Board Members

Madaline Fennell

Board Chair, Nebraska State Teacher of the Year 2007

Madaline (Maddie) Fennell brings extensive experience and passion to her work as an advocate for children and public education. She is the Executive Director of the Nebraska State Education Association and serves as Chair of the NNSTOY Board of... read more

Kelly Kovacic

First Vice Chair, California State Teacher of the Year 2010

Kelly Kovacic has spent her career working to understand how best to support teachers and school systems so they can guide their students to reach ambitious goals. A southern California native, Kelly first became fascinated by this question as a... read more

Michael J. Brown

2nd Vice Chair/MJB Outreach Solutions

Michael J. Brown is Managing Director of MJB Outreach Solutions, LLC. Brown most recently was the former National President of 100 Black Men of America, Inc. where he led the 100’s worldwide headquarters’ operations, programs and development... read more

Christopher Poulos

Immediate Past Chair, Connecticut State Teacher of the Year 2007, NBCT

Christopher Poulos, Connecticut’s 2007 Teacher of the Year, currently teaches Spanish and serves as Instructional Leader for the Humanities at Joel Barlow High School in Redding, CT.  He is a National Board Certified Teacher. Chris previously... read more

Dyane Smokorowski

Secretary, Kansas State Teacher of the Year 2013

In her 17 years in education, Dyane Smokorowski has taught middle school language arts in the Wichita, Renwick and Andover school districts in a project-based classroom focusing on critical thinking, communication, global collaboration and... read more

John Oswald

Treasurer

As Vice President, Client Relations and Outreach for ETS Student and Teacher Assessments,  John Oswald oversees business development for K-12 student assessment programs and teacher and school leader licensure and ethics programs. His staff are... read more

Cheryl Anderson

Independent Consultant, Aximum Consulting

Cheryl Anderson's passion for improving the teaching profession stems from her own early career experiences. Initially confident as a student teacher, she quickly became overwhelmed. These struggles created her empathy and drive for improving... read more

Jemelleh Coes

Georgia State Teacher of the Year 2014

In 2013, Jemelleh Coes, as the youngest member of her school faculty and staff, was nominated to represent Bulloch County as Teacher of the Year. She went on to become Georgia’s 2014 Teacher of the Year. She spent the last year traveling locally... read more

Paul Ferarri

Ex Officio Board Member, Director of Public Engagement Strategy, CCSSO

Paul directs CCSSO’s public engagement strategy to support national and state efforts in the implementation of college and career ready standards and next generation assessments. Paul has worked at CCSSO since 2007, and in that time has been... read more

Eleanor Horne

ETS Social lnvestment Fund (retired)

In 2009 Eleanor V. Horne retired from Educational Testing Service (ETS) after a career that spanned 40 years. She recently served as  Second Vice Chair of NNSTOY. Under Horne’s leadership at ETS—most recently as Vice President of the ETS... read more

Marguerite Izzo

New York State Teacher of the Year 2007

Ms. Marguerite Izzo, whose teaching career spans over 30 years, is a full-time fifth grade teacher, specializing in English Language Arts, in the Malverne School District, Malverne, New York. Sh erecently served as First Vice Chair of NNSTOY. Izzo... read more

Joshua Parker

Maryland State Teacher of the Year 2012

Josh Parker’s mission in education and life is to “help people and solve problems.” Throughout his career, he has achieved both goals. He has served students and teachers within the Baltimore/Washington D.C. corridor as an ELA Instructional... read more

Harriet Sanford

President and CEO of the NEA Foundation

Harriet Sanford is the President and CEO of the NEA Foundation. The Foundation is a public charity founded by educators for educators to improve public education for all students. Since its beginning in 1969, the Foundation has served as a... read more

Rebecca Snyder

Pennsylvania State Teacher of the Year 2009

Rebecca Snyder chairs the Language Arts Department and teaches English at Greater Latrobe Senior High School in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. A veteran of the classroom, Mrs. Snyder has taught multiple grade levels and courses as both a secondary... read more

Bob Williams

Alaska State Teacher of the Year 2009, NBCT

Bob Williams began his teaching career as a Peace Corps teacher in Gambia, Africa. He achieved National Board Certification (Math – AYA) in 2011 and currently teaches Geometry, Algebra 1, intervention Math Strategies and two AP Calculus courses at... read more

John I. Wilson

Former Executive Director, NEA

John I. Wilson, a long-time special education teacher and association leader, was executive director of the National Education Association from November 1, 2000 to August 31, 2011. The nation's largest teachers union, NEA also represents... read more