Our Board
Will J. Jordan, Ph.D
Board Chairperson
Will Jordan (Ph.D., Columbia University) is Associate Professor of Urban Education at Temple University. His scholarly interests and teaching, informed by his background in sociology of education, include educational policy and the socio-political context of urban schools. His work focuses on empirical research to broaden understandings of educational inequality and, more practically, to enhance program and policy development for improving the quality and conditions of education. With an emphasis on urban schools, Dr. Jordan's work is aimed at fostering social justice. Dr. Jordan has extensive expertise in quantitative methods in educational research. He has conducted formative and impact evaluation research which employs experimental design (randomized control trials) and quasi-experimental designs. Prior to joining the faculty at Temple University, Dr. Jordan was a senior analyst at The CNA Corporation, a Washington-based research and consulting firm. Before that, he was Research Scientist and Associate Director of the Center for Social Organization of Schools at Johns Hopkins University. At Hopkins, he and his colleagues developed the Talent Development High School, a national model for comprehensive school restructuring. Dr. Jordan earned his Ph.D. in sociology and education at Columbia University, Teachers College. He holds an M.A. in Political Science and a B.A. in sociology from Stony Brook University.
Sarah Hefford Claytor, MS
Board Vice-Chairperson
Sarah Claytor is a career educator with passion for supporting lifelong learning, and truly lives her life according to her beliefs and passions. Sarah's passionate support for educational endeavors that enable students to achieve a lifelong love of learning is apparent in her history of teaching and curriculum design. She believes deeply in the value of education, and has repeatedly returned to school herself to both expand her purview and to empathize with the student experience. Sarah believes that people expand their vision of possibility and success by engaging in experiential opportunities, and, in that spirit, she climbed to Base Camp at Mount Everest.
Roger Carolin, MBA
Treasurer
Roger Carolin is currently a Venture Partner at SCP Partners and has over 20 years experience in technology related businesses. SCP is a diversified multi-stage venture capital firm with over $1 billion under management that is focused on investments in Information Technology, Life Sciences, Communications, Digital Media, and Security and Defense. At SCP, he works to identify attractive investment opportunities and assists portfolio companies in the areas of strategy development, operating management, and intellectual property. Prior to joining SCP, Roger was co-founder and CEO of CFM Technologies, Inc. a successful semiconductor equipment company that went public in 1996 and was subsequently sold to Mattson Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MTSN).
Prior to CFM, Roger worked in the defense and aerospace industries in high-speed digital systems development at Honeywell and The General Electric Company. He is a director of Amkor Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMKR), FourthWall Media, RCD Technology and Aviom Inc. Roger received his B.S. in electrical engineering, from Duke University and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Lisa Johnson Nutter, MA
Secretary
Lisa Nutter is the President of Philadelphia Academies, Inc. Lisa has a B.S. in Psychology from the Pennsylvania State University and an M.A. in City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania. She also completed a year-long fellowship in the Emerging Leaders Programme administered by the Centre for Leadership and Public Values at the University of Cape Town (South Africa) and Duke University. Through her work as a practitioner, researcher and consultant in communities throughout the country, Lisa solidified her belief in education as a central factor in both individual and community economic stability. At PAI, Lisa draws on her experience in education, community organizing, human services, community development and arts and culture to promote an educational model that links youth programming to real world opportunities and needs.
David Bromley, MA
David Bromley is the Executive Director and founder of Big Picture Philadelphia. Prior to starting Big Picture Philadelphia, David was a co-founder of MetWest High School, the Big Picture school in Oakland, CA and more recently, served as a Big Picture coach to MetEast High School, located in Camden, New Jersey. Before coming to Big Picture, David co-founded the Association of National Scholastic Excellence and Reform (ANSER) in Santa Monica, CA, a not-for-profit corporation designed to foster a greater awareness of and commitment to public schools. David also worked as a social studies teacher at Jefferson High School in South Central, Los Angeles. He holds a Master's Degree in Education from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles.
Samantha R. Corson, Esq.
Sam Corson is the Director of Operations for Penn Law’s Development and Alumni Relations department, overseeing critical non-fundraising operational services.Previously, Sam was a Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, LLP, where she counseled clients in a range of environmental transactional, regulatory counseling and compliance matters. Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Sam was an Environmental Litigation Associate at Ballard Spahr LLP. She also was a Judicial Clerk for the Honorable Anthony J. Scirica of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Sam is graduate of Penn Law and holds a Master's Degree in Philosophy from Penn’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy from Hamilton College.
Sam Corson is the Director of Operations for Penn Law’s Development and Alumni Relations department, overseeing critical non-fundraising operational services.Previously, Sam was a Shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, LLP, where she counseled clients in a range of environmental transactional, regulatory counseling and compliance matters. Prior to joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP, Sam was an Environmental Litigation Associate at Ballard Spahr LLP. She also was a Judicial Clerk for the Honorable Anthony J. Scirica of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Sam is graduate of Penn Law and holds a Master's Degree in Philosophy from Penn’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy from Hamilton College.
Maia Cucchiara, Ph.D
Maia Cucchiara is an Associate Professor of Urban Education at Temple University. She is also a former teacher and community organizer. Maia received a Ph.D. in education and sociology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2007. Her research examines urban education policy and its implications for disadvantaged students. She focuses particularly on the impact of urban revitalization and redevelopment on public schools. She is also interested in school reform in Philadelphia and its implications for equity and civic capacity. Maia has published in the American Educational Research Journal, Teachers College Record, and the Journal of Education Policy and is the author of Marketing Schools, Marketing Cities: Who Wins and Who Loses When Schools Become Urban Amenities (University of Chicago Press, 2013).
Carlos Moreno, MA
Carlos Moreno is a passionate educational leader committed to supporting school and district leaders who are creating high-quality, non-traditional schools. He is currently National Director of School Network Support and Innovation for Big Picture Learning, a nonprofit organization that, since 1995, has developed over 150 such schools in the US and internationally. As Big Picture’s Co-Executive Director, Carlos is the visionary for all U.S. school and district-wide programs. Carlos leads a national team of phenomenal regional directors, School Design Coaches and coordinates leadership development & support services for school and district leaders. He also leads Big Picture’s work with scores of non-Big Picture schools that wish to incorporate elements of the Big Picture Learning design. After concluding a successful career in the corporate and international non-profit sectors, Carlos has played many roles in the Big Picture Learning network. First, in 2002, as a teacher and then principal (2006), Assistant Superintendent, and Interim Superintendent (2008-10) at the Met School in Providence, Big Picture’s first school. Carlos holds undergraduate degrees in marketing and business from Johnson & Wales University along with a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership. Most recently, Carlos was named as a 2015 Pahara Institute Fellow – a fellowship designed to sustain diverse, high-potential leaders who are reimagining public education and who will shape the future of the educational excellence and equity movement.
Valerie Kind-Rubin
Valerie is the Managing Trustee of the Patricia Kind Family Foundation, a foundation committed to supporting Philadelphia non-profits doing excellent work in the community to help those struggling with the consequences of deep poverty. The foundation supports programs providing direct service to help with a variety of needs, such as education, housing, food, physical and mental health. She began her career as a special education teacher and continues to feel passionately that teachers have a unique opportunity and obligation to positively impact students in profound ways. Valerie was a Parenting Consultant and Behavior Specialist for 25 years before transitioning to her current role at the foundation.
Jen Rice
Jennifer Rice devotes her time and resources to a variety of civic and philanthropic organizations whose missions support education, the arts and women’s rights. These include The Vetri Foundation, Women’s Way, Lutheran Settlement House, The Franklin Institute and Philadelphia Contemporary where she is a founding member. She served on the board of The Philadelphia School from 2004 - 2018 and as Board President from 2015 - 2018. She currently serves as a Trustee for Big Picture Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Museum of Art and The Revolution Project. Ms. Rice and her husband, Michael Forman, are Founders of The Forman Family Foundation.
Paul Statt
Paul Statt is a writer and independent communications consultant in Philadelphia, specializing in higher education research and politics. His public relations clients have included Temple University, Drexel University, Amherst College, and several other schools across the country. He has written for many diverse publications, such as Amherst Magazine, Appalachia Journal, Businessweek, BYTE, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Current History, and MacWorld.