction for pre-K-12 educational policy through her work in developing the state’s highly regarded plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act. Dr. Towns, who believes access to a high-quality public education is the civil rights issue of our time, spearheaded her division’s efforts in promoting both equity and excellence in Tennessee public schools.
Dr. Towns also served as chief accountability officer for Knox County Schools (KCS). Her professional scope included research and evaluation, federal programs, and TAP, a system for teacher and student advancement. Dr. Towns was instrumental in launching the district’s teacher evaluation model and strategic compensation plan as a director in human resources. This work in human resources facilitated her involvement in developing aspiring school leaders via the district’s partnership with the University of Tennessee Leadership Academy.
Dr. Towns began her career in the fields of technology and finance, assuming roles of increasing responsibility at IBM, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo Bank. While in the private sector, she also co-founded a non-profit after-school tutoring and intervention program in rural south Georgia, continuing her lifelong commitment to public education. Her work as volunteer teacher in the after-school program ultimately inspired her to pursue the field of education as her full-time passion and profession.
At Duke University, Dr. Towns completed a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering and an M.B.A. in the Fuqua School of Business. She also earned an M.Ed. in educational leadership from The Broad Center for Education Management and a doctorate of education in K-12 leadership and policy from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.
Watch T. share her personal story
ROBERT GREGORY
Acting Superintendent of Schools, Hillside Public School District
New Jersey
Read MoreRobert Gregory, a native son and product of public schools in the city of Newark and Hillside, has over 22 years of experience in Education.
Gregory spent a year as the CEO/Superintendent of Marion P. Thomas Charter School located in Newark, New Jersey. Prior to being at the helm at MPTCS, Robert served as an educator in the Newark Public Schools for 21 years.
He is the former Interim Superintendent of the Newark Public Schools, a role he assumed on February 1, 2018, after two decades of State operation and control.
After attending Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Newark, Gregory’s mother moved him outside of the city in search of quality schools. He attended Walter O. Krumbiegel School in Hillside from 4th to 7th grade prior to relocating to suburban Philadelphia. His career in Newark has been dedicated to conquering inequities and ensuring families aren’t forced to leave their city or town to attend quality schools.
Prior to serving as Interim, Robert was appointed the Deputy Superintendent of the Newark Public Schools in June of 2017 where he oversaw the revision of the strategic planning process and managed the professional development of school principals and assistant superintendents while supporting the district’s successful transition to local control. Under his leadership the district saw an increase in SAT scores, enrollment in AP and Dual Enrollment Courses, and NJSLA outcomes in ELA and Math. Previously, Mr. Gregory served as the Assistant Superintendent of NPS High Schools for 2 years, where the district experienced an increase in graduation rates of nearly 20 points during his tenure. He also served as a teacher, teacher coach, supervisor and principal.
Robert is the founding principal of American History High School, established in 2007. The school became the fifth magnet school in Newark and first of its kind in New Jersey. As Principal, Gregory maintained a 94% or above graduation rate of which at least 90% of his students gained admissions and attended college. Under Gregory’s leadership, American History High School was ranked amongst the nation’s best high schools receiving its first Silver Medal and National Ranking in the 2015 U.S. News World Report’s Best High Schools in America.
Mr. Gregory graduated from West Chester University in Pennsylvania with a BA in Secondary Education, Social Studies and is a graduate of Seton Hall University with an MA in Educational Leadership and Management. He is the proud father of three children ranging from school-aged to a teenager. Education runs in his family; his father was a teacher; vice principal and principal in Newark for 25 years.
With over 20 years of service to the city of Newark, Robert is excited to return to Hillside and is determined to ensure all students are afforded a quality public education that will enable them to thrive in a competitive 21st century global economy.
Watch Robert share his personal story
HARRISON PETERS
State Turnaround Superintendent, Providence Public School District
Rhode Island
Read MoreHarrison Peters, a member of Chief For Change’s third Future Chief cohort, was appointed as the State Turnaround Superintendent of Providence Public Schools in January 2020.
Before moving to Providence, Mr. Peters was the Deputy Superintendent/Chief of Schools for Hillsborough County Schools (Florida) and oversaw the day-to-day operations of the district’s 250 schools that educate 220,000 students. His team of eight area superintendents, 850 administrators, and 15,000 teachers achieved record-breaking graduation rates, industry certifications, and college scholarships, as well as a significant reduction in the student achievement gap.
Mr. Peters was raised by his grandmother in Pensacola, Florida. Her formal education ended in second grade, but she raised Harrison to value education. Mr. Peters’s drive for education was sparked by one 10th grade teacher who said he was not college material and another who said, “I love you, I believe in you, and I refuse to allow you to fail.” He learned then that what we tell our children absolutely matters. With student success as his “north star,” Peters is convinced that within every child lies an endless potential that, when given the right support, can produce extraordinary results. That experience and belief has guided his work to always put children first for more than two decades in education.
He began his career as a 4th and 5th grade teacher in Apopka, Florida. Since that formative time in the classroom, he served in many leadership roles (including Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, Principal, Assistant Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, and Chief of Schools) before being named to his current role. His work in large school districts, including Charlotte Mecklenburg, Chicago Public, Houston Independent, and Hillsborough County (Tampa), afforded him the opportunities and challenges of transforming some of the toughest schools in the country.
As Chief of Schools on the Southside of Chicago, Mr. Peters was credited with significantly increasing ACT scores, 3rd grade reading, math proficiency, and graduation rates. As a Chief School Officer in Houston, he was part of the leadership team that led a majority vote in favor of a $1.9 billion bond, the largest in the history of the state. While in Houston, he was also awarded the “Outstanding Educator” award by Zeta Tau Lambda. A proud veteran of the United States Navy, Harrison served on the USS Cleveland.
He brings that experience and track record of success to his role in Providence, where the state has committed to a comprehensive effort to transform the city’s schools.
Watch Harrison share his personal story
DERRICK CHAU
Sr. Executive Director, P-12 Instruction, Los Angeles Unified School District
California
Read MoreDerrick Chau, Ph.D. is the Senior Executive Director of Instruction in the Los Angeles Unified School District. In this role, Dr. Derrick Chau oversees curriculum, instruction and assessment policy for early childhood through high schools in LAUSD serving over 500,000 students. Prior to joining the LAUSD, Dr. Chau was a founding teacher, founding principal and the Vice President of Instruction in the Alliance College-Ready Public Schools. Dr. Chau began his career as a Teach for America corps member teaching high school science in the Long Beach Unified School District. Dr. Chau spent five years conducting education research, earning his Ph.D. in education from the University of Southern California and earning a RAND/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship in Education Policy at the RAND Corporation.
As the founding principal of the Alliance Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science High School, an early college high school in collaboration with California State University, Los Angeles, Dr. Chau led the school to recognition as a California Distinguished School and a ranking of #40 out of all California high schools in the 2011 Washington Post High School Challenge. In addition to his Ph.D. from USC, Dr. Chau has a master’s degree in Secondary Education from Loyola Marymount University.
Watch Derrick share his personal story
Dr. Rob Anderson, a member of Chiefs for Change’s third Future Chief cohort, is a passionate and dedicated educator with deep experience at every level of public education over the last two decades.
After graduating from the University of Central Florida, Rob started his career as a Title I math and science teacher in Orlando, Florida and went on to serve in several leadership roles within the Orange County Public School system – as a department chair, administrative dean, assistant principal and then a high school principal for eight years.
He moved to Fulton County six years ago to work at the district level to support schools throughout the county. During this time, Rob has served as the Area Executive Director for the Central Learning Community, Chief of Staff, Area Superintendent for the Northeast Learning Community and for the past three years as Deputy Superintendent of Academics.
He was responsible for the Academics division, including Teaching and Learning, Student Support Services, School Accountability and Governance, Information Technology, four Learning Communities and the Achievement Zone serving 14,000 employees, 102 schools and 96,500 students.
In his current role, Dr. Anderson is the Superintendent of Boulder Valley School District.
Rob and his wife Jessica have two children who attend Fulton County Schools and are proud residents of Fulton County.
Watch Rob share his personal story
KARLA ESTRADA
Director of Education, California Collaborative for Educational Excellence
California
Read MoreCurrently, Dr. Karla Estrada is the Director of Education at the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence. Formerly she was the Deputy Superintendent of the Office of Academic and Student Support for Equity Team (ASSET) in Boston Public Schools, which includes the Offices of Opportunity and Achievement Gap, English Language Learners, Special Education Services, and Social Emotional Learning and Wellness. She has spent 20 years in education as an educator and administrator committed to creating educational opportunities for all students. Her leadership in working with schools and partnering with staff supported the transformation of systems driven on compliance to those engaged in attaining successful instructional outcomes for all students. Dr. Estrada has served as a strategic support team member for special education district reviews, and has presented nationally in the area of establishing multi-tiered systems of support, including school wide positive behavior support. She has provided professional development to district leaders, principals, teachers, paraprofessionals, and parents in meeting the instructional needs of students grounded in rigor, addressing exclusionary disciplinary practices, and the disproportionate representation of culturally and linguistically diverse students in special education.
As an educational leader, Dr. Estrada is committed to ensuring the educational success of all students. She believes that being an education partner with students, families, communities, and fellow educators is essential to creating the opportunities needed to achieve this success for all. Dr. Estrada leads by establishing systems and building capacity of stakeholders. Until recently, her administrative career in the Los Angeles Unified School District involved working with local and central support for over 135 schools in the Intensive Support and Innovation Center where schools with the most autonomy and/or highest needs were successful in raising the graduation rate.
Dr. Estrada attained her doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from Loyola Marymount University by examining the relationship between English language development and the over 22,000 English learners with specific learning disabilities in an urban school district. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and holds multiple credentials in instruction and administration. Karla is committed to creating educational opportunities and access for all children and supporting students, families, community members, and educators toward this common goal.
Watch Karla share her personal story
PENNY NIXON
Superintendent/Senior Executive Vice President, Universal Companies
Pennsylvania
Read MoreDr. Penny Nixon currently serves as the Superintendent of Schools for Universal Education Companies. Dr. Nixon is responsible for managing all aspects of Universal Schools and improving the quality of education. Dr. Nixon is proud of Universal’s unique focus on the whole child, students’ awareness of self, community involvement, and community transformation.
Dr. Nixon has been able to apply her knowledge and experience from her previous roles as a district-level and school-level leader to advance her work at Universal. A servant leader, Dr. Nixon’s strengths are in improving student achievement through building leadership capacity and advocating for the most vulnerable students in the City of Philadelphia. She has also found success in maximizing partnerships with community based organizations, the business community, educational agencies, and institutions of higher education that result in a system that supports students in reaching their post-secondary dreams.
A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Nixon has stood in the forefront of issues that support equity and excellence for every child. She is passionate and committed to leading school systems that ensure that low-income students have access to a high-quality public education that connects them to a path that leads to college and career readiness.
Throughout her twenty-four year career, Dr. Nixon also served as a Regional Superintendent, where she developed, supported and evaluated principals; Academic Coach where she coached and collaborated with school staff to improve learning outcomes; principal, teacher and facilitator where she worked tirelessly to improve school culture, engage parents and community, and create instructional consistency in every classroom.
Receiving a great deal of recognition for her work in championing equity, access and excellence for all students, Dr. Nixon was awarded the Phi Delta Kappa International University of Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Educational Leadership Award, the Schoolmen’s Club President’s Award, the Philadelphia Tribune Women Achieving Award, Joan Shepp’s Woman of Substance and Style Award, the Philadelphia Coaches Association Administrator of the Year Award, and Philadelphia Frontier’s International Community Service Award.
Dr. Nixon’s scholarly and professional work focuses on issues of whole school improvement, principal retention and development, urban school-turnaround, community schools, and school leadership pipelines.
Dr. Nixon’s commitment to children and the community extends far beyond the scope of her work in education. She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated where she serves as the 2nd Vice President and actively participates on various committees.
Dr. Nixon and her husband Derek have three sons – Zhair, Nassir, and Ahmad. Zhair and Nassir attend West Chester University and Ahmad attends Temple University.
Watch Penny share her personal story
Dr. Jesús Jara has a lifelong passion for creating better opportunities for all children through education. That passion has roots in his own childhood, having moved from Venezuela to Miami. As an English Language Learner, Dr. Jara faced many obstacles and challenges as he acclimated to the United States; however, his teachers were compassionate, inclusive and set high expectations for all students. They were a critical factor in his success.
The Board of School Trustees of the Clark County School District (CCSD) appointed Dr. Jara as superintendent effective June, 2018. Dr. Jara immediately started meeting with employees, families and community leaders to explore the needs of a 358 school district with over 320,000 students. Dr. Jara has pledged to accelerate the work at CCSD — such as growth in the graduation rate, Advanced Placement (AP) participation, and the expansion of Magnet programs — with a focus on student achievement. After a period of academic and operational review and extensive engagement with internal and external stakeholders, Dr. Jara will work with the Board of School Trustees on a revised strategic plan with more specific goals to accelerate student success.
Dr. Jara has been serving public school students for over 20 years. He previously served as the deputy superintendent for Orange County Public Schools in Florida for six years. As deputy superintendent, he functioned as the superintendent’s designee. He oversaw five area superintendents and the division of Teaching and Learning, including all programs from early childhood to adult education. With his assistance, Orlando’s achievement gap narrowed faster than 90 percent of major cities across the United States, according to Education Quality Index.
During his two-year tenure as the former superintendent and chief operations officer in Monroe County Public Schools, the district increased participation and performance in Advanced Placement and Algebra I. As executive director of the College Board’s Florida Partnership, Dr. Jara was responsible for coordinating College Board services to provide equity and access to minority and underrepresented students across the state. Dr. Jara also served as a liaison between the College Board, the governor’s office, state department, districts and schools.
He began his career in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, where he was a bilingual biology teacher and coach, before moving to Springfield, Mass., where he served as assistant principal and principal. As principal of the High School of Science and Technology, he improved Advanced Placement course offerings and graduation rate. In 2005, the high school was a semifinalist for a College Board Inspiration Award.
Dr. Jara has been a successful executive in the private sector as well as a school administrator and district leader in two states. He intends to become an active member of the community, serving on the board of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance.
He received his Doctorate in Education, Educational Policy, Leadership and Administration from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
Watch Jesus share his personal story
Penny Schwinn, a member of Chiefs for Change’s third Future Chief cohort, has made education her life’s work. She currently serves as Education Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Education. Schwinn was previously the Chief Deputy Commissioner of Academics at the Texas Education Agency (TEA), and over the last fifteen years has served in senior roles at the state, district, and school levels.
Schwinn began her work in education through Teach For America as a high school teacher in Baltimore, MD and a new teacher coach in south Los Angeles. She transitioned into the private sector to develop a deeper capacity for business, where she supervised work in the finance, operations, marketing, and information departments for a multinational corporation. She later moved home to Sacramento to begin the Building Excellent Schools (BES) Fellowship, while acting as the Senior Consultant and Director of Student Achievement for the Superintendent for St. HOPE Public Schools. Through the BES Fellowship, she founded Capitol Collegiate, which produced exceptional results for traditionally underserved students (highest performing Title I or similar school in Sacramento).
As the Assistant Superintendent of Performance Management in Sacramento City Unified, Schwinn used a community planning process to develop the county’s first districtwide accountability system. Further, she designed the first localized school choice calculator in the country, ran the Principal Development Program, oversaw district testing, and served as a lead on the CORE Waiver. Later, as the Associate Secretary of Education in Delaware, Schwinn led multiple departments geared towards improving the quality of information provided to schools, as well as the strategic investment of resources towards accelerated student achievement. She further led the statewide Offices of Assessment, Performance Management, School Turnaround, Accountability, and Data Management.
As the Chief Deputy Commissioner at TEA, Schwinn oversaw the statewide assessment system; Performance Reporting (accountability); Research and Analysis; Curriculum, Digital and Blended Learning; Instructional Materials, the Office of State Board of Education Support; Early Childhood Education; Elementary and Middle School Programs; College, Career and Military Preparation and CTE; Special Education; English Learner and Bilingual Education; Gifted and Twice Exceptional; At-Risk, Highly-Mobile; Homeless and Foster Youth; Monitoring; and Special Projects.
Schwinn earned her BA from UC Berkeley, her MA from Johns Hopkins University, and her PhD in Education Policy from Claremont Graduate University. She was a Fellow with the Broad Academy, a senior consultant with America Achieves, and served as a Commissioner for Sacramento County Parks and Recreation. Schwinn was elected as a Trustee to the Sacramento County Board of Education and has served on the boards of several organizations and committees.
Watch Penny share her personal story
COHORT 3
Cohort at-a-Glance
- 89% leaders of color
- 100% current or former state and local education leaders
- 100% committed to ensuring all students have a quality education
Future Chiefs Programming
Nominate a Future Chief
Future Chiefs in the News
Read Announcement of Cohort 3
COHORT 3
Cohort at-a-Glance
- 89% leaders of color
- 100% current or former state and local education leaders
- 100% committed to ensuring all students have a quality education
Future Chiefs Programming
Nominate a Future Chief
Future Chiefs in the News
Read Announcement of Cohort 3
Dr. T. Nakia Towns is the chief of staff at the Hamilton County Department of Education in Chattanooga, Tennessee. In her current role, Dr. Towns provides leadership and support to the Superintendent’s executive cabinet to ensure that the district’s strategic goals and objectives are met. She oversees communications, community engagement, external relations, accountability, strategic planning, and federal programs. She coordinates across all departments in the district towards continuously improving academic achievement and postsecondary opportunities for students.
Prior to joining Hamilton County, Dr. Towns was assistant commissioner, division of data and research, at the Tennessee Department of Education. During her time at the department, she served on the executive leadership team and helped set the strategic direction for pre-K-12 educational policy through her work in developing the state’s highly regarded plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act. Dr. Towns, who believes access to a high-quality public education is the civil rights issue of our time, spearheaded her division’s efforts in promoting both equity and excellence in Tennessee public schools.
Dr. Towns also served as chief accountability officer for Knox County Schools (KCS). Her professional scope included research and evaluation, federal programs, and TAP, a system for teacher and student advancement. Dr. Towns was instrumental in launching the district’s teacher evaluation model and strategic compensation plan as a director in human resources. This work in human resources facilitated her involvement in developing aspiring school leaders via the district’s partnership with the University of Tennessee Leadership Academy.
Dr. Towns began her career in the fields of technology and finance, assuming roles of increasing responsibility at IBM, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo Bank. While in the private sector, she also co-founded a non-profit after-school tutoring and intervention program in rural south Georgia, continuing her lifelong commitment to public education. Her work as volunteer teacher in the after-school program ultimately inspired her to pursue the field of education as her full-time passion and profession.
At Duke University, Dr. Towns completed a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering and an M.B.A. in the Fuqua School of Business. She also earned an M.Ed. in educational leadership from The Broad Center for Education Management and a doctorate of education in K-12 leadership and policy from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University.
Watch T. share her personal story
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Robert Gregory, a native son and product of public schools in the city of Newark and Hillside, has over 22 years of experience in Education.
Gregory spent a year as the CEO/Superintendent of Marion P. Thomas Charter School located in Newark, New Jersey. Prior to being at the helm at MPTCS, Robert served as an educator in the Newark Public Schools for 21 years.
He is the former Interim Superintendent of the Newark Public Schools, a role he assumed on February 1, 2018, after two decades of State operation and control.
After attending Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Newark, Gregory’s mother moved him outside of the city in search of quality schools. He attended Walter O. Krumbiegel School in Hillside from 4th to 7th grade prior to relocating to suburban Philadelphia. His career in Newark has been dedicated to conquering inequities and ensuring families aren’t forced to leave their city or town to attend quality schools.
Prior to serving as Interim, Robert was appointed the Deputy Superintendent of the Newark Public Schools in June of 2017 where he oversaw the revision of the strategic planning process and managed the professional development of school principals and assistant superintendents while supporting the district’s successful transition to local control. Under his leadership the district saw an increase in SAT scores, enrollment in AP and Dual Enrollment Courses, and NJSLA outcomes in ELA and Math. Previously, Mr. Gregory served as the Assistant Superintendent of NPS High Schools for 2 years, where the district experienced an increase in graduation rates of nearly 20 points during his tenure. He also served as a teacher, teacher coach, supervisor and principal.
Robert is the founding principal of American History High School, established in 2007. The school became the fifth magnet school in Newark and first of its kind in New Jersey. As Principal, Gregory maintained a 94% or above graduation rate of which at least 90% of his students gained admissions and attended college. Under Gregory’s leadership, American History High School was ranked amongst the nation’s best high schools receiving its first Silver Medal and National Ranking in the 2015 U.S. News World Report’s Best High Schools in America.
Mr. Gregory graduated from West Chester University in Pennsylvania with a BA in Secondary Education, Social Studies and is a graduate of Seton Hall University with an MA in Educational Leadership and Management. He is the proud father of three children ranging from school-aged to a teenager. Education runs in his family; his father was a teacher; vice principal and principal in Newark for 25 years.
With over 20 years of service to the city of Newark, Robert is excited to return to Hillside and is determined to ensure all students are afforded a quality public education that will enable them to thrive in a competitive 21st century global economy.
Watch Robert share his personal story
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Harrison Peters, a member of Chief For Change’s third Future Chief cohort, was appointed as the State Turnaround Superintendent of Providence Public Schools in January 2020.
Before moving to Providence, Mr. Peters was the Deputy Superintendent/Chief of Schools for Hillsborough County Schools (Florida) and oversaw the day-to-day operations of the district’s 250 schools that educate 220,000 students. His team of eight area superintendents, 850 administrators, and 15,000 teachers achieved record-breaking graduation rates, industry certifications, and college scholarships, as well as a significant reduction in the student achievement gap.
Mr. Peters was raised by his grandmother in Pensacola, Florida. Her formal education ended in second grade, but she raised Harrison to value education. Mr. Peters’s drive for education was sparked by one 10th grade teacher who said he was not college material and another who said, “I love you, I believe in you, and I refuse to allow you to fail.” He learned then that what we tell our children absolutely matters. With student success as his “north star,” Peters is convinced that within every child lies an endless potential that, when given the right support, can produce extraordinary results. That experience and belief has guided his work to always put children first for more than two decades in education.
He began his career as a 4th and 5th grade teacher in Apopka, Florida. Since that formative time in the classroom, he served in many leadership roles (including Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, Principal, Assistant Superintendent, Deputy Superintendent, and Chief of Schools) before being named to his current role. His work in large school districts, including Charlotte Mecklenburg, Chicago Public, Houston Independent, and Hillsborough County (Tampa), afforded him the opportunities and challenges of transforming some of the toughest schools in the country.
As Chief of Schools on the Southside of Chicago, Mr. Peters was credited with significantly increasing ACT scores, 3rd grade reading, math proficiency, and graduation rates. As a Chief School Officer in Houston, he was part of the leadership team that led a majority vote in favor of a $1.9 billion bond, the largest in the history of the state. While in Houston, he was also awarded the “Outstanding Educator” award by Zeta Tau Lambda. A proud veteran of the United States Navy, Harrison served on the USS Cleveland.
He brings that experience and track record of success to his role in Providence, where the state has committed to a comprehensive effort to transform the city’s schools.
Watch Harrison share his personal story
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Derrick Chau, Ph.D. is the Senior Executive Director of Instruction in the Los Angeles Unified School District. In this role, Dr. Derrick Chau oversees curriculum, instruction and assessment policy for early childhood through high schools in LAUSD serving over 500,000 students. Prior to joining the LAUSD, Dr. Chau was a founding teacher, founding principal and the Vice President of Instruction in the Alliance College-Ready Public Schools. Dr. Chau began his career as a Teach for America corps member teaching high school science in the Long Beach Unified School District. Dr. Chau spent five years conducting education research, earning his Ph.D. in education from the University of Southern California and earning a RAND/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship in Education Policy at the RAND Corporation.
As the founding principal of the Alliance Marc & Eva Stern Math and Science High School, an early college high school in collaboration with California State University, Los Angeles, Dr. Chau led the school to recognition as a California Distinguished School and a ranking of #40 out of all California high schools in the 2011 Washington Post High School Challenge. In addition to his Ph.D. from USC, Dr. Chau has a master’s degree in Secondary Education from Loyola Marymount University.
Watch Derrick share his personal story
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Dr. Rob Anderson, a member of Chiefs for Change’s third Future Chief cohort, is a passionate and dedicated educator with deep experience at every level of public education over the last two decades.
After graduating from the University of Central Florida, Rob started his career as a Title I math and science teacher in Orlando, Florida and went on to serve in several leadership roles within the Orange County Public School system – as a department chair, administrative dean, assistant principal and then a high school principal for eight years.
He moved to Fulton County six years ago to work at the district level to support schools throughout the county. During this time, Rob has served as the Area Executive Director for the Central Learning Community, Chief of Staff, Area Superintendent for the Northeast Learning Community and for the past three years as Deputy Superintendent of Academics.
He was responsible for the Academics division, including Teaching and Learning, Student Support Services, School Accountability and Governance, Information Technology, four Learning Communities and the Achievement Zone serving 14,000 employees, 102 schools and 96,500 students.
In his current role, Dr. Anderson is the Superintendent of Boulder Valley School District.
Rob and his wife Jessica have two children who attend Fulton County Schools and are proud residents of Fulton County.
Watch Rob share his personal story
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Currently, Dr. Karla Estrada is the Director of Education at the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence. Formerly she was the Deputy Superintendent of the Office of Academic and Student Support for Equity Team (ASSET) in Boston Public Schools, which includes the Offices of Opportunity and Achievement Gap, English Language Learners, Special Education Services, and Social Emotional Learning and Wellness. She has spent 20 years in education as an educator and administrator committed to creating educational opportunities for all students. Her leadership in working with schools and partnering with staff supported the transformation of systems driven on compliance to those engaged in attaining successful instructional outcomes for all students. Dr. Estrada has served as a strategic support team member for special education district reviews, and has presented nationally in the area of establishing multi-tiered systems of support, including school wide positive behavior support. She has provided professional development to district leaders, principals, teachers, paraprofessionals, and parents in meeting the instructional needs of students grounded in rigor, addressing exclusionary disciplinary practices, and the disproportionate representation of culturally and linguistically diverse students in special education.
As an educational leader, Dr. Estrada is committed to ensuring the educational success of all students. She believes that being an education partner with students, families, communities, and fellow educators is essential to creating the opportunities needed to achieve this success for all. Dr. Estrada leads by establishing systems and building capacity of stakeholders. Until recently, her administrative career in the Los Angeles Unified School District involved working with local and central support for over 135 schools in the Intensive Support and Innovation Center where schools with the most autonomy and/or highest needs were successful in raising the graduation rate.
Dr. Estrada attained her doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from Loyola Marymount University by examining the relationship between English language development and the over 22,000 English learners with specific learning disabilities in an urban school district. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and holds multiple credentials in instruction and administration. Karla is committed to creating educational opportunities and access for all children and supporting students, families, community members, and educators toward this common goal.
Watch Karla share her personal story
Read About our Future Chiefs in the News
Dr. Penny Nixon currently serves as the Superintendent of Schools for Universal Education Companies. Dr. Nixon is responsible for managing all aspects of Universal Schools and improving the quality of education. Dr. Nixon is proud of Universal’s unique focus on the whole child, students’ awareness of self, community involvement, and community transformation.
Dr. Nixon has been able to apply her knowledge and experience from her previous roles as a district-level and school-level leader to advance her work at Universal. A servant leader, Dr. Nixon’s strengths are in improving student achievement through building leadership capacity and advocating for the most vulnerable students in the City of Philadelphia. She has also found success in maximizing partnerships with community based organizations, the business community, educational agencies, and institutions of higher education that result in a system that supports students in reaching their post-secondary dreams.
A first-generation college graduate, Dr. Nixon has stood in the forefront of issues that support equity and excellence for every child. She is passionate and committed to leading school systems that ensure that low-income students have access to a high-quality public education that connects them to a path that leads to college and career readiness.
Throughout her twenty-four year career, Dr. Nixon also served as a Regional Superintendent, where she developed, supported and evaluated principals; Academic Coach where she coached and collaborated with school staff to improve learning outcomes; principal, teacher and facilitator where she worked tirelessly to improve school culture, engage parents and community, and create instructional consistency in every classroom.
Receiving a great deal of recognition for her work in championing equity, access and excellence for all students, Dr. Nixon was awarded the Phi Delta Kappa International University of Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Educational Leadership Award, the Schoolmen’s Club President’s Award, the Philadelphia Tribune Women Achieving Award, Joan Shepp’s Woman of Substance and Style Award, the Philadelphia Coaches Association Administrator of the Year Award, and Philadelphia Frontier’s International Community Service Award.
Dr. Nixon’s scholarly and professional work focuses on issues of whole school improvement, principal retention and development, urban school-turnaround, community schools, and school leadership pipelines.
Dr. Nixon’s commitment to children and the community extends far beyond the scope of her work in education. She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated where she serves as the 2nd Vice President and actively participates on various committees.
Dr. Nixon and her husband Derek have three sons – Zhair, Nassir, and Ahmad. Zhair and Nassir attend West Chester University and Ahmad attends Temple University.
Watch Penny share her personal story
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Dr. Jesús Jara has a lifelong passion for creating better opportunities for all children through education. That passion has roots in his own childhood, having moved from Venezuela to Miami. As an English Language Learner, Dr. Jara faced many obstacles and challenges as he acclimated to the United States; however, his teachers were compassionate, inclusive and set high expectations for all students. They were a critical factor in his success.
The Board of School Trustees of the Clark County School District (CCSD) appointed Dr. Jara as superintendent effective June, 2018. Dr. Jara immediately started meeting with employees, families and community leaders to explore the needs of a 358 school district with over 320,000 students. Dr. Jara has pledged to accelerate the work at CCSD — such as growth in the graduation rate, Advanced Placement (AP) participation, and the expansion of Magnet programs — with a focus on student achievement. After a period of academic and operational review and extensive engagement with internal and external stakeholders, Dr. Jara will work with the Board of School Trustees on a revised strategic plan with more specific goals to accelerate student success.
Dr. Jara has been serving public school students for over 20 years. He previously served as the deputy superintendent for Orange County Public Schools in Florida for six years. As deputy superintendent, he functioned as the superintendent’s designee. He oversaw five area superintendents and the division of Teaching and Learning, including all programs from early childhood to adult education. With his assistance, Orlando’s achievement gap narrowed faster than 90 percent of major cities across the United States, according to Education Quality Index.
During his two-year tenure as the former superintendent and chief operations officer in Monroe County Public Schools, the district increased participation and performance in Advanced Placement and Algebra I. As executive director of the College Board’s Florida Partnership, Dr. Jara was responsible for coordinating College Board services to provide equity and access to minority and underrepresented students across the state. Dr. Jara also served as a liaison between the College Board, the governor’s office, state department, districts and schools.
He began his career in Miami-Dade County Public Schools, where he was a bilingual biology teacher and coach, before moving to Springfield, Mass., where he served as assistant principal and principal. As principal of the High School of Science and Technology, he improved Advanced Placement course offerings and graduation rate. In 2005, the high school was a semifinalist for a College Board Inspiration Award.
Dr. Jara has been a successful executive in the private sector as well as a school administrator and district leader in two states. He intends to become an active member of the community, serving on the board of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance.
He received his Doctorate in Education, Educational Policy, Leadership and Administration from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
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Penny Schwinn, a member of Chiefs for Change’s third Future Chief cohort, has made education her life’s work. She currently serves as Education Commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Education. Schwinn was previously the Chief Deputy Commissioner of Academics at the Texas Education Agency (TEA), and over the last fifteen years has served in senior roles at the state, district, and school levels.
Schwinn began her work in education through Teach For America as a high school teacher in Baltimore, MD and a new teacher coach in south Los Angeles. She transitioned into the private sector to develop a deeper capacity for business, where she supervised work in the finance, operations, marketing, and information departments for a multinational corporation. She later moved home to Sacramento to begin the Building Excellent Schools (BES) Fellowship, while acting as the Senior Consultant and Director of Student Achievement for the Superintendent for St. HOPE Public Schools. Through the BES Fellowship, she founded Capitol Collegiate, which produced exceptional results for traditionally underserved students (highest performing Title I or similar school in Sacramento).
As the Assistant Superintendent of Performance Management in Sacramento City Unified, Schwinn used a community planning process to develop the county’s first districtwide accountability system. Further, she designed the first localized school choice calculator in the country, ran the Principal Development Program, oversaw district testing, and served as a lead on the CORE Waiver. Later, as the Associate Secretary of Education in Delaware, Schwinn led multiple departments geared towards improving the quality of information provided to schools, as well as the strategic investment of resources towards accelerated student achievement. She further led the statewide Offices of Assessment, Performance Management, School Turnaround, Accountability, and Data Management.
As the Chief Deputy Commissioner at TEA, Schwinn oversaw the statewide assessment system; Performance Reporting (accountability); Research and Analysis; Curriculum, Digital and Blended Learning; Instructional Materials, the Office of State Board of Education Support; Early Childhood Education; Elementary and Middle School Programs; College, Career and Military Preparation and CTE; Special Education; English Learner and Bilingual Education; Gifted and Twice Exceptional; At-Risk, Highly-Mobile; Homeless and Foster Youth; Monitoring; and Special Projects.
Schwinn earned her BA from UC Berkeley, her MA from Johns Hopkins University, and her PhD in Education Policy from Claremont Graduate University. She was a Fellow with the Broad Academy, a senior consultant with America Achieves, and served as a Commissioner for Sacramento County Parks and Recreation. Schwinn was elected as a Trustee to the Sacramento County Board of Education and has served on the boards of several organizations and committees.
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