Boards and Authorizers Homeroom
Boards and Authorizers Homeroom
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Salon A
Governance and leadership matter—now more than ever. That’s why we’ve created a dedicated Home Room for charter boards and authorizers. We don’t see you as just fiduciaries or regulators. To us, you’re guardians of opportunity and stewards of possibility. Join your peers from across the country to connect, collaborate, and get energized. You’ll leave fired up to fix what’s broken, catalyze what’s working, and fight for what’s possible. Plus, you’ll gain bold strategies and practical tools to govern with purpose, drive performance, and influence policy where it matters most.
Presenters
Chief Operating Officer
National Charter Schools Institute
Mary has dedicated her career to strengthening leaders, building capacity, growing networks and impacting students. Mary currently serves as Chief Operating Officer at the National Charter Schools Institute supporting charter schools, boards, and authorizers. In her previous roles at Chicago Public Schools and Central Michigan University, Mary led oversight and support of charter schools and expansion of innovative schools and programs. She also previously served as Deputy Director at the Center for Charter Schools at Central Michigan University, a state-wide charter school authorizer in Michigan. Combined with her rich experience in public education and the charter sector, Mary is recognized as an expert in the industry and has contributed much thought leadership through numerous roles throughout the nation. www.nationalcharterschools.org, www.epicenternow.org
President & CEO
National Charter Schools Institute
Dr. Jim Goenner is a champion for excellence and a member of the National Charter Schools Hall of Fame. He is on a mission to change the arc of education. Jim sees chartering as a powerful strategy for challenging the givens of the educational system and an opportunity to create the conditions where innovation and excellence can thrive. Jim currently serves as the President & CEO of the National Charter Schools Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the charter schools movement and equipping schools, boards and authorizers with the ideas, tools and resources they need to win for kids. Prior to joining the Institute, Jim led Central Michigan University’s chartering efforts, making CMU the nation’s first and largest university authorizer of charter public schools. Under his leadership, CMU became known as the “gold standard” for charter school authorizing, earning recognition from both the U.S. and Michigan Departments of Education. As a movement builder, Jim helped found the National Association of Charter School Authorizers and the Michigan Council of Charter School Authorizers. He also helped found and led the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, which continues to serve as the unified voice for Michigan’s charter community. Jim has testified before numerous policymaking bodies, including the United States Congress, and was invited by the U.S. Department of Education to serve on the advisory board of the National Charter Schools Resource Center. He has received gubernatorial appointments from Michigan Governors John Engler and Jennifer Granholm. Jim presently serves on the boards of CharterFolk and the Charter Schools Development Corporation, which specializes in facilities financing. He also serves as a Blue-Ribbon Panel Judge for the prestigious Yass Prize and is a member of the 2024 cohort of the highly selective Pahara Fellowship. Jim earned his doctorate in educational administration from Michigan State University and is the proud father of seven children and two grandchildren.