Michele Borba
Educational Psychologist and Author
Michele Borba is an educator and award-winning author who has worked with over one million parents, educators, and children over the span of her career. She has become nationally and internationally renowned for her practical, research-based strategies to help develop healthy children and families. A sought-after motivational speaker, she has presented workshops and keynote addresses throughout the US and world. Michele is a regular guest/expert advisor on The Today Show, and she has authored 23 books. She earned her Doctorate in Educational Psychology and Counseling from the University of San Francisco.
Anne Bryant
Executive Director (Ret.), National School Boards Association
Anne Bryant heads the National Schools Boards Association, a federation of organizations dedicated to advancing education through citizen governance of public schools. NSBA reaches over 14,890 schools through a network of 95,000 school board members. She directs a 140-person staff in Alexandria, Virginia, establishing and implementing policies to help state associations and local school boards provide effective leadership. Anne is an experienced executive who has written widely on K-12 education, volunteer-staff leadership issues, and the role of the federal government in education. She regularly testifies before Congress, carrying the message that the education of our public school students must be the nation’s top priority. In addition to serving on the CEP Board, she chairs the organization’s Education Advisory Council.
Jeffrey K. Cordes
Senior Vice President, Human Capital, Human Capital Results & The Center for Character-Based Leadership Development
Jeffrey Cordes, the CEP Personnel Committee Chair and member of the Fundraising Committee and Executive Committee, is responsible for the global strategic human capital needs at Human Capital Results. His executive leadership and HR backgrounds include time as President & CEO of talentRISE, Managing Partner of CareerBuilder.com, and President & CEO of Human Capital Results, Dohmen Corporation. He is a featured inter-national speaker on talent optimization, performance management, strategic planning and best practices in recruiting for both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Jeff is also an adjunct faculty member at Benedictine University and DePaul University in Chicago. Jeff has an MBA in Organizational Leadership and a BA in Economics, and is a certified secondary education teacher.
Mark Epstein
President, Board of Directors, Mountain Middle School
Mark is one of the founding board members of Mountain Middle School (MMS) in Durango, Colorado, and has been on the board since January 2010. He has been President of the Board since January 2012. MMS is a project-based learning charter school, with an emphasis on culture and character development. He is responsible for overseeing all aspects of board and school governance. Mark moved to Durango in 2001 after retiring from the sale of a technology and management consulting firm that he co-founded in 1985, Convergent Group. Convergent Group specialized in the implementation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for large investor-owned utilities and medium to large local government organizations. As one of two co-founders, Mark was responsible for all aspects of business startup, including financial management, strategic alliances, personnel, customer satisfaction, sales, and project management. Mark has been on a number of Boards for both for-profit and non-profit organizations. Mark graduated from Indiana University with a B.A. in Biology, M.A. in Geology, and M.S. in Environmental Sciences.
Charlotte Frank
Sr. VP, Research and Development, McGraw-Hill Education
Charlotte Frank is responsible for researching and developing educational activities with The McGraw-Hill Companies’ Financial Services Sector and Information Services Group. Prior to joining McGraw-Hill in 1988, she served as the Executive Director of the Division of Curriculum and Instruction for the New York City Board of Education, where she was also a teacher and supervisor. She has received more than 70 awards for her achievements in education, including being inducted into the Hunter College Hall of Fame and being named a Townsend Harris Medalist from the Alumni of the College of the City of New York. She has authored numerous articles and lectured extensively on the interrelationship between education and business. Dr. Frank earned her B.B.A. from CCNY, M.S.Ed. from Hunter College, and Ph.D. from NY University.
Charles C. Haynes
Director, Religious Freedom Education Project, Newseum
Charles Haynes chairs the CEP Board of Directors. He is a scholar, widely recognized for his leadership and work regarding First Amendment issues in public education. Over the past decade, he has been the principal organizer and drafter of a series of consensus guidelines on the First Amendment in public schools that have been endorsed by a broad range of national organizations. Dr. Haynes is also the author or co-author of seven books, including Finding Common Ground: A Guide to Religious Liberty in Public Schools, and First Freedoms: A Documentary History of First Amendment Rights in America. He serves on the Public Education Advisory Committee of the American Bar Association and the Steering Committee of the Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools. Charles holds a master’s degree in religion and education from Harvard Divinity School and a doctorate in theological studies from Emory University.
Marilyn Hinton
School Board Member, Plano Independent School District
Marilyn Hinton was elected to serve on the Plano, ISD School Board in 2009. She is a former teacher in the district’s Head Start program and a 17-year resident of the Plano, Texas community. In addition to teaching, Marilyn has served as a youth director for a nonprofit agency that assists homeless and transitional families, as a visiting scholar teaching early childhood education at Brookhaven College, and as a counselor and adjunct professor at Richland College. She mentors students throughout her school district and also chairs the Family Services Committee for the Sough Collin County Habitat for Humanity. Marilyn holds a bachelor’s degree in speech and drama from Fisk University in Nashville, and a master’s degree in education from Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Frank A. Keating
President & CEO, American Bankers Association
Frank Keating, Vice Chair of the CEP Board of Directors, oversees the representation of the nation’s banks and their employees, as President & CEO of the American Bankers Association. Prior to his current position, he worked in the U.S. Treasury, Justice and Housing departments under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. In 1993, Frank was elected Governor of Oklahoma. He earned national acclaim for his efforts in the aftermath of the 1995 bombing in Oklahoma City, raising more than $6M to fund scholarships for the more than 200 children who lost their parents. Frank was re-elected to a second term, becoming only the second governor in Oklahoma history to serve two consecutive terms. The recipient of five honorary degrees, Governor Keating received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University and his law degree from the University of Oklahoma.
Maryanne Lavan
Senior VP and General Counsel, Lockheed-Martin Corporation
Maryanne Lavan holds a senior leadership position at Lockheed-Martin, which employs 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. Maryanne joined Lockheed Martin as an attorney in 1990 and took on various leadership positions within the legal department before serving as their VP for Ethics and Business Conduct. She graduated magna cum laude from the State University of New York at Albany with a Bachelor of Science degree. Maryanne received her Juris Doctor from the Washington College of Law, American University, where she was a member of the Law Review. She started her service on the CEP Board of Directors in 2006 and now serves as an officer.
Randy McDonnell
President, Advanced Aerospace Technologies, Inc.
In 1976 Randy started work full time at McDonnell Douglas. He worked in numerous positions, including Director of the Superteam (A teaming of Bell Helicopter and the McDonnell Douglas divisional companies of McDonnell Aircraft and McDonnell Douglas Helicopter to pursue the LHX Helicopter Program which at the time was expected to be the largest Army procurement program ever.) He then became Corporate Director of Advanced Concepts for McDonnell Douglas. Randy left McDonnell Douglas in 1993 to start a new company called Advanced Aerospace Technologies, Inc. to pursue his own inventions. There are now 7 unmanned aircraft either in service or in development based on Randy’s patented or patent pending technology. Randy also conceived of economy class airliner seats that convert to fully flat beds that entered airliner service in 2011. Randy is Chairman of CharacterPlus, and is also on the boards of the Greater St. Louis Area Boy Scouts of America, the St. Louis Downtown Chamber of Commerce and the Fair St. Louis organization. Randy received a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from Princeton in 1974 graduating with honors and ranked third in his aeronautical engineering class. He received an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis in 1976 graduating Beta Gamma Sigma.
Linda McKay
National Advocate Character Education in America’s Schools
Linda McKay advocates for federal and state policies that support social, emotional and character development in schools. She has been a leader in the character education field for over 20 years, working with schools, parents, students, businesses, and foundations across the country. She was a Presidential-appointee in the US Department of Education, where she served as senior advisor for character education. Prior to her federal service, Linda directed CHARACTERplus in St. Louis, Missouri. She has also served as a member of several national boards and commissions dedicated to promoting civic participation, service learning, ethics, and moral education. She was a founding member of CEP and has co-authored numerous publications about character education and ethical decision-making.
Patrick J. Niemann
Office Managing Partner – Greater Los Angeles, Ernst & Young
Patrick Niemann is Ernst & Young’s Office Managing Partner for Greater Los Angeles. Pat also is a client serving partner, working with companies in the consumer product, manufacturing, technology, and aerospace sectors. He has worked with public and private companies of various sizes, from start-up businesses to Fortune 100 companies. Pat also sits on Ernst & Young’s Americas Advisory Council, which advises the Firm’s Chairman and other senior management in strategy, policy, and governance matters. Pat is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business. He currently is a member of the Board of Advisors for USC Marshall School’s Leventhal School of Accounting, and is the Past President of the USC Accounting Circle Board. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award presented by the USC Leventhal School of Accounting. Pat and his wife, Rebecca, have two young sons, Patrick, Jr. (age 7) and Timothy (age 5). The Niemanns reside in Palos Verdes Estates.
Eileen Santiago
Principal (ret.), The Thomas A. Edison School
Eileen Santiago was Principal of Thomas Edison, a K-5 elementary school in the high-needs, low-SES district of Port Chester NY, a community comprised mainly of immigrants. Under her leadership, the school staged an impressive turnaround, raising its ELA and mathematics test scores beyond the 80% passing mark. Dr. Santiago’s emphasis on teaching conflict resolution as part of the curriculum and her active outreach to the community played large roles in the school’s remarkable transformation. She began her teaching career as a bilingual/ESL teacher in New York City. She earned her doctorate in curriculum and teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University and completed the program in elementary education at Barnard College.
Dr. Arthur J. Schwartz
Founding Executive Director of the Oskin Leadership Institute, Widener University
In addition to serving as the Oskin Leadership Institute’s Founding Executive Director, Dr. Schwartz is also a professor of education at the university. He previously served as the Senior Scholar for Character and Leadership Development at the United States Air Force Academy. Dr. Schwartz served fourteen years as a senior executive with the John Templeton Foundation. He is widely-known for collaborating with Dr. Martin E.P. Seligman at the University of Pennsylvania in catalyzing the field of positive psychology and he has worked closely with Dr. William Damon at Stanford University on a landmark research project aimed at understanding how young people develop “noble purpose.” He also helped to conceive the idea for the National Schools of Character program, administered by the Character Education Partnership. He is the founding editor of the magazine In Character: A Journal of Everyday Virtues.
Dr. Schwartz served for several years as a director of dropout prevention programs for the School District of Philadelphia. In 1990, his successful work to reduce school dropout rates was recognized at a White House ceremony hosted by President George H.W. Bush.
Since 1992, Dr. Schwartz has focused his research on adolescent moral development. He has delivered papers at numerous national conferences, and his articles have appeared in the Harvard Educational Review, Journal of Moral Education, and The Chronicle of Higher Education, among other publications. He also wrote the lead chapter in the Hoover Institution volume Bringing in a New Era in Character Education.
Dr. Schwartz received his doctorate in moral education from Harvard University. He is married with two children, enjoys musical theatre, and is an avid reader of abolition history.
Susan Sclafani
Vice President of Program Management, Pearson Foundation
Prior to joining Pearson Foundation, Susan Sclafani held several key staff and leadership posts during a long and distinguished career in education. Susan is the former Coordinator/Principal of a magnet school in Houston; former Executive Director of Curriculum Development, Associate Superintendent and Chief of Staff for Houston’s Independent School District; former counselor to the US Secretary of Education; former Assistant Secretary of Education for Vocational and Adult Education; and former Director of State Services at the National Center on Education and the Economy. With each position held, she worked tirelessly to improve K-12 education systems at the local, state and national levels. Susan holds an AB in German and Mathematics from Vassar College, an MA in German and Mathematics from the University of Chicago, and M.Ed. and Ph.D. degrees in Educational Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.
Michael Shreve
Regulatory Compliance Manager, Savannah College of Art and Design
Michael Shreve assumed his current position with the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2011, following his graduation from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. He ensures that the college abides by state, federal and international education law and accreditation standards in all areas. His responsibilities include analyzing university readiness for proposed regulations; advising enrollment management and human resources personnel on compliance issues; and providing guidance to the administration regarding state and country regulations and accreditation standards related to new program development and expansion. From March 2008 to May 2010, Michael was a Research and Education Fellow at CEP, where he assisted with professional development, supported advocacy efforts and outreach work, and was a key liaison with the U.S. Department of Education.
Betty Siegel
President Emeritus, Kennesaw State University
Betty Siegel is Distinguished Chair of the Siegel Institute for Leadership, Ethics & Character, and President Emeritus of Kennesaw State University. She was the first woman to head an institution in the 35-unit University System of Georgia and was the longest-serving female president of a public university in the nation. Under her leadership, Kennesaw State grew from a 4,000 students with 15 baccalaureate-degree programs to an 18,000 student university with 55 baccalaureate and graduate degree programs. Betty is a longtime member and former chair of the Board of Directors of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). She also serves on the Commission on Women in Higher Education as well as numerous other corporate and community Boards.
Scott Sillers
Former Partner, Levensohn Venture Partners
Currently, Scott is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Health Professions Education Foundation in Sacramento, CA. The Foundation provides scholarships and loan repayments to aspiring and practicing health professionals who agree to practice in a medically underserved area. Previously, Scott was a General Partner at Levensohn Venture Partners in San Francisco, CA. He has also worked for the Rev. Jesse Jackson at Rainbow/PUSH and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, which focused on economic development in Harlem. Scott began his career at IBM where he worked in marketing and sales.
Richard F. Teerlink
President & CEO (ret.), Harley-Davidson
Richard Teerlink is the former Chairman and CEO of Milwaukee-based and internationally renowned Harley-Davidson Motor Company. During his 18 years with H-D, he served as chief financial officer, president, chief executive officer, and chairman of the board. He serves on the boards of a number of businesses and has been honored by many organizations for his leadership and humanitarian accomplishments. His professional career and personal life are marked by a love for the accomplishments of others, a deep and abiding humility in the face of success, great success in transforming challenges it into opportunities, and a lifelong commitment to leadership excellence, as explored in his book, More Than a Motorcycle: The Leadership Journey at Harley-Davidson. Rich graduated from Bradley University with a BS in Accounting and received his MBA from the University of Chicago.
Glenn Wilke
Executive Director, Midtown Education Foundation
Glenn Wilke began his tenure with MEF in 1976 as a volunteer. He continued to volunteer at Midtown during his twenty-year career with ConAgra Foods, where he served in management in the business and marketing divisions. In 2001, Glenn was appointed Director of External Affairs and Annual Giving at the Midtown Education Foundation. In 2004, he accepted the position of Executive Director, where he oversees two separate centers to support Chicago’s youth. Their after-school and summer programs focus on academic achievement in schools and virtuous living.
