BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2023-2024
Officers
Adria Welcher, Ph.D. - Chair, Executive Committee
Associate Professor of Sociology & Director of General Education, Morehouse College
Yolanda Mack, J.D. - Vice Chair, Executive Commitee
Deputy District Attorney, Fulton County District Attorney's Office
Joanne Louis - Treasurer, Executive Committee
Accountant, Troutman Pepper, LLP
Fadzai Konteh - Secretary, Executive Committee
Vice President – Public Finance & PNC Certified Women’s Business Advocate, PNC Bank
Chris Sears - Past Chair, Executive Committee
SBIC Investment Director, Truist Community Capital, LLC
Board Members
Donovan Head - SCSC Leadership Representative, Executive Committee
Executive Director, State Charter Schools Commission (SCSC)
Cayanna Good, Ph.D. - SCSC Commissioner Representative, Executive Committee
Assistant Commissioner of Adult Education, Technical College System of Georgia
LeKeisha D. Jackson, Ph.D.
Senior Advisor and Senior Research Associate, Georgia State University
Lisa Olens
Education Manager, Community & Economic Development, Georgia Power
Steven Quinn
State Outreach Director, GeorgiaCAN & 50CAN National Organizing Manager
Gabrielle Rogers
Founder & CEO, Fifth Generation Consulting Inc.
Michael Smith
CEO, The Greater Valdosta United Way
For meeting information, please visit our BoardOnTrack site. For documents for any meeting prior to February 1, 2022, please email info@scsfga.org.
JOIN OUR BOARD
We are always looking for champions for state charter schools! Please email mneely@scsfga.org if you would like to be involved.
Board Members - Please email mneely@scsfga.org if you would like to be considered for a board position. We are actively seeking board members. Currently, we are looking for the following types of board members who support charter schools:
- members from communities outside of Metro Atlanta
- members who are in a position to help spread the word about state charter schools to a broad audience
- members who have the ability to help grow the SCSF's base of financial support
- members of the business/corporate community who value innovative public education
- members from urban communities and/or experience working with low-income and minority families
BACKGROUND
Georgia’s first charter school law was passed in 1993 and was amended in 1998 to allow for locally approved charter schools. In 2008, the law was amended to allow for a state commission to approve charter schools, however in 2011, the Supreme Court of Georgia ruled the commission law unconstitutional. In 2012, a constitutional amendment was overwhelmingly approved by Georgia voters to allow for a new State Charter Schools Commission of Georgia ("Commission"). In addition to state authorization, the Commission was granted the authority to actively seek supplemental revenue from federal grant funds, institutional grant funds, and philanthropic organizations. Georgia Senate Bill 156 in 2015 authorized the creation of the State Charter Schools Foundation. As a result, the State Charter Schools Foundation of Georgia (SCSF or Foundation) was incorporated in 2015.
SCSF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation established to leverage resources to advance education in Georgia through excellent state charter schools. While the Commission played a role in the creation of the SCSF, the two organizations are separate and operate under the authority of two different governing boards and separate bylaws. The Commission and Foundation both share an unwavering commitment to support state charter schools; however, the organizations play very different roles in terms of providing that support. The Commission is the state charter authorizer (the entity charged with approving, evaluating, and holding state charters accountable for performance), and the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation that makes strategic investments to support the planning, implementation, capital costs and growth of excellent state charter schools.