Sojourner Truth Public Charter School is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees. As fiduciaries of the school, the board is responsible for overseeing Truth's academic performance, financial health, and legal compliance, so that the school stays on track to meet the mission stated in its charter. We carry out this work with accountability and transparency, including through open meetings and the public records shared on this page.
Our trustees include Truth parents and leaders from education, government and the private sector, all passionate about Montessori education. The full board meets several times a year, and our meetings are open to the whole Truth community.
On this page, you'll find our annual meeting calendar, meeting notices and agendas, minutes and records, board contact information, and our current board members.
For questions about your child or school operations, please contact the school at info@truthpcs.org.
NEXT PUBLIC MEETING
Saturday, October 24, 2026 | 8:00 a.m. via Zoom
Public Meeting Notice
Board Meeting Minutes
Recording
ATTENDING A MEETING
Board meetings are open to the public. Most meetings are held virtually and some are held in person at the school, but every meeting can be joined virtually by Zoom. The annual meeting calendar and each meeting notice will say which format to expect. To attend, please email info@truthpcs.org no later than 24 hours before the meeting, and we'll send you the Zoom details.
ANNUAL MEETING CALENDAR
BOARD MEETING NOTICES, MINUTES AND RECORDINGS
CONTACT THE BOARD
To reach the Board Chair, Jacqueline Greer, and Vice Chair, Aryan Bocquet, email boardchair@truthpcs.org.
BOARD MEMBERS
Jacqueline Greer, Board Chair
Jacqueline Greer’s career in education is grounded in the belief that every student deserves access to a high-quality education, equitable opportunities, and systems that affirm and support their full potential. She most recently served as a senior leader at an organization dedicated to increasing access to advanced academic opportunities for students of color and low-income students in high schools nationwide. She is currently building an independent consulting and creative practice.
Previously, Jacqueline spent a decade at Urban Teachers (now City Teaching Alliance), where she was the founding Executive Director of the Washington, DC site, doubling the program’s footprint. She later became the organization’s first Chief Program Officer, overseeing program innovation, strategic growth, and national expansion. Notably, she co-designed and led a landmark, multi-million dollar investment in Black educators, the Black Educator Initiative, resulting in the placement of hundreds of equity-minded teachers in partner schools.
Jacqueline’s experience also includes leadership roles in public and charter school networks, with a focus on talent strategy and organizational development. She is an alumna of both the Education Pioneers Fellowship and the Emerging Human Capital Leaders Initiative (EHCLI) —programs that have deepened her expertise in systems-level change, talent development, and equity-centered leadership.
A dedicated advocate for educational equity, Jacqueline has served on multiple nonprofit and charter school boards. She holds a B.A. from the University of Chicago and a Master’s degree from Harvard University. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews and training to become a voice actor.
Aryan Rodriguez Bocquet, Board Vice-Chair
Aryan believes that every District family deserves equitable access to the schools and services that help their children thrive, and she has spent her career working to make that true.
For eight years, she led citywide engagement for My School DC, the District’s public school lottery, working alongside parents, schools, and community partners from the program’s 2013 launch so that families could make school choices with confidence. Before that, she spent six years as the city’s first language access director at the Office of Human Rights, where she led citywide implementation of the DC Language Access Act and worked to ensure that residents could reach city services regardless of the language they speak. She later served as chief of staff at DC International School and, from 2021 to 2022, represented her neighbors as an elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for 4D03.
She holds an MPA from The George Washington University and a dual BA in Political Science and Communications from the University of Maryland, College Park.
John Kenchelian, Board Treasurer
John Kenchelian is an Associate in the Legal, Regulatory, Compliance and Government Affairs practice at Heidrick & Struggles based in Washington, DC.
Prior to joining Heidrick, John served as an outsourced CFO for a portfolio of charter schools in the DC Metro Area, including Sojourner Truth. John was a Senior Finance Specialist working for EdOps, a professional services firm providing back office solutions for educational institutions. John has also supported key executives at Georgetown University as Assistant Director of Public Affairs. He started his career working in fundraising for Georgetown University's athletic department, working on data analytics and communications.
John holds an MBA from Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, an MPP from Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy and a BA in Economics and Government from Georgetown University.
Casandra Woodall, Board Secretary
Casandra is the Director of Education Outreach at Appian Corporation. She is an Operations Strategist with experience working with cross functional teams to create and implement organizational and business strategy. She strives to do this while also paying attention to creating an environment that focuses on inclusivity and diversity.
Prior to her work with Appian, Casandra was an Education Pioneer Fellow, working with the Department of Education and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and a teacher at DC Bilingual Public Charter School.
Casandra holds a B.S. in Sociology from Harvard University, an M.Ed. from George Mason University, and an M.B.A. from University of Virginia Darden School of Business.
Andrew Sanchez, Board Member
Andrew Sanchez serves as the inaugural Director of College and Career Readiness at DC International School, where he leads the school’s strategic vision for postsecondary advising. In this role, Andrew designs and implements sustainable systems to support students and families through the college and career process, including the expansion of alumni programming focused on postsecondary success, transitions, and re-engagement.
Earlier in his career, Andrew has held progressive leadership roles in the non-profit and philanthropic sector supporting college access, retention, and completion for thousands of DC students in addition to leading partnership development, external engagement efforts, and organizational alignment through strategic coaching and stakeholder collaboration.
Andrew hopes to continue his deep commitment to advancing educational opportunities and building systems that empower students and families to thrive beyond high school. He earned a Master of Education from the University of Maryland, College Park and a Bachelor of Arts from Temple University.
Christa Kovacs, Development Committee Chair
Christa Kovacs is the Development Director at the Brady Center. At Brady, Christa works with a stellar group of individuals to prevent gun violence in all of its forms across the United States. She is one of the key fundraisers on her team and manages day to day operations, while contributing heavily to the strategic planning, development and growth
of the department. During her six years with the organization, she knows what it takes to build a robust and diverse fundraising program and looks forward to helping Truth grow. Throughout her career, Christa has worked in a variety of development functions including major gifts, planned giving, events and direct marketing.
Prior to working in DC at Brady, Christa was the Director of Development at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, where she truly came to appreciate how education and mentoring play a critical role in child development. Christa graduated from Saint Louis University.
Christa is a proud resident of Ward 5 in DC and lives with her husband and a sassy bulldog named Stevie.
Elana Berger, Board Member (and Truth parent)
Elana Berger is the Executive Director of the Bank Information Center, a global non-profit, non-governmental organization that advocates for transparency, accountability, sustainability, and inclusion in development finance. Elana has been BIC’s Executive Director since 2018. She joined BIC in 2012 to start up BIC’s child rights program before becoming BIC’s Director of Social Inclusion and Accountability. She has been instrumental in pushing the World Bank to take aggressive action in addressing gender based violence, including in the context of education finance.
Elana received her Juris Doctor from Columbia University School of Law and holds a B.A. degree in Political Science and History from the University of Maryland.
Elana has two daughters at Truth’s middle school and is excited to bring her experience in organizational management to help support Truth’s continued growth and success.
Hasanna Tyus, Board Member (and Truth parent)
Hasanna Tyus serves as Vice President for Enrollment Management at the University of the District of Columbia, where she leads undergraduate and graduate enrollment strategy, financial aid, student services, and TRIO programs.
With 24 years of higher education experience, Hasanna has held leadership roles at both public and private institutions. She is passionate about expanding educational opportunity, improving student outcomes, and helping students reach their full potential through innovative, student-centered strategies.
As a Truth parent with children in both the middle and high school, Hasanna is deeply invested in the success of the Sojourner Truth community. She is honored to serve on the Board of Trustees and is committed to supporting the school's mission, strengthening opportunities for students and families, and ensuring every student has the resources and support to thrive.
Hasanna earned a bachelor's degree and doctorate in Higher Education Administrative and Policy Studies from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Public Administration from The George Washington University. She is a peer evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and a longtime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She also enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with family and close friends.
Dr. Kenyatta Albeny, Board Member
Dr. Kenyatta Albeny is an educator, writer, editor, and project manager with years of experience in teaching and technical writing. She holds a Ph.D. in English and Comparative Literature, as well as degrees in English Literature and International Affairs from Ohio University and a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certification from Arizona State University.
Dr. Albeny has taught writing, literature, and English language courses at colleges and universities in the United States and abroad. She has lived and worked in several African countries, most recently serving as an educator at Finote Selam College of Teacher Education in Ethiopia. These international experiences have deepened her appreciation for diverse educational systems, cultures, and approaches to teaching and learning.
Professionally, Dr. Albeny manages teams of technical writers and editors in the healthcare technology and government contracting sectors. Her work encompasses leadership, project management, quality assurance, accessibility, training, and developing effective processes that help teams communicate clearly and successfully.
As a charter school board member, Dr. Albeny brings a unique mix of humor, dedication to service, and commitment to creating equitable, engaging learning environments where students and educators can thrive.
Kristen Wolfe, Governance Committee Chair
Kristen Wolfe is Managing Director of Data Analytics at EmpowerK12, a DC-based education non-profit that empowers public education systems with rigorous data analytics, tools, and training to drive collaborative improvement and equitable student outcomes. In her role, Kristen manages all aspects of EmpowerK12’s engagement with schools, providing data support for a growing number of LEAs in the district.
In addition to her years with EmpowerK12, Kristen brings 12 years of experience as a middle and high school educator, teaching math, physics, and engineering. One of her most transformative experiences during this time was as the founding science teacher at an innovative high school in Cleveland, where she was able to experience the challenges and joys that accompany the creation of a new school. She is excited to bring this experience to her service as a board member at Truth!
Kristen is also a parent of 4 children whom she shepherded through many years of Montessori education, and in the process developed a passion for student-centered learning. Kristen holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.Ed. in Educational Research from Cleveland State University. Beyond education, Kristen enjoys DIY home renovations, attending musical theater, and adventuring outdoors with her family.
Matthew Gasper, Board Member
Matthew Gasper is the Director of Finance & Operations at CitySchools Collaborative, working to ensure sustainability, growth, and compliance through the careful management of federal grants and organization finances.
Prior to joining CitySchools Collaborative, Matthew served as Manager of Compliance & Systems at PAVE (Parents Amplifying Voices in Education), developing processes, procedures, and data competency across the organization while supporting the organization’s fundraising work and grant management.
Before his career in local education, Matthew worked at the National War College Alumni Association in support of fundraising efforts, alumni events and outreach, and student and faculty engagement.
A graduate of American University with a BA in International Studies, Matthew’s first experience engaging in the DC education system was as a mentor and summer teacher at Higher Achievement in Ward 1, where he saw the experiences of DC students moving from middle school to high school and the positive impact of strong tutoring and mentorship programs.
Rachel Kimboko, Student Achievement & Accountability Committee Chair
Rachel is a veteran of public Montessori in the District, and is the founding Executive Director of Stakeholder Engagement at D.C. Wildflower Montessori Public Charter School.
She is an experienced professional with a demonstrated history of working in human development, from early learning through adult education and coaching. She is skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Youth Development, Program Evaluation, Public Speaking, and Research.
Her education credentials include a Master of Education (M.Ed.) focused in Technology in Education from Harvard University Graduate School of Education, an Elementary Montessori diploma from Association Montessori International, and coursework from the Certificate in School Management and Leadership program at Harvard Business School/Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Tamika Smith, Board Member
Tamika Smith is the Founder and Principal Consultant of Modern Workplace Concierge, a consulting practice specializing in organizational effectiveness, workforce strategy, and leadership transformation. With more than 15 years of cross-sector executive leadership experience, Tamika has led large-scale workforce and leadership development initiatives across nonprofit and education sectors.
Most notably, she served as a regional executive leader for a national workforce development organization, where she oversaw the largest and longest-running regional operation delivering services to more than 400 participants annually. Her expertise includes strategic planning, organizational development, partnership cultivation, and revenue generation.
For more than a decade, Tamika has held leadership roles advancing college access, family engagement, and post-secondary success, supporting students and families across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Her work centers on designing equity-driven solutions that expand opportunity, enhance organizational effectiveness, and produce measurable, long-term impact.
Tamika holds a Master of Science in Human Service Administration with a concentration in Organizational Effectiveness and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. She is also a Certified Professional Coach, a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and Jack and Jill of America.