WHO WE ARE
Mike Magee is CEO of Chiefs for Change. Prior to working at Chiefs for Change, he co-founded and was CEO of Rhode Island Mayoral Academies (RIMA). As CEO of RIMA he built a statewide network of regional, diverse-by-design public charter schools while successfully advocating for sweeping changes to state education policy. Before starting RIMA, for a dozen years, Mike taught American literature and philosophy at Haverford College, Wheaton College, and the Rhode Island School of Design. In 2004, his book, Emancipating Pragmatism, won the Elizabeth Agee Prize in American Studies. He is a 2013 Pahara Aspen Education Fellow and Pahara Fellowship moderator. Mike holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and English from the College of the Holy Cross.
As Chief Operating Officer, Julia Rafal-Baer, Ph.D., develops our organizational capacity for sustained growth, strengthens our decision-making processes and goal-setting, and drives the strategic direction of Chiefs for Change. Prior to joining our team, Julia was Assistant Commissioner of the New York State Education Department where she was responsible for the strategy, management, and implementation of teacher and leader initiatives under the state’s Race to the Top grant, Teacher Incentive Fund grant, and other state-wide initiatives, managing more than $150 million in federal funds. Julia directed, coordinated, and recommended policies and programs designed to raise the achievement of students and improve the quality and diversity of the education workforce. Previously, Julia served as Manager at New Profit, Inc., where she helped lead the design and implementation of the organization’s city-level initiatives. She began her career as a special education teacher in the Bronx. Julia holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Education Policy and a Master’s in Philosophy in Education Research from the University of Cambridge where she was a Marshall Scholar, a dual Master’s from CUNY: Lehman College in Special Education and Childhood Education, and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from The George Washington University.
As Chief External Affairs Officer, Leila Walsh works with our team, member chiefs, and external partners to develop and implement our advocacy and policy agenda. A communications strategist with experience leading public affairs initiatives in education and a range of other policy areas, Leila joined Chiefs for Change after serving as Vice President of Communications at the Laura and John Arnold Foundation. During her five years at the foundation, she was responsible for overseeing internal and external communications, including media relations. She built a strategic communications department that collaborated with the foundation’s research and policy experts to engage stakeholders, build consensus, and drive reform. Prior to her work at the foundation, Leila served as Senior Manager in the Office of Communications at the Houston Independent School District. She was the project manager for some of the district’s most important communications efforts and provided editorial direction across multiple platforms. Leila began her career as a radio and television news reporter and spent 13 years reporting in San Antonio, Texas, and Upstate New York. She graduated cum laude from Syracuse University with a degree in political science and broadcast journalism.
As Director of Operations, Cerena Figueroa manages the operations of Chiefs for Change events and programs. Cerena’s nonprofit management experience has focused on education and health access initiatives. Most recently, she served as Special Assistant to the CEO of (RED) where she supported the CEO in high-level strategy initiatives, launching special projects and events, and managing board relationships. Previously, Cerena worked at the New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute at the City University of New York as a Manager of Special Projects and Special Assistant to the Executive Director. In this role, Cerena implemented a digital marketing strategy, launched and designed special events, and supported the Executive Director in managing relationships and strategy. Cerena began her career in mental health counseling working with veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. She holds a Master’s degree in Education Psychology from Florida International University and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Florida State University.
As Advocacy Associate, Danielle works with the team, member chiefs, and external partners to help develop and implement our advocacy and policy agenda. Prior to joining Chiefs for Change, she served as Director of Foundational Giving and Senior Development Writer for a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive health services, education, and advocacy. There, she created and executed strategies to achieve major fundraising goals and oversaw the production of all grant proposals and reports. Danielle also worked for four years as a member of the communications team at the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, where she managed strategic communications to help drive reform on a variety of policy issues related to education, criminal justice, scientific research, and public finance, among others. Before her time at the foundation, Danielle served as Public Information Officer for a mid-size city in central Texas. She was responsible for developing internal and external communications to inform and engage residents, employees, and the media. Danielle earned her Bachelor of Science in Communications from the University of Texas at Austin.
As Director of Strategic Partnerships and Development, Elsa Duré cultivates and executes on key strategic partnerships and the organization’s multi-year fundraising plan. Prior to joining Chiefs for Change, Elsa was the Deputy Director at the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition. In this role, she spearheaded key strategic initiatives and led internal operations. Elsa previously worked at the Rhode Island Mayoral Academies (RIMA), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the transformation of K-12 education and dramatically increasing high-quality educational opportunities for Rhode Island students. At RIMA, Elsa served as CEO as well as the Chief of Policy & Expansion and Director of Policy. Prior to joining RIMA, Elsa was a research associate at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, where she implemented, managed, and documented research projects at the local and regional levels. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in urban education policy from Brown University. She is a 2015 NextGen Leader, a Pahara Aspen program.
As an associate, Gabrielle Feltner manages and coordinates key projects and events for Chiefs for Change. With previous experience in retail management, Gabrielle is a highly organized manager, able to quickly assess needs and provide tools to resolve challenges and improve team efficiency and performance. Gabrielle holds a Master’s in Corporate Business Administration from Florida International University and a Bachelor’s in Marketing and minor in Music from Florida State University.
As Director of Membership and Future Chiefs, Kimberly helps execute the organization’s member recruitment strategy and supports the Future Chiefs leadership development program. Before joining Chiefs for Change, Kimberly was a consultant, trainer, and coach for Success Labs, an organizational and leadership development firm. She also worked with educator preparation and certification programs to strengthen professional development for new teachers. Kimberly began her career in education with Teach For America, serving as a middle school math and science teacher in rural Louisiana. In addition to her responsibilities in the classroom, Kimberly managed initiatives to help teachers and leaders become more culturally competent and designed strategies to build, develop, and retain diverse teams. She also designed and launched a regional program to train young leaders to serve as racial equity facilitators. Kimberly earned her undergraduate degree from UCLA and holds a master’s in school leadership from Columbia University.
As Senior Finance Associate, Jamar Knox supports budgeting and financial processes at Chiefs for Change. Previously, Jamar spent two years working on second pregnancy prevention for teen mothers at nonprofit startup Teen Success, Inc., in the San Francisco Bay Area. As their Finance and Operations Manager, Jamar implemented financial processes and controls, IT infrastructure solutions, and employee benefits and policies. Before Teen Success, Jamar spent three years at national nonprofit venture philanthropy fund New Profit, Inc., in Boston, Massachusetts. As Finance and Operations Associate there, he focused on payroll, benefits, employee onboarding, Salesforce integration, and migrating data storage and networking to an independent platform. Jamar also spent three years at online culinary magazine StarChefs as Operations Manager in New York City. Currently, Jamar also spends time as a mentor to young people ages 16-24 formerly in foster care or facing homelessness at the JourneyUP Mentor Project (JUMP). He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities emphasizing German literature, with a minor in Management from Brigham Young University.
As Coordinator, Lakesha plays a key role in logistics and administrative support to the CEO and COO. Lakesha is an accomplished administrative coordinator with over 20 years’ experience providing top-notch administrative assistance. She has provided executive assistance in numerous industries, including healthcare, technology, and law. Lakesha received her Bachelors in Organizational Management with a specialization in Human Resources, and is also very involved with empowering, encouraging, and uplifting women in her community through volunteer work.
As a Policy and Advocacy Associate, Amber performs research and policy analysis to support our network of chiefs. Prior to joining the team, Amber completed a Fulbright Program in the Netherlands. She conducted school observations, collected curricular materials, and analyzed trends to prepare a report on inclusive curriculum. Amber currently serves as a Fulbright Alumni Ambassador.
In addition, Amber spent eight years teaching in schools and leading professional development in Mississippi, New York, and the District of Columbia. She designed a year-long program on culturally responsive science instruction for Teach For America corps members; spearheaded the creation of a group to empower educators and drive teacher retention; and served on a district’s Race and Equity Steering Committee. Amber began her career in the Mississippi Delta with Teach For America, where she was named Mississippi Star Teacher and District Teacher of the Year.
Amber holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology from Cornell University and a Master’s in Education Policy and Social Analysis from Teachers College, Columbia University.
As Operations Associate, Bonnie helps manage internal operations and systems improvement; coordinates cross-functional initiatives; and provides overall staff support. Before joining Chiefs for Change, she served as a strategy manager at America Achieves, a New York-based education nonprofit, where she assisted in the state-based strategy work, explored new philanthropic initiatives, and coordinated a biannual convening of philanthropic leaders in education and workforce. Prior to that, Bonnie worked for the Hillary for America campaign as executive assistant to Secretary Clinton. Her previous experience also includes a role as development associate at the Clinton Foundation, where she managed event-related fundraising. Bonnie holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from The George Washington University.
The longest serving state education chief in the nation, John White was named Louisiana State Superintendent of Education in January of 2012. That year he launched Louisiana Believes, the state’s plan to ensure every child is on track to a college degree or a professional career. In the time since, White has worked to unify the state’s fragmented early childhood system PDF, to modernize curriculum PDF, to professionalize the preparation of educators PDF, to provide pathways to prosperity for all high school graduates PDF, and to provide families with expansive school options PDF irrespective of their financial means.
Louisiana Believes includes nationally recognized initiatives such as Early Childhood Networks, Louisiana Teacher Leaders, ELA Curriculum Guidebooks, Believe and Prepare teacher residencies, Jump Start career education, the state’s Innovative Assessment Pilot, and the Louisiana FAFSA initiative. Superintendent White and his team have also led the post-Katrina renovation and unification of schools in New Orleans and the creation of the Baton Rouge Achievement Zone.
Today Louisiana is a better educated state than at any point in the state’s history. Louisiana’s class of 2018 included 5,000 more graduates than did the class of 2012. Five thousand more students in that class earned the state’s TOPS scholarship, and 5,000 more enrolled in college after graduating high school. In that time, the number of Louisiana students earning Advanced Placement early college credits has increased by 167 percent, and the state leads the nation in the percentage of high school seniors completing an application for higher education financial aid.
Moreover, in 2019, Louisiana students ranked first in the nation for improvement in 8th grade mathematics on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Over the decade spanning Superintendent White’s tenure, Louisiana’s academic growth has outpaced the nation, ranking in the top 10 among states for improvement on every NAEP test.
Prior to being named State Superintendent, White served as Superintendent of the Louisiana Recovery School District. He previously served under Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel Klein as Deputy Chancellor for the New York City Department of Education and served as Executive Director of Teach For America – Chicago and Teach For America – New Jersey. He began his career as an English teacher at William L. Dickinson High School in Jersey City, New Jersey.
White’s writings on education have been published in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Education Next, the Daily Beast, The Hill, and the Brookings Institution’s Evidence Speaks. He has testified in Congress on the No Child Left Behind Act, the Every Student Succeeds Act, the Higher Education Act, and early childhood care and education.
White received a B.A. in English with distinction from the University of Virginia and a Master’s in Public Administration from New York University. He is former chairman of the independent non-profit advocacy organization Chiefs for Change, co-founder and chairman of Propel America, and an Academic Visitor to the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
Dr. Barbara Jenkins has been dedicated to serving the needs of students for 30 years. She was named superintendent for Orange County Public Schools in 2012.
Under Dr. Jenkins’ leadership, the district won the prestigious 2014 Broad Prize for Urban Education. The prize earned half-a-million dollars for student scholarships from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation. The district also received the Governor’s Sterling Award in 2014 and 2015 and the Sustained Excellence Award in 2017 for its exemplary performance using research-based best practices in its business.
In 2015, OCPS received District Accreditation from AdvancED for its best practices in the education field. OCPS has repeatedly been recognized by the College Board for increasing access to Advanced Placement course work, while simultaneously maintaining or increasing the number of students earning exam scores for college credit.
Dr. Jenkins is a recognized education leader. In January 2017, she received a presidential appointment as a director of the National Board of Education Sciences. She serves on the executive board of directors of the Council of the Great City Schools, Chiefs for Change and the Florida Council of 100, and is a board member for Educational Testing Service, New Teacher Center, Strategic Education Research Partnership and the SAT Suite Committee. She is past president of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents.
In 2017, Dr. Jenkins was named the Florida Superintendent of the Year and one of four finalists for the national title. The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents named her Hispanic-Serving School District Superintendent of the Year and the Florida Association for Career and Technical Education named her CTE Superintendent of the Year.
Recognized for her commitment and influence, both the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Magazine have named her as one of the 10 most powerful people in Central Florida on multiple occasions; Orlando Magazine ranked her number one in Education among its 2018 “50 Most Powerful.” The Orlando Business Journal honored her as a CEO of the Year in 2015. In 2014, she was named the Visionary Award recipient by the Girl Scouts of Citrus Council and the Central Florida Woman of the Year by the Women’s Executive Council.
Deeply engaged in the community, Dr. Jenkins serves on the boards of Advent Health, United Arts of Central Florida, Orlando Economic Partnership and The Citizens Commission for Children.
Hanna Skandera has over two decades of executive leadership experience to a variety of national and state-level private, public and not-for-profit organizations serving rural, suburban and urban settings.
Currently, Skandera is CEO of Mile High Strategies serving as an education and employability entrepreneur, thought leader, senior advisor and executive coach in leadership development and strategy, growing organizational impact, and transforming organizational culture. Skandera is also Editor and Chief of The Line, Founder of Pathway 2 Tomorrow, Chief in Residence with Chiefs for Change, Superintendent in Residence with the Broad Center and a Distinguished Teaching Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
Recently, Skandera served as Secretary of Education for the State of New Mexico under Susana Martinez. In this role, Skandera oversaw a budget of $2.7B, created a high-performing team of more than 300 employees, while cutting the agency operating budget by one-third. She realized record-breaking outcomes, including graduation rates reaching an all-time high—up 10 percentage points, AP course enrollment more than doubling, a one-third increase in the number of high-achieving schools and the dramatic reduction of high school graduates’ college remediation rates–down 17 percentage points.
Much of Ms. Skandera’s recent success derived from her systemic yet innovative efforts in large, complex, bureaucratic organizations as well as in the launch of several national, state and local profit and not-for-profit entities. These endeavors capture her clear commitment to realize greater returns on investment, expand choice and competition, transform system incentives and empower the ultimate customer. Her efforts provide a road map for states and organizations to follow in advancing educational progress and employability.
Previously, Skandera served as Undersecretary for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Deputy Commissioner for Governor Jeb Bush and Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor for U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. Hanna was also a Research Fellow with the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and a Pahara-Aspen Institute fellow. Skandera graduated cum laude with a degree in business from Sonoma State University and graduated Valedictorian from Pepperdine’s Graduate School of Public Policy.
Skandera also currently serves on the Great Cities, Great Schools Advisory Committee, Pepperdine School of Public Policy Advisory Committee, is Chair of the George W. Bush Center Education Advisory Board and former Chair of Chiefs for Change, a bipartisan policy and advocacy organization she launched.
Skandera is recognized for her ability to grow organizational impact, transform organizational culture and deliver results as well as her extensive network that spans private, public, charitable and academic spheres.
Hanna Skandera
Dr. Peter Gorman has more than 30 years of experience in education and is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Peter Gorman Leadership Associates LLC. He is the contributing editor for Board and Administrator, and the Superintendent in Residence for District Administration® Leadership Institute, the National Superintendents Academy, and Chiefs For Change. Prior starting his own firm, he worked four years for NewsCorp and their education subsidiary Amplify.
Dr. Gorman began his career as a second-grade teacher in Orlando, Fla. He worked as a teacher, principal, and district-level administrator in Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties in Florida before becoming superintendent of schools in Tustin, Calif. In 2006, he became superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in, Charlotte, N.C. Under his leadership, the district won the 2011 Broad Prize in Urban Education for its increases in student achievement and closing of achievement gaps. Nineteen members of the Charlotte team have gone on to become superintendents.
OUR TEAM
We are in a unique position to positively impact the lives of millions of American children.
What could be better than that?
OUR TEAM
We are in a unique position to positively impact the lives of millions of American children.
What could be better than that?
Mike Magee is CEO of Chiefs for Change. Prior to working at Chiefs for Change, he co-founded and was CEO of Rhode Island Mayoral Academies (RIMA). As CEO of RIMA he built a statewide network of regional, diverse-by-design public charter schools while successfully advocating for sweeping changes to state education policy. Before starting RIMA, for a dozen years, Mike taught American literature and philosophy at Haverford College, Wheaton College, and the Rhode Island School of Design. In 2004, his book, Emancipating Pragmatism, won the Elizabeth Agee Prize in American Studies. He is a 2013 Pahara Aspen Education Fellow and Pahara Fellowship moderator. Mike holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and English from the College of the Holy Cross.
Read About our Future Chiefs in the News
As Chief Operating Officer, Julia Rafal-Baer, Ph.D., develops our organizational capacity for sustained growth, strengthens our decision-making processes and goal-setting, and drives the strategic direction of Chiefs for Change. Prior to joining our team, Julia was Assistant Commissioner of the New York State Education Department where she was responsible for the strategy, management, and implementation of teacher and leader initiatives under the state’s Race to the Top grant, Teacher Incentive Fund grant, and other state-wide initiatives, managing more than $150 million in federal funds. Julia directed, coordinated, and recommended policies and programs designed to raise the achievement of students and improve the quality and diversity of the education workforce. Previously, Julia served as Manager at New Profit, Inc., where she helped lead the design and implementation of the organization’s city-level initiatives. She began her career as a special education teacher in the Bronx. Julia holds a Ph.D. in Comparative Education Policy and a Master’s in Philosophy in Education Research from the University of Cambridge where she was a Marshall Scholar, a dual Master’s from CUNY: Lehman College in Special Education and Childhood Education, and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from The George Washington University.
Read About our Future Chiefs in the News
As Chief External Affairs Officer, Leila Walsh works with our team, member chiefs, and external partners to develop and implement our advocacy and policy agenda. A communications strategist with experience leading public affairs initiatives in education and a range of other policy areas, Leila joined Chiefs for Change after serving as Vice President of Communications at the Laura and John Arnold Foundation. During her five years at the foundation, she was responsible for overseeing internal and external communications, including media relations. She built a strategic communications department that collaborated with the foundation’s research and policy experts to engage stakeholders, build consensus, and drive reform. Prior to her work at the foundation, Leila served as Senior Manager in the Office of Communications at the Houston Independent School District. She was the project manager for some of the district’s most important communications efforts and provided editorial direction across multiple platforms. Leila began her career as a radio and television news reporter and spent 13 years reporting in San Antonio, Texas, and Upstate New York. She graduated cum laude from Syracuse University with a degree in political science and broadcast journalism.
Read About our Future Chiefs in the News
As Director of Operations, Cerena Figueroa manages the operations of Chiefs for Change events and programs. Cerena’s nonprofit management experience has focused on education and health access initiatives. Most recently, she served as Special Assistant to the CEO of (RED) where she supported the CEO in high-level strategy initiatives, launching special projects and events, and managing board relationships. Previously, Cerena worked at the New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute at the City University of New York as a Manager of Special Projects and Special Assistant to the Executive Director. In this role, Cerena implemented a digital marketing strategy, launched and designed special events, and supported the Executive Director in managing relationships and strategy. Cerena began her career in mental health counseling working with veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. She holds a Master’s degree in Education Psychology from Florida International University and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Florida State University.
Read About our Future Chiefs in the News
As Advocacy Associate, Danielle works with the team, member chiefs, and external partners to help develop and implement our advocacy and policy agenda. Prior to joining Chiefs for Change, she served as Director of Foundational Giving and Senior Development Writer for a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive health services, education, and advocacy. There, she created and executed strategies to achieve major fundraising goals and oversaw the production of all grant proposals and reports. Danielle also worked for four years as a member of the communications team at the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, where she managed strategic communications to help drive reform on a variety of policy issues related to education, criminal justice, scientific research, and public finance, among others. Before her time at the foundation, Danielle served as Public Information Officer for a mid-size city in central Texas. She was responsible for developing internal and external communications to inform and engage residents, employees, and the media. Danielle earned her Bachelor of Science in Communications from the University of Texas at Austin.
Read About our Future Chiefs in the News
As Director of Strategic Partnerships and Development, Elsa Duré cultivates and executes on key strategic partnerships and the organization’s multi-year fundraising plan. Prior to joining Chiefs for Change, Elsa was the Deputy Director at the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition. In this role, she spearheaded key strategic initiatives and led internal operations. Elsa previously worked at the Rhode Island Mayoral Academies (RIMA), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the transformation of K-12 education and dramatically increasing high-quality educational opportunities for Rhode Island students. At RIMA, Elsa served as CEO as well as the Chief of Policy & Expansion and Director of Policy. Prior to joining RIMA, Elsa was a research associate at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, where she implemented, managed, and documented research projects at the local and regional levels. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in urban education policy from Brown University. She is a 2015 NextGen Leader, a Pahara Aspen program.
Read About our Future Chiefs in the News
As an associate, Gabrielle Feltner manages and coordinates key projects and events for Chiefs for Change. With previous experience in retail management, Gabrielle is a highly organized manager, able to quickly assess needs and provide tools to resolve challenges and improve team efficiency and performance. Gabrielle holds a Master’s in Corporate Business Administration from Florida International University and a Bachelor’s in Marketing and minor in Music from Florida State University.
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As Director of Membership and Future Chiefs, Kimberly helps execute the organization’s member recruitment strategy and supports the Future Chiefs leadership development program. Before joining Chiefs for Change, Kimberly was a consultant, trainer, and coach for Success Labs, an organizational and leadership development firm. She also worked with educator preparation and certification programs to strengthen professional development for new teachers. Kimberly began her career in education with Teach For America, serving as a middle school math and science teacher in rural Louisiana. In addition to her responsibilities in the classroom, Kimberly managed initiatives to help teachers and leaders become more culturally competent and designed strategies to build, develop, and retain diverse teams. She also designed and launched a regional program to train young leaders to serve as racial equity facilitators. Kimberly earned her undergraduate degree from UCLA and holds a master’s in school leadership from Columbia University.
Read About our Future Chiefs in the News
As Senior Finance Associate, Jamar Knox supports budgeting and financial processes at Chiefs for Change. Previously, Jamar spent two years working on second pregnancy prevention for teen mothers at nonprofit startup Teen Success, Inc., in the San Francisco Bay Area. As their Finance and Operations Manager, Jamar implemented financial processes and controls, IT infrastructure solutions, and employee benefits and policies. Before Teen Success, Jamar spent three years at national nonprofit venture philanthropy fund New Profit, Inc., in Boston, Massachusetts. As Finance and Operations Associate there, he focused on payroll, benefits, employee onboarding, Salesforce integration, and migrating data storage and networking to an independent platform. Jamar also spent three years at online culinary magazine StarChefs as Operations Manager in New York City. Currently, Jamar also spends time as a mentor to young people ages 16-24 formerly in foster care or facing homelessness at the JourneyUP Mentor Project (JUMP). He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities emphasizing German literature, with a minor in Management from Brigham Young University.
Read About our Future Chiefs in the News
As Coordinator, Lakesha plays a key role in logistics and administrative support to the CEO and COO. Lakesha is an accomplished administrative coordinator with over 20 years’ experience providing top-notch administrative assistance. She has provided executive assistance in numerous industries, including healthcare, technology, and law. Lakesha received her Bachelors in Organizational Management with a specialization in Human Resources, and is also very involved with empowering, encouraging, and uplifting women in her community through volunteer work.
Read About our Future Chiefs in the News
As a Policy and Advocacy Associate, Amber performs research and policy analysis to support our network of chiefs. Prior to joining the team, Amber completed a Fulbright Program in the Netherlands. She conducted school observations, collected curricular materials, and analyzed trends to prepare a report on inclusive curriculum. Amber currently serves as a Fulbright Alumni Ambassador.
In addition, Amber spent eight years teaching in schools and leading professional development in Mississippi, New York, and the District of Columbia. She designed a year-long program on culturally responsive science instruction for Teach For America corps members; spearheaded the creation of a group to empower educators and drive teacher retention; and served on a district’s Race and Equity Steering Committee. Amber began her career in the Mississippi Delta with Teach For America, where she was named Mississippi Star Teacher and District Teacher of the Year.
Amber holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology from Cornell University and a Master’s in Education Policy and Social Analysis from Teachers College, Columbia University.
Read About our Future Chiefs in the News
As Operations Associate, Bonnie helps manage internal operations and systems improvement; coordinates cross-functional initiatives; and provides overall staff support. Before joining Chiefs for Change, she served as a strategy manager at America Achieves, a New York-based education nonprofit, where she assisted in the state-based strategy work, explored new philanthropic initiatives, and coordinated a biannual convening of philanthropic leaders in education and workforce. Prior to that, Bonnie worked for the Hillary for America campaign as executive assistant to Secretary Clinton. Her previous experience also includes a role as development associate at the Clinton Foundation, where she managed event-related fundraising. Bonnie holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from The George Washington University.
Read About our Future Chiefs in the News
The longest serving state education chief in the nation, John White was named Louisiana State Superintendent of Education in January of 2012. That year he launched Louisiana Believes, the state’s plan to ensure every child is on track to a college degree or a professional career. In the time since, White has worked to unify the state’s fragmented early childhood system PDF, to modernize curriculum PDF, to professionalize the preparation of educators PDF, to provide pathways to prosperity for all high school graduates PDF, and to provide families with expansive school options PDF irrespective of their financial means.
Louisiana Believes includes nationally recognized initiatives such as Early Childhood Networks, Louisiana Teacher Leaders, ELA Curriculum Guidebooks, Believe and Prepare teacher residencies, Jump Start career education, the state’s Innovative Assessment Pilot, and the Louisiana FAFSA initiative. Superintendent White and his team have also led the post-Katrina renovation and unification of schools in New Orleans and the creation of the Baton Rouge Achievement Zone.
Today Louisiana is a better educated state than at any point in the state’s history. Louisiana’s class of 2018 included 5,000 more graduates than did the class of 2012. Five thousand more students in that class earned the state’s TOPS scholarship, and 5,000 more enrolled in college after graduating high school. In that time, the number of Louisiana students earning Advanced Placement early college credits has increased by 167 percent, and the state leads the nation in the percentage of high school seniors completing an application for higher education financial aid.
Moreover, in 2019, Louisiana students ranked first in the nation for improvement in 8th grade mathematics on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Over the decade spanning Superintendent White’s tenure, Louisiana’s academic growth has outpaced the nation, ranking in the top 10 among states for improvement on every NAEP test.
Prior to being named State Superintendent, White served as Superintendent of the Louisiana Recovery School District. He previously served under Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel Klein as Deputy Chancellor for the New York City Department of Education and served as Executive Director of Teach For America – Chicago and Teach For America – New Jersey. He began his career as an English teacher at William L. Dickinson High School in Jersey City, New Jersey.
White’s writings on education have been published in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Education Next, the Daily Beast, The Hill, and the Brookings Institution’s Evidence Speaks. He has testified in Congress on the No Child Left Behind Act, the Every Student Succeeds Act, the Higher Education Act, and early childhood care and education.
White received a B.A. in English with distinction from the University of Virginia and a Master’s in Public Administration from New York University. He is former chairman of the independent non-profit advocacy organization Chiefs for Change, co-founder and chairman of Propel America, and an Academic Visitor to the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University
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Dr. Barbara Jenkins has been dedicated to serving the needs of students for 30 years. She was named superintendent for Orange County Public Schools in 2012.
Under Dr. Jenkins’ leadership, the district won the prestigious 2014 Broad Prize for Urban Education. The prize earned half-a-million dollars for student scholarships from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation. The district also received the Governor’s Sterling Award in 2014 and 2015 and the Sustained Excellence Award in 2017 for its exemplary performance using research-based best practices in its business.
In 2015, OCPS received District Accreditation from AdvancED for its best practices in the education field. OCPS has repeatedly been recognized by the College Board for increasing access to Advanced Placement course work, while simultaneously maintaining or increasing the number of students earning exam scores for college credit.
Dr. Jenkins is a recognized education leader. In January 2017, she received a presidential appointment as a director of the National Board of Education Sciences. She serves on the executive board of directors of the Council of the Great City Schools, Chiefs for Change and the Florida Council of 100, and is a board member for Educational Testing Service, New Teacher Center, Strategic Education Research Partnership and the SAT Suite Committee. She is past president of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents.
In 2017, Dr. Jenkins was named the Florida Superintendent of the Year and one of four finalists for the national title. The Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents named her Hispanic-Serving School District Superintendent of the Year and the Florida Association for Career and Technical Education named her CTE Superintendent of the Year.
Recognized for her commitment and influence, both the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Magazine have named her as one of the 10 most powerful people in Central Florida on multiple occasions; Orlando Magazine ranked her number one in Education among its 2018 “50 Most Powerful.” The Orlando Business Journal honored her as a CEO of the Year in 2015. In 2014, she was named the Visionary Award recipient by the Girl Scouts of Citrus Council and the Central Florida Woman of the Year by the Women’s Executive Council.
Deeply engaged in the community, Dr. Jenkins serves on the boards of Advent Health, United Arts of Central Florida, Orlando Economic Partnership and The Citizens Commission for Children.
Read About our Future Chiefs in the News
Hanna Skandera has over two decades of executive leadership experience to a variety of national and state-level private, public and not-for-profit organizations serving rural, suburban and urban settings.
Currently, Skandera is CEO of Mile High Strategies serving as an education and employability entrepreneur, thought leader, senior advisor and executive coach in leadership development and strategy, growing organizational impact, and transforming organizational culture. Skandera is also Editor and Chief of The Line, Founder of Pathway 2 Tomorrow, Chief in Residence with Chiefs for Change, Superintendent in Residence with the Broad Center and a Distinguished Teaching Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
Recently, Skandera served as Secretary of Education for the State of New Mexico under Susana Martinez. In this role, Skandera oversaw a budget of $2.7B, created a high-performing team of more than 300 employees, while cutting the agency operating budget by one-third. She realized record-breaking outcomes, including graduation rates reaching an all-time high—up 10 percentage points, AP course enrollment more than doubling, a one-third increase in the number of high-achieving schools and the dramatic reduction of high school graduates’ college remediation rates–down 17 percentage points.
Much of Ms. Skandera’s recent success derived from her systemic yet innovative efforts in large, complex, bureaucratic organizations as well as in the launch of several national, state and local profit and not-for-profit entities. These endeavors capture her clear commitment to realize greater returns on investment, expand choice and competition, transform system incentives and empower the ultimate customer. Her efforts provide a road map for states and organizations to follow in advancing educational progress and employability.
Previously, Skandera served as Undersecretary for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Deputy Commissioner for Governor Jeb Bush and Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor for U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. Hanna was also a Research Fellow with the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and a Pahara-Aspen Institute fellow. Skandera graduated cum laude with a degree in business from Sonoma State University and graduated Valedictorian from Pepperdine’s Graduate School of Public Policy.
Skandera also currently serves on the Great Cities, Great Schools Advisory Committee, Pepperdine School of Public Policy Advisory Committee, is Chair of the George W. Bush Center Education Advisory Board and former Chair of Chiefs for Change, a bipartisan policy and advocacy organization she launched.
Skandera is recognized for her ability to grow organizational impact, transform organizational culture and deliver results as well as her extensive network that spans private, public, charitable and academic spheres.
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Hanna Skandera
Dr. Peter Gorman has more than 30 years of experience in education and is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Peter Gorman Leadership Associates LLC. He is the contributing editor for Board and Administrator, and the Superintendent in Residence for District Administration® Leadership Institute, the National Superintendents Academy, and Chiefs For Change. Prior starting his own firm, he worked four years for NewsCorp and their education subsidiary Amplify.
Dr. Gorman began his career as a second-grade teacher in Orlando, Fla. He worked as a teacher, principal, and district-level administrator in Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties in Florida before becoming superintendent of schools in Tustin, Calif. In 2006, he became superintendent of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in, Charlotte, N.C. Under his leadership, the district won the 2011 Broad Prize in Urban Education for its increases in student achievement and closing of achievement gaps. Nineteen members of the Charlotte team have gone on to become superintendents.
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