Rachel Ngola, Board President

Rachel Ngola is Vice President of Finance at Cresa where she provides comprehensive financial analysis to strategic real estate decisions. With a background in consulting and banking, she brings strategic thinking, structured problem solving and corporate finance to the board.  She is an Aurora Public Schools parent and advocate for ensuring quality school options exist across the district, for all students.

Kimberly Sanchez-Cawthorn, Board Vice President

Kimberly Sánchez-Cawthorn, a 6th generation, Colorado native, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Urban Education. She brings over five years of experience in nonprofit management and development, and over ten years of experience in education. She taught every level of high school Spanish, from beginners to Native Spanish Speakers and within the International Baccalaureate Program. Most recently, she was the Program Coordinator for the Master of Arts in Education Department at Regis University where she taught courses like Multicultural Perspectives and Foundations for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Educators. Kimberly is currently working on publishing her first novel, Love & Legacy: Amor Eterno, and is an Aurora Public Schools parent that is passionate about ensuring all students have every opportunity and resource to reach their best and highest potential.  

Patrick (Pat) Mills,
Board Secretary-Treasurer

Patrick was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  He attended Indiana State University and upon graduation was accepted to Naval Aviation Officer’s Candidate School in Pensacola Florida.  He was commissioned as a Naval Officer in October 1980.  Mr. Mills commenced flight training in January 1981 and was designated a Naval Flight Officer in November that same year. Serving in the Navy for over 25 years, he possesses extensive leadership and command experience, logging over 3000 flight hours, including combat patrols over Central Europe and the Middle East.  Mr. Mills completed his M.B.A from Southern New Hampshire University in 1987. 

After retiring from the Navy in 2006, Mr. Mills joined the Northrop Grumman Corporations, working as a program manager and Ballistic Missile Defense subject matter expert in Colorado Springs.   Mr. Mills is currently enrolled in the University of Denver’s Educational Leadership and Policy Studies doctorate program – on track to graduate in June 2019.

Married to Helen Hunter of Greensburg, Indiana – a school teacher for over 20 years, they are blessed with three sons, Daniel (28), Samuel (27), and James (16).

Dwight Jones, Council President

Dwight serves as Superintendent in Residence for Discovery Communications Inc., and is the former Commissioner of Education for the State of Colorado.  Dwight has spent most of his adult life supporting teaches and leaders, and advocating for children, especially students who are challenged by poverty and other barriers.

Dr. Tammy Clementi,
Council Vice President

Tammy serves as one of seven national directors of academic planning and analytics for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  In her role she works with senior district decision makers to craft powerful approaches to improve teacher effectiveness, transform schools and maximize student achievement.  Her passion and purpose is to work closely with schools and districts in their efforts to close the achievement gap for students of poverty and color as well as strategizing how to address and meet the needs of all students.    She served in Colorado Public Education for 27 years with her last role as Chief Academic Officer in Aurora Public Schools. 

Jeani Frickey Saito,
Council Secretary-Treasurer

Bio and picture coming soon. 

Scott Laband, Council Member

Scott is the president of Colorado Succeeds, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that brings together leaders from business, education, and government to ensure all kids are educated to their greatest potential and all businesses have the homegrown talent they need to thrive. He is a social entrepreneur, passionate about creating educational experiences that are relevant, rigorous, and engaging for students.

Prior to Colorado Succeeds, Scott worked at the state legislature, where he oversaw education policy and legislative strategy for Senator Mike Johnston, and in the private sector as an Associate at HVS and a Marketing Manager at Qdoba Restaurant Corporation. 

Scott is a founding board member of the Rocky Mountain Preparatory School, a free public charter school serving over 1,000 students in Denver and Aurora. He is the Chairman of the Policy Innovators in Education (PIE) Network, and a member of the Colorado Workforce Development Council’s Education & Training Committee, and the Business Roundtable’s Inner Circle.

Scott graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in Business Administration and earned a Master’s Degree in Education, Leadership, and Organizational Change from the University of Denver. He lives in Lakewood with his wife and three children.