Board Members
Dr. Fern Desjardins was appointed to the Maine State Board of Education in 2018 and is in her second 5-year term on the board. She serves as chair of the School Construction Committee and a member of the Legislative Action Committee. She served four years (2021-2025) as chair of the board and has served on […]
People
Dr. Christine Benson is a member of the Illinois State Board of Education. She is a retired career educator with 35 years of experience, 17 as a teacher and 18 as an administrator in Illinois public elementary, middle, and high schools. She served as a central office administrator focusing on budget management, curriculum development, and […]
People
Sarah Moore was appointed to the Arkansas State Board of Education in 2018 by Governor Asa Hutchinson to represent Arkansas’ first congressional district. A resident of Stuttgart, Moore taught elementary school in the Stuttgart School District and then worked at the Office for Education Policy at the University of Arkansas. In addition, she has worked […]
Staff
Joseph (Joey) Hedger supports the writing, editing, and production of NASBE’s publications, including the State Education Standard. He also works on the health and wellness and early childhood education policy areas, staffs NASBE’s Public Education Positions Committee, and has written on topics such as early literacy, lead in drinking water, and substance abuse. Previously, he […]
Staff
Abigail (Abby) Potts works to engage and empower members to lead and advocate in federal and state policy in the best interest of students, educators, and families. She tracks key policy issues where state boards will play a critical leadership role, synthesizes research and evidence on member policy priorities, and facilitates the work of NASBE’s […]
People
Brooke Axiotis is president of the Iowa State Board of Education. She works at Drake Law School as the director of academic success programs and is a member of the Iowa State Bar Association. Her community activities involve participating in the Goodwill of Central Iowa board, the Urban Ag Academy board, and most recently, chairing the […]
Staff
Winona Hao, manages NASBE’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) work. She provides state policymakers with ECE policy trends, analyses, and technical assistance. Hao oversees NASBE’s ECE State Network where she supports state teams and works with national partners to advance the workforce for children from birth through age eight. For eight years, Hao taught children from […]
Staff
Valerie Norville, editorial director, manages NASBE publications, including its reports and The State Education Standard. Norville commissions authors, edits, manages design and production, and coordinates on NASBE outreach efforts. She is an editor and publishing manager with 30 years’ experience producing content that makes cutting-edge research and technical expertise accessible to policy audiences. Previously, she […]
