Staff

Michael T. Duffy

Founder and President

Michael oversees the strategic direction for the Great Oaks Foundation and its network of schools. Prior to establishing the Great Oaks Foundation, Michael held several leadership positions including serving as the Director of the New York City Department of Education’s Charter School Office. Michael has long been a champion of education, formerly serving as the executive director of City on a Hill Charter Public School and as a founding trustee and board Chair of the MATCH Charter High School, both located in Boston, MA.

Under his leadership, the Great Oaks Network has grown to include four public charter schools in the Northeast. He has created advanced education and professional development partnerships with NYU Steinhardt and the Relay Graduate School of Education, and facilitated the completion of Teacher’s Village, a $149MM redevelopment project that encompasses charter schools, teacher and fellowship housing and retail space, in Newark, NJ. Additionally, he has expanded the expertise at the Foundation to increase services and programs delivered to Great Oaks students, families and schools. Currently, Michael is working on implementing new initiatives that will expand Great Oaks’ work and service in the communities where our schools are located. Additionally, he is developing strategies to strengthen the organization’s use of data to support and improve outcomes and expansion throughout the Great Oaks network.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Trinity College and a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School. While a resident of Massachusetts, Michael was twice a candidate for public office. He has authored several articles and is currently an adjunct Associate Professor of Public Administration at New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and Policy, and he serves on the Vestry of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church.

Josh Thomases

Executive Vice President

Vanessa Ceas

Chief Talent Officer

Vanessa oversees the talent & recruitment team and is responsible for all HR matters across the school network. She has extensive experience working with both district and charter school finances, and she is a graduate of Johnson & Wales University.

Lauren Perkins

Chief Operating Officer

Benjamin Chan

Chief Financial Officer

Ben has a broad background in the private sector, from strategy consulting at Price Waterhouse to turning around the family business in international sourcing, and most recently as an entrepreneur who started a women’s specialty clothing business from the ground up. Ben has his MBA in Finance from the Wharton School and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Brown University.

Megan Benay

National Director of Inclusive Education and Data Systems & Strategy

Michael Broschart

National Director of Teacher Residency

Tamur Cajoux

Director of Finance

Hector Calderón

National Director of Teacher Development

Tom Cruz

Data Analyst

Deborah Dagiau

Director of Human Resources

DJ Hartigan

National Director of School Model Development and GO Fellows

DJ leads the programming, training, and impact of the 270 members of the Great Oaks Fellowship. Before joining the Great Oaks Foundation team, DJ worked as the Fellowship Director for Great Oaks – NYC, leading AmeriCorps members in personalizing the educational experience for more than 350 students. He is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University where he earned a BA in Economics.

Riley Hasson

Associate Director of Talent, External Affairs

Riley supports Fellowship recruitment efforts across the Great Oaks network. Prior to this role, she completed two years of service at Great Oaks Bridgeport as an ELA Fellow and a Corps Leader. She graduated from the University of Connecticut where she studied Political Science and Urban and Community Studies.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Fellowship experience, please email Riley at [email protected].

CJ Ingersoll

Associate Director of Talent, Marketing

CJ is responsible for attracting, interviewing, and coordinating interviews with candidates for the Great Oaks Fellowship. He is a graduate of Washington University and volunteers his time as a coach and mentor with Harlem RBI.

Brianne Kelly

Grant Writer and Manager

Brianne Kelly manages, writes, and researches grant opportunities at Great Oaks Foundation. In order to successfully do this, she collaborates with all departments across Great Oaks Foundation and works directly with school leadership to discover and seize opportunities that would further enrich opportunities for students, the local communities, and professional development. Brianne graduated from University at Buffalo with a dual BA in English and Legal Studies and after years of work experience, she graduated from Teachers College with an MA in International Education Development where she researched and completed Economic Development Capstone and Monitoring & Evaluation Plan for organizations in Kenya and Malawi, respectively. She has also interned with the International Rescue Committee in New York City, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Morocco as a Youth Asset Builder (2014-2016). Other work experience includes Program Development and Academic Enrichment in the foundations for Columbia University: Double Discovery Center, and the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce: The Chamber Foundation, Inc. These opportunities enriched her understanding of Educational Equity, and has driven her path to the Great Oaks Foundation.

Shereen Khaled

National Deputy Director of GO Fellows

Tiffany Kwong

Associate Director, Operations

Tiffany focuses on the facilities, technology, and student recruitment efforts at our Great Oaks Charter School locations. Tiffany spent two years (2017-19) as the AmeriCorps Compliance and Operations Manager at Great Oaks – NYC. Before that, she served there as a Corps member in 2015-16 and as a Corps Lead in 2016-17.

Joel Livingston

Director of Talent & Recruitment

Lori Morillo

Finance Associate

Darius Rose

Associate Director of Staff Recruitment

Darius supports the recruitment of teachers for the Great Oaks network. Prior to this role, he was a 4th grade ICT Lead Teacher for Success Academy Charter School Network. Darius graduated from Syracuse University where he studied Physical Education and Sport Management and also studied Athletic Administration at Springfield College for his graduate fellowship.

If you are interested in learning more about open teaching positions, please email Darius at [email protected].

Pablo Vega

Finance Associate

Aisha Williams

National Director of School Culture

Aisha Williams is the Director of School Culture at Great Oaks Foundation where she leads the work on creating a safe, positive, and harmonious school environment. Prior to joining Great Oaks, Aisha was the Associate Head of School of George Jackson Academy in Manhattan, Founding Dean of Students at a Brooklyn charter school, and has worked in the nonprofit arena with organizations that supported service-learning and peaceful conflict resolutions. Aisha started her career as a Teach for America teacher in North Carolina and was an undergraduate at the University of Virginia with a focus on African American Studies. Later, she completed her graduate degree at New York University specializing in Education Administration.