The Texas Public Charter Schools Association (TPCSA) is committed to making sure every child in Texas has access to a high-quality public school that will set them on the path to success. Working toward this vision of the future, our mission is to support and advocate for a policy and regulatory climate that ensures every student in Texas has access to ever-improving public school options.
Both a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and a membership organization, TPCSA represents more than 125 public charter school holders serving around 90% of the state's public charter school students.
We provide responsive membership support and resources to help schools meet a high bar for academic and financial accountability. And, we ensure that public charter schools have a voice wherever policy decisions are made—at the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Legislature, and the State Board of Education.
Jennifer is passionate about using research and data storytelling to promote education equity for all students. Prior to joining Texas Public Charter Schools Association (TPCSA), she served as a founding Kindergarten Bilingual Teacher, Grade Level Chair, and Advocacy Captain at a Yes Prep Charter School in Houston, TX through Teach for America. During her time as an educator, she also founded KiNDL, a teacher-designed reading program focused on improving psychosocial health literacy in low-SES and immigrant kindergartners through a virtual 1:1 mentoring platform with college students, and was awarded a resolution by Senator Carol Alvarado for her students' high academic growth. Additionally, she served as a 2021-2022 Texas Teach Plus Policy Fellow, where she published an OpEd and policy recommendations to better support teachers’ and students’ mental health.
Originally from southern California, Jennifer graduated from Pomona College with a Bachelors in psychology and Senior Thesis with Distinction. During her time at Pomona, she also worked as a founding research assistant for the Cultural Contexts, Adolescent Health Behaviors, and Development (CENTRO) Research Lab, completing various projects and presenting in conferences.
Outside of advocating for educational equity, Jennifer enjoys any type of exercise (especially running), reading, watching wholesome movies, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Renelle is a native Michigander with more than 15 years of nonprofit leadership experience. She has spent the majority of her career supporting arts based nonprofits. Prior to joining TPCSA, Renelle was the Associate Managing Director at ZACH Theatre where she oversaw human resources, IT, campus operations, and facilities. At TPCSA, Renelle works closely with the CEO in overseeing the the day-to-day operations, with emphasis on financial, personnel, and operational management. Renelle holds a M.S. in Arts Administration from the University of Oregon and a B.S in Music from Central Michigan University. She lives in Austin with her husband Adam, sons Elijah and Josiah, and their two cats. In her free time, Renelle enjoys spending time with friends, being outdoors, and going to concerts and museums.
Mallory Chesser is a writer and communicator with more than a decade of experience in the higher education and non-profit sectors. A lifelong reader, writer, and Texan, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Houston and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Texas State University. Inspired by her own positive experience in Texas public schools, Mallory has dedicated her career to organizations expanding access to high-quality and affordable public education for all.
Currently based in Houston, Mallory has also lived in San Marcos, Denton, and East Texas. She joined the Texas Public Charter Schools Association in August 2022 as its development writer, helping to tell the TPCSA story and build a strong community of support around its work to ensure that every student in Texas has access to ever-improving public school options.
Katrina Corte is responsible for coordinating the annual Texas Charter Schools Conference, as well as plan all other meetings and events with the Association.
Prior to joining TPCSA, she was the Development and Travel Coordinator for International Leadership of Texas, a tri-lingual charter school with campuses throughout the state of Texas. During her time at ILTexas, she planned and executed student travel for the 7th and 8th-grade students, providing students with an interactive experience that coincided with their Texas and US History curriculum. She was also able to raise over $1.5 million from grants, individual giving, and fundraising events.
She received her degree in University Studies Leadership from Texas A&M University.
Email: kcorte@txcharterschools.org
Ally grew up in Frisco, TX, and then spent 11 years in the Midwest studying journalism at the University of Missouri and working in the TV news industry. She’s always maintained a curiosity for people, and a desire to help give a voice to those in her community. After leaving television, Ally returned to the DFW area in 2019 and began working in local sales/advertising and media consulting. Having an ultimate goal of serving kids, she came to find International Leadership of Texas Charter School (ILTexas). Ally became the PR Manager for ILTexas in 2023, where she fell in love with charter education and its innovative spirit. Maximizing opportunity for students quickly grew to be one of Ally’s strongest passions in life. In Ally’s relaxation time, she enjoys reading, writing music/poetry, thriving as a foodie, consignment shopping, and spending time with her rescue cat, Prince Samuel. He’s a ball of energy just like his mom!
Inga Dedow joins TPCSA as a policy analyst and brings over seven years of experience in government relations to the association. She specializes in helping businesses track, identify, and monitor legislation that impacts their organization. Most recently, she served as the Government Relations Analyst for Lion Electric, where she focused on EV legislation filed across all 50-states and developed state legislative agendas for the company. Prior to Lion, Inga began her career working for a member of the Texas House of Representatives and has since worked at a lobby firm and state agency. In total, she has worked four Texas Legislative Sessions.
Inga is a native Austinite and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, spending time with her family and friends, and staying active by practicing yoga and playing sand volleyball.
Brandon Garcia brings years of experience as an educator, community organizer, and legislative professional to the Texas Public Charter Schools Association. Beginning his career as a social studies teacher in 2007 at Austin Can! Academy, a charter high school in East Austin, Brandon taught at-risk youth for four years in a job that he calls “one of the best in [his] life.” In 2011, Brandon returned to his home town of Dallas, Texas to attend the University of Dallas where he received his Master’s Degree in Political Theory, all while working part-time on educational outreach to local low-income students and their parents. Planning to pursue a career in academia, Brandon became a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Dallas in 2016. But in January of 2017, Brandon put his doctoral journey on hold for a chance to work for the Texas Senate as a research associate during the 85th Legislative Session. Having been bitten by the bug of Texas politics and wanting to put his studies into actual practice, he remained at the Legislature and in 2018 became a policy analyst for his very own state senator, Kirk Watson. During the 86th Legislative Session, Brandon aided Senator Watson in various policy areas and helped to shepherd four of his bills through the legislative process and into law.
Brandon lives in Austin, Texas with his beautiful wife, Laurel (who he actually met working at a charter school), and his happy, energetic little son, Noah.
Email: bgarcia@txcharterschools.org
Laurel Garcia brings years of experience as an educator, licensed specialist in school psychology (LSSP), and disability advocate to the Texas Public Charter Schools Association. During her 14 years in education, Laurel has worked at charter schools with missions focused on lifting up at-risk youth. Beginning her career as a LSSP in 2006 at Texans Can! Academy, Laurel was quickly recognized as a leader and began managing the special education department at the Austin campus. As the special education department chair, Laurel led an initiative to reform the operating procedures and academic practices for students receiving special education services there. In 2013, Laurel joined the special education department at KIPP Austin, where she was able to work as a district lead for compliance as the IEP Manager. This role gave her the flexibility to train special educators at the campus level, as well as manage the various related service provider teams at the district level. After seven years at KIPP, Laurel was able to help support all ten Austin campuses maintain high levels of compliance within their special education and 504 programs.
Laurel lives in Austin with her husband, Brandon (she met him working at a charter school), and her happy, energetic little son, Noah.
Elizabeth joins the Texas PublicCharter Schools Association as a Development Project Manager. Prior to joining the TPCSA she gained 11 years of experience in Corporate and Public Sales with Dell. The most recent 4 years she managed her own niche practice supporting the business functions of lobbyists and advocates in the education reform sector. Her passion for quality education and her experience in the workplace have provided her an interest in public advocacy work.
Elizabeth grew up in Houston, Texas and graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications. She lives in Austin with her husband, son and daughter.
Email: egunter@txcharterschools.org
Jimmy Jackson brings over 15 years of experience in education, along with a strong background in nonprofit marketing, business development, and sales. A longtime advocate for public charter schools, Jimmy is committed to ensuring schools have the resources and support they need to make a lasting impact.
Prior to joining TPCSA, he was Director of Student Services at KIPP Texas Public Schools where he fostered strong, supportive team cultures and drove meaningful results for students and educators alike.
Beyond his leadership in education, Jimmy serves as an adjunct professor at Texas State University, where he shares his passion for teaching and learning. He is also the founder of a small business, blending his entrepreneurial spirit with his creative drive.
When he’s not working, he enjoys traveling, spending time with his family and two dogs, and exploring the Austin area, which he has proudly called home since 2008.
Natalie Kaharick is the Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Public Charter Schools Association.
Prior to joining TPCSA, Natalie worked in New Orleans public charter schools for a decade, where she served in various roles, including superintendent of a charter school network. In addition to her school-based experience, Natalie has a background in social-emotional learning and is a certified meditation instructor with twenty years of teaching experience.
Natalie has a BA in Art History from Duquesne University and an MBA from Louisiana State University.
Shawn joined TPCSA as the Controller after three years of providing invaluable consulting services. Her reputation for being a quick learner and her unwavering dedication to excellence have solidified her position as a meticulous professional with a comprehensive understanding of full-cycle accounting. With over 20 years of diverse experience, she has consistently displayed outstanding leadership and guidance in various sectors, including construction, non-profit, manufacturing, wholesale, and online retail. Shawn takes great pride in her ability to establish standards, implement strong internal controls, and streamline processes, all while significantly reducing risk. Her proficiency also extends to a wide range of software applications. She is devoted to delivering exceptional support in implementing and using these applications, ensuring everyone is well-prepared to achieve their objectives.
Born and raised in Phoenix, Shawn is familiar with navigating life's figurative and literal heat. In 2009, she relocated to Austin, which has since become her home. Apart from her work life focused on numbers and strategies, Shawn enjoys a more creative personal life. She is a dedicated mother, an occasional yogi, and a creative individual who enjoys crafting. She loves concerts, always has a song in her head, and supports her son's current passion for drumming. She also enjoys succulent gardening, binging shows, and listening to podcasts. At home, Shawn's life is filled with warmth and laughter, thanks to her son, chaos-pup, Benny, and Beans, the kitty overlord who rules their household with a firm paw. Together, they ensure that life is never dull and always interesting.
London Lawrence has built his professional career on establishing relationships and educating the community. His diverse professional background includes working with nonprofits, employment agencies, educational institutes, underserved communities, and government municipalities. As a graduate of the University of Houston - Clearlake with a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, London has dedicated his life to making a positive impact on those around him. As the Community Engagement Director for Central Texas, London is responsible for developing and implementing community engagement initiatives to promote public charter schools and also working to showcase the importance of advocacy. On a personal note, London enjoys traveling and photography in his downtime and is excited to bring public and political awareness to Texas Public Charter Schools.
Nadia Luna is responsible for coordinating memberships for schools and sponsorships for solution providers. She develops earned revenue opportunities and maintains corporate supporter relationships to increase interest, understanding and support of TPCSA’s mission and events. She manages the customer service and events team to increase member satisfaction, event attendance including at the annual Texas Charter Schools Conference, and oversees member portal enhancements and upkeep.
Prior to joining TPCSA, she was the executive assistant and compliance paralegal at a workers’ compensation law firm, but was drawn back into education, having previously served as a School Success Intern for Breakthrough Austin during her undergraduate career at the University of Texas. There she helped create first-generation college students like herself.
Email: nluna@txcharterschools.org
Coming from a family full of educators, Ila (pronounced eye-luh) grew up valuing the importance of quality education and firmly believes that it is not always provided through a one-size-fits-all approach.
Ila earned both her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Mass Communication from Texas State University. She has spent the last ten years conveying complex and intricate narratives to her community through a variety of digital methods. Her experience ranges from on-air reporting as a local TV news reporter, digital marketing for Education Abroad at Texas State University, cracking codes as a Technical Marketing Specialist, all the way to applying her skills in her own venture as an entrepreneur.
Born and raised on the Gulf Coast in Corpus Christi, TX, Ila is a native Texan. In her free time, she is a proud dog mom, loves exploring new countries and cultures, and most of all, she enjoys quality time with family and friends.
Amy Miller has over a decade of experience in the education and political sectors, including classroom teaching, program management, policy analysis, and field programming. Her professional experiences have helped her to understand the full scope of our advocacy work, from elections to the legislative session.
She holds an M.S.Ed. in Education Policy from UPenn, an M.A. in International Education from La Universidad de Alcalá in Spain, and a B.A. in International Studies with a minor in Political Science from Southern Methodist University.
Amy is passionate about fostering educational equity and opportunity for all students, locally and globally. She also believes in informing and engaging people, especially young people, around civics and voting to enhance our democratic systems.
Chelbi Mims is an accomplished public policy, communications and engagement professional with extensive expertise in the areas of local and county government affairs, civic engagement, and community development. Having spent the past seven-plus years working in the public/private sectors, Chelbi understands the importance of maintaining political and public awareness, and is personally invested in helping enhance the quality of life for diverse communities throughout Texas. She is an innovative, resilient leader and an astute strategist, skilled at crafting persuasive tactics that unite stakeholders around cohesive messaging, address public concerns and produce positive results.
Delisa is a proud native of the Rio Grande Valley and comes from a family of educators, which instilled in her a deep understanding of the transformative power of education. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a double major in History and Anthropology. After earning her degree, Delisa returned home to serve her community as a teacher at IDEA Public Schools. She later pursued her Master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of Texas at Arlington.
With thirteen years of experience in charter school education, Delisa has held various leadership roles, including Teacher, Assistant Principal of Instruction, and Principal. As Principal of IDEA Carver College Prep in San Antonio, she guided her campus to exceptional academic achievements, earning national and state recognition from U.S. News & World Report, College Board, and Children at Risk.
Outside of work, Delisa enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, exploring the different parks and museums across San Antonio, and listening to lots of Taylor Swift.
Keenisha Protho, LMSW, is a dedicated professional with a passion for advocacy and education. Her passion for advocacy and education grew while working with students with behavior challenges and educating school staff on responding to student’s complex needs. Keenisha holds a Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree in Social Work from Indiana University. With a commitment to community empowerment and self-care, Keenisha is devoted to making a positive impact in the public charter school landscape and beyond. In her spare time, Keenisha is also a lover of all things self-care. Keenisha also volunteers her time on the PTO board at her daughter’s charter school.
Crystal is very passionate about giving a voice to underserved communities and has been active in education-focused initiatives for twenty years. She has a multifaceted background which includes nonprofit administration, community outreach programming, advocacy for out-of-school time learning, fund development for a dyslexia resource center, teaching, and she was a founding administrator for an alternative high school public charter academy. Crystal has two daughters, Victoria and Rosalinda; she is a Michigan transplant and lives in San Antonio. She earned her undergraduate degree in Secondary Education and Family Studies from Western Michigan University and master’s degree in educational leadership from Grand Valley State University. As an extremely social extrovert, Crystal genuinely loves building relationships with the people around her; in her free time can often be found at comedy shows, volunteering, enjoying live music, and shooting pool.
Angel is a SuperMum Salesforce Administration specialist. She has worked with a wide variety of non-profits and looks forward to bringing her experience to TPCSA. She also enjoys learning new concepts in her Salesforce Trailhead sandbox, while occasionally enjoying a delicious cup of coffee at Summer Moon.
Jessica Shopoff is the Director of Policy for the Texas Public Charter Schools Association. She is responsible for championing the Association’s efforts to reform charter school policy in Texas as we pursue our mission to ensure every family has the ability to choose a high-quality public school.
Prior to joining TPCSA, Jessica was a Harvard Strategic Data Project Fellow and School and Market Analyst for the Learn4Life network of dropout recovery charter schools. She is an educator at heart and her professional career includes time spent as an elementary teacher, online charter high school lead advisor, regional data specialist and trainer, and academic policy analyst. She is a self-professed data nerd and policy wonk who believes that zip code should not determine a child’s future.
Jessica holds a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Texas at Dallas and a M.Ed in Educational Technology Leadership from Lamar University. She lives in San Antonio, and in her free time enjoys reading, watching football, and hiking and camping in the Texas Hill Country with her husband, four kids, and two dogs.
Rebecca Thomas is the Chief of Staff. She oversees the statewide advocacy strategy to build support for high-quality public charter schools among elected officials, community leaders, and the public.
Rebecca grew up in San Antonio and joined Teach for America in 2009 where she taught English at Alief Independent School District in Houston. After her time in the corps, she went to YES Prep Public Schools to become a founding instructional leader at a new campus. She worked at YES Prep as a Dean of Instruction, coaching educators for ten years. Rebecca has participated in two year-long leadership programs, Leading Excellence and FuelEd. She completed a fellowship program with Leadership for Educational Equity as a Policy Advisor to an organization based out of Washington D.C.
She graduated with honors from The University of Texas at San Antonio with a B.A. in Political Science and earned her master's degree in Political Science with an Option in Public Administration/Public Policy from Eastern Illinois University.
Betty brings over a decade of experience in education and operations, including leadership roles as a Director of HR, Director of Leadership Development, and Principal across different charter organizations. Her background includes streamlining onboarding/offboarding processes, overseeing payroll and compliance, building performance management systems, and leading cross-functional teams through organizational growth and change.
Throughout Betty's career, she has focused on building strong internal systems that allow mission-driven work to thrive—from creating scalable training programs to supporting executive leadership in strategy and execution. She is passionate about efficiency, equity, and empowering the people who power our schools. She's excited to be part of a team dedicated to advancing excellent public charter schools across Texas!
Sarah Tredway is a native Kansasan turned Texan. Sarah joined Teach for America in 2015 where she taught at a community-model public charter school in Southwest Houston for 6 years. During her time in the classroom, she served on the Teacher Leadership Board designing district-wide professional development and stewarding teacher mentorship. Additionally, Sarah pioneered a multi-year literacy partnership with a neighboring Head Start program impacting over 880+ students, families, and educators. Energized by innovation and excellence in education, she also advocated for the creation of a Literacy Lab to better serve multilingual learners, which she led during its first year, that has since expanded across the entire district. Sarah further scaled her impact while working for Teach for America Houston by developing educators and school-based leaders across 5 districts through customized leadership development programming.
Sarah continuously refined her advocacy skills by completing fellowship programs with Leadership for Educational Equity as a founding School Organizing Cohort member, Policy and Advocacy Summer Fellow, and Policy Advisor Fellow for an educational equity organization in Houston. Additionally, she was selected to serve as a Teach Plus Texas Policy Fellow and Senior Policy Fellow where she managed and advised the House Bill 3 Early Childhood Education Working Group.
Sarah graduated from Kansas State University with a B.S. in Psychology and Sociology. She earned her Master of Arts in Teaching in Early Childhood Education from RELAY – Graduate School of Education and holds a Leadership Certificate from Rice University. Sarah lives in Houston with her husband and their two rescue dogs. In her free time you can catch her at a concert, cheering on women’s soccer, or retreating to the Texas Hill Country for time in nature.
Tara is from a family full of educators and understands the importance of a quality education. She attended Abilene Christian University and majored in political science and history. Throughout her 15 years in education, she has held many different positions including teacher, school counselor, Dean of Students, and District Director of AVID. No matter her role she is first and foremost an advocate of students and has a passion for giving them the best opportunity to be productive, successful citizens. Tara has three children. Two sons, Tristan and Liam, and a daughter Madeleine. She loves traveling, hiking, and reading in her free time.
Brian Whitley joins the association as vice president of communications and research after nearly a decade working on issue campaigns and strategic research at Success Academy Charter Schools in New York.
Brian helped guide high-profile campaigns that engaged families, lawmakers, and the public in order to protect and expand public charters — including successful efforts to broaden the sector’s access to facilities. His white papers, such as reports on the profound lack of educational options for low-income students and the quietly stalled progress of many English language learners, galvanized conversation in the capitol and in the media.
Previously, Brian was a journalist at The Dallas Morning News, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Star-Ledger, where he covered higher education.
Brian is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and a new convert to breakfast tacos. He lives in Austin with his fiancée, Margaret, and their unreasonably opinionated chihuahua/terrier rescue, Oscar.
Jennifer is passionate about using research and data storytelling to promote education equity for all students. Prior to joining Texas Public Charter Schools Association (TPCSA), she served as a founding Kindergarten Bilingual Teacher, Grade Level Chair, and Advocacy Captain at a Yes Prep Charter School in Houston, TX through Teach for America. During her time as an educator, she also founded KiNDL, a teacher-designed reading program focused on improving psychosocial health literacy in low-SES and immigrant kindergartners through a virtual 1:1 mentoring platform with college students, and was awarded a resolution by Senator Carol Alvarado for her students' high academic growth. Additionally, she served as a 2021-2022 Texas Teach Plus Policy Fellow, where she published an OpEd and policy recommendations to better support teachers’ and students’ mental health.
Originally from southern California, Jennifer graduated from Pomona College with a Bachelors in psychology and Senior Thesis with Distinction. During her time at Pomona, she also worked as a founding research assistant for the Cultural Contexts, Adolescent Health Behaviors, and Development (CENTRO) Research Lab, completing various projects and presenting in conferences.
Outside of advocating for educational equity, Jennifer enjoys any type of exercise (especially running), reading, watching wholesome movies, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Renelle is a native Michigander with more than 15 years of nonprofit leadership experience. She has spent the majority of her career supporting arts based nonprofits. Prior to joining TPCSA, Renelle was the Associate Managing Director at ZACH Theatre where she oversaw human resources, IT, campus operations, and facilities. At TPCSA, Renelle works closely with the CEO in overseeing the the day-to-day operations, with emphasis on financial, personnel, and operational management. Renelle holds a M.S. in Arts Administration from the University of Oregon and a B.S in Music from Central Michigan University. She lives in Austin with her husband Adam, sons Elijah and Josiah, and their two cats. In her free time, Renelle enjoys spending time with friends, being outdoors, and going to concerts and museums.
Mallory Chesser is a writer and communicator with more than a decade of experience in the higher education and non-profit sectors. A lifelong reader, writer, and Texan, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Houston and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Texas State University. Inspired by her own positive experience in Texas public schools, Mallory has dedicated her career to organizations expanding access to high-quality and affordable public education for all.
Currently based in Houston, Mallory has also lived in San Marcos, Denton, and East Texas. She joined the Texas Public Charter Schools Association in August 2022 as its development writer, helping to tell the TPCSA story and build a strong community of support around its work to ensure that every student in Texas has access to ever-improving public school options.
Katrina Corte is responsible for coordinating the annual Texas Charter Schools Conference, as well as plan all other meetings and events with the Association.
Prior to joining TPCSA, she was the Development and Travel Coordinator for International Leadership of Texas, a tri-lingual charter school with campuses throughout the state of Texas. During her time at ILTexas, she planned and executed student travel for the 7th and 8th-grade students, providing students with an interactive experience that coincided with their Texas and US History curriculum. She was also able to raise over $1.5 million from grants, individual giving, and fundraising events.
She received her degree in University Studies Leadership from Texas A&M University.
Email: kcorte@txcharterschools.org
Ally grew up in Frisco, TX, and then spent 11 years in the Midwest studying journalism at the University of Missouri and working in the TV news industry. She’s always maintained a curiosity for people, and a desire to help give a voice to those in her community. After leaving television, Ally returned to the DFW area in 2019 and began working in local sales/advertising and media consulting. Having an ultimate goal of serving kids, she came to find International Leadership of Texas Charter School (ILTexas). Ally became the PR Manager for ILTexas in 2023, where she fell in love with charter education and its innovative spirit. Maximizing opportunity for students quickly grew to be one of Ally’s strongest passions in life. In Ally’s relaxation time, she enjoys reading, writing music/poetry, thriving as a foodie, consignment shopping, and spending time with her rescue cat, Prince Samuel. He’s a ball of energy just like his mom!
Inga Dedow joins TPCSA as a policy analyst and brings over seven years of experience in government relations to the association. She specializes in helping businesses track, identify, and monitor legislation that impacts their organization. Most recently, she served as the Government Relations Analyst for Lion Electric, where she focused on EV legislation filed across all 50-states and developed state legislative agendas for the company. Prior to Lion, Inga began her career working for a member of the Texas House of Representatives and has since worked at a lobby firm and state agency. In total, she has worked four Texas Legislative Sessions.
Inga is a native Austinite and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, spending time with her family and friends, and staying active by practicing yoga and playing sand volleyball.
Brandon Garcia brings years of experience as an educator, community organizer, and legislative professional to the Texas Public Charter Schools Association. Beginning his career as a social studies teacher in 2007 at Austin Can! Academy, a charter high school in East Austin, Brandon taught at-risk youth for four years in a job that he calls “one of the best in [his] life.” In 2011, Brandon returned to his home town of Dallas, Texas to attend the University of Dallas where he received his Master’s Degree in Political Theory, all while working part-time on educational outreach to local low-income students and their parents. Planning to pursue a career in academia, Brandon became a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Dallas in 2016. But in January of 2017, Brandon put his doctoral journey on hold for a chance to work for the Texas Senate as a research associate during the 85th Legislative Session. Having been bitten by the bug of Texas politics and wanting to put his studies into actual practice, he remained at the Legislature and in 2018 became a policy analyst for his very own state senator, Kirk Watson. During the 86th Legislative Session, Brandon aided Senator Watson in various policy areas and helped to shepherd four of his bills through the legislative process and into law.
Brandon lives in Austin, Texas with his beautiful wife, Laurel (who he actually met working at a charter school), and his happy, energetic little son, Noah.
Email: bgarcia@txcharterschools.org
Laurel Garcia brings years of experience as an educator, licensed specialist in school psychology (LSSP), and disability advocate to the Texas Public Charter Schools Association. During her 14 years in education, Laurel has worked at charter schools with missions focused on lifting up at-risk youth. Beginning her career as a LSSP in 2006 at Texans Can! Academy, Laurel was quickly recognized as a leader and began managing the special education department at the Austin campus. As the special education department chair, Laurel led an initiative to reform the operating procedures and academic practices for students receiving special education services there. In 2013, Laurel joined the special education department at KIPP Austin, where she was able to work as a district lead for compliance as the IEP Manager. This role gave her the flexibility to train special educators at the campus level, as well as manage the various related service provider teams at the district level. After seven years at KIPP, Laurel was able to help support all ten Austin campuses maintain high levels of compliance within their special education and 504 programs.
Laurel lives in Austin with her husband, Brandon (she met him working at a charter school), and her happy, energetic little son, Noah.
Elizabeth joins the Texas PublicCharter Schools Association as a Development Project Manager. Prior to joining the TPCSA she gained 11 years of experience in Corporate and Public Sales with Dell. The most recent 4 years she managed her own niche practice supporting the business functions of lobbyists and advocates in the education reform sector. Her passion for quality education and her experience in the workplace have provided her an interest in public advocacy work.
Elizabeth grew up in Houston, Texas and graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications. She lives in Austin with her husband, son and daughter.
Email: egunter@txcharterschools.org
Jimmy Jackson brings over 15 years of experience in education, along with a strong background in nonprofit marketing, business development, and sales. A longtime advocate for public charter schools, Jimmy is committed to ensuring schools have the resources and support they need to make a lasting impact.
Prior to joining TPCSA, he was Director of Student Services at KIPP Texas Public Schools where he fostered strong, supportive team cultures and drove meaningful results for students and educators alike.
Beyond his leadership in education, Jimmy serves as an adjunct professor at Texas State University, where he shares his passion for teaching and learning. He is also the founder of a small business, blending his entrepreneurial spirit with his creative drive.
When he’s not working, he enjoys traveling, spending time with his family and two dogs, and exploring the Austin area, which he has proudly called home since 2008.
Natalie Kaharick is the Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Public Charter Schools Association.
Prior to joining TPCSA, Natalie worked in New Orleans public charter schools for a decade, where she served in various roles, including superintendent of a charter school network. In addition to her school-based experience, Natalie has a background in social-emotional learning and is a certified meditation instructor with twenty years of teaching experience.
Natalie has a BA in Art History from Duquesne University and an MBA from Louisiana State University.
Shawn joined TPCSA as the Controller after three years of providing invaluable consulting services. Her reputation for being a quick learner and her unwavering dedication to excellence have solidified her position as a meticulous professional with a comprehensive understanding of full-cycle accounting. With over 20 years of diverse experience, she has consistently displayed outstanding leadership and guidance in various sectors, including construction, non-profit, manufacturing, wholesale, and online retail. Shawn takes great pride in her ability to establish standards, implement strong internal controls, and streamline processes, all while significantly reducing risk. Her proficiency also extends to a wide range of software applications. She is devoted to delivering exceptional support in implementing and using these applications, ensuring everyone is well-prepared to achieve their objectives.
Born and raised in Phoenix, Shawn is familiar with navigating life's figurative and literal heat. In 2009, she relocated to Austin, which has since become her home. Apart from her work life focused on numbers and strategies, Shawn enjoys a more creative personal life. She is a dedicated mother, an occasional yogi, and a creative individual who enjoys crafting. She loves concerts, always has a song in her head, and supports her son's current passion for drumming. She also enjoys succulent gardening, binging shows, and listening to podcasts. At home, Shawn's life is filled with warmth and laughter, thanks to her son, chaos-pup, Benny, and Beans, the kitty overlord who rules their household with a firm paw. Together, they ensure that life is never dull and always interesting.
London Lawrence has built his professional career on establishing relationships and educating the community. His diverse professional background includes working with nonprofits, employment agencies, educational institutes, underserved communities, and government municipalities. As a graduate of the University of Houston - Clearlake with a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, London has dedicated his life to making a positive impact on those around him. As the Community Engagement Director for Central Texas, London is responsible for developing and implementing community engagement initiatives to promote public charter schools and also working to showcase the importance of advocacy. On a personal note, London enjoys traveling and photography in his downtime and is excited to bring public and political awareness to Texas Public Charter Schools.
Nadia Luna is responsible for coordinating memberships for schools and sponsorships for solution providers. She develops earned revenue opportunities and maintains corporate supporter relationships to increase interest, understanding and support of TPCSA’s mission and events. She manages the customer service and events team to increase member satisfaction, event attendance including at the annual Texas Charter Schools Conference, and oversees member portal enhancements and upkeep.
Prior to joining TPCSA, she was the executive assistant and compliance paralegal at a workers’ compensation law firm, but was drawn back into education, having previously served as a School Success Intern for Breakthrough Austin during her undergraduate career at the University of Texas. There she helped create first-generation college students like herself.
Email: nluna@txcharterschools.org
Coming from a family full of educators, Ila (pronounced eye-luh) grew up valuing the importance of quality education and firmly believes that it is not always provided through a one-size-fits-all approach.
Ila earned both her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Mass Communication from Texas State University. She has spent the last ten years conveying complex and intricate narratives to her community through a variety of digital methods. Her experience ranges from on-air reporting as a local TV news reporter, digital marketing for Education Abroad at Texas State University, cracking codes as a Technical Marketing Specialist, all the way to applying her skills in her own venture as an entrepreneur.
Born and raised on the Gulf Coast in Corpus Christi, TX, Ila is a native Texan. In her free time, she is a proud dog mom, loves exploring new countries and cultures, and most of all, she enjoys quality time with family and friends.
Amy Miller has over a decade of experience in the education and political sectors, including classroom teaching, program management, policy analysis, and field programming. Her professional experiences have helped her to understand the full scope of our advocacy work, from elections to the legislative session.
She holds an M.S.Ed. in Education Policy from UPenn, an M.A. in International Education from La Universidad de Alcalá in Spain, and a B.A. in International Studies with a minor in Political Science from Southern Methodist University.
Amy is passionate about fostering educational equity and opportunity for all students, locally and globally. She also believes in informing and engaging people, especially young people, around civics and voting to enhance our democratic systems.
Chelbi Mims is an accomplished public policy, communications and engagement professional with extensive expertise in the areas of local and county government affairs, civic engagement, and community development. Having spent the past seven-plus years working in the public/private sectors, Chelbi understands the importance of maintaining political and public awareness, and is personally invested in helping enhance the quality of life for diverse communities throughout Texas. She is an innovative, resilient leader and an astute strategist, skilled at crafting persuasive tactics that unite stakeholders around cohesive messaging, address public concerns and produce positive results.
Delisa is a proud native of the Rio Grande Valley and comes from a family of educators, which instilled in her a deep understanding of the transformative power of education. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a double major in History and Anthropology. After earning her degree, Delisa returned home to serve her community as a teacher at IDEA Public Schools. She later pursued her Master’s in Educational Leadership from the University of Texas at Arlington.
With thirteen years of experience in charter school education, Delisa has held various leadership roles, including Teacher, Assistant Principal of Instruction, and Principal. As Principal of IDEA Carver College Prep in San Antonio, she guided her campus to exceptional academic achievements, earning national and state recognition from U.S. News & World Report, College Board, and Children at Risk.
Outside of work, Delisa enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, exploring the different parks and museums across San Antonio, and listening to lots of Taylor Swift.
Keenisha Protho, LMSW, is a dedicated professional with a passion for advocacy and education. Her passion for advocacy and education grew while working with students with behavior challenges and educating school staff on responding to student’s complex needs. Keenisha holds a Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree in Social Work from Indiana University. With a commitment to community empowerment and self-care, Keenisha is devoted to making a positive impact in the public charter school landscape and beyond. In her spare time, Keenisha is also a lover of all things self-care. Keenisha also volunteers her time on the PTO board at her daughter’s charter school.
Crystal is very passionate about giving a voice to underserved communities and has been active in education-focused initiatives for twenty years. She has a multifaceted background which includes nonprofit administration, community outreach programming, advocacy for out-of-school time learning, fund development for a dyslexia resource center, teaching, and she was a founding administrator for an alternative high school public charter academy. Crystal has two daughters, Victoria and Rosalinda; she is a Michigan transplant and lives in San Antonio. She earned her undergraduate degree in Secondary Education and Family Studies from Western Michigan University and master’s degree in educational leadership from Grand Valley State University. As an extremely social extrovert, Crystal genuinely loves building relationships with the people around her; in her free time can often be found at comedy shows, volunteering, enjoying live music, and shooting pool.
Angel is a SuperMum Salesforce Administration specialist. She has worked with a wide variety of non-profits and looks forward to bringing her experience to TPCSA. She also enjoys learning new concepts in her Salesforce Trailhead sandbox, while occasionally enjoying a delicious cup of coffee at Summer Moon.
Jessica Shopoff is the Director of Policy for the Texas Public Charter Schools Association. She is responsible for championing the Association’s efforts to reform charter school policy in Texas as we pursue our mission to ensure every family has the ability to choose a high-quality public school.
Prior to joining TPCSA, Jessica was a Harvard Strategic Data Project Fellow and School and Market Analyst for the Learn4Life network of dropout recovery charter schools. She is an educator at heart and her professional career includes time spent as an elementary teacher, online charter high school lead advisor, regional data specialist and trainer, and academic policy analyst. She is a self-professed data nerd and policy wonk who believes that zip code should not determine a child’s future.
Jessica holds a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Texas at Dallas and a M.Ed in Educational Technology Leadership from Lamar University. She lives in San Antonio, and in her free time enjoys reading, watching football, and hiking and camping in the Texas Hill Country with her husband, four kids, and two dogs.
Rebecca Thomas is the Chief of Staff. She oversees the statewide advocacy strategy to build support for high-quality public charter schools among elected officials, community leaders, and the public.
Rebecca grew up in San Antonio and joined Teach for America in 2009 where she taught English at Alief Independent School District in Houston. After her time in the corps, she went to YES Prep Public Schools to become a founding instructional leader at a new campus. She worked at YES Prep as a Dean of Instruction, coaching educators for ten years. Rebecca has participated in two year-long leadership programs, Leading Excellence and FuelEd. She completed a fellowship program with Leadership for Educational Equity as a Policy Advisor to an organization based out of Washington D.C.
She graduated with honors from The University of Texas at San Antonio with a B.A. in Political Science and earned her master's degree in Political Science with an Option in Public Administration/Public Policy from Eastern Illinois University.
Betty brings over a decade of experience in education and operations, including leadership roles as a Director of HR, Director of Leadership Development, and Principal across different charter organizations. Her background includes streamlining onboarding/offboarding processes, overseeing payroll and compliance, building performance management systems, and leading cross-functional teams through organizational growth and change.
Throughout Betty's career, she has focused on building strong internal systems that allow mission-driven work to thrive—from creating scalable training programs to supporting executive leadership in strategy and execution. She is passionate about efficiency, equity, and empowering the people who power our schools. She's excited to be part of a team dedicated to advancing excellent public charter schools across Texas!
Sarah Tredway is a native Kansasan turned Texan. Sarah joined Teach for America in 2015 where she taught at a community-model public charter school in Southwest Houston for 6 years. During her time in the classroom, she served on the Teacher Leadership Board designing district-wide professional development and stewarding teacher mentorship. Additionally, Sarah pioneered a multi-year literacy partnership with a neighboring Head Start program impacting over 880+ students, families, and educators. Energized by innovation and excellence in education, she also advocated for the creation of a Literacy Lab to better serve multilingual learners, which she led during its first year, that has since expanded across the entire district. Sarah further scaled her impact while working for Teach for America Houston by developing educators and school-based leaders across 5 districts through customized leadership development programming.
Sarah continuously refined her advocacy skills by completing fellowship programs with Leadership for Educational Equity as a founding School Organizing Cohort member, Policy and Advocacy Summer Fellow, and Policy Advisor Fellow for an educational equity organization in Houston. Additionally, she was selected to serve as a Teach Plus Texas Policy Fellow and Senior Policy Fellow where she managed and advised the House Bill 3 Early Childhood Education Working Group.
Sarah graduated from Kansas State University with a B.S. in Psychology and Sociology. She earned her Master of Arts in Teaching in Early Childhood Education from RELAY – Graduate School of Education and holds a Leadership Certificate from Rice University. Sarah lives in Houston with her husband and their two rescue dogs. In her free time you can catch her at a concert, cheering on women’s soccer, or retreating to the Texas Hill Country for time in nature.
Tara is from a family full of educators and understands the importance of a quality education. She attended Abilene Christian University and majored in political science and history. Throughout her 15 years in education, she has held many different positions including teacher, school counselor, Dean of Students, and District Director of AVID. No matter her role she is first and foremost an advocate of students and has a passion for giving them the best opportunity to be productive, successful citizens. Tara has three children. Two sons, Tristan and Liam, and a daughter Madeleine. She loves traveling, hiking, and reading in her free time.
Brian Whitley joins the association as vice president of communications and research after nearly a decade working on issue campaigns and strategic research at Success Academy Charter Schools in New York.
Brian helped guide high-profile campaigns that engaged families, lawmakers, and the public in order to protect and expand public charters — including successful efforts to broaden the sector’s access to facilities. His white papers, such as reports on the profound lack of educational options for low-income students and the quietly stalled progress of many English language learners, galvanized conversation in the capitol and in the media.
Previously, Brian was a journalist at The Dallas Morning News, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Star-Ledger, where he covered higher education.
Brian is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and a new convert to breakfast tacos. He lives in Austin with his fiancée, Margaret, and their unreasonably opinionated chihuahua/terrier rescue, Oscar.
