The Arizona State Board for Charter Schools appointed Rachel Hanna as interim executive director Tuesday as longtime Executive Director Ashley Berg prepares to leave the agency after a decade of service.
The board unanimously approved Hanna's appointment following an executive session during its Oct. 6 meeting.
Under the motion, Hanna will assume the duties and authority of executive director pending a formal appointment.
The leadership transition was listed on Tuesday's agenda as a personnel matter allowing the board to discuss the proposed interim executive director's qualifications, appointment, employment terms and other personnel matters in executive session behind closed doors. Any final appointment was required to occur publicly.
Much of Tuesday's meeting also became a farewell to Berg, with board members and representatives of the charter school community thanking her for her work.
Jake Logan, president and CEO of the Arizona Charter Schools Association, called Berg "...a model of what someone in this role should be" during public comment.
"She's smart. She's thoughtful. She's tough. She listens," Logan said, adding Berg consistently acted with professionalism.
Board members also credited Berg with strengthening the agency's operations and its relationship with the schools it oversees.
Berg said she was grateful for the opportunity to serve the board and proud of the staff and systems built during her tenure.
"When I think about the last 10 years and serving this board, serving all of you, serving with you, I'm truly just grateful," Berg said.
She said the agency made significant changes during that period while seeking to balance accountability with the autonomy that is central to Arizona's charter school system.
"We're nationally recognized for the work that we're doing," Berg said. "We're leading the charge."
Berg expressed confidence in Hanna's ability to lead the agency through the transition.
"I know that with Rachel's leadership stepping into that interim executive director role, she's going to continue that," Berg said.
Earlier in the meeting, board President Jessica Montierth described Berg's departure as bittersweet and said she was leaving for her "dream job."
Later, a board member congratulated Berg on a position at Arizona State University, saying ASU would "...find out just how fortunate it is to have made this hire."
The meeting agenda did not identify Berg's new position and Berg did not provide details about the job during the public portion of the meeting.
Berg closed her final remarks by thanking the board and staff.
"Thanks for letting me grow up with you," she said.
The board's next meeting is scheduled for Nov. 3.
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Meet Stacy Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.
Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.
Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!
Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.
Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.
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