Advisory Board

Sarah A. Ballard is a teacher at Murrah High School in Jackson, Mississippi, where she has taught English II and AP literature and composition for the past 15 years. She started her teaching career in Belzoni, Mississippi, as a member... Learn more

Over the past 30 years, Ivan W. Banks, Ph.D., has served in administrative positions in a variety of institutions, with diverse missions and located in diverse settings (i.e., urban, suburban, and rural). He has held positions as program coordinator, department... Learn more

Elisabeth Davis, Ph.D., currently serves as the assistant state superintendent of student learning for the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE). Prior to coming to ALSDE, Dr. Davis served as the superintendent for Eufaula City Schools for almost three years.... Learn more

Tammy Dunn serves as the vice president of academic affairs for A+ College Ready, an education nonprofit devoted to supporting Alabama secondary schools as they raise academic expectations for their students. Ms. Dunn has spent 30 years as a career... Learn more

Jenn Faber is the director of the Florida Grade Level Reading Campaign (FGLRC) at the Florida Children’s Council. She provides technical assistance to the members of the FGLRC ensuring access to resources needed to set outcomes for children, implement aligned... Learn more

Barbara Jenkins, Ed.D., has been serving the needs of students for 30 years. She was named superintendent for Orange County Public Schools in 2012. Under her leadership, the district won the 2014 Broad Prize for Urban Education. The district also... Learn more

Yosondra Lett is the principal of School of Discovery, a sixth-grade school in Selma Public Schools, Alabama. As an educator of 22 years, she had the opportunity to serve as a high school history teacher, an assistant principal at a... Learn more

Marjorie Murray, director of the East Coast Technical Assistance Center since 2010, has administered Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) programs at both the state and local levels. In her 23 years with the Florida Department of Education, Ms. Murray... Learn more

Nathan Oakley, Ph.D., was appointed to serve as the chief academic officer at the Mississippi Department of Education in July 2018. Dr. Oakley previously served in the state agency as the executive director of the Office of Elementary Education and... Learn more

Jacob Oliva began his career as a special education teacher. Over the past 19 years, he has served in a variety of positions, including principal and assistant superintendent. Prior to joining the Florida Department of Education in 2017, he served... Learn more

Since May 2016, Gale Denise Story Satchel, Ed.D., has served the children of the Colbert County School District, Alabama, as superintendent. Additionally, she serves on several not-for-profit boards, including Listerhill Credit Union, Helen Keller Birthplace Foundation, and Helen Keller Hospital.... Learn more

Pete Smith currently serves as chief of government relations and communications for the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE). Prior to joining MDE, Mr. Smith served as press secretary for former Governor Haley Barbour. Mr. Smith is a mass communications graduate... Learn more

Nicole Patton Terry, Ph.D., is the Olive & Manuel Bordas professor of education in the School of Teacher Education, associate director of the Florida Center for Reading Research (FCRR), and deputy director of the Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast at Florida... Learn more

Patrick Wnek, Ed.D., is the executive director of the North East Florida Educational Consortium. The Consortium serves 13 rural school districts, the PK Yonge Developmental Research School at the University of Florida, and the Florida School for the Deaf and... Learn more