Wendy Pugh, Board Chair
Wendy Pugh joined DC Public Schools in 2008 as a World Cultures Coordinator and is currently the Assistant Principal at Columbia Heights Education Campus (CHEC). Wendy holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Data Analytics, along with a Master’s Certification in Project Management.
As Assistant Principal, Wendy is responsible for designing and managing the master schedule to ensure all students have the opportunity to graduate within four years. Her work prioritizes providing equitable access to advanced academic pathways, including dual enrollment and career academy programs, aligning course offerings with student interests and future career goals.
Wendy began her professional career as an Operations Manager at Verizon Communications and brings over twenty-nine years of technical and cross-functional project management experience. She is skilled at delivering innovative solutions that transform strategic goals into measurable results, reflecting her commitment to student success and organizational excellence.
Donice Leak, Board member (and Truth parent)
Donice A. Leak, APRN, FNP-BC, CPN, SANE-PEDS, is a well-versed family nurse practitioner who attends to patients as Family Nurse Practitioner at Unity Healthcare in Washington, DC, which she joined in 2014. Focused on your well-being, our team of compassionate and multicultural health professionals provides a full-range of health and human services that reach every facet of your health from pregnancy and infancy through your senior years. As a patient-centered medical home (PCMH), Unity offers a team-based approach that encourages you to become an active participant in your own health care. Furthermore, Donice is a Registered Nurse in Emergency Medical Trauma Center and SANE Registered Nurse and at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC is ranked nationally in 10 pediatric specialties. Children’s National Medical Center is a 313-bed children’s general facility with 14,580 admissions in the most recent year reported. It performed 5,277 annual inpatient surgeries, and 11,918 outpatient surgeries. Its emergency room had 108,449 visits. Children’s National Medical Center is a teaching hospital. Donice also acts as Family Nurse Practitioner – Clinical Instructor for Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions, The Catholic University of America, and Kaplan University. She has an impressive professional journey spanning ten years and her areas of expertise cover sexual assault forensic nursing and family medicine.
Laura Masimini, Board member (and Truth parent)
Laura Masimini is a native Washingtonian and proud product of the District of Columbia Public Schools. After finishing her studies in DCPS she attended Delaware State University and earned a Bachelor of Science in English Education. Mrs. Masimini currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for The Masimini Group LLC, an educational consulting firm that focuses on helping train educators and prepare schools and school districts on being more trauma informed and restorative. While she spent most of her 20 years in education as a classroom teacher, she has also served in leadership roles such as, Literacy Coach, Lead Teacher, Curriculum Designer and Program Coordinator of a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Physical Wellness afterschool program. Mrs. Masimini is a dedicated family woman who loves to spend time with her husband and three children. She also enjoys yoga, reading and listening to music.
Rachel Kimboko, Board member
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.
Aryan Rodriguez Bocquet, Board Member
Aryan served as the director of partnerships and engagement for My School DC, the District’s public school lottery program, at the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). Since its launch in 2013, Aryan led the program’s citywide engagement efforts working in partnership with parents, schools, and community and government stakeholders to equip DC families with the resources needed to make informed school choices. Prior to My School DC, Aryan led the District in its implementation of the DC Language Access Act of 2004 at the Office of Human Rights (OHR) as the city’s first language access director, working with local agencies and community coalition partners to ensure equitable access to services for the city’s limited and non-English speaking residents.
Aryan is passionate about social equity and justice, specifically as it relates to the health and wellbeing of the District’s communities, and continues her journey in support of District students and families at DC International School where she serves as chief of staff.
Aryan earned her MPA from The George Washington University and a dual BA in Political Science and Communications from the University of Maryland at College Park.
Christa Kovacs, Board Member
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.
Jonathan O’Connell, Board Secretary
Jonathan O'Connell is a DC parent, volunteer and reporter at The Washington Post.
Since joining the Post in 2010, Jonathan has spent most of his time covering urban and economic development in the Washington area, including redevelopment of the region’s waterfronts, the District's dramatic population growth and the crunch in local housing affordability. More recently he has been covering Amazon’s search for a second headquarters and President Trump’s real estate business, the Trump Organization. He is a two-time finalist for Gerald Loeb Awards for business journalism.
For almost 10 years, Jonathan has lived in the District's Petworth neighborhood with his wife and (now) three children. In his spare time, he has volunteered at D.C. schools. For three years he ran a newspaper and journalism club for fifth graders at E.L. Haynes Public Charter School. Previously he was the volunteer coach of the Wilson High School ultimate frisbee team and co-founder of the Washington area’s high school frisbee league (WAFC Jr).
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.
Kristen Wolfe, Chair of Governance Committee
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.
Sarah Navarro, Board Member (and Truth parent)
Sarah has more than 15 years of experience in education, starting in the woods of central Florida, where she taught teens academic and social emotional development in a therapeutic wilderness program through building shelters and traversing rivers. She is currently the Head of Network Success at the XQ Institute– an organization that works with schools, districts and states to rethink the high school experience. At XQ, Sarah shares best practices among the network, and develops and scales partnerships to create high schools that graduate students ready to succeed in college, career, and real life. Prior to that, Sarah was the Senior Deputy Chief of DC Public Schools where she led district-wide efforts to implement equitable policies and ensure dynamic, high quality support for all secondary students. She oversaw a range of programs, including student counseling; athletics; graduation support; college and career preparation; scheduling; and ninth grade academies. Before joining DC Public Schools, Sarah was the Principal of the Maya Angelou Young Adult Learning Center in Northeast Washington, DC– a public charter school for students aged 17-24– where she helped students earn credentials and land lifelong careers. She’s also helped bring more quality choices to students in Washington, DC as the founding Board Chair of the Sojourner Truth Montessori Public Charter School- and is excited to return for a second term. Sarah holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Michigan.
When she’s not at work, Sarah enjoys playing pickleball, and hiking with her husband James, their daughters, Sabine and Clementine, and their rescue pup, Lu.
Casandra Woodall, Board Member
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.
Board Meeting Minutes
All General Meetings are open to the public, and minutes can be found below:
February 17, 2024: Meeting to consider purchase of 3420 16th St NE
March 29, 2024: Meeting to consider applying for an enrollment ceiling increase of 10 students
October 26, 2024 (Draft minutes only; to be approved at the December General Meeting)
SY 2023-2024 Board Meeting Calendar
All General Meetings are open to the public. For more information on how to attend, email info@truthpcs.org.
Upcoming Meetings
December 7, 2024 General Meeting
February 8, 2024 General Meeting
April 5, 2024 General Meeting
June 14, 2024 Annual Meeting
Please click here to find other documents of public interest on our school profile page on the D.C. Public Charter School Board’s website.