Board of Directors

Jamie Candee leads Edmentum’s strategic vision and long-term growth as President, CEO, and Board Director. She has served as CEO of Edmentum since 2017, and has extensive experience in education technology, private equity, and policy. Edmentum is a global education leader, delivering research-based digital curriculum, assessments for learning, and quality educational consulting. With over 60 years of experience, Edmentum is both a pioneer in online teaching and learning solutions and is continually committed to making it easier for educators to individualize learning for every student.

As CEO, Jamie is focused on ensuring that Edmentum programs and services empower teachers with the digital curriculum and assessments for learning they need to personalize instruction and create equitable learning opportunities for all students. Her vision is to ensure Edmentum programs are aligned to every teacher’s instructional strategies and demonstrate evidence of growth and learning. Leading with an educator first approach, Jamie ensures that teachers and students are always top-of-mind – from development through implementation of their Edmentum programs.

Jamie lives by the credo of doing well by doing good. In 2018, Jamie founded Edmentum’s We Can Learn foundation. We Can Learn is committed to making a meaningful impact in education through philanthropic giving and service, that supports equitable and innovative learning opportunities. Since its inception, We Can Learn has supported the development of a school in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda, partnered with multiple local and national organizations, and provided support to over 10,000 children.

Jamie is an active member of her community, providing mentorship, speaking, and leading through a variety of volunteer opportunities and board memberships. Jamie has spoken or been quoted on leadership, education, technology, finance, and professional development in The New York Times, Forbes, Today, ASU+GSV, and AASA. Jamie is on the Board of Trustees for Visitation School, and she sits on the board of directors for Project Success and Learning Tree International. Additionally, Jamie has been recognized by various industry-leading organizations for her leadership including the Minnesota Business Magazine, Ernst & Young, The Software Report, and EdTech Digest. Jamie holds a Master of Business Administration from Bethel University and a Bachelor of Science in political science from the University of Wisconsin.

After starting pre-med and changing her major three times at Cornell University, Lisa graduated with a major in Marketing and a minor in Fashion. Fittingly, her career began in the fashion industry at Chanel developing marketing strategies using customer data. Lisa went on to receive her MBA at Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where she developed strategic, marketing, and analytical skills that she applied to management consulting, with projects spanning a range of industries and functions often with a data-driven solution. This gave her a great deal of experience affecting change within organizations large and small, but also made her realize that she wanted to use her experience to help make a difference.

In 2012 she applied these skills to the nonprofit world by coming to NAF as a consultant to help use student data to tell the NAF story. Lisa then served as Vice President of Marketing & Communications and led a full rebranding of the national organization and was responsible for planning, executing, delivering, and evaluating all aspects of marketing & communications. She moved through different functions in the organization COO and then President.

In her current role as CEO, she oversees all functions responsible for supporting a network of over 600 college preparatory, career-themed academies serving over 117,000 students in 34 states, plus DC, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

Jason Gaulden is a Partner at Oak Rose Group. He joined Oak Rose Group after serving as founder and principal at Gaulden Group LLC, a consulting firm specializing in strategy, communications, and fundraising, with an emphasis on education organizations.

Prior to this role, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Untapped Potential Project—a network of career and technical high schools under development, with its first school opening in Chicago. He also served as Vice President of Partnerships for America Succeeds, where he co-authored The Age of Agility: Education Pathways for the Future of Work, which examines the rapidly changing nature of education-to-workforce pathways.

Jason draws upon 25 years of professional experience in varying roles: executive leadership, philanthropy, communications, grassroots advocacy, research and writing, fund development, and nonprofit board development.

Before his consulting practice, Jason served as Program Officer at Daniels Fund, which followed his role as Senior Fellow at El Pomar Foundation, two of the largest philanthropies in the Rocky Mountain region.

Jason is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology. He also served two terms as Chair of the University’s Alumni Board.

Elaine Hungenberg is a distinguished leader in developing and executing impactful strategies to drive positive change in education and communities globally. With a proven track record in go-to-market strategies and impact evaluation for foundations and nonprofits, she brings a wealth of expertise to her role as a trustee at America Succeeds. 

Currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Partnerships and Impact at the XPRIZE Foundation, Elaine is recognized for her ability to harness the power of innovative partnerships to create global impact. XPRIZE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring and incentivizing breakthroughs that tackle humanity’s most critical challenges. Boasting over 15 years of experience in strategy and research, Elaine is at the forefront of overseeing XPRIZE’s partnerships and impact initiatives. She leads the charge in measuring and quantifying the foundation’s profound influence on the world and its beneficiaries. In her strategic leadership role, she shapes and executes XPRIZE’s engagement with diverse ecosystems that contribute to and support its transformative work. 

In her previous role as Executive Vice President at Operation HOPE, Elaine led the HOPE Research and Impact Institute, focusing on evaluating cutting-edge solutions to financial inequities and systemic economic challenges. During her decade-long tenure, she collaborated with world-renowned organizations to equip them to function as a force for good and build a future where all people can thrive. 

Elaine’s career began in the nonprofit sector in 2007 with the Colorado Children’s Campaign, followed by Invest in Kids in Denver, Colorado. Her early work involved analyzing statewide data and creating publications to inform legislative programs for at-risk youth, contributing significantly to positive public policy and closing educational attainment gaps. 

Recognized as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Colorado in 2022, Elaine earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and English from St. Michael’s College in Burlington, Vermont, and a master’s degree from the University of Colorado in Political Science with a focus on research methodology and statistics. 

Residing in Windsor, Colorado, with her husband and three children, Elaine is driven by an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place.

Tami McNairy is an Associate Director based in Dallas Texas.  She has 10+ years of business process and software delivery experience with the last 6 years focused on leading large, complex transformational projects in IT Service Management leveraging the ServiceNow platform.

Tami is a technology leader leveraging innovative strategies to solve clients’ most complex business problems. She is passionate about diversity and inclusion in the workforce and creatively expanding access and opportunity in technology for women and people of color.

Tami works with leaders to adapt their structures rapidly to deliver products or service, innovate beyond market changes and grow leaders who can effectively deliver across large and complex organizations.

Her experiences are diverse and range from working with Fortune 100 companies spanning a variety of industries specializing in IT Strategy, Digital Transformation, Enterprise Asset Management, UX Design, Cloud Migrations and Risk Management. Coupling her love for people along with working alongside leaders coaching them to realize their full potential allows Tami to be well positioned for partnering with organizations and individuals in the quest for embracing transformation. She believes collaboration, communication and transparency are the keys to successful change.

Ahva Sadeghi is a passionate social entrepreneur and the Co-Founder and CEO of Symba, an award winning and venture-backed tech startup on the future of work. Ahva is an economist and researcher focused on remote work and workforce development.

Ahva currently is a member of the Forbes Human Resources Council. Through Symba, Ahva has helped power over 5,000 new job opportunities from internships, apprenticeships, and more. Symba was named a leader in the future of work by Forbes and is proud to be a certified women-owned business.

Prior to launching Symba, Ahva worked at the US Department of State in the Human Rights Bureau and completed a civil rights fellowship with Congressman John Lewis in Atlanta. She was recently named Forbes 30 Under 30, a Tory Burch Fellow, and a Global Entrepreneur Scholar by the US Department of State.

Ahva currently serves on the Forbes 30 Under 30 in Chicago and volunteers as a mentor for Students Rising Above. Ahva completed her graduate studies at the London School of Economics and received her BA from the University of Arizona Honors College. In her spare time, Ahva enjoys playing the cello and tennis.

Gretchen Zech is senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Arrow Electronics, a global Fortune 120 technology solutions provider. A member of Arrow’s executive committee, she leads the company’s HR strategies, operations, technologies and business partnerships around the world.

Gretchen joined Arrow in 2011 from Dex One, having served as their senior vice president and chief human resources officer since 2006. Before joining Dex, she was the HR group vice president at Gartner, responsible for several of the organization’s global businesses and corporate groups. Her previous roles also include HR leadership positions with Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea, Bloomingdale’s, Best Buy and Johnson Controls.

A Society for Human Resource Management senior certified professional (SHRM-SCP), Gretchen holds a bachelor’s degree in human resource management from The University of Michigan. She serves as a member of the SHRM board of directors and sits on the advisory board of the University of Colorado-Denver Business School.

Brandon Zeigler is an investor, philanthropist, and Director of Impact Investments at Global Endowment Management (GEM), an outsourced Chief Investment Office (OCIO) that provides institutional investment capabilities for endowments, foundations, and other long-term investors.

Prior to joining GEM, he was a Program Officer of K-12 Education at the Walton Family Foundation. Brandon has extensive experience in education and philanthropy, having also served in roles at Church Farm School in Exton, Pennsylvania, and Uplift Education in Dallas, Texas.

He believes in authenticity and serving those who are underinvested in. He is a connector, paying it forward and pouring into others so that they develop and supersede their own beliefs. Brandon holds a B.S. in psychology from Davidson College, an Ed.M. in education policy and management from Harvard University, and is currently an MBA candidate at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.  He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc.

Jacqueline Burgos is a Sales Leader for Google’s U.S. Procter & Gamble team.  In her time with the team she co-hosted the 2023, 500+ kick off to the Upfronts, established the Search strategy for the team, launched the U.S. Hispanic go to market, all while growing her book of business.  Before joining the P&G sales team, she worked in Google’s Agency Go To Market team supporting senior leaders in the strategy and relationship management with the biggest advertising holding companies (Omnicom, Publicis, WPP).  

Prior to joining Google, Jacqueline worked in traditional media with roles at Viacom, WB, and HBO.  In her last role at Viacom she was the Chief of Staff to the head of Sales, supporting in the creation and implementation of business and communications strategy for the organization.  At Warner Bros., she was instrumental in the launch of the company’s first multicultural digital content production company which opened new doors to diverse talent at the acclaimed studio.  

She was a member of the NAF (National Academy Foundation) board for three years (2016-2019), supporting high school education across the United States and has recently joined America Succeeds’ national board of directors.  As a member of HBS’ Latino Alumni Association she helped them launch Latinas in media and entertainment initiatives, celebrating the accomplishments of Latinas in Hollywood and creating awareness for this market opportunity.  

She is passionate about improving education and opportunities for youth across the country. Outside of work and philanthropy, she is an improv performer having completed all Improv courses at Magnet Theater and performed ~ 30+ shows.

Jacqueline Burgos grew up in Brooklyn, New York and received a BBA from Pace University’s Pforzheimer’s Honors College with a concentration in Accounting and minors in Economics and Latin American Studies. She has an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Tim Taylor is the Co-Founder and President of America Succeeds, where he passionately leads with a belief in education’s power to transform life trajectories and drive economic mobility. He combines executive, nonprofit, and public policy experience in a way that’s as rare as it is effective. Before launching America Succeeds, he served as the founding president of Colorado Succeeds.

Tim began his career on Capitol Hill as a senior legislative assistant to Congressman Saxby Chambliss of Georgia. After relocating to Colorado, he traded politics for purpose, founding Open Fairways, a nonprofit that used golf to give at-risk kids a better shot at life. Looking back, it was his first lesson in the power of durable skills – because patience, perseverance, and the occasional mulligan can make all the difference.

He is a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and serves on the X Prize Brain Trust for Learning & Society. Tim was named one of Getting Smart’s “60 People Shaping the Future of K-12 Education,” and speaks frequently to education and business audiences including SXSW EDU, National Governors Association, and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. 

Tim holds a bachelor’s degree from Randolph-Macon College in Virginia and a master’s degree in International Affairs from The George Washington University. An avid outdoorsman and live music junkie, he lives in Denver, Colorado, with his wife, Clare, their two college-aged children (who occasionally call home), and a Boykin Spaniel named Hobbes.

Favorite quote: “I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.” – E.B. White

Lauren Cole is the Vice President of Strategy and Operations at America Succeeds, where she keeps the gears turning—overseeing operations, administration, programs, and accounting systems to ensure everything runs smoothly and strategically. If it involves structure, efficiency, or making things work better, Lauren is on it.

A graduate of Cornell University, Lauren majored in Development Sociology with minors in education and business. But her passion for education took root even earlier when she served as a City Year Boston corps member, working to improve school attendance and literacy. That experience solidified her commitment to expanding opportunities for all students, and she’s been making an impact ever since.

When she’s not optimizing systems or crafting strategy, you’ll likely find Lauren checking out a new restaurant, exploring the outdoors, catching a live show, or planning her next adventure.

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Michael Crawford is the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at America Succeeds, where he leads the charge on proliferating durable skills—combining research, strategy, and implementation to ensure these essential skills make a real-world impact. Basically, if there’s a way to bridge education and the future of work, Michael is on it.

Before joining America Succeeds, Michael wore many hats in the education and innovation space. He’s served in a variety of research, strategy, and partnerships functions, with organizations like VELA, Western Governors University, Real World Scholars, and the Kauffman Foundation. Along the way, he’s been an invited mentor, advisor, speaker, and facilitator on topics like human development, entrepreneurship, and the ever-evolving future of learning and work. He’s also made appearances on a variety of podcasts and panels, where he’s just as comfortable behind a mic or in front of groups, as he is diving into the details.

Michael holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Michigan, an MS in Sport Psychology from Michigan State University, and a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Kansas.

When he’s not advancing the durable skills movement, Michael is squeezing the most of life with family and friends, exploring new places and experiences, and absorbing books like a hungry sponge.

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Kelli Rapplean is the Project Manager at America Succeeds, where she keeps projects on track and ideas in motion. She’s all about turning big visions into actionable impact, and strategically supporting a portfolio of initiatives that drive meaningful change.

With over a decade of experience in education—spanning early childhood, higher ed, experiential learning, summer programming, and EdTech—Kelli has made it her mission to expand opportunities for economic mobility through the power of education. If there’s a way to make learning more engaging, accessible, and transformative, she’s all in.

She holds a BS in Human Development and Family Studies from the University of Missouri and an MA in Educational Foundations, Policy, and Practice from the University of Colorado Boulder. 

When she’s not wrangling projects, you can find her wrangling her kids, soaking up Colorado’s great outdoors, or unwinding at a local brewery with friends—because balance is key.

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Aidan Schief is the Policy and Research Associate at America Succeeds, where he supports and executes research initiatives on durable skills implementation in education and policy. He also supports the organization’s internal operations and external communications efforts, helping to advance its mission of modernizing education systems to better prepare students for the workforce.

Aidan’s passion for education reform and workforce development stems from both his academic background and personal experiences in the American public school system. He has deepened his expertise in these areas through his work at America Succeeds, where he focuses on driving impactful change in policy and practice.

He graduated from the University of Denver with a degree in Political Science and minors in History and Economics—because apparently, one subject wasn’t enough.

When he’s not championing education reform, you can find him dissecting the latest sports stats, hunting down the best local eats, or testing his own culinary skills (with, let’s just say, a solid success rate). Whether he’s outside enjoying a sunny day with friends and family or inside yelling at a TV during a game, Aidan is always up for good company, great food, and a little friendly competition.

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Eric Lerum is a Senior Advisor at America Succeeds, where he helps turn big ideas into action through strategic planning, partnership development, and policy analysis. With over 20 years of experience advising policymakers and organizational leaders, Eric has been at the forefront of shaping education policy and reform. If there’s a way to make systems work better for students, he’s probably already strategizing it.

Before joining America Succeeds, Eric led national policy efforts at StudentsFirst as VP of National Policy, building a powerhouse team tackling everything from teacher quality to school choice and governance reform. Prior to that, he played a key role in reshaping D.C.’s education landscape as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Mayor for Education, leading efforts like the mayoral takeover of the school system and D.C.’s winning Race to the Top application. His experience also includes time as Legislative Counsel to the D.C. Council’s education committee and as a Policy Analyst for the D.C. Board of Education—so he’s seen the policy process from every angle.

Eric earned his degree from The Ohio State University and his law degree from the Washington College of Law at American University. It was during law school that he found his passion for public education and youth justice, teaching constitutional literacy to high school students in Washington, D.C., and seeing firsthand the power of education to create opportunity.

When he’s not immersed in education policy, Eric is likely out exploring hiking trails, sharpening his photography skills, or on a never-ending quest to find the best BBQ spot around.

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