Board of Trustees

Excel Academy Massachusetts Board of Trustees

The members of the Board of Trustees of a public charter school in MA are responsible for governing the school and hold the charter for the school, as it is granted by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). Excel Academy Charter School (MA) operates three middle school campuses and one high school campus in East Boston and Chelsea and serves about 1,360 students in grades 5-12.

Caitlin Reimers Brumme, Chair

Cait Brumme is the CEO of MassChallenge, a global nonprofit which supports over 500 high-growth startups a year access knowledge, networks, and capital they need to thrive. Cait has over 15 years of experience in entrepreneurship, investment, nonprofits and reimaging capitalism. Her writing has been published in Forbes and the Harvard Business Review among other publications.

Nery Castro, Clerk

Nery is a dedicated member of the East Boston and Chelsea communities. Nery currently serves as a Community Engagement & Enrollment Supervisor at the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center. Nery is originally from El Salvador and is the parent of two children at Excel Academy.

Maher Colaylat

Maher is an Assistant Vice President on the Asset Stewardship team at State Street Global Advisors. He is responsible for developing and implementing SSGA’s global proxy voting policies and guidelines across all investment strategies, and managing SSGA’s proxy voting activities and issuer engagement on environmental, social and governance issues. Before joining State Street Global Advisors, Maher attended College of the Holy Cross where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He is a lifelong resident of East Boston and an Excel Academy alumni.

Traci Walker Griffith

Traci Walker Griffith is the proud Executive Director of the Eliot School, a Boston Public Innovation School serving 850 amazing scholars in grades Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8. Having just celebrated her 16th anniversary as the Eliot School leader, Traci has been a part of the Boston Public School system since 1992, serving as both a teacher and administrator at the Trotter Elementary School in Roxbury, Mather Elementary School in Dorchester and Maurice J. Tobin School in Mission Hill. Under her leadership, the Eliot has become a supportive professional learning community that embraces high standards for both adults and students, progressing from a state-identified, under-performing school in 2007 to recognition as a Commendation School in 2010, 2011, and 2012. Traci’s dedication to “excellence for all” can be seen in all aspects of the Eliot School in opportunities created for both students and faculty. Fostering a life-long love of learning while supporting a students’ social and emotional growth has been a theme throughout Traci’s career. Her passion for education can be seen whether she’s engaging with an Eliot scientist or teaching social development in a pick-up soccer game with her students.

Traci was awarded a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Educational Administration from the University of Massachusetts, a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Lesley University, and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Plymouth State University. Traci is also a member of the Plymouth State University Hall of Fame. She currently lives with her husband, John, in Charlestown, MA. Her two children, Joey and Elizabeth, are both former Eliot School students. Joey is a graduate of Harvard University and Elizabeth is a senior at Holy Cross.

Devon Petersmeyer Johnson

Devon currently serves as Vice President of Marketing at Converse (owned by Nike). Prior to joining Converse, Devon was Vice President of Marketing at Catalant Technologies after working in brand management at Procter & Gamble and in consulting at Parthenon-EY. She is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School.

Pamela Klein

Pam currently serves as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Network Analytics at Zelis, which is focused on modernizing the healthcare financial experience. Prior to joining Zelis, Pam was Chief of Staff to the CEO and head of Business Operations at Beacon Health Options, a leading behavioral health management organization which is now part of Elevance. Previously, Pam was a management consultant at Bain & Company, where she consulted on strategic planning, process improvement, and organizational development for healthcare clients. Pam received an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BA with honors from Harvard University.

Robert Lytle

Robert currently serves as the Head of EY-Parthenon’s Education practice and EY-Parthenon’s Government and Public Sector. Robert was with Parthenon for 15 years before its combination with EY in August 2014. For over two decades, he has led client engagements on general strategy, performance improvement, and investment due diligence across a broad spectrum of organizations. His clients include high-growth companies, publicly listed global 100 companies, nonprofit institutions, financial investors, and state, local, and federal governments. Robert is a frequent speaker at leading global forums in the education sector. Prior to joining Parthenon, Robert was with Bain & Company and served as a US Army aviator. He holds a BSE in Economics from the Wharton School of Business and an MBA with high distinction from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.

Bernabe Rodriguez, Vice Chair

Bernabe is the current Director and Co-founder of 311 Services for the City of Chelsea. Prior to this position, Bernabe served as the Executive Secretary to the City Manager for two years. Bernabe graduated from Bentley University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and is an Excel Academy alumni.

David Sachs

For nearly 30 years, Dave Sachs has been a passionate, high-energy consumer goods business executive. Dave has a track record of superior performance across a variety of companies and business situations, and has consistently driven growth through strong consumer insight, customer knowledge and organization management. He is a decisive leader with an action orientation and a commitment to developing other future leaders.

Most recently, Dave led a cross-functional team to build a new $100 Million specialty grains business for Bay State Milling, servicing well-known customers including Panera Bread, Clif Bar, Bob’s Red Mill, Wegmans, Costco and Boston-favorite Tatte Bakery. Prior to Bay State, Dave transformed Keurig Green Mountain’s single serve beverages business into a $3.5 Billion industry powerhouse through partnerships with world class coffee brands and expansion into cocoa, tea and coffeehouse-style beverages. Earlier in his career, Dave led well-known consumer businesses for Kraft Foods, including Post Honey Bunches of Oats, Kool Aid, Starbucks Coffee, Tazo Tea and Crystal Light. He began his career in the food industry working in retail management for Giant Foods, the leading grocer in the Baltimore/Washington region. Dave has played leadership roles with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the National MS Society, and AIDS LifeCycle.. He is an avid touring cyclist and Maryland Terrapins basketball fan. Dave holds a BSBA in Business Management from the University of Maryland and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, and lives in Newton, MA with his wife Sarah and his children Charlotte and Benjamin.

David Stolow, Treasurer

David Stolow teaches courses for undergraduates and MBAs students on social enterprise and nonprofit management at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.  Prior to joining the BU faculty in 2011, David worked for 20 years in nonprofit management positions in the fields of education, community development, community service, and services for children and families.  David has also served on several nonprofit boards and has consulted widely on financial management for nonprofit leaders. David graduated from Yale University with a major in American Studies and earned his master’s degree in Public and Private Management from the Yale School of Management.  David’s grandparents and great-grandparents who were immigrants in the early 20^th century lived in Chelsea and East Boston.

Steven Zrike

Steven Zrike is currently the Receiver/Superintendent for the Holyoke Public Schools. Previous to this role, Steve served as the Superintendent of Schools in Wakefield, Massachusetts. From 2011- 2013, he was the Chief of Elementary Schools for the Pilsen-Little Village Network in the Chicago Public Schools. In addition to his experience in Chicago, Steve also served the Boston Public Schools as the turnaround principal of the William Blackstone Elementary School, an inquiry facilitator and leadership coach for four Boston schools, and as principal of both the William Ohrenberger Elementary School and John Philbrick Elementary School.

Excel Academy Rhode Island Board of Trustees

Excel Academy Rhode Island is a mayoral academy public charter school, as authorized by the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education. Currently Excel Academy Rhode Island serves about 200 5th and 6th grade students. At full scale, Excel Academy Rhode Island will serve 2,186 students in grades K-12 from Providence, Central Falls, and North Providence.

Imani Blake

Imani is a University of Rhode Island alumna with a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies, specializing in Health Promotion. Imani brings diverse skills and experiences that add significant value to her roles, in which she currently works as a Pre-college Program Advisor at Brown University. Imani’s education has equipped her with a solid foundation in advocacy strategies, and her work experience has enabled her to effectively educate students on the importance of early college. This knowledge allows Imani to make a meaningful impact on the well-being of students and contribute to the betterment of the community. Additionally, Imani’s experiences have honed her communication, collaboration, and leadership abilities, enabling her to enhance the college experience of students and foster a positive and inclusive environment. With a holistic understanding of health and a passion for education, Imani is dedicated to making a lasting difference in the lives of others.

Dr. Liza Cariaga-Lo

Dr. Liza Cariaga-Lo is the CEO and Founder of The LCLO Group, a global social entrepreneurial venture to facilitate talent cultivation, workforce development and educational capacity building, as well as providing strategic consultation to educational and corporate entities who seek to develop public-private partnerships aimed at addressing educational, health and economic development access and equity issues in the global south (primarily ASEAN countries) and in underserved communities here in the U.S. Over the past two years, Dr. Cariaga-Lo has also been the Senior Vice President for Education to the SMART Student Health and Wellness programs and the SMART Foundation, an innovative school health solution model aimed at improving health and education outcomes in diverse communities. She served for a number of years as Vice President for Academic Development, Diversity and Inclusion and a faculty member in the Education Department at Brown University. From 2007-2012, Dr. Cariaga-Lo was Asst. Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity at Harvard University. She was previously Asst. Dean at the Yale Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and the Director of the Office for Diversity and Equal Opportunity, as well as a faculty member at Yale Medical School. She received her doctoral training in developmental psychology from Harvard University. She consults widely on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) issues, problem-based and inquiry-based learning for future of work skills and capabilities, as well as on broader capacity building and strategic planning in higher education.

Channavy Chhay, Vice Chair

Channavy Chhay is the current Executive Director at the Center for Southeast Asians (CSEA). She came to the United States in her early teens with her mother, both genocide survivors and refugees from war-torn Cambodia. As a refugee, she struggled with learning English and trying to “fit in” to American culture. She also witnessed firsthand the hardships that many Southeast Asian refugee families encountered: low-paying jobs working long hours in factories, children navigating a new world with very limited resources, and elders suffering from trauma, malnutrition, and ill health. Channavy came to understand that traditional mainstream organizations could not adequately provide services for many Southeast Asian families, due to significant linguistic and cultural barriers. Channavy’s personal history and unique perspective shape her continued commitment to CSEA as an effective advocate for the needs and aspirations of the Southeast Asian community. CSEA is fully dedicated to addressing system-level changes and working together with its partners to make each year more successful than the last.

Liz Giordano

Liz serves as the Program Manager for the Division of Workforce Partnership at CCRI. Liz brings 10 years of career education experience as a founding member of KIPP NYC College Prep where she worked as a career counselor for high school students from low-income communities and helped thousands of students secure experiential learning and competitive work opportunities. AT CCRI, Liz oversees two large grants to create a Career Innovation Lab that connects students’ academic pathways with career opportunities. Liz believes that her direct experience leading career development and her prior development of a career education toolkit for the NYC DOE will help her serve as a strong leader and advocate for student pathways beyond high school.

Jamie Greenthal

Jamie Greenthal is the Director of Charter School Strategy and Planning for Old Sturbridge Village. In this role, he led the founding of Worcester Cultural Academy Charter Public School in 2023, the first new charter school to open in the state of Massachusetts in five years. Jamie is responsible for supporting school operations and school leaders, and planning the growth of the charter schools operated by Old Sturbridge Village. Previously, Jamie worked for KIPP NYC Public Schools for 10 years in various capacities, including managing the growth of the KIPP NYC network from 13 to 18 schools, and leading KIPP NYC’s marketing and communications. His prior experience also includes 10 years at ESPN and Goldman Sachs. Jamie is a graduate of Amherst College and earned an MBA from Dartmouth College.

Chiv Heng, Treasurer

Chiv is the Sr. Director of Operations at Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy with over 10 years of experience in educational leadership roles. Prior to working in K-12 education, Chiv worked with several nonprofit organizations in Providence, focused on capacity building and community development. He is a native of Providence, the first in his family born in the U.S., and a first-generation college graduate. Chiv attended Classical High School in Providence, earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Rhode Island, and a master’s degree from Brown University’s Urban Education Policy program.

Mayor Charles Lombardi

Mayor Charles Lombardi is the Mayor of the Town of North Providence and co-owner of Luxury Cleaners, a third-generation owned family business that has been serving customers of Rhode Island for over 60 years.

Mayor Maria Rivera, Clerk

Maria Rivera is the 33rd Mayor of Central Falls. She is the first woman Mayor in city history, and first Latina Mayor in the State of Rhode Island. Prior to her mayoral oath of office, Mayor Rivera was a Senior Eligibility Technician at the Department of Human Services. She is a graduate of the Rhode Island Latina Leadership Institute and has served on boards of Nowell Leadership Academy for parenting and pregnant teens and The Learning Community Charter School, in addition to the Central Falls Board of Canvassers, Central Falls Planning Board, and the Central Falls Nuisance Task Force. She earned her BA in Public Administration from Roger Williams University and is a 1995 graduate of Central Falls High School. During her administration, Mayor Rivera is prioritizing the health and wellness of Central Falls residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring important access to testing, treatment, vaccines, and much-needed resources to support struggling families.

Frangely Rojas

Frangely Rojas is a resident of Providence, RI, who was born in the Dominican Republic. She graduated from Bates College with a B.A. in Anthropology and a minor in Education. Currently she serves as Academic Coordinator/Advisor at the Rhode Island College Upward Bound Program, working with high school students who are low-income and potential 1st generation college students. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, one of whom is a student at Excel Academy Rhode Island.

Mayor Brett P. Smiley, Chair

As the 39th Mayor of the City of Providence, Brett Smiley is focused on improving the quality of life for all in the city by supporting quality schools, building safer streets, and improving city services for residents and businesses in every neighborhood. Providence has all of the ingredients to be a world-class city– great restaurants, vibrant neighborhoods, critically-acclaimed arts and culture, and talented people and by getting back to basics, Mayor Smiley believes Providence can be the best-run city in America.

Mayor Smiley brings over a decade of experience in public service, formally serving as the first Chief Operating Officer for the City of Providence, Chief of Staff to former Governor Gina Raimondo, and Rhode Island’s Director of Administration. In that time, Mayor Smiley took on some of the toughest challenges our state faced and delivered results– expanding early education and childcare programs, making community college free for all high school graduates and guiding the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With these experiences, Mayor Smiley brings ideas, experience and know-how to City Hall, helping Providence businesses and the community succeed.

Mayor Smiley was active in a number of nonprofits, community groups and causes, including Planned Parenthood, Marriage Equality Rhode Island (MERI), Rhode Island Housing, Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES), and the national Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

Mayor Smiley is a graduate of DePaul University, where he received a finance degree and an M.B.A. He lives on Hope Street with his husband, Jim DeRentis. Both Jim and Brett are avid runners and share a deep love of Providence.

Friends of Excel Academy Board

Friends of Excel Academy is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a range of supports and services to Excel Academy Charter School (MA) and Excel Academy Rhode Island.

Shirley Verónica Cardona

Shirley is the Vice President of Marketing at Ellevation Education. Shirley brings over 15 years of experience leading the marketing function for high-growth brands in the consumer goods, travel, and edtech industries. Prior to joining Ellevation, Shirley led Brand and Digital Marketing at Curriculum Associates and served as Vice President on the student and adult tours divisions of EF Education First. Shirley started her career in marketing as a Brand Manager at Procter & Gamble. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.A. in Sociology and Romance Languages from Harvard University. She is a proud first-generation college grad and former English Learner.

DJ Cass, Treasurer

DJ is the Senior Vice President of Business Development and Strategy at CereVasc. Prior to CereVasc DJ was the Group Vice President of International at Insulet Corporation in London and has spent the last twenty years in the medical device and diagnostics industry at companies including Cytyc Corporation and Hologic. He is a graduate of Syracuse University and earned an MBA at Bentley University.

Tyree Chambers, CPA

Tyree is an Accounting Controller at Browne Consulting, located in Cambridge, MA. Tyree’s main focus is assisting Life Science and Bio-Tech start-ups in the Boston Area with their accounting and HR responsibilities. Prior to Browne Consulting, Tyree was an auditor for roughly 2 years at PriceWaterHouse Coopers in the Boston office. Before joining the workforce, Tyree spent 2 years at Providence College and 3 years at LeMoyne College. While studying for his MBA in Accounting, Tyree spent most of his time as a student athlete, playing Basketball for the PC Friars and LeMoyne Dolphins. He graduated from LeMoyne College with his Bachelor of Science and MBA in Accounting.

Seth Reynolds, Chair

Seth is the EY Americas Strategy and Transactions Sustainability Leader and also serves as a leader in EY Parthenon’s Education Practice. In these roles he advises clients across a variety of industries. Seth started his career as a bilingual teacher through the Teach for America program. Seth was a founding board member of Excel Academy and served on its Board of Trustees from 2003-2014. He is a graduate of Amherst College and earned an MBA at the MIT Sloan School of Management and MPA at the Harvard Kennedy School.

Chris Satti, Clerk

Chris Satti is President of Salem Capital Management, a private investment firm in Providence, Rhode Island. Prior to SCM, Chris spent 10 years at Audax Private Equity in Boston and San Francisco. He also previously worked as a strategy consultant at Monitor Group and an Advisor to Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino. Chris received an MBA from Harvard Business School and a B.S. from Georgetown University.

Timothy Weller

Tim is the former CEO of Datto, a leading cybersecurity provider for MSPs. He led Datto’s IPO in 2020 and ultimate strategic sale in June 2022. He has been the CEO or CFO of four other global companies in internet, fintech, cleantech, and travel, starting with Akamai Technologies prior to its IPO.

Before his management roles, he was a Wall Street equity analyst covering telecom and internet infrastructure services. Across his professional life, he has been a startup advisor and angel investor. From his early teens, he was a software developer and videogame designer. Tim’s parents were both lifetime professional educators and inspired his passion for lifelong learning. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois and an M.S. and B.S. in EE from Michigan State University.

Advisory Board

The Excel Academy Advisory Board offers guidance and assistance to the Trustees and organizational leaders on strategic management and educational issues. The Board will also be helpful in advancing Excel’s mission of ensuring students and graduates of Excel succeed in high school and college and are active citizens in their communities.

Tania Del Rio, Chair

Former Executive Director for the Mayor’s Office of Women’s Advancement

Adrian Madaro

Massachusetts State Representative, First Suffolk District

Daniel J. Ryan

Massachusetts State Representative, Second Suffolk District

Salvatore LaMattina

Former Boston City Councilor, District One

Carlo Basile

Former State Representative and Secretary to Governor Baker

Debra Cave

Founding Governing Board Member, Excel Academy Charter Schools

Bob Giannino

CEO, uAspire

Anthony Petruccelli

Kearney, Donovan & McGee P.C.

Karen Schwartzman

Principal, Polaris Public Relations

Alejandra St. Guillen

Director of the Mayor’s Office of New Bostonians, WTC

Rebecca Cass

Managing Director of Network Programming, Building Excellent Schools

Rebecca Sullivan

Senior Vice President, MassDevelopment

Have questions? Contact ExcelAcademyBoard@excelacademy.org.