R&D Agenda Advisory Group

Former CEO, Our Turn

Kevin Ervin

Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, has dedicated his life to leveling the playing field for those in underresourced communities. From his early experiences at Camp Vacamas to uniting his school community after 9/11, Kevin’s leadership and passion for education have been evident throughout his career. After graduating from The Hotchkiss School, Kevin discovered his passion for working with young people. He raised funds to start the GLOW afterschool initiative, which served students in the Bronx and New Jersey. Kevin’s leadership was recognized with fellowships from the Center for Creative Leadership and the Rutgers Institute of Ethical Leadership. He then helped Renaissance Youth Center expand its work in the South Bronx, securing over $2 million in funding. Later, within the New York City Department of Education, he strengthened operations and administration at Satellite Academy High School.

Kevin holds degrees from Northeastern University, New York University, and Berklee College of Music. As Executive Director of Change for Kids, he expanded the organization’s reach, pivoted to remote learning during the pandemic, and raised over $2 million for a remote learning center. Most recently, Kevin served as Chief Innovation Officer for the YMCA from 2023-2024. He now leads Our Turn, Inc. as CEO, advocating for education justice for thousands of young people nationwide. Kevin Ervin continues to change the odds in favor of those facing adversity.

Founder & President, Learning Heroes

Bibb Hubbard

Bibb Hubbard founded Learning Heroes to help parents most effectively advocate on behalf of their children’s educational success. She brings extensive experience in communications, policy, and advocacy from the public, private, and philanthropic sectors.

She held leadership positions at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Widmeyer Communications, and Scholastic. Her public-sector experience includes positions at the White House and the U.S. Labor Department. Bibb is a Pahara Fellow and sits on the board of The Leadership Academy. She is the proud mother of two college-age sons. You can connect with Bibb on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Founder & President, National Parents Union

Keri Rodrigues

Keri Rodrigues is Matthew, Miles and David’s mom and the visionary founder and president of the National Parents Union (NPU) – a groundbreaking organization that unites parents from diverse backgrounds to advocate for the rights, economic and educational needs of America’s children. Called “arguably the most successful parent organizer in education advocacy today,” her outstanding commitment to social, economic and educational equity for children and families spans decades. Under her leadership, NPU has become a formidable force, driving policy reforms and fostering parental empowerment across the nation to dismantle economic and educational barriers that keep America’s children from achieving economic mobility and prosperity.

Rodrigues has served on the US Department of Education’s National Parent and Family Engagement Council, the Children’s Equity Project Family Advisory Committee at Arizona State University and the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee and the Ethnic Council of the Democratic National Committee. Her work, impact and perspective have been featured in the New York Times, NBC Nightly News, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Fox News, the Washington Post, POLITICO and the Boston Globe. She has been a guest lecturer at Stanford, UCLA, UC Berkeley, Columbia University, Harvard, MIT and Georgetown Law.

In 2022, the National Parents Union was honored as the National Advocate of the Year by UnidosUS and the ERN Change Agent of the Year.

Director, Educational Issues, American Federation of Teachers

Marla Ucelli-Kashyap

Marla Ucelli-Kashyap is Senior Director for Educational Issues at the 1.8 million-member American Federation of Teachers, where she serves as strategic advisor to AFT President Randi Weingarten and leads a 30-person team working on key areas of policy, practice, technical assistance, and professional development aimed at helping teachers and their unions improve education quality and their profession. The Educational Issues portfolio includes the teacher career continuum and workforce shortages, community schools expansion, evidence-based reading instruction, the AFT’s signature professional conferences and training programs, and its Share My Lesson resource sharing website with more than 2 million registered users.

Prior to AFT, Marla was Director of District Redesign and Leadership at the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Before that, she was a senior program officer at the Rockefeller Foundation. Early in her career, Marla served as senior education aide to New Jersey Governor Thomas H. Kean and as special assistant to then President of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Ernest L. Boyer.

Marla has also been an education policy consultant, a press secretary, and a reporter. She holds degrees from New York University and Rutgers. Marla has served on numerous boards and advisory groups, including multiple terms leading the boards of the Learning First Alliance and Editorial Projects in Education. She was a member of the Education Agency Review Team for the Biden Administration transition.

Founder & Chief Executive, Center for Black Educator Development

Sharif El-Mekki

Prior to founding the Center, Sharif El-Mekki served as a nationally recognized principal and U.S. Department of Education Principal Ambassador Fellow. His school, Mastery Charter Shoemaker, was recognized by President Obama and Oprah Winfrey, and was awarded the prestigious EPIC award for three consecutive years as being amongst the top three schools in the country for accelerating students’ achievement levels. The Shoemaker Campus was also recognized as one of the top ten middle schools and top ten high schools in the state of Pennsylvania for accelerating the achievement levels of African-American students. In 2014, ElMekki founded The Fellowship – Black Male Educators for Social Justice, an organization dedicated to recruiting, retaining, and developing Black male teachers. El-Mekki blogs on Phillys7thWard, is a member of the 8 Black Hands podcast and serves on several boards and committees focused on educational and racial justice.

Center for Black Educator Development, National Association of Secondary School Principals

Ronn Nozoe

Is a lifelong educator and the Chief Executive Officer of
NASSP, an organization dedicated to transforming education
through school leadership. Nozoe previously served as associate
executive director and interim executive director at ASCD. Prior to this, Nozoe was deputy assistant secretary for policy and programs at the U.S. Department of Education, where he worked on initiatives to build state and local capacity in the areas of teacher quality, school safety, rural education, and migrant and indigenous education.
In his home state of Hawaii, Nozoe served as deputy state superintendent from 2010–15, during which time he amplified principals’ voices in statewide decisions, leveraged state and federal funds to increase statewide achievement, graduation rates, and college enrollment. Prior to that, he served as district superintendent of the Farrington/Kaiser/Kalani complexes, and as a principal, vice principal, and teacher in various schools across the state.
Nozoe holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in education and teaching, both from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

National Institute on Out-of-School Time, National Institute on Out-of-School Time

Georgia Hall

Georgia Hall is a Director and Senior Research Scientist at the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) at the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College and specializes in research and evaluation on youth development programs, settings, and learning experiences. Georgia is currently serving as the Principal Investigator on NIOST’s technical assistance partnership with the Massachusetts’ Department of Education 21st CCLC Program.

NIOST’s work includes the development and refinement of statewide assessment tools for 21st CCLC, along with the development of online training tools and inperson training and technical assistance delivery to 21st CCLC sub-grantees. Georgia also serves as the Principal Investigator on NIOST’s project work with ElevateOST in western Pennsylvania and leads NIOST’s research activities for literacy skill-building in OST programs. Georgia regularly presents on topics related to program quality, measurement, and staff training to OST audiences around the country. Georgia is the Managing Editor of the Afterschool Matters journal. Georgia and her NIOST colleagues edited the recently released book “The Heartbeat of the Youth Development Field: Professional Journeys of Growth, Connection, and Transformation” which is a new volume in the series “Current Issues in Out-of-School Time” published by IAP.

Competency-Based Education Network, Competency-Based Education Network

Charla Long

Charla Long is the founding president of the Competency-Based Education Network (C-BEN) and a leading expert in competency-based education with over 25 years of experience in education and innovation. She has spearheaded international, multi-state, and multi-institutional initiatives to integrate competency-based solutions into education and workforce systems, driving transformative change. Recognized by The Chronicle of Higher Education in 2016 as one of the Top 10 Most Influential People in Higher Education, Long’s impact on competency-based education in the post-secondary sector has been significant.

Charla is the co-author of The Leader’s Guide to Competency-Based Education (2018) and facilitates workshops and training sessions for thousands of professionals each year, helping them design and scale competency-based learning solutions. Before her work at C-BEN, she served at public and private institutions in various capacities, such as academic dean, department chair, and tenured faculty. Her diverse career encompasses experiences in law, hospitality management, and event planning.

Charla also leads the highly regarded CBExchange, an annual conference that convenes global innovators in education and workforce development to explore and expand competency-based practices.

American Council on Education, American Council on Education

Mushtaq Gunja

Mushtaq Gunja serves as executive director of the Carnegie Classification systems and senior vice president at ACE, where he is in charge of running and reimagining the Carnegie framework. Prior to joining ACE, Mushtaq served as assistant dean in academic affairs at Georgetown University Law Center (DC), where he helped design academic policies for the law school, including accreditation, teaching methods, and new programs related to increased educational outcomes. He also serves as an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown Law and previously taught at the University of Maryland School of Law and Washington Adventist University.

Mushtaq had stints in the federal government in the Obama Administration’s White House Counsel’s Office, the Department of Education, and the United States Attorney’s Office.

Mushtaq graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School (MA) and magna cum laude and with honors from Brown University (RI) with a B.A. in political science and diplomatic history

Jobs for the Future, Jobs for the Future

Joel Vargas

Joel Vargas is vice president of the Education practice at Jobs for the Future, overseeing programs focused on improving learning systems and outcomes. He was previously vice president of programs and launched our West Coast office in 2015.

His skills and areas of expertise include: designing and implementing research, systems changes, and state policy agendas for integrating high school, college, and career; creating policy frameworks, tools, and model legislation; and providing technical assistance to state task forces and policy working groups.

Before joining JFF, Vargas directed, initiated, and studied programs designed to help students from populations underrepresented in postsecondary education enter and complete college. His educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University, as well as a master’s degree and Ed.D. in education planning, administration, and social policy, from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

Jason A. Tyszko

Jason A. Tyszko is a senior vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation where he advances policies and programs that enhance the career readiness of youth and adult learners and strengthen economic competitiveness. Jason oversees the Chamber Foundation’s workforce development portfolio, including the Talent Pipeline Management (TPM) initiative as well as JEDx, the T3 Innovation Network, JobSIDE, EPIC, and Talent Finance.

Jason’s prior experience focused on coordinating interagency education, workforce, and economic development initiatives. In 2009, he served as a policy adviser to Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration. In addition, Tyszko was deputy chief of staff and senior policy adviser to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Jason received his Master of Arts from the University of Chicago and his Bachelor of Arts from DePaul University.

EL Education, EL Education

Ron Berger

Ron Berger is a well-known national and international keynote speaker on inspiring a commitment to quality, character, and citizenship in students. He is the Senior Advisor at EL Education, a nonprofit school improvement organization that partners with public schools and districts across America, leads professional learning, and creates open educational resources.

Ron is the author of best-selling education books, including: An Ethic of Excellence, A Culture of Quality, Leaders of Their Own Learning, Transformational Literacy, Management in the Active Classroom, Learning that Lasts, and We Are Crew: A Teamwork Approach to School Culture. He taught at Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he did his graduate work. He founded and directs the website Models of Excellence: The Center for High-Quality Student Work, which holds the world’s largest collection of beautiful K-12 student work.

Ron was a public school teacher and master carpenter in rural Massachusetts for over 25 years and received the Autodesk Foundation National Teacher of the Year award.

Transcend Education, Transcend Education

J.T. Schiltz

J.T. Schiltz is a Managing Partner at Transcend, overseeing a portfolio of work that centers on high school redesign and postsecondary pathways. Since 2019, she has supported PK12 communities across the country to reimagine school, focusing on facilitating community-based design journeys to develop cohesive whole school models that make Leaps and yield extraordinary and equitable experiences and outcomes for young people.

Before coming to Transcend, JT spent 14 years with Uncommon Schools, a charter management organization (CMO) serving (at the time) 19,000 students in the Northeast, as a Special Education teacher, middle school principal, Assistant Superintendent, and Special Education advisor to the network. JT started her career as a Teach For America corps member, teaching elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana. She earned a BA in English modified with Studio Art at Dartmouth College and a M.Ed. in Special Education from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. Outside of work, JT spends most of her time curating joyful adventures for her three young children, ages 2, 5, and 7.

Ph.D., Executive Director, Council of the Great City Schools

Ray Hart

Raymond C. Hart, Ph.D., is an impact-driven advocate for improving student achievement, policy governance, and system operations at all levels of education. He employs a unique combination of expertise as an Industrial Engineer, researcher, and educator, which has honed his ability to find solutions to complex problems and think strategically. Hart’s career has been focused on connecting the dots between people, datadriven strategies, and student outcomes. He has been a champion for urban school districts with members of Congress, the U. S. Department of Education, the National Academy of Sciences, the National Science Foundation, and many other national, state, and philanthropic organizations.

Ray is currently the Executive Director of the Council of the Great City Schools where he serves as a multi-disciplinary leader to impact change for the Council’s 78-member districts. Hart leads dynamic team which works collaboratively across divisions academics, management and operations, communications, and legislation on behalf of the nation’s urban school systems. At the Council, Ray launched the Academic Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and managed the Males of Color Initiative which resulted in a partnership with President Barack Obama’s “My Brother’s Keeper” program. He directs strategic support teams in academics, finance, information technology, and other district operational areas across the country to improve outcomes and efficiencies. He has authored reports that led to improvements in district, state, and national assessment practices; influenced the creation of offices that focus on equity and improving outcomes for young men and women of color; and highlighted the success of member districts in turning around their lowest performing schools.

Prior to joining the Council, Hart was a Fellow at ICF International where he led the Analytic Technical Support Task Force for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Educational Laboratory (REL). His role focused heavily on strengthening administrator and teacher effectiveness throughout districts in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia. Hart previously served as an executive director for the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) where he led the redesign of the research and assessment division. He also oversaw the district’s Title I, Race to the Top, and grant programs such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Effective Teacher in Every Classroom initiative. Prior to APS, Hart worked as an independent consultant following a series of academic and director-level roles at four different universities.

Ray earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in research, measurement, and statistics at Kent State University, Master of Education degree in curriculum and instruction at Cleveland State University, and Bachelor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. A native of Dallas, Ray and his wife have four children and currently reside in Ashburn, Va

Ph.D., Director of Research, Council of the Great City Schools

Akisha Osei Sarfo

Dr. Akisha Osei Sarfo is the Director of Research at the Council of the Great City Schools, where she oversees the Council’s research initiatives. In this role, she facilitates collaboration among district research leaders while leading the development of innovative research, resources, and data tools for member districts. A recognized expert in program evaluation, experimental and quasi-experimental research design, educational equity, teacher quality, and school accountability, Dr. Sarfo provides critical guidance and support for research and data use within Council districts.

Prior to her current role, Dr. Sarfo served as Chief Performance Officer for Guilford County Schools, where she led the district’s Accountability, Research, and Planning division, earning Harvard University’s Excellence in Education Data award. Her professional experience also includes roles at Bellwether Education Partners, the University of Delaware, and other state, federal and non-profit organizations. She was also a Harvard Strategic Data Project fellow. Dr. Sarfo holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in educational research methods from the University of Michigan, as well as a Ph.D. in Education Evaluation, Measurement, and Statistics from the University of Delaware. Additionally, she is an AERA Dissertation Fellow.

Ed.D., CEO, Learner-Centered Collaborative

Devin Vodicka

Dr. Devin Vodicka is the CEO of Learner-Centered Collaborative, author of Learner-Centered Leadership, a three-time California Educational Superintendent of the Year, and a nine-time White House invitee. He holds a Master of Science in Leadership and an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership.

Devin leads Learner-Centered Collaborative, a K-12 nonprofit organization, in supporting school, district, and state systems—impacting over two million learners to date. A first-generation American, Devin’s early realization of the education system’s lack of personalization fueled his dedication to inclusive, learner-centered models. He envisions education ecosystems that empower all learners to know who they are, thrive in community, and actively engage in the world as their best selves.

Ph.D., Chief Impact Officer, Learner-Centered Collaborative

Katie Martin

Dr Katie Martin, author of Learner-Centered Innovation and Evolving Education,serves as the Chief Impact Officer at Learner-Centered Collaborative, a non-profit that partners with educators, schools, districts, and states to expand learner-centered models of education. Dr. Martin is recognized internationally for her approach to learning for both educators and students. She has worked directly with thousands of teachers and administrators in diverse contexts to learn, research, and support deeper learning for all learners.

Dr. Martin teaches in the graduate school of Education at High Tech High and is on the board of Real World Scholars. She has served as a middle school English language arts teacher, instructional coach, and district-wide teacher mentoring program lead. She earned a Master of Education in middle school education and Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction.