Staff

Peggy Brookins, NBCT, joined the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (National Board) as Executive Vice President in December 2014 and was appointed President and CEO in November 2015. A former board member of the National Board (2007–2011), Brookins brings decades of experience as an educator, leader, and advocate for excellence in teaching. 

Before joining the National Board, Brookins co-founded the Engineering and Manufacturing Institute of Technology at Forest High School in Ocala, Florida, in 1994, where she served as director and mathematics instructor. In July 2014, President Barack Obama appointed her to the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans in recognition of her national leadership in education.

Brookins has held numerous national leadership and advisory roles, including service on the boards of Digital Promise, the Conference Board of Mathematical Sciences Ad Hoc Committee on Teachers as Professionals, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, Content Technical Working Group, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the P21 Executive Board, and the Southern Regional Education Board Teacher Preparation Commission. She has also served as a national trainer for the American Federation of Teachers.

She currently serves on the boards of the National Center on Education and the Economy, Fund for Teachers, Out Teach, and Teach Plus. In addition, she contributes her expertise to advisory boards for Bowie State University, the STAR Program, National Geographic Education Audit, the Eddie and Jules Trump Foundation of Israel, Class Strategic, the Learning Variability Project, Global Teacher Leadership, 100Kin10, Beyond100K, the NCEED Advisory Board, and the Learning Policy Institute’s Spencer/Yidan Advisory Committee.

Brookins earned National Board Certification in Early Adolescence/Mathematics in 2003 and successfully renewed her certification in 2013 and maintained her certification in 2024. Her numerous honors include induction into both the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame (1978) and the University of Florida Hall of Fame (2009). She has also been recognized as a Florida Education Association “Everyday Hero” and recipient of the association’s Excellence in Teaching Award. In 2013, she was named an Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar.

Joe Doctor leads strategy, program, finance, and operations for the National Board. His work is focused on how the National Board can catalyze a highly-skilled, diverse teaching profession through empowering teachers to meet the needs of students and advance their learning. He previously served as Senior Vice President, Strategy and Policy, and Special Assistant to the President, leading the development and implementation of the National Board’s strategic plan. He co-authored “Raising the Bar for Teaching” with Jal Mehta, arguing for adapting supports other professions have put in place as a strategy to elevate teaching. Doctor joined the National Board in 2012. Previously, he was at the Bridgespan Group, a nonprofit strategy consulting organization. His work there focused on developing breakthrough strategies for nonprofits, foundations, and public school systems in K-12 education. Doctor has an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from Yale University and a doctorate in education leadership from Harvard University.

Marcia Foster joined the National Board in August 2013 as Director of New Products and Services. In this role, she leads the design and development of key programs and services—including Accomplished Teaching, Learning, and Schools (ATLAS)—as well as other initiatives that support the National Board’s mission.

Before joining the National Board, Foster served as Product and Marketing Director for PBS Education. There, she oversaw the development of Peer Connection, an online resource library for instructional coaches, mentors, and teacher leaders, and managed PBS TeacherLine, a suite of online professional development courses for PreK–12 educators.

Earlier in her career, Foster taught as an adjunct at colleges and universities in Maryland and Virginia. She also worked as a brand manager for global consumer product companies, including the Campbell Soup Company and Oscar Mayer Foods Corporation.

She currently serves as Senior Director, Journey Products & Platforms where she’s responsible for setting the vision for candidate-facing products.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and an MBA from Atlanta University.

Stacey Hicks, NBCT, is focused on growing teacher and stakeholder commitment to National Board Certification through targeted engagement, communicating the value of National Board Certification for educators, students, and communities. Before joining the staff at National Board, Hicks served as the Project Director of the Network to Transform Teaching with the Arizona K12 Center, where she oversaw a grant focused on two objectives: increasing the number of National Board Certified Teachers and increasing the number of NBCTs serving as instructional leaders. In 2013, Hicks achieved National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist teaching with the Paradise Valley Unified School District in Phoenix, Arizona, and maintained her certification in 2023. Hicks taught third grade as a Teacher Innovator at the Pinnacle Peak Center for Teacher Development, acting as an exemplar observation classroom for the use of teacher development using live observation, video broadcasting, and collaborative telepresence. She taught for seven years in Arizona and two years before that in Ohio, where she was born and raised. Hicks has a Master of Arts in Teaching and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Kent State University, Ohio.

Dr. Catrice Reese is a dynamic and mission-driven senior executive with over 15 years of experience leading strategic operations, people-centered initiatives, and systems transformation in national education and nonprofit organizations. As Vice President of People, Operations, Finance & Technology at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, she oversees the organization’s internal infrastructure, ensuring finance, HR, and technology systems are aligned, efficient, and equitable, powering the mission to advance accomplished teaching for every student.

Known for her agile leadership and thoughtful stewardship, Dr. Reese has developed and scaled operational and cultural frameworks that have saved organizations over $1 million, while strengthening staff engagement and building inclusive, high-performing cultures. Prior to joining the National Board, she served as Managing Director of Operations and Employee Experience at Gradient Learning, where she built the HR, Finance, and Operations functions from the ground up in a fully remote environment and launched the organization’s learning and leadership development arm.

Her career spans both nonprofit and higher education sectors, including leadership roles at the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, where she led state-wide student success transformation initiatives and built virtual student service infrastructures across 16 colleges.

Catrice brings a unique blend of strategic insight, operational excellence, and people-first leadership. She holds a Doctor of Education from Western Kentucky University, an MBA from Sullivan University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Transylvania University.

Dr. Reese is passionate about systems that enable people to flourish, and believes in the power of culture, data, and storytelling to move missions forward.

As VP, Policy, Sarah Pinsky is dedicated to strengthening the teaching profession through strategic advocacy, research, and partnership. In her role at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, she shapes federal and state policy agendas that expand access to accomplished teaching for students across the country. Over more than a decade with the National Board, Sarah has led successful efforts to secure federal funding, influence legislation, and guide state policy implementation that advances Board certification.

Previously, she worked at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, where she supported national and state policy initiatives to elevate educator preparation. She holds a J.D. from The George Washington University Law School and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Virginia.

Dr. Chawanna Bethany Chambers is a national award-winning, board-certified educator and accomplished leader with a proven track record of designing and scaling equity-centered initiatives across nonprofits and public education systems. She brings deep expertise in organizational strategy, cross-functional team leadership, program design, and systems-level change—all grounded in a steadfast commitment to student-centered impact.

Chawanna has served in various capacities throughout her career, including as a classroom teacher, department chair, curriculum writer and developer, field researcher, instructional coach, project manager, adjunct instructor, chief academic officer, and deputy superintendent. Her professional contributions include supporting successful educational initiatives and programs with the Texas Education Agency, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, Indiana Department of Education, Cleveland Browns Foundation, Equal Opportunity Schools, Walton Family Foundation, Gates Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and other teams. Dr. Chambers has been celebrated locally as New Teacher of the Year and a Principal’s Award recipient and nationally by the National Council for Teachers of English. Chawanna was a class of 2018 New Leaders Council San Antonio fellow, 2019 Leadership SAISD cohort member, and has served on multiple community boards.

Throughout her career, Dr. Chambers has led high-impact efforts to strengthen educator pathways, improve instructional quality, and build capacity within institutions to deliver sustainable outcomes. Whether managing multi-million dollar investments, launching national support programs, or shaping statewide education strategy, she operates with a legacy-driven mindset: to leave systems stronger, more equitable, and more capable of nurturing future generations.

Chawanna is widely recognized for her ability to bring vision to execution, lead with both empathy and precision, and champion transformative change that centers the voices and experiences of those closest to the work. Dr. Chambers holds a Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies specializing in Early Childhood through Grade 4, a Master of Education in Educational Administration: School Leadership, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum & Instruction.

Peggy Brookins, NBCT, joined the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (National Board) as Executive Vice President in December 2014 and was appointed President and CEO in November 2015. A former board member of the National Board (2007–2011), Brookins brings decades of experience as an educator, leader, and advocate for excellence in teaching. 

Before joining the National Board, Brookins co-founded the Engineering and Manufacturing Institute of Technology at Forest High School in Ocala, Florida, in 1994, where she served as director and mathematics instructor. In July 2014, President Barack Obama appointed her to the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans in recognition of her national leadership in education.

Brookins has held numerous national leadership and advisory roles, including service on the boards of Digital Promise, the Conference Board of Mathematical Sciences Ad Hoc Committee on Teachers as Professionals, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, Content Technical Working Group, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the P21 Executive Board, and the Southern Regional Education Board Teacher Preparation Commission. She has also served as a national trainer for the American Federation of Teachers.

She currently serves on the boards of the National Center on Education and the Economy, Fund for Teachers, Out Teach, and Teach Plus. In addition, she contributes her expertise to advisory boards for Bowie State University, the STAR Program, National Geographic Education Audit, the Eddie and Jules Trump Foundation of Israel, Class Strategic, the Learning Variability Project, Global Teacher Leadership, 100Kin10, Beyond100K, the NCEED Advisory Board, and the Learning Policy Institute’s Spencer/Yidan Advisory Committee.

Brookins earned National Board Certification in Early Adolescence/Mathematics in 2003 and successfully renewed her certification in 2013 and maintained her certification in 2024. Her numerous honors include induction into both the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame (1978) and the University of Florida Hall of Fame (2009). She has also been recognized as a Florida Education Association “Everyday Hero” and recipient of the association’s Excellence in Teaching Award. In 2013, she was named an Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar.

Joe Doctor leads strategy, program, finance, and operations for the National Board. His work is focused on how the National Board can catalyze a highly-skilled, diverse teaching profession through empowering teachers to meet the needs of students and advance their learning. He previously served as Senior Vice President, Strategy and Policy, and Special Assistant to the President, leading the development and implementation of the National Board’s strategic plan. He co-authored “Raising the Bar for Teaching” with Jal Mehta, arguing for adapting supports other professions have put in place as a strategy to elevate teaching. Doctor joined the National Board in 2012. Previously, he was at the Bridgespan Group, a nonprofit strategy consulting organization. His work there focused on developing breakthrough strategies for nonprofits, foundations, and public school systems in K-12 education. Doctor has an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from Yale University and a doctorate in education leadership from Harvard University.

Marc D’Anjou is the Special Assistant to the President, CEO, and Corporate Secretary. As Special Assistant to the President and CEO, Marc supports the President and CEO in all aspects of the President’s office, maintaining confidentiality and maintaining strong relationships with staff on the President’s behalf. He provides strategic management of the President’s schedule correspondence, raising visibility and enhancing relationships with key external constituencies such as corporate and foundation donors, policymakers, and key stakeholders. As Corporate Secretary, Marc serves as a focal point for communication with and between the Board of Directors to ensure that Board members have the proper advice and resources for discharging their fiduciary duties. He ensures the records of the Board’s actions reflect the proper exercise of those fiduciary duties and is the custodian of the minutes of the Board of Directors’ meetings, committee meetings, and key organizational documents. Marc manages the activities of the Board of Directors, including the developing of meeting agendas and materials, as well as the planning and execution of Board meetings and preparing minutes of meeting proceedings. Marc has over nearly thirty years of experience in government service and working for nonprofit organizations. Prior to joining the National Board, Marc worked at the White House as a Staff Assistant to Vice President and Mrs. Gore, a Confidential Assistant at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs, and at a nonprofit organization, the Campaign Finance Institute. Marc received a Master of Arts in Political Science from The American University in Washington, D.C., and a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Western New England University in Springfield, MA.

Melissa Mays joined the National Board in January 2020 and serves as the Director of Program Management, where she provides strategic leadership and day-to-day management across the National Board’s operational partnership, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, guiding high-impact cross-functional initiatives, and overseeing the planning, execution, and continuous improvement of mission-critical work. Mays is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), and Certified Scrum Master (CSM). She holds a B.A. degree in Government from Georgetown University and a M.S. degree in Information Technology with a certificate in Informatics from the University of Maryland University College.

Danielle Belanger is the Senior Manager, Project Management at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Bringing over a decade of experience in nonprofit management and philanthropy, she has a proven track record of success leading large-scale projects and managing complex budgets. Before joining the National Board, Danielle spent much of her professional life supporting grantmakers and their portfolios of nonprofit partners. During that time, she launched and led the inaugural year of a learning and giving collaborative focused on the intersection of trauma and poverty – a group that is still ongoing. In this work and throughout her career, she has always valued the opportunity to develop deep relationships across organizations to ensure the achievement of myriad, diverse missions, and goals.

Relationship-building has remained a key part of Danielle’s work during her time at the National Board. She first joined NBPTS leading the day-to-day project and budget coordination of the Culturally Sustaining Candidate Support Network – a SEED grant to support and promote teacher diversity, quality, and retention. Leveraging her extensive experience in project management, she now works closely across internal teams to coordinate programs and projects that move strategic priorities forward, scale efforts, and deliver lasting impact.

Danielle holds a Bachelor of Arts in French and History from Franklin & Marshall College. A long-time New Englander, she currently lives in Maine with her partner. When they aren’t hiking or camping, you can find her tending to her native, pollinator-friendly plants, reading a fantasy novel, or enjoying time with friends and their pets!

Dr. Chawanna Bethany Chambers is a national award-winning, board-certified educator and accomplished leader with a proven track record of designing and scaling equity-centered initiatives across nonprofits and public education systems. She brings deep expertise in organizational strategy, cross-functional team leadership, program design, and systems-level change—all grounded in a steadfast commitment to student-centered impact.

Chawanna has served in various capacities throughout her career, including as a classroom teacher, department chair, curriculum writer and developer, field researcher, instructional coach, project manager, adjunct instructor, chief academic officer, and deputy superintendent. Her professional contributions include supporting successful educational initiatives and programs with the Texas Education Agency, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, Indiana Department of Education, Cleveland Browns Foundation, Equal Opportunity Schools, Walton Family Foundation, Gates Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and other teams. Dr. Chambers has been celebrated locally as New Teacher of the Year and a Principal’s Award recipient and nationally by the National Council for Teachers of English. Chawanna was a class of 2018 New Leaders Council San Antonio fellow, 2019 Leadership SAISD cohort member, and has served on multiple community boards.

Throughout her career, Dr. Chambers has led high-impact efforts to strengthen educator pathways, improve instructional quality, and build capacity within institutions to deliver sustainable outcomes. Whether managing multi-million dollar investments, launching national support programs, or shaping statewide education strategy, she operates with a legacy-driven mindset: to leave systems stronger, more equitable, and more capable of nurturing future generations.

Chawanna is widely recognized for her ability to bring vision to execution, lead with both empathy and precision, and champion transformative change that centers the voices and experiences of those closest to the work. Dr. Chambers holds a Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies specializing in Early Childhood through Grade 4, a Master of Education in Educational Administration: School Leadership, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Curriculum & Instruction.

Dr. Catrice Reese is a dynamic and mission-driven senior executive with over 15 years of experience leading strategic operations, people-centered initiatives, and systems transformation in national education and nonprofit organizations. As Vice President of People, Operations, Finance & Technology at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, she oversees the organization’s internal infrastructure, ensuring finance, HR, and technology systems are aligned, efficient, and equitable, powering the mission to advance accomplished teaching for every student.

Known for her agile leadership and thoughtful stewardship, Dr. Reese has developed and scaled operational and cultural frameworks that have saved organizations over $1 million, while strengthening staff engagement and building inclusive, high-performing cultures. Prior to joining the National Board, she served as Managing Director of Operations and Employee Experience at Gradient Learning, where she built the HR, Finance, and Operations functions from the ground up in a fully remote environment and launched the organization’s learning and leadership development arm.

Her career spans both nonprofit and higher education sectors, including leadership roles at the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, where she led state-wide student success transformation initiatives and built virtual student service infrastructures across 16 colleges.

Catrice brings a unique blend of strategic insight, operational excellence, and people-first leadership. She holds a Doctor of Education from Western Kentucky University, an MBA from Sullivan University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Transylvania University.

Dr. Reese is passionate about systems that enable people to flourish, and believes in the power of culture, data, and storytelling to move missions forward.

Michele Blasey joined the National Board in June 2023 as Controller. She is responsible for the development, administration, and implementation of accounting systems that meet the organization’s financial and legal reporting requirements. In addition, Michele strategizes with leadership in the development of financial strategies to ensure alignment with the National Board’s organizational goals and priorities.

Prior to joining the National Board, Michele held finance roles at a foundation focused on advancing racial equity in education in New England, a continuing medical education company, and a national nonprofit supporting lived and legal equality for LGBTQ families. In these positions, she managed day-to-day financial operations and supported organizational growth through sound financial practices.

Michele holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Western Governors University. She is based in Pittsburgh, PA.

With many years of experience in Database and Web technologies, he currently serves as Manager of Data & Analytics here at the National Board, a role he has held since 2022. He leads data strategy and drives transformation through cloud-based solutions, with deep expertise in query optimization, data transformation, and automating complex data flows. He is proficient in Azure SQL, AWS, Salesforce, and a wide range of Microsoft technologies.

Prior joining the National Board, he successfully integrating various websites with enterprise content management systems like Sitecore with CRMs such as Salesforce for clients across diverse sectors. Throughout his career, he has delivered scalable, high-performance solutions across industries including healthcare, finance, education and research, retail, and energy.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and has earned numerous certifications in cloud platforms, database technologies, and enterprise systems.

Outside of work, he enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and sightseeing, and actively participates in community initiatives—believing in the value of giving back and staying connected beyond the workplace.

Daniel Izzo joined the National Board in 2024 after over a dozen years in the classroom where he was a High School Social Studies teacher. Throughout that time, he primarily taught Psychology and was a member of various committees that dealt with teacher development, equity in student programming, culture and climate, process improvement, data analysis, coaching, and other similar groups. He holds a Bachelor’s in Education from DePaul University, a Master’s in Educational Business Administration from the American College of Education, and a professional certification in Data Analysis. Outside of work, Dan loves spending time with his family and friends, taking his kids on bike rides, watching movies and listening to music, and working with his hands doing various woodworking projects.

Ashley Brown has 10+ years of experience in the administrative and property management fields. She facilitates and coordinates departmental-level communication and administration as the Senior Associate for the Technology Team. Ashley brings a strong commitment to team collaboration and is dedicated to supporting the development data management and software development support at the National Board. She contributes to defining product requirements and ensuring the quality and performance of IT systems across the organization.

Outside of work, Ashley’s time is spent with her kid’s sports and extracurricular activities as well as traveling with her husband and taking on new adventures. Ashley loves warm weather and pool water.