Board of Directors

James Peyser, Chair (Board Term 2010-2013)
Partner, NewSchools Venture Fund

Jim Peyser is a Partner at NewSchools Venture Fund, where he brings to bear a strong hybrid background in education policy, charter school development and business management to lead NewSchools' East Coast initiatives. From 1999 through 2006, Jim served as Chairman of the Massachusetts Board of Education, where he helped shape outcomes-focused policy at the state level on standards, charter schools and school accountability. He also spent more than seven years as Executive Director of Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research, where he supported public education innovations, including early charter schools.

Hosanna Mahaley, Vice Chair (Board Term 2009-2012)
DC State Superintendent of Education

Hosanna Mahaley is the DC State Superintendent of Education, appointed by DC Mayor Vincent Gray.  In this role, she is responsible for disbursement of federal grants and works with the D.C. State Board of Education on matters such as academic standards.  Prior to this position, she served as Executive Director of Social Justice and District Innovation for Wireless Generation, a leading education organization that develops innovative technology-based solutions to address Pre K–12 teaching and learning challenges. She also held the position of President of the Atlanta Education Fund and served as Chief-of-Staff to now-Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Director of the Office of New Schools at Chicago Public Schools.

Karega Rausch, Secretary (Board Term 2010-2013)
Indianapolis Director of Stand for Children

Karega Rausch currently serves as the Office of Education Innovation Director at the Indianapolis Mayor’s Office, where he is leading a successful and nationally recognized charter school authorizing enterprise (23 schools serving 8400 students).  Karega has worked in authorizing with the Mayor’s Office in various positions since 2007. During his tenure, the Mayor’s Office received an inaugural grant of $100,000 from NACSA’s Fund for Authorizing Excellence to further implementation of quality authorizing practices.  Prior to joining the Mayor’s Office, Karega worked as a Research Associate at Indiana University’s School of Education, where, as part of his preparation for a PhD, he studied and provided technical assistance to Indiana public school districts engaged in school reform efforts in order to understand and address the overrepresentation of students of color in special education and school discipline. Karega holds a Masters of Science in Education from Indiana University and a B.A. from DePauw University.

Josephine Baker, Treasurer (Board Term 2010-2013)
Past Executive Director, District of Columbia Public Charter School Board

Jo Baker served as the first chairperson of the District of Columbia Public Charter School Board from 1997 until 2002, bringing her deep educational knowledge and leadership to the founding Board. She was asked to assume the Executive Director position in the summer of 2002. As Executive Director, Jo’s primary focus is implementation of the D.C. charter school law. Her organization is the sole authorizer of charter schools in the district, where 28 percent of the public school students attend charters.

Steve Canavero, Ph.D. (Board Term 2011-2012)
Director of Public Charter School Authority of Nevada

Alan Coverstone (Board Term 2011-2014)
Executive Director of Metro Nashville Public Schools

In September 2008, Alan Coverstone was elected to serve on the Metro Nashville Board of Education. During his time on the board, Coverstone led a study group that evaluated district policies and practices regarding charter schools and established most of the recommendations that have become the heart of the District’s portfolio approach to schools of Innovation today.

In 2009, Coverstone was offered the position of Executive Director of Charter Schools with the school district. In this capacity, Coverstone was instrumental in designing the office and establishing a stronger relationship with and policy oversight of the district’s charter schools. In 2010, Coverstone played a key role in earning Nashville a spot as one of nine cities nationwide to participate in the Gates Foundation District-Charter Collaboration Compact. That same year, Coverstone was selected to administer the $12 million Magnet School Assistance Grant awarded to MNPS. Under his direction, six district schools have been converted into thematic magnet schools:  two museum magnets, three STEM magnets, and Nashville's first entertainment industry magnet school. In the summer of 2011, Coverstone was tapped to also lead the district’s newly created Office of Innovation, overseeing a portfolio of turnaround schools during the 2011-12 school year.

Garth Harries (Board Term 2011-2014)
Assistant Superintendent for Portfolio and Performance Management, New Haven Public Schools (Connecticut)

Garth Harries was appointed Assistant Superintendent for Portfolio and Performance Management in New Haven Public Schools in Connecticut in 2009. Previously, Garth was Chief Executive for Portfolio Development at the New York City Department of Education. Harries also served as CEO of the Office of New Schools (now part of the Office of Portfolio Development), creating 269 new small secondary schools and 63 charter schools between 2003 and 2008.

Rick Hess (Board Term 2011-2014)
Resident Scholar and Director of Education Policy Studies,  American Enterprise Institute

As the Resident Scholar and Director of Education Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, Rick Hess studies a range of K-12 and higher education issues. He is an educator and political scientist and has authored influential books such as Common Sense School Reform, Revolution at the Margins, and Spinning Wheels. He is executive editor of Education Next, a faculty associate with Harvard's Program on Education Policy and Governance, and he serves on the review board for the Broad Prize in Urban Education.

Hanna Skandera (Board Term 2011-2012)
New Mexico Secretary of Education

Greg Richmond (ex-officio)
President and CEO, NACSA

Greg Richmond was a founding board member of NACSA, serving as the chair of the board from 2000-2005. In 2005 he became NACSA's full-time President. Under his full-time leadership, NACSA's national influence has expanded substantially, including a significant role in the re-opening of New Orleans schools as charter schools, in-depth training of California Department of Education staff, a multi-authorizer training and development project in New York City, and multi-year projects in Florida and Ohio.