Mira Board

Dr. Felicia Starks (she/her) is a seasoned education professional with nearly three decades of experience in K-8 school administration. Her journey began as a passionate teacher, and over the years, she has held various leadership roles, shaping the educational landscape for countless students.

Currently serving as the Chief Safety Officer for Oak Park Elementary School District 97 (Oak Park, IL), she combines her educational expertise with a commitment to ensuring a safe and nurturing environment for students, staff, and families. Her strategic vision has led to the implementation of enhanced safety protocols and emergency preparedness.

Previously, Felicia was the assistant principal at Longfellow Elementary School and the principal at Irving Elementary School, also in District 97. Her work as an operational and instructional leader at a school level has continued to influence how she approaches leadership within the central office, where she has worked for nearly twenty years in a series of progressively responsible roles. 

Felicia earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in school administration from Bradley University. She also holds a Doctor of Education in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

James Liou (he/him) is a principal consultant at FG Strategy Advisors. He works with philanthropic and nonprofit leaders to support the use of evidence to identify powerful actions, promote continuous learning, and to sharpen strategy for their organizations. He loves all things teaching and learning, and the ways in which skillfully designed learning environments can be transformative for leaders, their organizations, and the communities they serve.

Prior to launching FG Strategy Advisors, James was a Senior Vice President of Impact and Design at the Institute of Nonprofit Practice, and prior to that, a Senior Director at Equal Measure, where he led project teams that provided research, evaluation, and strategic program consultation for foundations, social sector nonprofits, and place-based, systems change initiatives. He was also a program officer at the William Penn Foundation in Philadelphia, where he developed and led a $20 million K–12 education grantmaking portfolio.

Previous to these roles, James spent 15 years in the education sector, including several years as a high school classroom teacher and instructional coach, before leading the district-wide History and Social Studies Department in Boston Public Schools. He was also involved in national conversations around teaching and learning, including work with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, selection as a Teaching Ambassador Fellow for the U.S. Department of Education, and service as an inaugural member of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Teacher Advisory Council.

James continues to provide national and local leadership in philanthropy. He is the inaugural recipient of the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) Legacy Award and an Annie E. Casey Foundation Children and Family Fellow, focusing on results-based leadership.

James holds a bachelor’s degree from William and Mary and a Master of Arts in teaching from Brown University.

Jill Nelson (she/her) is a finance and human resources leader whose passion is to further an organization’s mission through thoughtful stewardship of its assets, both financial and human capital.

Recently retired, Jill was the Chief of Finance and Operations for Sasha Bruce Youthwork, Inc., the leading provider of homeless youth services in the DC Region. Through the holistic integration of its Pillars of Opportunity, Sasha Bruce provides safe homes, life skills, and workforce development to meet the unique needs of homeless youth. As CFO, Jill led the finance, operations, and human resources departments.

Previously, as CFO of Education Week, the nation’s premier publication about K-12 education, Jill was an integral member of the senior leadership team that transformed Ed Week from a traditional print publisher to a much more entrepreneurial digital media company.  In this role, she helped shepherd the launch of several new products, including EdWeek Market Brief, Education Week’s business intelligence service.  During her 15-year tenure, she built a strategic human resources department that serves Education Week’s diverse staff of 100, supporting its highly engaged staff, resulting in a high-performance culture.

Prior to Education Week, Jill was the Vice President, Finance and Administration, of a technology start-up, where she played a key role in raising $10 million in private equity, corporate, and bank financing, and participated in successful merger negotiations with Immersion Corp, a publicly held company.

Jill has an MBA from Babson College and a Bachelor of Arts from Gettysburg College.

Chair

Dr. Carol Kelley (she/her) is a transformative leader and accomplished superintendent who brings her deep commitment to equity-centered systems to her work with the Salem City School District (a PK-12 public school system located in Salem County, NJ). Throughout her career as a classroom teacher, administrator, and superintendent, she has focused on addressing racial, economic, and academic disparities.

As a superintendent, her accomplishments are a testament to her collaborative approach. By working closely with stakeholders, she created a shared vision that helped raise academic achievement for special education students in one district and among black students and special education students in another, effectively narrowing the opportunity gaps in those areas.

Dr. Kelley’s contributions have not gone unnoticed. She is recognized as a national thought-leader and speaker in education, receiving accolades such as the prestigious “Governor’s Teacher Award” from the state of New Jersey and a Distinguished Superintendent recognition award in Illinois.

Her educational journey includes two degrees from the University of Pennsylvania – a bachelor’s degree in Systems Science Engineering and a doctorate in Organizational and Educational Leadership from the Graduate School of Education. Additionally, she holds an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.

Dr. Kelley recognizes that changing mindsets on the importance of success for every student requires patience and may not always be well-received. However, her advocacy and passion for this remain steadfast. As the motto of her hometown (Philadelphia) encourages us to do, she is dedicated to letting her sisterly love endure through supporting and empowering each student to thrive, surpassing what others may have thought possible. In her role with Salem City School District, Dr. Kelley is committed to serving all learners in Salem, ensuring they receive the equitable education and opportunities they deserve.

Secretary 

Dr. Almudena (Almi) G. Abeyta has dedicated 28 years to advancing teaching and learning in urban education. A proud product of public schools, she was raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Before becoming Superintendent of Chelsea Public Schools, Dr. Abeyta served as Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in several districts, including Somerville Public Schools (2017–2019), Santa Fe Public Schools (2012–2017), and Boston Public Schools (2009–2012). Her leadership and commitment to equity in education have been recognized nationally; in 2015, she received the inaugural Latina Administrator of the Year Award from the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS), and in 2021, she was honored with the first-ever La Lucha Award by Latinos for Education and recently named a Commonwealth Heroine Class of 2025.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was also a frequent guest on WBUR’s In This Together radio series, offering insights and guidance to the public.

Dr. Abeyta began her administrative career as principal of the Donald McKay K-8 School in Boston from 2004 to 2008. Prior to that, she began her career in education as a kindergarten teacher.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication and Journalism from the University of New Mexico, and later completed two master’s degrees as well as a doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Stephanie M. Johnson (she/her) is an elementary educator and National Board Certified Teacher in Early/Middle Childhood Literacy, with two decades of experience serving students in South Carolina. A strong advocate for public education, she currently represents South Carolina as a Director for the National Education Association (NEA) and is an active leader within the South Carolina Education Association.

Stephanie’s leadership in education is reflected not only in her service roles but also in the numerous accolades she has received throughout her career. She was honored as a 2024 University of South Carolina Champion of Education – Veteran Teacher Award recipient, a 2023 Fulbright Teachers for Global Classrooms awardee, a 2018 Lowell Milken Fellow, and a 2017 Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence recipient. In addition, she was named a South Carolina State Finalist for the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2010.

A passionate and visionary leader, Stephanie consistently works to elevate the teaching profession and empower fellow educators.

Vice Chair

Dr. Kevin F. Gilbert (he/him), has been in education for 24 years and currently serves as an Assistant Superintendent for the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) in Howard County, Maryland. Prior to his arrival in HCPSS, he served as the coordinator for teacher leadership and special projects with the Clinton Public School District in Clinton, Mississippi.

Dr. Gilbert has worked as a social studies teacher, coach, bus driver, and administrator with the Clinton Public School District, Rankin County School District (Flowood, MS), and the Hinds County School District (Raymond, MS). Other professional experience includes serving on the National Education Association’s (NEA) Executive Committee from 2013-2019, and president of the Mississippi Association of Educators (MAE) from 2007-2013. Other leadership positions include serving as vice president for governance for the National Council of State Education Associations, chair of the NEA Committee on Human and Civil Rights, and co-chair of the NEA task force on Discipline and the School-to-Prison Pipeline.

He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and a doctorate in education leadership from Mississippi College.