Senior Staff

LINDA BROWN
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Linda Brown is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Building Excellent Schools. From the organization’s inception in 1993, Ms. Brown’s advocacy and tireless work has been critical to the initial and sustained success of over 50 BES schools across the country. Ms. Brown conceptualizes, concretizes and executes the strategic vision for Building Excellent Schools; this vision has profoundly improved the lives of tens of thousands of children by providing access to high-performing schools. An inductee into the National Alliance for Charter School’s Hall of Fame, Ms. Brown also works with Misha Charles to guide school leaders in issues related to governance and fund development. Ms. Brown holds a B.A. in English from Boston University.
Email: lbrown@buildingexcellentschools.org

MATT BRUNELL
Chief Operating Officer
Matt Brunell serves as Chief Operating Officer of Building Excellent Schools, ensuring optimal performance of the organization’s efforts in programs, talent and recruitment, operations, and human resources. Mr. Brunell’s previous work – as head of an independent, results-driven middle school serving inner-city youth and as education law attorney – strengthened what he first learned as a middle school teacher in Teach For America: schools that deliver the most for their students are the schools that demand the most from their students and staff. Mr. Brunell holds a J.D. from Boston College Law School and a B.A. in English from Boston College.
Email: mbrunell@buildingexcellentschools.org

JOHANNA EVEN
Chief of On-Going Support
Johanna Even leads the BES On-Going Support team, helping both BES and non-BES schools to anticipate challenges commonly encountered in school growth and to address school specific challenges and opportunities as they arise. Dr. Even’s extensive knowledge of school leadership, instructional support and school culture stems from her many years as principal as well as her regional leadership for all of the primary schools in KIPP-Houston. An alumna of Teach For America, Dr. Even’s doctoral work focused on instructional coaching in the development of professional learning communities in schools. Dr. Even holds an Ed.D. and a B.A. in History and Literature from Harvard University.
Email: jeven@buildingexcellentschools.org

SUSAN WALSH
Chief Academic Officer
Susan Walsh directs and delivers the content of the school leadership programs offered by BES, including the Fellowship, Emerging Leaders, Weekend Warriors, SLI (Summer Leaders Internship) and LENS (Leaders for Emerging Network of Schools).Because of Ms. Walsh’s leadership, the BES Fellowship has garnered national recognition as a preeminent program of school design. A distinguished former principal of (now) Boston Collegiate Charter School and a proven instructional leader, Ms. Walsh ensures that emerging BES schools cultivate and institute a culture grounded in rigorous academic achievement and an urgency to constantly improve. Ms. Walsh holds an M.A. in English Literature and a B.A. in English Literature from University of Massachusetts-Boston.
Email: swalsh@buildingexcellentschools.org

MISHA CHARLES
Director of Institutional Development
Misha Charles is the Director of Institutional Development for Building Excellent Schools, ensuring that BES schools – no matter their stage of development – benefit from strong governance practices. Demonstrated in her work as Special Assistant to the President of Keen State College and Director of Board Relations at Phelps Stokes, Ms. Charles understands how to create, engage and nourish high-performing boards. Ms. Charles holds an M.A. in International Education and Non-Profit Management from George Washington University, an M.A. in Historical Studies from University of Cape Town, and an A.B. in History from Princeton University.
Email: mcharles@buildingexcellentschools.org

ANNIE KURDZIEL
Director of Talent & Recruitment
Annie Kurdziel leads the talent and recruitment team for Building Excellent Schools, closing the achievement gap by finding the caliber of individual poised to lead a BES school. Having recruited across multiple industries (including schools), she comes to Building Excellent Schools from the largest executive search firm in Massachusetts. Ms. Kurdziel implements our core belief that exceptional, academic driven schools begins with a leader with an exceptional vision. Ms. Kurdziel holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Boston College.
Email: akurdziel@buildingexcellentschools.org

JANE LOZANO
Director of On-Going Support
Jane Lozano helps implement the rich vision of the Fellowship year through comprehensive on-site support to schools, no matter the stage of the school’s maturation. In her previous work at KIPP and as a high school principal, Ms. Lozano put into place demanding and achievement-oriented academic programs and developed highly professional cultures that embraced accountability. Ms. Lozano holds an M.A. in Administration and Supervision from Texas Southern University and a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Houston.
Email: jlozano@buildingexcellentschools.org

PHIL SCHNEIDER
Director of Operations & Human Resources
Phil Schneider is the Director of Operations and Human Resources for Building Excellent Schools, implementing appropriate fiduciary controls to improve the operations of the organization. Mr. Schneider‘s commitment to the organization’s mission comes from his formative experience as classroom teacher and then Business Manager at Nativity School of Worcester, a middle school serving urban youth. Mr. Schneider holds an M.B.A. from Assumption College and a B.A. in Sociology and Asian Studies from the College of the Holy Cross.
Email: pschneider@buildingexcellentschools.org

TERRY SHIELDS
Director of Excellent Schools Network
Terry Shields is the Director of the Excellent Schools Network for Building Excellent Schools, working with a select cadre of BES schools that have demonstrated strong academic results, sound organizational practices, and an exceptional ability to close the achievement gap in their communities. The Excellent Schools Network will benefit from Mr. Shield’s previous work as vice president for programming and new initiatives for a nationwide network of schools serving low-income youth. Mr. Shields holds an M.A. in Education from Loyola University Maryland and a B.A. in English from University of Scranton.
Email: tshields@buildingexcellentschools.org