SREB - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- State Senator, Edmond ( 2024 )
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- State Representative, Brewton ( 2025 ) Executive Committee Member
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- State Representative, Hileah ( 2026 )
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- Chancellor, Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Oklahoma City ( 2023 ) Executive Committee Member
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- Director of State and District Partnerships
Allyson Morgan is the director of state and district partnerships for Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Mississippi. She joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2014 as a school improvement consultant to the High Schools That Work team. In that role, she led efforts in Alabama, Georgia and Florida districts and schools to effectively prepare all students for college and career. She brings to SREB more than 25 years of experience in change leadership as it relates to improving teaching and learning practice in public education.
Amanda Merritt provides support to teachers, local instructional coaches, and school and district leaders on school improvement processes. She also serves as a grant writer and grant manager for a variety of projects.
Before joining SREB, Amanda was a high school math teacher in Georgia. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Auburn University, a master's in middle grades education (math and science) from Columbus State University, and a doctorate of education in educational leadership from Georgia State University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Postsecondary Team
- Program Specialist, Postsecondary
Andrea Kiely is a member of the Postsecondary team for the Southern Regional Education Board. She works as program specialist for the SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program where she researches and advocates for faculty diversity in higher education. Andrea earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Alabama and her Master of Education in higher education administration from the Louise McBee Institute of Higher Education at the University of Georgia. Prior to joining SREB, Andrea worked within the UNC system in career development, where she established professional development curriculum and programming for students.
Job Titles:
- Director of Assessment, Hopkins County Schools, Madisonville ( 2026 )
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- Governor of Kentucky, Frankfort, Ex Officio ( 2023 )
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- Director, SREB - State Doctoral Scholars Program
- in 1985 As a Research Associate
Ansley Abraham joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 1985 as a research associate and became the founding director of the State Doctoral Scholars Program in 1993. Under Ansley's direction, the Doctoral Scholars Program has developed into a nationally recognized program for producing minority Ph.D.s who seek faculty careers. The program hosts the annual Institute on Teaching and Mentoring - the largest gathering of minority Ph.D. scholars in the nation. Ansley's previous work at SREB covered perception of campus climate by minority- and majority-group students on historically black and predominantly white campuses and studies on statewide assessments and placement, college-level standards and the need for developmental education. He earned a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in sociology and psychology from Florida State University. He also worked as a program specialist in the Florida Department of Education and as a management analyst in the Florida governor's office.
Job Titles:
- Director, Accounting
- in 2002 As an Accounting Manager
Barbara Channell joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2002 as an accounting manager in the finance department. She brings more than 30 years of experience working in education nonprofits. While at SREB, Barbara has led projects to improve payment turnaround and accountability to agencies and grantors. Prior to joining SREB, she worked for Emory University for 15 years. Barbara holds a bachelor's in business administration from Georgia State University.
Job Titles:
- Vice President, Communications
Beth Day joined the Southern Region Education Board in 2012. Prior to joining SREB, Beth served as vice president of the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education. For more than a decade, she consulted on strategic communications issues with nonprofit, higher education, government agency and financial services organizations, including the Georgia Council for Economic Education, the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and ING Group. Previously, she served as director of public affairs for Georgia State University's college of business. Beth holds a bachelor's in journalism from the University of Georgia and a master's from Georgia State University.
Job Titles:
- Program Director, Advanced Career
Beth Green leads the Advanced Career initiative at SREB, where she is responsible for implementing AC in states, districts, and schools. She provides leadership for AC implementation, coordinates activities and staff, and organizes and implements AC professional development. Beth joined SREB in 2007 as a school improvement consultant, later facilitating AC curriculum development, and began development of a network of schools implementing AC through academy design.
She brings a variety of K-12 experience in both Texas and Georgia, including teaching career and technical education and elementary school. Her experience also includes campus and district leadership, serving as High Schools That Work coordinator, department chair, director of career and technical education, and director of magnet schools. She holds a bachelor's of science in family & consumer sciences and a doctorate in educational leadership from Stephen F. Austin State University, a master's in education from the University of South Carolina, and a certificate in learning design and technology from Harvard University.
Betty Fry-Ahearn is a school improvement leadership coach. She began working with the Southern Regional Education Board in 2001 as a school leadership consultant.
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- Vice President of Governmental Affairs, Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas, Little Rock ( 2026 )
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- Governor of Tennessee, Nashville, Ex Officio ( 2023 )
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- State Senator, Vidalia ( 2022 )
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- Meeting and Technical Contracts Coordinator
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- State Representative, Cabot ( 2024 )
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- Governor of Georgia, Atlanta, Ex Officio ( 2023 )
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- Senior School Improvement Leadership Coach
Cena Davis is a senior school improvement leadership coach. She joined SREB in 2015 as a leadership consultant with a career pathway focus. Cena brings more than 31 years of educational experience related to teaching, learning and leading change in public education. She previously served as a teacher, principal, Alabama State Department of Education principal coach, and adjunct professor. She also assisted in opening a new school system as a director of curriculum and instruction and CTE coordinator.
Cena received a bachelor's degree in business administration, a master's in elementary education and an educational specialist in education administration with a certification in educational leadership from the University of Montevallo. She also completed the Alabama Superintendents Academy at the University of Alabama.
Job Titles:
- State Representative, Enid ( 2026 )
Job Titles:
- Program Specialist With the
- Program Specialist, Postsecondary Education
Charlotte Dailey is a program specialist with the Southern Regional Education Board, working in open educational resources with the postsecondary education team. In her role, she is responsible for the creation, implementation and ongoing development of programming to increase awareness and adoption of OER across 16 states in the southern region. Charlotte holds degrees in business administration and higher education/student personnel from the University of Mississippi and has been instrumental in the successful implementation of many educational and professional development programs.
Charlotte Dailey joined SREB in 2021 to lead our work on open educational resources. We spoke with Charlotte about why OER matter and why she works in this field.
Christi Edwards works in SREB School Improvement, where she provides teacher, district and school instructional support through coaching and professional development in mathematics. She joined SREB in 2021, bringing more than 28 years of experience in public education.
Job Titles:
- Senior School Improvement Leadership Coach
Cindy Martin joined SREB's school improvement team in 2016, bringing more than 28 years of experience in the public education sector and more than 20 years as an adjunct college professor. Cindy was a public education teacher, professional development trainer, principal, director of instruction, director of human resources and deputy superintendent. As a college professor, she instructed in reading, writing, early childhood and alternative licensure.
Connie Lester joined SREB's office of School Improvement as a leadership coach in April 2012. Prior to SREB, she spent 27 years as an English language arts teacher, department chair and high school writing portfolio cluster leader in Kentucky schools. After leaving the classroom, Connie became a member of Kentucky's Highly Skilled Educator Program, where she provided schoolwide instructional and leadership support to struggling schools.
Connie Luper joined SREB's office of School Improvement in 2016. As a senior leadership coach, she brings more than 31 years of experience working on issues of education practice in the public education sector. In this role, Connie helps schools develop rigorous career pathways and CTE programs and blend them with a rigorous academic core. She also leads trainings for teachers and principals in literacy, numeracy, project-based learning and instructional leadership. Connie is currently supporting career academy development efforts in large districts in Alabama and Georgia.
Job Titles:
- Analyst II, School Improvement Research and Accountability
Creed joined the policy analysis team at SREB in 2021. His work focuses on early grades education and dyslexia. Creed has a Master of Public Administration from Georgia State University and a bachelor's degree in political science from Mercer University. He has worked as a legislative aide in the Georgia House of Representatives, at the Department of Agriculture Rural Development and for the development team at The Carter Center.
Job Titles:
- Director of School
- Director, School Improvement Programs and Resources
Dan Mollette is the director of school improvement programs and resources. He joined SREB in 2010 as the director of training and lead math consultant for the school improvement team. He leads the roll out of literacy and mathematics in six SREB states. Prior to SREB, he was a math teacher and math specialist for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Danielle Morton serves as a school improvement coach at SREB, where she works with schools, teachers, and district administrators throughout the nation on how to improve career and technical education within their community. Prior to joining SREB in 2021, Danielle served as an educator, director and principal, totaling over 29 years of CTE experience.
Danielle holds a Bachelor of Science in family and consumer science from the University of Montevallo and a master's in education leadership from the Grand Canyon University. She lives in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Job Titles:
- State Senator, Newark ( 2022 ) Executive Committee Member
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- Accounting and Grants Manager
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- Program Director, Teaching to Lead
Debra LaMothe is a school improvement coach for SREB, where she works with career and technical education teachers and school administrators across the country to improve college and career readiness. She brings many years of CTE education experience as a teacher, administrator and consultant. In her former role as a district CTE Supervisor, Debra supported teachers and administrators with curriculum, work-based learning, instructional technology, and postsecondary alignment and credentialing.
Debra received her doctorate from Oakland University in Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Mississippi Members of the Board
- State Senator, Leakesville ( 2024 )
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- President
- Interim Vice President for Compliance, Diversity and Ethics and Senior Advisor
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- in 2014 As a Literacy Coach
- Senior School Improvement Leadership Coach
Donn Kirkwood joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2014 as a literacy coach for the Literacy Design Collaborative program, through which he helped teachers and leaders in seven states use LDC practices and backward design techniques to develop exemplary curricula, improve instruction and increase student outcomes.
Job Titles:
- Chancellor, Keiser University, Parkland ( 2025 )
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- Member of the Mississippi Members of the Board
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- President and CEO, Northwest Florida State College, Niceville ( 2023 ) Executive Committee Member
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- Retired Superintendent, Enfield ( 2023 )
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- Program Specialist, Student Access and Success
Elisa Jaden leads SREB's regional tuition reciprocity programs: the Academic Common Market and the Regional Contract Program. She also serves as director for the SREB region to the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA). In this role she follows state and federal higher education regulations and policy related to state authorization and program approval. Elisa works with the S-SARA Regional Steering Committee to inform and clarify policy changes made at the national level.
Job Titles:
- State Superintendent of Education, Columbia ( 2023 )
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- State Superintendent of Education, Montgomery ( 2024 )
Erin Anderson-Williams joined the SREB School Improvement team in 2021, bringing more than 20 years of educational experience in student support, instructional leadership and development. She served as a student services coordinator and social skills teacher for five years in private school in Tennessee before serving as a high school counselor for six years in the public school sector. She served for ten years as a public school administrator prior to supporting middle and high school principals as an executive director of school support and improvement.
Job Titles:
- President, National Center for Families Learning, Louisville ( 2024 ) Executive Committee Member, Vice Chair of the SREB Board
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- Member of the State Board of Education, West Friendship ( 2022 )
Gaye Hutton Martin joined SREB in 2018 as a school improvement instructional coach for the Teaching to Lead program, bringing over 30 years of experience in public education and corporate training and development. Prior to SREB, she was a career and technical education coordinator in Tennessee where she managed a new CTE teacher prep program, using SREB's Teaching to Lead program, for a large, urban school district.
Job Titles:
- Leadership Coach
- Leadership Coach for the Southern Regional Educational Board
George Johnson is a school improvement leadership coach for the Southern Regional Educational Board and its High Schools That Work program, where he brings 37 years of experience as a teacher and administrator in New Jersey public schools. George has worked in numerous states as a trainer for the Learning Design Collaborative. He is the lead editor for the SREB Literacy Ready transitional readiness course, and he is the lead literacy expert for the writing of the eighth and ninth grade version of High School Ready.
Job Titles:
- State Senator, Greensboro ( 2024 )
Job Titles:
- Governor of Virginia, Richmond, Ex Officio ( 2026 )
Glenn Youngkin, Governor of Virginia, Richmond, ex officio (2026)
Janet D. Howell, State Senator, Reston (2022) Executive Committee member
Keesha Jackson-Muir, Principal, Braddock Elementary School, Annandale (2024)
Javaid Siddiqi, President and CEO, The Hunt Institute, Midlothian (2025)
Dietra Y. Trent, Interim Vice President for Compliance, Diversity and Ethics and Senior Advisor to the President, George Mason University, Chesterfield (2023)
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- State Senator, Chapel Hill ( 2025 ) Executive Committee Member
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- Governor of Texas, Austin, Ex Officio ( 2027 )
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- Commissioner, Technical College System of Georgia, Atlanta ( 2023 ) Executive Committee Member
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- Commissioner of Higher Education, Austin ( 2025 ) Executive Committee Member
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- Governor of South Carolina, Columbia, Ex Officio ( 2027 )
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- Member of the Mississippi Members of the Board
- Director of Government Relations, Mississippi Department of Education, Jackson ( 2023 )
Job Titles:
- Division Director of Education
- Division Director, Education & Workforce
Ivy Coburn is the division director of Education and Workforce initiatives at SREB, through which she brings K-12, postsecondary, workforce and industry leaders together to adopt policies and practices that expand career development and training opportunities for students, create seamless transitions from high school to further studies, and empower students to enter and advance in the workforce.
Job Titles:
- Contracts and Grants Assistant
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- State Senator, Reston ( 2022 ) Executive Committee Member
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- News Manager
- Southern Region Education Board in 2023 As News Manager
Janita Poe joined the Southern Region Education Board in 2023 as news manager. A veteran journalist who was raised in Atlanta, Janita has worked as a staff reporter and bureau chief for six news organizations, including the Chicago Tribune, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and AL.com in Montgomery, Alabama. Janita earned a bachelor's in mass communication from Florida State University, a master's in journalism from the University of Georgia and a Ph.D.
Job Titles:
- Program Director
- Program Director, Literacy and Mathematics
Jason Adair is the program director for literacy and mathematics in SREB's School Improvement division. He leads a team of content coaches as they develop and deliver high quality professional development to teachers, instructional coaches, and school and district leaders. Jason joined SREB's school improvement team in 2011, bringing more than 10 years of experience in the public education sector. He was a middle school and high school mathematics teacher and instructional coach in Florida for eight years before leading K-12 mathematics in Gaston County, North Carolina.
Job Titles:
- State Representative, New Orleans ( 2025 )
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- President and CEO, the Hunt Institute, Midlothian ( 2025 )
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- Chancellor, University System of Maryland, Baltimore ( 2024 )
Job Titles:
- Director, Policy Analysis
Jeff Gagne joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2010. He oversees SREB's policy analysis efforts, including policy briefs, reports, state policy support and SREB's customized, biennial state progress reports. He brings more than 20 years of experience in education policy issues at the state, federal and regional levels. Prior to SREB, Jeff worked for a governor, a state department of education and the United States Senate. He earned his Ph.D. from Louisiana State University.
Job Titles:
- in 2006 As a Research Associate
- Program Specialist, State Strategies
Jeffrey Grove joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2006 as a research associate to the state services team, where he brings nearly 20 years of experience working on issues of education policy and practice in the public education sector. He has contributed to numerous editions of SREB's Legislative Report, addressed inquiries on education policies and legislation from policymakers and their staff in SREB states, and authored reports and briefs on current education issues.
Job Titles:
- Coordinator
- Contract and Grant Coordinator, School Improvement
Jenn Carter is the contract and grant coordinator for school improvement. She joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2003 as a graphic designer/editorial assistant in school improvement. From 2008 to 2017, she worked in human resources as administrator and later project manager. In 2017, she returned to school improvement as a data management coordinator and then accounting coordinator. Prior to joining SREB, she designed jewelry and was an inventory manager at an international gold marketplace distributor.
Job Titles:
- Governor of West Virginia, Charleston, Ex Officio ( 2025 ) Chair of the SREB Board
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- Governor of Louisiana, Baton Rouge, Ex Officio ( 2024 )
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- Governor of Delaware, Dover, Ex Officio ( 2025 )
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- State Senator, Mechanicsville ( 2023 )
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- Director of State and District Partnerships
Judy Frank is director of state and district partnerships. She was previously program director of Making Middle Grades Work initiative, where she coordinated middle grade services across the organization and supported leadership and content coaches in school redesign. She joined SREB in 2015 as a school improvement consultant to the organization's High Schools That Work/Making Middle Grades Work initiative, bringing more than 33 years of experience working on issues of education policy and practice in the public education sector.
Job Titles:
- Senior School Improvement Instructional Coach
Kathleen McNally is a senior school improvement instructional coach at SREB, where she works with technical centers and school districts to operationalize the Making Schools Work Key Practices. In previous roles, she served as a mathematics teacher in middle grades schools, high schools and CTE settings; as associate director of training for the national SkillsUSA organization; and as a CTE teacher educator in Penn State University's Workforce Education and Development Program.
Job Titles:
- Governor of Alabama, Montgomery, Ex Officio ( 2023 )
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- Principal, Braddock Elementary School, Annandale ( 2024 )
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- Trustee, Houston Independent School District, Houston ( 2023 )
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- State Representative, Hattiesburg
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- Governor of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Ex Officio ( 2023 )
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- Commissioner of Higher Education, Baton Rouge ( 2026 ) Executive Committee Member
Kimberly Livengood joined SREB as a school improvement instructional coach in July 2019, bringing more than 25 years of teaching experience at the high school level in North Carolina and Tennessee. She began her work with SREB as a math consultant. She earned her National Board Certification, her certification in Teaching the Gifted, and her endorsement to teach AP Calculus while teaching in North Carolina.
Kim holds a Bachelor's of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She lives in North Carolina.
Job Titles:
- State Representative, Wilmington ( 2024 )
Job Titles:
- Research Associate
- in 2019 As a Research Associate
Kimiya Munni joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2019 as a research associate to the State Services team. In this role, she assists with researching education policies, monitoring and interpreting legislative actions and their effects, writing legislative reports, maintaining CRM database, and responding to stakeholder inquiries. Her experience includes working with Fulton County Schools and Innovations for Poverty Action. Kimiya holds a master of public policy from Georgia State University and a master of economics from the University of Dhaka.
Job Titles:
- President, Pellissippi State College, Knoxville ( 2023 )
LaTonya Bolden works in SREB School Improvement, where she provides coaching and professional development to educators particularly in STEM content areas. She joined SREB in 2021, bringing 22 years of experience in public education and nonprofit organizations. Her experience in North Carolina, New Jersey, and Georgia includes serving as a science and math educator, academic facilitator, curriculum writer and developer, and instructional coach and mentor.
Job Titles:
- Human Resources Director
- in 2017 As Human Resources Director
Lauren Baus joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2017 as human resources director. In this role, she works with SREB leadership and is key to the organization's strategic thinking and direction. Lauren also manages HR functions and office administration across the many program areas of the organization.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Vice President, State Strategies
Lee Posey is vice president for state strategies. She joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2017 as director of legislative services. Prior to joining SREB, she worked for the National Conference of State Legislatures for 17 years. Her experience at NCSL included serving as federal affairs counsel with the NCSL standing committee on education. In that role, Lee represented state legislatures before the U.S. Congress and the president's administration and conducted NCSL lobbying on federal education legislation.
Job Titles:
- Program Director, Project - Based Learning
Leslie Eaves leads the project-based learning program at SREB, where she designs professional learning experiences for teachers to implement PBL. She joined SREB in 2016, bringing more than 16 years of experience in the public education sector. She holds both a technology education and 9-12 math license. Prior to SREB, Leslie taught high school engineering courses in North Carolina. She joined North Carolina New Schools in 2011 as a math content coach and a general instructional coach, where she implemented school-centered learning strategies and STEM practices.
Job Titles:
- Production Manager
- Senior Designer
Lety Jones has served as senior designer and production manager for more than 15 years. She joined the Southern Regional Education Board as administrative assistant to the communications director in 1991. She earned a bachelor's in marketing from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas.
Job Titles:
- Program Director, Technology Centers That Work
Linda Floyd joined SREB's school improvement team as director of Technology Centers That Work in 2017. With more than 35 years of experience in education, Linda most recently worked for the Kentucky Department of Education, where she provided leadership, supervision and evaluations of principals in 27 state-operated career and technology centers.
Job Titles:
- Secretary of Education, Wilmington ( 2025 )
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- President, a Education Partnership, Montgomery ( 2022 )
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- State Representative, Memphis ( 2021 ) Executive Committee Member, Treasurer of the SREB Board
Marsha Moseley joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2018. As a School Improvement leadership coach, she works with administrative leaders and teachers to create a culture of high expectations and improve classroom instruction. A former early childhood and middle level language arts teacher, Marsha brings over 34 years of experience in public education. Her varied district leadership roles include overseeing child development centers, training curriculum specialists and literacy coaches, coordinating federal programs, and serving as ELA K-5 coordinator, executive director of special services, and director of middle level curriculum and instruction.
Job Titles:
- Executive Secretary, Georgia Professional Standards Commission, Atlanta ( 2025 )
Megan Boren joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2010. She currently serves as project manager for the postsecondary office and also leads SREB's work on educator human capital strategies policy research, implementation and state technical assistance. From late 2014 to early 2019, Megan was a member of SREB's educator effectiveness team, leading the technical assistance state grants, state progress monitoring and community of practice projects. She also worked on college completion and college-readiness policy and research and led the SREB Readiness Courses initiative.
Job Titles:
- Teacher and Instructional Specialist, Florida State University School, Tallahassee ( 2024 )
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- Education Policy Advisor, Office of the Governor, Columbia ( 2026 )
Job Titles:
- Director, Student Success and Access
Michael DeJesus leads student success and access at SREB. He joined SREB's postsecondary education team in 2022, bringing more than 20 years of experience in higher education and state government. He was previously a program officer at the New York State Education Department where managed the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program statewide. He has also held several roles in higher education, serving as director of intercultural leadership and diversity at a private liberal arts college.
Job Titles:
- Commissioner of Education, Austin ( 2026 )
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- President, Louisiana Community and Technical College System, Baton Rouge ( 2024 )
Job Titles:
- Meeting and Event Manager, School Improvement
Nakeisha Myers joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2023 as the meeting and event manager. She manages the Making Schools Work Conference and the Coaching for Change Conference, and helps coordinate various events in the organization. Nakeisha spent her career focused on events and marketing in education. She earned a bachelor's in speech with a minor in hospitality administration from Georgia State University.
Job Titles:
- State Representative, Brandenburg ( 2023 )
Job Titles:
- Policy Analyst
- in 2021 As a Policy Analyst
Natalee Jones joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2021 as a policy analyst working on high school, higher education, and the workforce. Natalee comes to SREB bringing experience in diversity and inclusion, congressional affairs, and data strategy through different fellowship and internship opportunities.
Natalee holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Brigham Young University and a Master of Public Policy from Georgia State University.
Job Titles:
- State Senator, West Columbia ( 2025 ) Executive Committee Member
Job Titles:
- Administrative Specialist
Pam Hogans joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2010 with more than 20 years of administrative experience in the field of education. Pam serves as an administrative assistant for the Division of Research and Accountability in the Office of School Improvement, where she coordinates and supports research and evaluation projects for SREB's diverse client base.
Job Titles:
- President, State Board of Education, Holden ( 2025 )
Job Titles:
- State Superintendent of Education, Baton Rouge ( 2023 )
Quinton Granville joined SREB's School Improvement team in 2014. As an instructional coach, he partners with teachers and educational leaders to strengthen instructional practices that are essential to empowering all students to achieve. His work in schools focuses on disciplinary literacy and strategic coaching. He is also a co-leader of SREB SMART (Science and Math Alternative Route to Teaching), a program that helps new and developing teachers thrive in the areas of instructional planning, classroom culture, student engagement and assessment and feedback.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director, KIPP Nashville ( 2024 )
Rebecca Holt works with SREB program directors and coaches to manage data collection for school improvement initiatives. She joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2010. Rebecca has experience in program development, coordination, writing, editing, researching, reporting and database management with nonprofit agencies, including Habitat for Humanity, the Marcus Institute and Partnership Against Domestic Violence. Rebecca holds a master's in sociology from Georgia Southern University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Mississippi Members of the Board
- State Representative, Long Beach ( 2026 )
Job Titles:
- Leadership Coach
- School Improvement Leadership Coach
Richard Morrison joined SREB as a School Improvement Leadership Coach, bringing more than 34 years of experience in public education. He currently supports middle grades and high school administrators in Mississippi and Alabama. Prior to coming to SREB, Richard served as a nationally certified coach and national facilitator for the National Institute for School Leadership. He was honored to be selected as Mississippi's Assistant Principal of the Year in 2005 and as the Mississippi Administrator of the Year in 2011. In 2012, Richard was appointed to the Mississippi State Board of Education, where he served as vice chairman for two years.
Job Titles:
- Member of the State Board of Education, Lyman ( 2024 )
Job Titles:
- Senior Consultant
- in 2002 As the Director
Robert (Bob) Belle joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2002 as the director for the SREB Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) Doctoral Scholars Program. Prior to joining SREB, he served as the director of the Office of Federal TRIO Programs for the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, DC. While at the department, he also served as the acting deputy secretary of education in the Office of Postsecondary Education. Bob has over 55 years in education, which include teaching across education levels (elementary to collegiate). Additionally, he was an administrator at the collegiate, state and national levels. For more than 45 years, Bob has been in higher education, working on behalf of students who traditionally have been underserved or denied access to higher education. He has counseled and advised hundreds of students throughout his career. Bob earned a bachelor's in education from the former Glassboro State Teachers College, now Rowan University, a master's from Seton Hall University and a doctorate from Lehigh University.
Job Titles:
- in 2022 As a Member
- Research Analyst II, Education Data Services
Robert Aycock joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2022 as a member of the Postsecondary team. He works as a research analyst in Education Data Services, assisting with the management of the SREB State Data Exchange, analyzing data, and the production of several publications including the SREB Fact Book on Higher Education. Prior to joining SREB, Robert worked with the Georgia Administrative Office of the Courts where he served as a statistical analyst and governmental affairs liaison.
Job Titles:
- State Senator, Huntington ( 2026 ) Executive Committee Member
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- Assistant Vice President, Academic Affairs, Wilmington University, Milford ( 2023 )
Rodriquez Leonard joined SREB in 2021, bringing 16 years of experience in public education. He was an English language arts teacher with the Birmingham City Schools district. He also worked as a master teacher, school improvement grant coordinator, and freshman academy coordinator.
Rodriquez holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Montevallo and a Master of Arts in English language arts - secondary education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Job Titles:
- Governor of Florida, Tallahassee, Ex Officio ( 2023 )
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- Governor of North Carolina, Raleigh, Ex Officio ( 2025 )
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- State Representative, Lexington ( 2025 )
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- Chancellor, Higher Education Policy Commission, Charleston ( 2024 )
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- Governor of Arkansas, Little Rock, Ex Officio ( 2027 )
Shelly Gibson joined SREB's School Improvement team in the fall of 2019. As a math instructional coach, she provides coaching and professional development support for educators in grades K-12. Shelly has enjoyed more than 25 years in education as both a teacher and as a curriculum facilitator with Gaston County Schools in North Carolina.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director, North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principals Association, Wilmington ( 2026 )
Stephen Pruitt took office as the sixth president of the Southern Regional Education Board in July 2018. During his career, Pruitt built education policy, assessment and instructional background at the local, state and national levels. He started his education career as a high school chemistry teacher in Fayette County, Georgia, and then served in several leadership roles at the Georgia Department of Education. As senior vice president for Achieve, he worked closely with state agencies and educators around the country to improve science education. Before coming to SREB, he was Kentucky's state commissioner of education.
Job Titles:
- Director of State Development for High Schools and Middle Grades for High Schools That Work
- Senior Director, State & District Partnerships, School Improvement
Steve Broome joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2006 as the director of state development for high schools and middle grades for High Schools That Work, He brought more than 15 years of experience working on issues of education policy and practice in the public education sector. Steve has worked with state and local leaders in 32 states through HSTW.
Job Titles:
- Vice President for Postsecondary Education
Stevie L. Lawrence II joined Southern Regional Education Board in September 2019 as vice president for postsecondary education. In this role, he will lead SREB's postsecondary programs, such as the Academic Common Market, Doctoral Scholars Program, education data services and state authorization reciprocity agreements. He will also be charged with developing additional initiatives to support postsecondary state offices and institutions.
Job Titles:
- Director, Education Data Services
- in 2014 As the Director of Education Data Services
Susan Campbell Lounsbury joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2014 as the director of education data services. She has more than 25 years of experience in higher education policy and practice. Susan is responsible for coordinating the collection of data for the SREB State Data Exchange. She analyzes data and produces publications, such as the SREB Fact Book on Higher Education, Featured Facts, and Indicators Report.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Mississippi Members of the Board
- Governor of Mississippi, Jackson, Ex Officio ( 2024 )
Job Titles:
- District Instructional Technology Coordinator, Paris ( 2023 )
Job Titles:
- an Human Resources Specialist
- Human Resources Specialist II
Terri Cavender joined SREB as an human resources specialist in 2021, bringing more than 15 years experience from the higher education sector. Terri is responsible for leave requests, recruiting, employee relations, and various other human resources functions.
Terri received her master's degree in instructional design and technology from the University of West Georgia, her bachelor's degree in organizational development from Covenant College, and her associate's degree in Psychology from Georgia Highlands College.
Job Titles:
- State Representative, Decatur ( 2023 )
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant to the President
Job Titles:
- Program Specialist, Doctoral Scholars Program
Tiffany K. Harrison works with the SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program. She previously worked with SREB's Educational Technology Cooperative on research and policy efforts, after joining the organization's benchmarking college- and career-readiness standards team in 2017. Prior to joining SREB, she was a program evaluation and data specialist with the North Carolina Partnership for Children and a research associate for the SERVE Center at UNC-Greensboro.
Tokitha McWain-Ferguson joined SREB's School Improvement team in 2019, bringing 18 years of educational experience in mathematics, instructional leadership and school improvement. She previously served as an education consultant for six years at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction District & School Transformation Division and as a teacher trainer and school administrator in Doha, Qatar. Throughout her career, her roles have included elementary and high school administrator, middle school teacher, mathematics facilitator and instructional coach.
Job Titles:
- Accounting and Grants Associate
Job Titles:
- Program Coordinator, Doctoral Scholars Program
Veronica Johnson provides program and communications support for the SREB-State Doctoral Scholars Program and Institute on Teaching and Mentoring. Veronica joined SREB in 2014 and has worked with the Learning-Centered Leadership Program and Office of the Communications as well. Prior to SREB, she was a newsroom information specialist at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and a freelance writer. Veronica holds a bachelor's in mass media arts with a concentration in journalism from Clark Atlanta University.
Job Titles:
- Governor of Maryland, Annapolis, Ex Officio ( 2027 )