Staff

Scott Van Beck, Executive Director

Scott A. Van Beck is a 23-year veteran of Houston ISD, having served as a teacher, a principal and most recently, West Region Superintendent from 2005 to 2007. As superintendent, Scott was responsible for 60 elementary and secondary schools, 3,200 teachers and 54,000 students. From 1999 to 2005, he served as principal for Revere Middle School, which was awarded the Annenberg Lamplighter Grant from Houston A+ Challenge, and principal for Westside High School, which during his tenure was rated as "TEA Recognized" and ranked in the top 20 Advanced Placement Programs by the College Board.  Scott also has served as a coach and mentor for area principals through Houston A+ Challenge's New Visions in Leadership Academy. He serves on the board of directors of the Houston West Chamber of Commerce, and is the Vice-President of Making It Better, a non-profit committed to improving afterschool programs in West Houston. Scott is a native Iowan; he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Iowa, and Master of Arts degree in History from the University of Houston.  He has been married for more than 24 years to his wife Sarah, and is father to four native Texans – Wesley, Helen, Sam, and Neil.  In his spare time, he referees high school basketball games.

Sheri Miller-Williams, Director of Leadership

Sheri has served as Director of Leadership for Houston A+ Challenge since April 2008, when she joined the staff to guide the launch of the Regional Princpal Leadership Academy. Since then, she has served as lead instructor for the Academy's first and second cohort of aspiring principals, and has helped to solidify partnerships with the local public school districts that host Academy Interns. Prior to joining Houston A+ Challenge, Sheri served as Vice President of Educational Services for Edison Schools, assigned to the School District of Philadelphia. During her six-year tenure with Edison, she provided training and supervision for principals and developed programs with partner schools and districts across a 10-state territory. As Edison's Vice President of Achievement, she designed and implemented curriculum, instructional learning, student management and professional development programs for struggling schools in Charleston, South Carolina. Sheri is a visionary educator with an established a reputation as a 'turnaround specialist,' having earned a number of teaching and leadership awards, including two "Double Four Star Principal" awards -- Edison's highest honor for student achievement improvement, school fiscal and operational management (2002-03 and 2004-05).

Melissa Milios Davis, Director of Communications & Development

Melissa has been with Houston A+ Challenge since January 2007, after serving the Los Angeles Unified School District as Director of Communications for the Board President. Prior to that, she worked as a K-12 and higher education reporter for the Daily Breeze newspaper in southern Los Angeles County, where she received a Copley Ring of Truth Honorable Mention for her thoughtful education coverage. She spent three years as a news content producer for the Austin American-Statesman’s web site, Austin360.com, and a year as content manager of a sister site in San Antonio. She also has worked at National Public Radio affiliates in Los Angeles and the Voice of America in London. Melissa holds a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Southern California. She was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio.

Alejandro Morua, Director of Partnerships & Innovations

Alejandro was founding Principal for the Neighborhood Centers Inc. Charter School - Ripley House, which focuses on a body-brain compatible environment utilizing multiple intelligences and character education. Alejandro is a Houston native who has worked in corporate institutions in the energy and financial sectors. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with dual degrees in economics from the Wharton School of Business and English from Penn’s College of Arts and Sciences. He has extensive non-profit experience in the fields of marketing, management, community relations, fundraising, voter education and volunteer training.

Catherine Reed, CPA, Director of Finance

Catherine came to Houston A+ Challenge after 19 years at the Greater Houston Partnership, where she was vice-president for finance and administration. Before joining the Partnership, she was an audit manager for Deloitte Haskins & Sells. Catherine has a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Accounting degree from Rice University, and is a Certified Public Accountant. She is active at Trinity Episcopal Church and has served as treasurer and board member for the National iMIS Users Group for membership database software.

Charlotte Parker, Leadership Coach

Charlotte Parker is a 33-year veteran of Houston ISD with a long track record of improving student success in schools at all levels. Most recently, she served as principal at Kashmere High School, where she was recruited to help turn the school around after four straight years on the state’s low-performing list. After just 10 months on the job, the school escaped closure as it shed the failed rating and moved up to Academically Acceptable. Charlotte began her career as an elementary school teacher; in 1992, she was appointed to her first principal position at Roosevelt Elementary, where her leadership helped the school attain the state’s Exemplary rating for five consecutive years. She was hosted at the White House by President Bill Clinton, and she and Roosevelt were featured on an episode of the CBS News program “60 Minutes”. The school was identified by the state as a model of excellence and a mentor school, and in 1999 Charlotte was named Principal of the Year by the National Alliance of Black School Educators and a Texas Reading Leader by the Texas Education Agency. She was named Principal of the Year for Houston ISD’s North Central District in 2005, and the next year was named Region 4’s Principal of the Year from Houston ISD’s North Region. Dr. Parker holds a B.S. in Elementary Education, a Master’s in Public Administration, and a Doctor of Education degree, all from Texas Southern University.

Lachanda Landry, Leadership Coach

Lachanda comes to Houston A+ Challenge from Shotwell Academy in Aldine ISD, where she served as International Baccalaureate Coordinator and provided teacher training and curriculum supervision. She spent three years as an Assistant Principal at Lamar High School in Houston ISD, and also has more than eight years of experience as a high school English teacher. Lachanda holds an Ed.D. in Education Administration and Foundations and an M.A. in Education Mid-Management, both from Texas Southern University, as well as a B.A. in English from Dillard University in New Orleans. She has attended the New Principals' Academy at Trinity University, The Principals' Center at Harvard University,  Houston A+ Challenge's Critical Friends Group training, and other professional learning opportunities and organizations.

Angela Prince, Curriculum Specialist

Angela Prince brings 17 years of educational experience and a deep knowledge of school reform to the Regional Principal Leadership Academy. The Tuscaloosa, Alabama, native joined Houston A+ Challenge as a program coordinator in 2005 after 14 years of service in South Florida’s Broward County Public Schools, where she held positions including high school Intern Principal/Assistant Principal and district Curriculum Supervisor for students with learning disabilities. Angela brings a well-established reputation nationally as a member of the National School Reform Faculty and as a trainer for the Abydos Learning (New Jersey Writing Project) in Texas. Additionally, Angela has been a facilitator, workshop designer, and consultant for organizations including the Schlechty Center for Leadership in School Reform, the Teaching and Leadership Center at Florida Atlantic University, and High Schools That Work.

Michael Webster, Teacher Leadership Coach

With a passion for innovating classroom practices, Michael began working at Houston A+ Challenge in 2006. Immediately prior, Michael served as a literacy coach at Houston ISD's Reagan High School, where he spearheaded reform efforts in literacy and whole school transformation. He also has taught English/Language Arts, Journalism, and Media Literacy in both public and private schools and at the University of Houston Downtown. He holds a B.A. in English from the University of Texas, an M.A. in English from the University of Houston, and currently is completing his doctorate in English at the University of Houston. At Houston A+ Challenge, Michael has lead several grant projects in the areas of fine arts integration, literacy, school leadership and math. Currently, he serves as Teacher Leadership Coach to develop campus level teacher leaders. In addition to his work at A+, Michael serves as a member on the Education Policy Committee at the Greater Houston Partnership, a School Board Member at St. Ambrose School, National Faculty Member for the National School Reform Faculty and Advisory Board Member for the Foster Grandparents Program.

Betsy Broyles Breier, Program Coordinator

Betsy has been involved in school reform and with Houston A+ Challenge since 1996, when she helped to write the original Annenberg Beacon School grant for Poe Elementary.  Since that time she has been active in non-profit work in the environmental and education areas.  Betsy has served as PTO president at Lanier Middle School and Challenge Early High School in Houston ISD, and worked at the Center for the Reform of School Systems writing teaching case studies and helping to develop training programs for school boards. Betsy earned an MBA from Harvard, worked for Exxon Chemical Americas for 9 years, and co-produced an Academy Award™-nominated documentary about the Apollo lunar missions, For All Mankind.

Terrie Roberts, Events Coordinator

Terrie comes to Houston A+ Challenge from Professional Packaging Systems, where she was operations manager for more than nine years. She was also a Co-Director for an annual writing retreat for teachers sponsored by the New Jersey Writing Project in Texas. Terrie is currently pursuing a degree in computer graphics from the University of Houston and also owns Metropolitan Meals, a catering/personal chef business.

Imelda Cardoza, Administrative Assistant

Imelda was born and raised in the Rio GrandeValley in South Texas. Imelda attended the former Pan American University, now The University of Texas at Pan Am, in Edinburg, Texas. Imelda worked as a Human Resources Administrator with the University of Houston for approximately 19 years, her most recent role as Supervisor of Employment and Employee Relations. Imelda joined Houston A+ in April 2001 from River Oaks Elementary, after serving two years as a lecturer in the after school program and five years as the school’s vanguard program administrative assistant.

Donna O'Neil, Administrative Assistant

Donna is a native Houstonian. She has seven years of experience as an executive administrative assistant in Houston ISD, starting at Westside High School as a clerk for three Deans, then promoted to school secretary, then in the district's West Region Office. Donna also has worked as a manager for Hallmark, Inc. stores and as an administrative assistant for a large investment banking/brokerage firm.

Lisa Stein, Administrative Assistant

Lisa is a native Houstonian and has worked in the non-profit arena for five years prior to her arrival to Houston A+ Challenge. She has previously worked for Star of Hope and The Houston Hospice in the area of development and utilizing their Raiser's Edge software.