Board of Directors

Jamey Fitzpatrick

President & CEO

Jamey Fitzpatrick, President and CEO, Michigan Virtual serves as a catalyst for change and a champion of innovation in education. Mr. Fitzpatrick provides strategic leadership for Michigan Virtual, a Michigan-based nonprofit organization focused on advancing both learning and teaching through research, practice, and partnerships. In addition to his previous leadership roles at the Michigan Department of Education and Saginaw ISD, Jamey also worked in the private sector for Pitney Bowes Corporation. Mr. Fitzpatrick serves on the Board of Trustees for Olivet College in Olivet, Michigan.  He is also a Board member for the Virtual Learning Leadership Alliance (VLLA), a nonprofit association of some of the most innovative K-12 virtual programs in the US.

Stephanie Teasley

Chair

Dr. Teasley is a retired Research Professor in the School of Information at U-M and was on the faculty there for almost 20 years. Her research investigates issues of collaboration and learning, specifically how sociotechnical systems can support effective collaborative processes and successful learning outcomes. She has served as the president of the Society for Learning Analytics Research (SoLAR) and the chair of the International Alliance for the Advancement of Learning in the Digital Era (IAALDE).

Darrell Burks

Secretary/Treasurer

After graduating from I.U. with a Bachelor of Science in finance in 1978, Mr. Burks joined PricewaterhouseCoopers in Indianapolis, he later transferred to Detroit. He received a CPA certification in 1980. Burks was admitted to the partnership in 1991. For over 30 years, Mr. Burks delivered a full range of audit and related business advisory services to clients in the retail, government, higher education sectors, as well as real estate, manufacturing, and financial services companies. Mr. Burks was the partner in charge of the education and nonprofit practice for the Midwest Region of PWC, he retired in June 2012.Mr. Burks is recognized as a leader and key decision-maker in the City of Detroit; he was appointed by the Governor of Michigan to the Detroit Financial Advisory Board.

Brian Broderick

Audit Chair

Brian Broderick serves as the executive director of the Michigan Association of Non-public Schools. In that role, he serves as the state representative to the Council of American Private Education. He chairs the Schoolcraft College Board of Trustees and sits on the Boards of Michigan Youth in Government, the Felician Sisters Childcare Centers, and the Education Alliance of Michigan.Mr. Broderick earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Wayne State University in 1998, a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy in 1991, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1988.  He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan.Brian and his wife, Donna reside in Plymouth. They have two children in college.

Amanda Wagenschutz

Board Member

Amanda is the former vice president of people and culture operations for Consumers Energy. Wagenschutz was responsible for operationalizing the company’s talent strategy across the organization, with a focus on cultivating the company’s purpose-driven culture and creating a positive experience for all co-workers.

Brandy Johnson

Board Member

Johnson was selected as the President of MCCA in December 2021. Prior to this role, she served in the Governor’s administration, first as Governor Whitmer's education policy advisor and later as a manager of the Office of Sixty by 30 within the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. In 2010, she founded the Michigan College Access Network and served as its Executive Director until 2019. Johnson also was an education policy fellow under Governor Jennifer Granholm. Johnson earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from Arizona State University and her master’s degree in public policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. Johnson was also appointed by Governor Whitmer to represent Michigan on the Midwest Higher Education Compact and served on Governor Snyder’s 21st Century Education Commission. She lives in East Lansing with her husband, Will Repko, and their two small children.

Brendan Guenther

Board Member

Brendan Guenther is MSU’s first Chief Academic Digital Officer. Deployed in a leadership capacity for the Innovation Hub for Learning and Technology at MSU, he oversees online programs and MSU’s digital strategy. Brendan’s career focuses on supporting transformative educator practice with learning technology.Brendan has been promoted through numerous professional roles over the past two decades. As part of MSU’s Virtual University, he oversaw daily operations providing faculty development, instructional design, universal design, agile software development, and technical support for online instructors and blended learning.Brendan earned his bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications and a Masters in Educational Administration from MSU and is all but done with a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration at MSU.

Chandra Madafferi

Board Member

Chandra’s primary focus as MEA’s president is lifting up the education profession and building up our next generation of educators.

Chandra has almost 20 years of experience in the classroom, having taught special education, online credit recovery and health, including health for English language learners.

After beginning her teaching career in Oakland County’s Huron Valley Schools, she moved to Novi Community Schools, where she spent most of her career until becoming MEA’s vice president in 2017.

While teaching, Chandra maintained a full-time administration position for over 10 years in Bloomfield Hills Schools as a coordinator for SCAMP, a summer program for people with disabilities ages 3-26.

Chandra received a bachelor’s degree in special education, health education and therapeutic recreation from Central Michigan University. She earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Michigan-Dearborn, with endorsements in learning disabilities and cognitive impairments. She also completed a two-year program at Oakland University’s Galileo Institute for Teacher Leadership. In addition, Chandra is an alumna of Michigan State University’s Education Policy Fellowship Program.

Daniel F. Kiblawi

Board Member

Daniel F. Kiblawi, retired, is the former president and CEO of Egelhof Controls Corporation, a multi-national automotive supplier specializing in control devices for air conditioning systems. He positioned the company for future success and growth by leading the transition to the electric and hybrid vehicle market for air conditioning and battery cooling control devices. The company's product line was revamped and the value content per vehicle was increased several-fold. Prior to that, Kiblawi held a variety of executive and leadership positions in the Automotive Tier 1 industry.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, a master’s degree in mechanical engineering, and an MBA from Michigan State University.

Dr. John Severson

Board Member

Dr. Severson is the Executive Director of MAISA. Previously, he served as Superintendent of Muskegon Area Intermediate School District, Superintendent of Harper Creek Community Schools, Administrator of Community Education for Portage Public Schools, Principal of Harper Creek High School, and has held several positions in alternative educational programs. Dr. Severson holds a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Western Michigan University. Dr. Severson has championed successful projects with the local Chamber, Foundation, United Way, Rotary, multiple health organizations, businesses, private and public community organizations, legislative leaders, higher education institutions, parents, students, staff, and local school districts. He recognizes that we must take a whole-child approach when solving problems. Most importantly, John states, “Amazing outcomes will happen for the children we serve when we work as one.” John has a passion for working with teams to develop systems that ensure every child’s success. He believes the problems we face today can only be solved when we collaborate and build strong relationships to solve problems through the lens of those we serve. As the director, he will focus on those best practices that ensure all students are well, graduate on time, and have great futures.

Prentiss Brown

Board Member

Prentiss Brown is an attorney with Prentiss M. Brown, P.C., St. Ignace, engaged in the representation of Native Americans. He is a former prosecuting attorney for Mackinac County and general law practitioner. Mr. Brown is a member of the First National Bank of St. Ignace's board of directors. A graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law, he is a member of the State Bar of Michigan and Iowa State Bar Association. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Albion College. Mr. Brown is a senior judge of the Saginaw-Chippewa Tribal Court in Mount Pleasant.

Rossi Ray-Taylor

Board Member

Rossi Ray-Taylor, PhD., is the president and CEO of Ray.Taylor and Associates, L.L.C., a consultancy that specializes in program evaluation, school transformation and turnaround, equity audits, and executive coaching. She is the former superintendent of Ann Arbor Schools, deputy superintendent for instruction for the Lansing Public Schools, and the former executive director of the national nonprofit organization Minority Student Achievement Network.Dr. Ray-Taylor holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Michigan State University. Her Doctorate of Philosophy in Educational Psychology with a specialty in learning & cognition and measurement & evaluation is also from Michigan State.

Tiffany Taylor

Board Member

Tiffany C. Taylor boasts 20 years of experience in education, non-profit, and the public sector. Formerly, she led Teach For America–Detroit as an Executive Director and later advanced TFA’s 51 regions as a national vice president. Now, Tiffany is a Partner and Chief People and Impact Officer at Global Silicon Valley Ventures, targeting the expansive global education and workforce sector. Actively engaged in her community, she holds positions with the Joyce Ivy Foundation, Black Family Development Institute Training, Tutored by Teachers, the AI Education Project and more. Recognized by the Walker’s Legacy Foundation and Microsoft for her contributions, Tiffany champions economic development and educational innovation. A Detroit native and Detroit public school graduate, Tiffany holds degrees from the University of Michigan, St. Joseph’s University, the University of Maryland, and has completed an executive leadership program at Harvard Business School.