Good morning, CharterFolk.
Today we’re back with Volume 8 of “CharterFolk on the Move,” an update by Mollie Mitchell, the President and Founder of The K12 Search Group, about CharterFolk taking on new positions of leadership within the movement.
We provide a bio for Mollie below.
Mollie Mitchell is the President and Founder of The K12 Search Group, a national executive search firm focusing on charter schools and nonprofit organizations committed to improving educational outcomes for underserved communities. The K12 Search Group’s mission is to help these organizations have a greater impact by recruiting outstanding talent for C-level positions.
Since creating The K12 Search Group in 2007, Mollie has worked with over 100 high-performing charter school operators and education nonprofits nationwide to recruit executive talent.
Before founding The K12 Search Group, Mollie served over five years as Senior Director of Recruitment at The Broad Center, a nonprofit organization created by businessman and philanthropist Eli Broad to recruit leaders from multiple sectors into senior-level positions in urban school systems and charter management organizations.
Mollie started her career in executive search at Heidrick & Struggles International, a leading global executive search firm, where she executed high-level searches across several industries.
Mollie holds a BA from Brigham Young University and an MA from Marymount University. She is a dedicated advocate for education reform and has served on three charter school boards. She lives most of the year in Austin, TX but enjoys spending the summer months in Colorado and Santa Fe, NM.
CharterFolk on the Move Volume 8 – February, 2026
Phillip Garza is now Chief of College Advancement and Partnerships at the KIPP Foundation. He was previously Chief College Officer at IDEA Public Schools.
Tricia Noyola is now Regional Superintendent at the KIPP Foundation. She previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of Rocky Mountain Prep.
Chad Soleo is now Regional Superintendent at the KIPP Foundation. He was most recently the President and Chief Executive Officer at Green Dot Schools National.
Shannon Hodge was recently named Chief Executive Officer of KIPP DC. She previously served as President of the same organization. She replaces KIPP DC Founder, Susan Schaeffler, who will become a special advisor.
Michael Cormack, Jr., Ed.D., will join KIPP Atlanta Public Schools as Chief Executive Officer this spring. He currently serves as Deputy Superintendent at Jackson Public Schools.
Dr. Tamela Harris is now Head of Schools, Immersion at ASU Preparatory Academy. She previously served as Superintendent at Western School of Science and Technology.
Elizabeth Dodge was promoted to Deputy Chief of Schools at DREAM. She previously served as Managing Director of Elementary and Middle Schools at the same organization.
John H. Dixon is now the Executive Director of the Mississippi Charter Schools Association. He was previously Managing Director of K–12 Partnerships at the National Education Equity Lab.
Adam Feiler-Ware was promoted to be the Deputy Chief of Learning at DREAM. He previously served as Managing Director of Curriculum and Instruction at the same organization.
Mimi Ovalles was named Chief People Officer at Democracy Prep. She previously served as the Senior Director of People Experience at the same organization.
Jaime Gonzales has become Advocacy Director at Public Charter Schools of New Mexico. Previously, she was Director of State and District Partnerships at New Meridian.
Elise Gilbert is now Chief People and Equity Officer at Prospect Schools. She previously served as Managing Director of People Systems and Talent Strategy at the same organization.
Bethany Solis was named Chief College Officer at IDEA Public Schools. She previously served as Vice President, College Partnerships, Persistence, and Completion at the same organization.
Jim Ford is the new Chief Strategy Officer at Charter School Finance and Development.
Selena Torres-Fossett has become the President of the Charter School Association of Nevada. Previously she served as the Executive Director of the Young Women’s Leadership Academy of Las Vegas and is also a Nevada Democrat Assembly Member.