Governing Board

About Us

Members of the REL-NEI Governing Board help identify and prioritize the educational needs of the region, review plans and products, and assist with outreach and dissemination efforts. The Governing Board includes the Northeast and Islands commissioners of education and representatives of other stakeholder groups from across the region.

State Commissioners of Education

Stefan Pryor
Commissioner of Education
Connecticut State Department of Education

has appointed as his Designee
Barbara Q. Beaudin, Ed.D.
Associate Commissioner
Division of Assessment, Research and Technology
Connecticut State Department of Education

Stephen L. Bowen
Commissioner of Education
Maine Department of Education

Dr. Mitchell Chester, Co-Chair
Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Dr. Virginia Barry, Co-Chair
Commissioner of Education
New Hampshire Department of Education

Dr. John King
Commissioner of Education
New York State Education Department

has appointed as his Designee
Sally Bachofer
Assistant Commissioner
Innovative School Models
New York State Education Department

To be named
Secretary of Education
Puerto Rico Department of Education

Deborah A. Gist
Commissioner of Education
Rhode Island Department of Education

has appointed as her Designee
Andrea Castaneda
Chief of Accelerating School Performance
Rhode Island Department of Education

Armando Vilaseca

Commissioner of Education
Vermont Department of Education

La Verne Terry, Ed.D.
Commissioner of Education
Virgin Islands Department of Education

Other Governing Board Members

Connecticut
Dr. Donald J. Leu, Jr.
John and Maria Neag Endowed Chair in Literacy and Technology
The University of Connecticut

Connecticut
Jim Caradonio, Alumni Committee
Director
Greater Hartford Regional School Choice Office

Maine
Chris Galgay
President
Maine Education Association

has appointed as his Designee
Ms. Grace Leavitt
Member
Maine Education Association

Maine
Susan Gendron, Immediate Past Chair
Former Commissioner of Education
Policy Coordinator, SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium
Senior Fellow, International Center for Leadership in Education, Inc.

Massachusetts
Dr. Ira Rubenzahl
President
Springfield Technical Community College

Massachusetts
Dana Brown
Principal
Malden High School

New Hampshire
Judith M. Adams
Principal
Bakersville Elementary School

New Hampshire
Marie Ross
Superintendent, SAU #4
Newfound Area School District

New York
Lourdes Rivera-Putz
Executive Director
United We Stand of NY, LTD

New York
Dr. Jessica Cohen
Executive Officer and District Superintendent
Onondaga-Cortland-Madison BOCES

Puerto Rico
Dr. Nelson I. Colón
President and Chief Executive Officer
Puerto Rico, Fundación Comunitaria

Puerto Rico
Dr. Angeles Molina
Professor, School of Education
The University of Puerto Rico

Rhode Island
Colleen A. Callahan
Director of Professional Issues
Rhode Island Federation of Teachers
and Health Professionals

Rhode Island
Dr. Mary Canole
Coordinator, Advanced Leadership Development Seminar
Rhode Island School Superintendents Association

Vermont
Dr. Alice Angney
Educational Consultant
Retired Superintendent
Lamoille South Supervisory Union

Vermont
Elaine Pinckney
Superintendent
Chittenden South Supervisory Union

Vermont
Kerry Garber, Alumni Committee
Retired Director of Independent and Federal Programs
Vermont Department of Education

Virgin Islands
Carol O’Bryan Henneman
Executive Director
Virgin Islands Board of Education

Virgin Islands
Dee Baecher-Brown
President
Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands