Startup Charter • Louisiana
From idea to approval to launch
I guided a founding board and leadership team through the full lifecycle of a new charter school. Beginning with vision and values, I led a gap analysis and community needs assessment, then helped design the academic and organizational model, theory of change, and logic model. Through iterative drafting and stakeholder engagement, we refined the plan into a successful charter application and gained approval. Afterward, I supported facility identification, leader and staff recruitment, and student/family outreach to ensure a strong launch. In the school’s first years, I advised on progress monitoring, board routines, and early program adjustments. The result was a school that opened with credibility and community trust, equipped with governance and data systems to sustain continuous improvement.
Multi-Site CMO • Friendship Public Charter Schools
Five-year network strategy with shared ownership
At Friendship Public Charter Schools, I led a five-year strategic planning process that engaged voices across a complex network. We convened leadership teams, teachers, and department heads, while also incorporating students, parents, and alumni through surveys and focus groups. Newly added teachers from district-partner turnaround schools were included alongside families and community leaders to surface gaps and identify solutions within diverse governance structures. The board and senior leadership aligned governance priorities with long-term goals, while district and community partners contributed to resource alignment. By triangulating quantitative data with authentic stakeholder input, we built a plan that reflected shared ownership and credibility. The final strategy strengthened academic performance, deepened community partnerships, and provided a roadmap for sustainable growth.
State Authorizer • Nevada SPCSA
Balancing growth, equity, and accountability
When I became Executive Director of the Nevada State Public Charter School Authority, the existing plan emphasized growth and compliance. I worked with staff, school leaders, boards, and advocates to embed equity into both process and outcomes in the 2016 update. Stakeholder engagement highlighted disparities in access for low-income students, English learners, and students with disabilities. The updated plan committed to expanding quality seats while ensuring charter demographics reflected the state’s diversity. We introduced proactive enrollment practices, weighted lotteries, and accountability frameworks that rewarded schools serving underserved populations. By aligning growth goals with equity measures, the Authority shifted from authorizing “more schools” to ensuring all students had access to quality options. The plan has since been cited as a model for balancing growth with inclusion and accountability.
Confidential Nonprofit
Chief-of-staff-style stabilization in transition
In a confidential engagement, I served in a de facto “chief of staff” role for a nonprofit navigating leadership transition and strategic planning simultaneously. My work included creating backwards-mapped data systems, aligning board governance routines with strategic priorities, and ensuring leadership time was focused on progress monitoring rather than operational minutiae. I facilitated feedback loops between executives, staff, and community partners so multiple voices informed decision-making. I also coached senior leaders on how to balance immediate operational demands with long-term vision. This combination of systems design, governance alignment, and leadership advising allowed the organization to stabilize during a sensitive transition, strengthen oversight capacity, and embed a culture of accountability. The result was a smoother leadership handoff, stronger staff alignment, and a board more capable of stewarding mission and strategy.
