Staff
Linda Brown
Executive Director and Founder
Phone: 617 227 4545
Email: lbrown@buildingexcellentschools.org
A leading charter school supporter, Linda Brown views charter schools as the engine that drives all schools to higher standards. She works along with education entrepreneurs as they break new ground in education reform. Linda founded the organization in 1993, and her work has been critical to the initial success of charter schools not only in Massachusetts but across the country. In addition to acting as the organization’s lead fund developer, Linda also works one-on-one with Fellows on issues related to governance, fund development, and mission. Before joining Building Excellent Schools, Linda was Associate Head of School at an independent school in Massachusetts.
Chris Clemons
Deputy Executive Director
Phone: 617 676 5449
Email: cclemons@buildingexcellentschools.org
Chris's responsibilities are myriad — he works closely with the Executive Director in the strategic, operational, and program administration of the organization and also directs the organization’s Follow-On Service program, which delivers services to Building Excellent Schools Fellow Founded Schools. Chris came to BES after many years of intense work for SummerBridge, an academically rigorous enrichment program for underserved students. Chris has augmented his SummerBridge experience with non-profit work serving low-income, high achieving Philadelphia high school students with White-Williams Scholars, serving as a resident tutor for A Better Chance, and by teaching American History to seventh and eighth graders at Germantown Friends School (Philadelphia). Chris was a Building Excellent Schools Fellow (2004) and led the start-up phase of a charter school project in Denver.
Susan Walsh
Fellowship Director
Phone: 617 227 4545
Email: swalsh@buildingexcellentschools.org
Susan Walsh designs and leads all Fellowship training at Building Excellent Schools. Sue is an experienced urban charter school leader and has invested ten years in Massachusetts charter schools as a teacher, master teacher, curriculum coordinator and principal. Sue is dedicated to the core beliefs of rigorous performance-based academic achievement and the urgency of getting schools as good as they must be for students. Sue was a founding member of the Lowell Middlesex Academy team, an organization that shifted from a successful program for at-risk students to a highly regarded, award winning charter school readying for its second charter renewal. Most recently, Sue was the principal of the South Boston Harbor Academy Charter School where she provided outstanding instructional leadership for the school’s entire educational program.
Krista Clarkson
Director of Talent
Phone: 617 227 4545 ext 213
Email: kclarkson@buildingexcellentschools.org
Krista came to Building Excellent Schools from Teach For America-National, where she held leadership development positions on the Teacher Preparation and Alumni Teams as the Director of Instruction and District Strategy at the Atlanta Institute and Director of Special Projects in the Office of Career and Civic Opportunities. She is a proud former teacher of the students at KIPP Ujima Village Academy and Fallstaff Middle School in Baltimore City, Maryland. Krista came to teaching as a Teach For America corps member after working as an Americorps volunteer at Noble Street Charter School in Chicago. She holds a Master's in Teaching from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor's degree from Boston College.
Justin Geoffrey Fong
Director of Business Development
Phone: 617 256 8069
Email: jfong@buildingexcellentschools.org
Justin joined the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship team after a distinguished career as a teacher and administrator with Village Academies, a network of college preparatory charter schools in Harlem. Before being named as Principal of the Harlem Village Academy Middle School, he held positions as Mathematics Department Chair, Recruitment Chair, and Director of Human Capital. Justin began his teaching career as a Teach For America Corps Member in Harlem. As a member of the leadership team, he plays an integral part in our efforts to provide Follow-On Support to existing and future Fellow Founded Schools. Justin is a cum laude graduate of Harvard College and holds a Master of Science in Teaching from the Pace University School of Education.
Corin Harmon
Talent Coordinator
Phone: 617 227 4545 ext 219
Email: charmon@buildingexcellentschools.org
As Talent Coordinator, Corin provides support to Building Excellent Schools's national recruitment efforts. She responds to general public inquiries regarding the Fellowship program, maintains recruitment information systems, supports National Recruiters and assists in the Fellowship selection process. Corin came to Building Excellent Schools from Southwestern University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Communication Studies. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communication from Emerson College.
Jamie Samuels
Fellowship Coordinator
Phone: 617 227 4545 ext 224
Email: jsamuels@buildingexcellentschools.org
As Fellowship Coordinator, Jamie works with the Fellowship staff to facilitate the core operations of the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship. She assists with planning the Fellowship calendar, housing, school visits, residencies, and territory research. Jamie came to Building Excellent Schools from Arizona State University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in political science. During her undergraduate career, Jamie was active in local politics and held many campus leadership positions. She organized rallies with well-known political figures, developed and implemented a plan to reduce green waste on campus, and coordinated numerous educational campaigns advocating the use of clean energy. She also gained experience in curriculum design on a university level by developing and managing The Edible Campus Internship, which was added to the School of Life Sciences course catalog in January 2008.