Giuseppe “Seppy” Basili
Chair of the Board
Executive Director, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Giuseppe “Seppy” Basili is executive director of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. He is a leading K-12, college readiness, and higher education expert, with 30 years of education industry experience. Before his appointment as executive director, he served as director of strategic initiatives and chief operating officer at the Foundation. Basili has authored many publications articulating his perspectives on college access and admissions and has been featured by The New York Times, NPR, and the Today Show among others.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Basili served as vice president and general manager of college admissions and K-12 programs for Kaplan Test Prep, overseeing all product creation and implementation of the K12 custom curriculum business during his 16 years with the company. He developed valuable partnerships with hundreds of school districts all over the country, including Chicago Public Schools and the Los Angeles Unified School District. He was responsible for test preparation programs, college admissions services and publications for the SAT, ACT, and PSAT exams.
A graduate of Kenyon College, Seppy holds a B.A. in History as well as a law degree from Emory University and a M.A. in Educational Policy from the University of California at Berkeley.
Jane Oates
Vice Chair of the Board
President, WorkingNation
Jane Oates serves as President of WorkingNation. She is a former U.S. Department of Labor official who has played a key role in WorkingNation’s mission to raise awareness about the challenges facing the American workforce.
Jane served as Assistant Secretary for the Employment and Training Administration under Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis, after being nominated for the position by President Barack Obama in 2009. Prior to her appointment, Jane was Executive Director of the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and a senior advisor to Governor Jon S. Corzine. She also served for nearly a decade as senior policy advisor for Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts.
Jane began her career as a teacher in the Boston and Philadelphia public schools and later as a field researcher at Temple University’s Center for Research in Human Development and Education. She received her BA in education from Boston College and her MEd in reading from Arcadia University.
Dana Williams
Treasurer of the Board
Managing Director of Finance and Customer Service, National Association of Secondary School Principals
Dana Williams is the Managing Director of Finance and Customer Service for the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Prior to joining NASSP, she served educators around the world at the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) where she rose from Assistant Controller to Chief Financial Officer. Dana is a distinguished senior financial executive leader with a proven track record of driving results and fostering growth through strategic financial planning, analysis, and operational expertise. With a strong focus on optimizing cash management, forecasting, and leveraging technology, Dana has consistently achieved optimal financial outcomes. Her multifaceted skill set encompasses business planning, budget analysis, financial systems implementation, and cross-functional leadership.
A graduate of Towson University with a MBA from Bowie State University, Dana’s career trajectory exemplifies a commitment to financial excellence, operational efficiency, and strategic growth. With a blend of technical expertise, leadership acumen, and a track record of accomplishments, Dana stands as a distinguished professional in the financial realm.
Pascale Charlot, J.D.
Managing Director, College Excellence Program
Aspen Institute
Pascale Charlot is the Managing Director of the College Excellence Program (CEP). She is a visionary and outcomes-driven leader deeply committed to student success. An alumna of Aspen’s year-long Rising President Fellowship, Pascale plays a lead role in crafting and overseeing CEP’s strategy to develop a network of transformational college presidents who share a relentless commitment to advancing excellence and equity in student outcomes. Chief among these programs are Aspen’s Presidential Fellowships, which have graduated over 100 presidents of community colleges that together educate over a million-and-a-half students. In the Fellowships and across CEP’s work, Pascale helps lead efforts to strengthen the inexorable connection between institutional reform and student success.
Prior to joining CEP, Pascale was at Aspen Prize-winning Miami Dade College, where she most recently served as president of the Kendall campus, the largest of the college’s eight. Pascale was also dean of Miami Dade’s highly regarded Honors College, where she developed and implemented a pathways strategy that increased the number of first-generation students who went on to attain a bachelor’s degree. Herself a transfer student, Pascale brings substantial expertise to one of Aspen’s core priorities—advancing post-graduation outcomes for students of color and low-income students. Demonstrable student learning, equitable talent development, and social mobility for students and families are key levers that inspire Pascale’s student-centered approach.
A graduate of Duke University and the University of Michigan Law School, Pascale also held leadership roles at both New York University and Rutgers law schools earlier in her career.
Irene Garcia
Program Officer, Sobrato Organization
Irene currently serves as a Program Officer at the Sobrato Organization. Prior to joining Sobrato, Irene managed and constructed portfolios at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). For the past three years she has been working on crafting a $17 million national portfolio that focuses on centering the voices of parents and youth of color in our educational system. Before joining CZI, Irene developed a nuanced understanding of California’s education and policy landscape through roles in philanthropy as well as in government. She has had the pleasure to work for the California Department of Education where she managed relationships with education advocates, state unions, and legislators to ensure cohesion when creating K-12 education policy. Irene brings a strong understanding of the U.S. public education system. During her time at CDE, Irene was able to launch the first state-wide undocumented initiative designed to support one of California’s most vulnerable populations.
Irene received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a product of our country’s public education system, GEAR UP alum, and is a proud advocate of educational equity. Much of her perspective is informed by her lived experience in East Los Angeles and deep expertise in education policy.
Scott A. Giles, Ph.D.
President, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC)
Scott A. Giles has served VSAC since 2003. He was appointed president and CEO of VSAC after serving as vice president of operations, social marketing, and strategy. Scott previously served as deputy chief of staff of the Committee on Science of the U.S. House of Representatives and as a senior professional staff member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, where he served on the team that coauthored the Higher Education Act of 1998 that established the GEAR UP program. He was appointed by the Secretary of Education to serve on the Federal Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance and was elected chair.
A national expert in higher education policy, regulation, and student loans, he has been designated by successive Secretaries of Education to represent the nonprofit student loan lenders and servicers in rounds of negotiated rule-making. A passionate advocate for access to education and training, Mr. Giles serves on the Vermont Higher Education Council, the Vermont Workforce Development Board and chaired the Vermont PreK-16 Council.
Scott has a BA from St. Lawrence University and an MA and PhD from the University of Virginia, as well as certificates in finance and management from the Harvard Business School and the Kennedy School of Government.
Michael Matsuda
Superintendent, Anaheim Union High School District
Michael Matsuda is a nationally recognized 21st century educational leader known for innovation, entrepreneurship, and compassion. Under his leadership, the Anaheim Union High School District built a new educational model incorporating “reverse engineered” career pathways in partnership with higher education, private, and non-profit sectors, which have extended and transformed educational opportunities for all students.
Since becoming superintendent in 2014, M has earned several accolades, including: one of twelve national “Leaders to Learn From” Award from Education Week Magazine, the “Visionary Education Leadership Award” from Cal State University, Fullerton, the California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) Administrator of the Year Award, and an honorary “Doctor of the University” from Chapman University.
Additionally, Mr. Matsuda was named the California Council for the Social Studies Administrator of the Year for promoting democracy in public schools. AUHSD leads the state with 10 California Democracy Schools which promote student voice and civic engagement throughout the district.
As an innovator, Mr. Matsuda has developed the AIME (Anaheim Innovative Mentoring Experience) program to create mentorships for over 4,500 high school students and has created over 150 annual summer work-based paid internship experiences for students who also receive college credit through Fullerton College. He also conceptualized the AUHSD SERVATHON, an annual service event celebrating MLK Day with over 4,000 students, families, and adult mentors.
Before assuming the role of superintendent in March 2014, Mr. Matsuda spent 22 years as an educator in the Anaheim Union High School District. He began teaching at Orangeview Junior High School, where he was twice selected as Teacher of the Year. He also taught honors English classes at Oxford Academy. He received his BA from UCLA, MPA from USC, his teaching credential from Chapman University, and administrative credential from CSUF.
Dr. Sylvia Symonds
Senior Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Sylvia Symonds is a Senior Program Officer on the Early Learning and Pathways team at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Sylvia’s portfolio focuses on advancing Accelerated Postsecondary Pathways, including investments focused on equitable dual enrollment and Accelerate ED, a set of initiatives supporting stronger, smoother, and scalable accelerated pathways between K-12 districts, postsecondary institutions, and careers for Black, Latino, and students from low-income backgrounds. These initiatives include a national network, regional accelerators, a national digitally-enabled model, and targeted local efforts in specific states and communities.
Previously, Sylvia served as the Deputy Vice President for Educational Outreach and Student Services for Arizona State University. In this role, she led college access and outreach efforts for Access ASU, whose mission is to increase the number of students prepared to enroll and succeed in higher education. Sylvia also served as the Principal Investigator for several grants totaling over $30 million in funding designed to increase postsecondary enrollment for first-generation, low-income and students who have been historically marginalized. In her previous roles, she worked for the Maricopa Community Colleges and the California State University system. In all, Sylvia has over 20 years of experience working in higher education, focused on K12 partnerships, FAFSA completion, family and student engagement, continuous improvement, education technology, college access, first-generation student success, and peer coaching. Sylvia was a co-author of a chapter in the recently published book Cultivating Student Success (2021). An Arizona native and a first-generation college student, Sylvia completed her Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Evaluation from ASU in 2020.
Carlos Bing
State Grant Constituent Director
Director, College Access Programs
GEAR UP Ohio 4.0, Ohio Department of Higher Education
Carlos Bing serves as the Director of College Access Programs for the Ohio Department of Higher Education and has 20+ years of experience implementing initiatives for the state of Ohio with the goal of improving college access, retention, graduation, and career awareness for all citizens. As Director, Bing oversees the GEAR UP Ohio program and administers the GEAR UP Scholarship program.
Having served on the GEAR UP team since 2008, Bing has had the opportunity to build the GEAR UP program while also amplifying the importance of college access work across the state. Bing serves as the Ohio program coordinator for the American College Application Campaign, where the 3 To Get Ready, 4 To Go!!! Campaign launched. Bing brings together college access stakeholders from across the state with the goal of increasing access to all citizens who wish to pursue a post-secondary educational pathway. In addition, Bing has had the opportunity to lead coordinated initiatives and improve policy directed at increasing FAFSA and college application completion efforts across the state.
Bing is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and a doctoral student at Franklin University in the Education in Organizational Leadership program.
Bing is married to his wife Seneca Bing. The couple has 4 children (3 adult children and 1 child who lives in heaven). Bing serves as the Scholarship Ministry Chairman at Faith Ministries Church. Bing is also a 20-year member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., where he serves as the Alpha Esquire Youth Development Group co-chair.
John-Paul “JP” Gray
Partnership Grant Constituent Director
GEAR UP Director
GEAR UP Metro Nashville Public Schools, Metro Nashville Public Schools (TN)
John-Paul Gray, Director of Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools in Nashville, TN, leads work that contributes to the college-going culture in the district’s middle and high schools. His role includes managing a staff of school-based specialists, and collaborating with school-level faculty, community-based organizations, and local colleges and universities to plan and implement programs that directly impact student knowledge and aspirations regarding higher education and career planning.
Before joining Metro Schools in 2013, Gray worked at Beloit College in Wisconsin overseeing a pre-college program, then transitioned to serving South Beloit High School as athletic director, dean of students and interim principal. During his time at South Beloit High, U.S. News and World Report recognized the high school as one of the best in the nation.
Gray earned a Bachelor’s degree in Youth Studies from Beloit College and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater. Additionally, he served on the Institutional Advisory Committee for the Tennessee College of Applied Technology, the 2023 national GEAR UP Advisory Council, and the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools’ Directors Support Cabinet.