National Board of Directors

Louis brings more than 35 years of senior-level financial planning and analysis, strategy and operating management experience to the Rocketship board. He is also an advisor to a number of startup companies, and serves on the boards for All Across Africa (East Africa and San Diego); Someone Somewhere (Mexico City); Vega Coffee (Nicaragua/Colombia and Santa Barbara) Nemi Tea (United Kingdom); Indiana University Foundation (Black Philanthropy Circle Chair and Former Audit Committee Chair) and the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University (Executive Committee Member).

Louis’s educational experience inspired him to help propel Rocketship’s mission. He is the sixth of seven children and the first to graduate from college in his family. Louis was educated in the Philadelphia public school system; one that was plagued with very high dropout rates for people of color. College and its benefits were never more than a "passing" topic of conversation in his public school experience. Despite that, in many respects he became the exception to most of his peers. This would not have been possible without existing philanthropically supported programs that he was able to access. As he began to achieve a relatively unimaginable degree of success, he’s committed to do as much as possible to give back and to help enable others with backgrounds similar to his to have unencumbered access to high quality education alternatives as he strongly believes that this is fundamental to accessing the fruits of the American dream.

He strongly believes that Rocketship has been and continues to be a critical catalyst in combining a high-quality elementary education with a parent engagement component that dramatically increases the chances that kids from neighborhoods like the one that he grew up in have the opportunity to realize their dreams.

Louis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Westmar College and a Master of Arts degree from Brown University. He received his MBA in Finance from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

Brian began his career in small business consulting which led to top jobs in accounting, finance, administration and operations for a variety of manufacturers involved in everything from medical technology and aeronautics to disposable wipes and custom decorative lighting. But he was seeking something more fulfilling.

Before he left his last manufacturing company, Brian prepared a detailed career plan that weighed his strengths and weaknesses, listed his priorities in life, and specified what he wanted out of work.

His pursuit, Brian wrote, was a career through which he could support his family, help those around him achieve their potential, and satisfy his own intellectual curiosity.

That led to his final job and a 25 year career in the financial services industry. “I recognized the intellectual challenge of understanding markets and the economy, appreciated the opportunity to interact with and impact client lives, and enjoyed the chance to build my leadership skills.”

Brian was drawn to eduction and Rocketship initially by his daughter’s experience working for Rocketship in Milwaukee and San Jose. His wife was a college English professor and youngest daughter a teacher, so education is a top priority in the family. Understanding that all kids need an equal opportunity to learn is a fundamental value in the Kilb house.

Brian grew up in the Cleveland area and received a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Notre Dame. Brian and his wife, Lynn, have two daughters. He enjoys coaching, fitness, reading, music and his faith. Among his community activities, Brian has also been involved in a wide variety of other not-for-profit organizations.

April Taylor is an engineer who grew up solving problems with people. April brings more than 10 years of Human Capital experience, including strategy, program development, talent acquisition, and coaching.

April Taylor is a board member for the Kelley School of Business’ Alumni Association, member of Indiana University's Black Philanthropy Circle, and volunteer for NSBE Jr.'s FIRST Lego League. April is also the former Alumni Trustee for the Consortium for Graduate Study of Management and a member of the Speed Museum's Board of Governors.

She supports Rocketship because education provides access. She believes children's access to life's future opportunities should start with a quality education, regardless of where they live! Education has afforded her access to opportunities she never knew were possible.

She holds a Bachelor in Science of Electrical Engineering from Tennessee State University; a Master in Science of Software Engineering from Brandeis University and an Master in Business Administration in Organizational Management from Indiana University, Bloomington.

Jolene brings a wealth of experience in policy and philanthropic leadership to the Rocketship board. After receiving her MBA, she worked for Corning Glass Works in strategic planning and later transitioned to the Federal Government where she gained valuable policy experience working for an independent commission charged with making recommendations to Congress about Medicare.

Jolene and her husband established the Stanley and Jolene Sloter Family Foundation to focus their philanthropy on education, specifically the need for better education opportunities in underserved communities. She is applying her policy experience to analyzing this issue and identifying concepts and organizations that improve the quality of education in low-income communities in DC so they can invest their philanthropic contributions in organizations that produce measurable results.

Jolene served on the Teach For America DC Board for ten years and was honored for her work in education at the annual gala in May of 2024. She is also a member of the Trustee Council for Communities in Schools of Northern Virginia, as well as the Investment Committee for Education Forward DC. A longtime supporter of Rocketship Public Schools, she coordinated the groundbreaking for Rocketship’s first school in DC, which opened in August 2016, and has been instrumental in building the RocketshipDC board of directors and finding new sources of support.

Jolene supports Rocketship’s work because she believes traditional public schools have not adequately served low-income students of color for generations. Rocketship's three pillars--Personalized Learning, Talent Development, and Parent Power--provide the foundation for building schools that will provide a quality education for these communities.

She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Biology/Medical Technology from Lycoming College and a Master's in Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh.

Derwin Sisnett has spent the last fifteen years in community development, public education, and impact investing with a particular focus on coalescing and maximizing community assets. He is the founder and CEO of Adaptive Commons, a real estate company that invests in the transformation of civic spaces for social good. His previous experience includes co-founding Maslow Development Inc. and serving as the co-founder and CEO of Gestalt Community Schools (GCS). Honored by the White House and the U.S. Department of Education, GCS grew into one of the highest-performing networks of schools in Tennessee, anchoring over 40 acres of a mixed-use development that Derwin spearheaded, including a performing arts center and affordable housing.

Derwin’s work has been featured in numerous publications, including Urban Land Institute’s Urban Land Magazine, The New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. He has also lectured at various colleges and universities, including Harvard Graduate School of Design, Yale School of Management, and Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design, where he is a Faculty Lecturer in Real Estate Development + Design.
Derwin holds a bachelor’s degree from Emory University, a PhD from the University of Memphis, and he is an alumnus of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, where he was a Loeb Fellow. Derwin is also a Cambiar Education Change Agent and a Pahara Fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, where he was selected as a Braddock Scholar.

Tamara N. Peterson currently serves as the Assistant Manager for Safeguards and Security (AMSS) for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Livermore Field Office (LFO). She is responsible for leading and managing a Federal staff of Safeguards and Security subject matter experts tasked with the oversight and evaluation of multiple contractors and National Laboratories performance of Safeguards and Security at LFO and other facilities across that accomplish the NNSA mission.

Preceding her role as the AMSS, Mrs. Peterson served as the Deputy AMSS. Prior to joining LFO, Mrs. Peterson was a law enforcement Commander and Chief of Mission Support for the Department of Homeland Security responsible for overseeing $1 Billion in contracts.

Mrs. Peterson earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Illinois University, a Master of Science degree from Bellevue University and a Graduate Certificate in Crime Scene Investigation from California State University – Long Beach.

Michelle Mercado brings nearly two decades of experience in education including her time as a teacher in New York City and an Academic Director in Bukoba, Tanzania. Michelle currently works as the Senior Vice President of Consulting for TNTP, a national education nonprofit focused on ensuring all students have access to a high quality education. In this role, Michelle oversees TNTP’s portfolio of consulting work across the country with a focus on building thriving teams across the country and positioning TNTP to achieve impact. Michelle is also a member of Education Leaders of Color and a Latinos for Education Board Fellow.

She supports Rocketship because she believes that all students deserve an education that sets them up to meet the goals they have for themselves. She’s seen how Rocketship provides a caring, engaging and community-oriented educational experience that ensures all students are thriving. She is honored to be able to contribute to Rocketship’s mission and vision.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Western Illinois University and a Master’s in the Science of Teaching from Fordham University.

Mr. Sanchez has been a director of Warner Brothers Discovery since October 2024; a director of Liberty Global since March 2022; and a director of Liberty Latin America since December 2019 (where he chairs the Nominating and Governance Committee). He was a director of Starz from January 2013 until December 2016, when it merged with Lionsgate Entertainment Corp. He continued on the Lionsgate board and its Audit Committee until 2021. He was a common stock director of Discovery from May 2017 to April 2022, where he served on the Finance Committee.

Since December 2022, Mr. Sanchez has been a director of Rocketship Public Schools, a multi-state operator of public charter schools, where he also serves on the Business Committee. In 2024, he became a director of Ensemble Learning, which seeks to improve educational outcomes for non-English learners, where he also serves on the Strategy Committee. He was a 2022 Fellow of Latinos for Education. In June 2024, he became a director of the Malone Family Land Preservation Foundation.

He holds a B.A., Art History and Philosophy; a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree in law; and a Master of Laws (L.L.M.) degree in federal taxation. In 2020, he retired from the private practice of law.

Rajen Sheth brings more than 20 years of experience delivering innovative products to businesses and consumers. He is currently the CEO and Founder of Kyron Learning, a public benefit company focused on giving all students equitable access to high quality one-on-one teaching using AI.

Previously, Rajen was Vice President of Google Cloud AI and Industry Solution as part of a 17-year career at Google. He focused on building products that enable enterprises to transform themselves through AI, and building transformative products for Google Cloud’s key industries. He also led the development of Android and Chrome for business and education, as well as Google Apps for Work and Education (now known as GSuite), which is now used by over 5 million companies.

Having focused his career on ensuring equitable access to high quality education, Rajen has always been inspired by Rocketship's innovative model and its impact on surrounding communities. He proudly supports Rocketship in taking a significant step toward its goal of equitable educational access.

Rajen is also a part of the National Leadership Council for the Society for Science, supporting STEM in all schools through the International Science and Engineering Fair, the Science Talent Search, and science publications for youth. Rajen is also a volunteer and was previously Vice President of Technology for the PTA of Almond School.
He holds both a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Computer Science from Stanford University.

Hugo Castaneda is a parent of 3rd and 4th grade Rocketeers at Rocketship Brilliant Minds, as well as a parent to a former Rocketeer who is now in 6th grade. He is President of the School Site Council at Brilliant Minds and is involved in the school in many aspects. Hugo works as a Design Engineer, managing large projects and supervising staff for AT&T, and has been with the company for 23 years. He lives in San Jose where he is an involved member of his church and dedicates time coaching his children's soccer teams.

Julie Miller is currently a member of the Rocketship Public Schools Audit Committee and brings decades of finance and accounting experience.

Julie most recently served as Visa’s Vice President of Revenue and Client Incentive Operations and previously its Assistant Global Controller. Prior to that, she was a Divisional Controller and Senior Finance Manager at Apple, and spent 15 years at Gap in roles spanning a broad range of specialties including FP&A, Accounting, and Supply Chain.

Rhonda Baldenegro currently serves as the Executive Director of Gabriella Charter Schools, a small, high-impact network of dance-themed public schools serving historically under-resourced communities in Los Angeles.  In this role, she oversees the strategic vision, academic and operational excellence, and growth of two TK-8 schools that pair rigorous instruction with transformative arts education.

Across more than two decades in public education, Rhonda has served as a teacher, instructional coach, principal, and systems leader in both the Los Angeles Unified School District and the charter sector.  At Gabriella, she has secured multi-year public and philanthropic investments to expand teacher pipelines and student opportunities, and has helped earn multiple school recognitions, including California Distinguished School, Title I Academic Achievement, and Exemplary Arts Program honors.

Rhonda holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, a Master’s in Education from Loyola Marymount University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from UCLA.  She is a Coro Women in Leadership alumna, serves on the California Charter Schools Association’s Los Angeles Advocacy Council, and has mentored doctoral students in UCLA’s Educational Leadership program.  Rhonda supports Rocketship because she believes every child deserves a joyful, high-quality school experience that nurtures community and prepares students for the futures they imagine for themselves.

Yolanda is a proud member of the Rocketship Fuerza Community Prep. Since joining Fuerza she has been an avid participant in getting other parents involved by strengthening their voice around the achievement gap and access to quality education. She was part of the Fuerza reauthorization team, an active member of the Innovates Parent leader group as well as the Santa Clara County Parent Coalition. She currently works with the federal government managing their federal properties. She has worked for General Services Administration since 2004.

She attended San Jose State University for her undergraduate degree and graduate degree. She holds a BS on Sociology concentration in Criminology, with minors in Spanish and Mexican-American Studies. Furthering her education with a Master in Counselor Education writing a thesis on how undocumented students could search for resources in their community to fund their higher educational goals. Her passions include speaking to first-generation College students and demystifying college.

Born and raised in San Jose, Yolanda and her husband, Fernando, have two sons. Their weekends are filled with sports and outdoor activities like baseball, basketball and flag football and soccer.

Dr. Daniel Velasco (he/him/el) is President and CEO and leads Ensemble Learning’s strategic vision to improve school quality and remove barriers for multilingual learners. Daniel has an EdD in Leadership and Entrepreneurship in Education from Johns Hopkins University and an EdM in Education Policy and Management from Harvard University Previously, Daniel served as the President of Latinos for Education where he scaled the organization from an annual budget of $250K and 3 employees to $9M and 30+ employees during his six year tenure. He also served as an Executive Director and later Regional Director for the Center for Social Organization of Schools at Johns Hopkins University as well as Operations Director for Teach For America. Daniel specializes in executive leadership in education, change management, and educator development.

Daniel is a Pahara Institute Fellow, an Education Leaders of Color Member, and a Leadership Jacksonville Fellow. He received a commendation for national service from NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2016 and has lived in Jacksonville, Florida with his husband since 2018.

Michael Fox is CEO Goodwill Industries Silicon Valley. As the newly appointed CEO of Goodwill Silicon Valley Mr. Fox led a team that took the organization from a loss from operations of 1.7 million dollars to a gain of 1.1 million dollars in one year. Previously, Mr. Fox spent almost 20 years at M.E. Fox & Company, one of the Bay Area’s leading wholesale beverage distributors, including over six years as president. Mr. Fox is past Chairman of the Silicon Valley San Jose Chamber of Commerce; San Jose Chamber PAC, San Jose Mineta Airport Expansion Initiative, and West Valley Mission College bond measure. He has held numerous campaign and political positions including finance chair Jim Cunneen for Congress, finance chair Dolores Carr for District Attorney, finance chair Able Maldonado for State Senate, and Mayor Ron Gonzales’s kitchen cabinet. Mr. Fox was co-founder and chair Baseball San Jose, and currently serves as finance chair for Team San Jose. Mr. Fox received his B.A. at the University of San Diego and a Trans Global MBA at St. Mary’s College.

Charmaine Detweiler brings nearly 40 years of experience in financial leadership in a wide variety of financial institutions from large, multinational corporations to community banks to start-ups. She is also a founding council member of the Smith College Business Network. A long-time supporter of Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, she serves on the Women's Leadership Council, which she founded and chaired until 2020. She is a former board member of United Way Bay Area and Garth Fagan Dance.

Charmaine supports Rocketship because she has seen the striking impact Rocketship makes on the communities and children it serves. She strongly believes education is the most precious gift we can bestow on our children, and all children should have access to the highest quality education irrespective of the community in which they reside.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts with distinction from Smith College and an MBA from University of Chicago.

Dr. Raymond B. Raven is a nationally recognized orthopaedic surgeon, physician executive, entrepreneur, and healthcare innovator. He has served on the board of Rocketship Public Schools since 2015 and is also a board member of the California Orthopaedic Association, where he served as president from 2024 to 2025. His commitment to educational equity and healthcare access reflects both his personal journey and professional mission.

Dr. Raven grew up on the East Side of San Jose and attended local public schools. His mother’s persistence kept him from being placed in remedial classes and instead helped him enter the gifted program. He became the first in his family to attend college, earning a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry. He went on to receive his medical degree and complete his orthopaedic surgery residency at UC San Francisco, followed by fellowship training in Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery at Columbia University-Roosevelt Hospital. In parallel with his medical career, he earned an MBA from UC Irvine and a Master of Health Care Innovation from the University of Pennsylvania.

In addition to treating patients, Dr. Raven is a successful entrepreneur and medical device inventor. His patented innovations are used by physicians worldwide to improve surgical care and outcomes. He founded and led two medical groups and currently practices at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Southern California, where he also teaches orthopaedic surgery residents and fellows. Dr. Raven and his wife, Despina, support Rocketship’s mission to provide high-quality early education so that every child, regardless of background, has the opportunity to succeed.

Deborah has been committed to transforming the lives of underserved urban school students for more than four decades. In 1993, Deborah became the first public school superintendent to join EdisonLearning (formerly Edison Schools). Prior to joining EdisonLearning, Deborah served as the first female General Superintendent of Detroit Public Schools. She was a teacher and administrator in the New York City Public Schools for more than a decade. Deborah is former President of the Education Industry Association. She serves on the executive committee of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, Policy Innovators in Education Network, and was a founder and national board member of the Black Alliance for Educational Options. She also serves on the advisory board of the Games and Learning Publishing Council, Hechinger Report, Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and is a member of the Review Board for the Broad Prize in Urban Education. Deborah holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Norfolk State University, a master’s degree in education with a specialization in reading pedagogy from Queens College of the City University of New York, and a doctorate in Administration, Policy and Urban Education from Fordham University.

Alex brings over two decades of leadership and management experience in the education and nonprofit sectors, including roles at the Stupski Foundation, the Learning Accelerator, and Leadership Public Schools. He previously served on the boards of CollegeSpring, Leadership Public Schools, and Design Tech High School. He also completed the Broad Residency, a two-year program that prepares participants for leadership roles in public education.

Alex supports Rocketship because he believes all families should have access to an excellent public school education, regardless of their socioeconomic background or zip code. He feels Rocketship's focus on personalized learning, talent development, and parent engagement delivers on this promise and catalyzes transformative change, both within the communities we serve and the broader education sector.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from UC Berkeley and an MBA from Stanford University.