Andrew Bergen (1st term July 1, 2023, Term Ending - June 30, 2029)
Board Chair

Andrew is a facilitator and coach, incorporating elements of problem solving skills, group dynamics, and thinking tools to assist groups in strategic planning and stakeholder input. His training includes brain-based coaching, processes and tools for effectively working with conflict, assisting parties to come to collaborative solutions. He is also educated in effective team process, including the use of the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory. For most of his career, Andrew Bergen was involved in the education sector in several different ways. Beginning as a teacher in inner city schools, he developed a passion for helping people learn, develop their potential, and find those “aha” moments. His career developed to involvement mostly in the adult education sector, from teaching in a university in St. Petersburg, Russia to a college in rural Saskatchewan. Following this portion of his professional life, he became involved in local school board governance. It was in this role that he began to study the work of Dr. John Carver, the inventor of the Policy Governance® Model.

Andrew introduced the board of the School Division to the Policy Governance® Model and chaired the board during its implementation of the model. Serving in that capacity, he was able to learn and develop practices for the hands-on application of Policy Governance®. Andrew has received advanced training at the Policy Governance© Academy SM and regularly participates in professional development regarding the Policy Governance® Model. Andrew currently holds a contract with the Saskatoon Health Region as the lead consultant in strategy for both leadership coaching and development, as well as conflict resolution.

Steve Schroeder  (1st term July 1, 2023, Term Ending - June 30, 2029)
Board Vice Chair

Steve Schroeder has served on the Sun Prairie Area School District Board of Education since 2012 with five years as vice president and six years as president. In this role, Steve has assisted the district with its move to a form of Policy Governance, passing three referenda totaling more than $250M, developing a new strategic framework, and ensuring a focus on equity and meeting the needs of every child.

Steve Schroeder serves as the Director of Administration at the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators (AWSA).  In this role, Steve oversees all internal operations for AWSA as well as strategic planning and continuous improvement initiatives.  He also develops and facilitates leadership training for school leadership around the state.

Steve has a true passion for working with others through servant leadership, collaboration, and shared vision. He received his B.A. and M.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Edgewood College.

He and his wife Erin, a high school math teacher, are the proud parents of two girls.  In his free time, Steve enjoys yard work, reading, skiing, and being a dad.

Patricia McCarver (1st term July 1, 2019, Term Ending - June 30, 2025)
Past Board Chair

Dr. Patricia McCarver lives in Prescott and has been a District Governing Board member at Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona, since January 2005. She is currently serving as a senior faculty member in the Teacher’s College at Western Governors University, teaching Educational Psychology and Research Writing to graduate and undergraduate students.

Dr. McCarver has a broad background of experience and knowledge of higher education.

She has presented at many professional conferences, on topics related to education, student services, transformative learning and group development. Dr. McCarver has also provided training for the Yavapai College Board as an internal consultant and presented at the Association of Community College Trustees meetings on her Board’s practice in Policy Governance.

[email protected] 

Chuck Namit (1st term, July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2025)

Chuck Namit is an education and nonprofit consultant and is president of Strategem, LLC, governance and leadership group that provides training, facilitation, board self- assessment, CEO and superintendent evaluation, CEO coaching, and governance training services for the public schools and the community. The firm provides governance training in Values Governance®, board governance, CEO coaching, development training, and conference presentations. Chuck has a Master’s degree in communication from Michigan State University and an MBA degree from the University of Puget Sound. He is author of the book Now Elected, Now What? The Path to Successful School District Governance (Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham, 2017).

Chuck is in his seventh four-year term as a member of the North Thurston Public Schools Board of Directors, a council member on the Thurston Regional Planning Council, and has been a board member of the WSSDA. 
[email protected]

Rob Lewis (1st term, July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2024)

Rob is currently the Executive Director of Youth HQ (since 2020), a youth serving agency in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.  Through its 3 program steams (Big Brothers Big Sister, Boys and Girls Clubs, and the 49^th Street Youth Shelter) Youth HQ serves approximately 2000 children and youth annually across Central and West-Central Alberta. 

Rob has been part of the Policy Governance work since 2013 and completed the PGP training in 2017.  Currently, Rob is working with the Board of Youth HQ as they transition to the Policy Governance Model.

Rob has always had a passion for people and has enjoyed a lifetime of working in or around the charitable sector in Canada and the United States in various capacities ranging from Board and governance, to Executive Leadership, to outcome and evaluation.  Rob’s involvement on the Govern of Impact Board of Directors will allow him to serve in a new and exciting way.

Mellissa D'Onofrio-Jones  (1st term, July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2024)

Mellissa D’Onofrio-Jones is the CEO of Ontario Library Service, a non-profit organization mandated by the Province of Ontario to provide services and supports to public library boards and staff.  Mellissa has many years’ experience serving the OLS Board who operate under Policy Governance.  She sees the positive impact Policy Governance has had on the success of the OLS, and is interested in how it might be applied to other non-profit and public library boards.

Mellissa is a Graduate of the concurrent education program from the University of Windsor and has a Masters of Library and Information Science from the University of Western.  She currently facilitates the Advancing Public Library Leadership program for the OLS, working with dynamic and aspiring leaders to build skills that enable them to lead healthy workplaces effectively in this changing political and economic environment.

Mellissa graduated from the 2023/2024 Policy Governance Proficiency Program.  She believes strongly in effective governance, and in the Policy Governance Model’s power to enable functional governance that empowers an organization to thrive. 

Chantal Ouelette , (1st term July 1, 2020, Term Ending - June 30, 2026)

Chantal Ouellette joined the GOVERN for IMPACT Board of Directors as at July 1, 2020.  Chantal is very familiar with Policy Governance. She graduated from the Policy Govern Proficiency Program in 2018.

Chantal Ouellette has been serving as board administrator of a non-profit organization since 2012 that serves Francophone School Boards in New Brunswick, Canada. She is coaching the boards in their implementation of Policy Governance (PG) and assisting the chairs in the interpretation of their roles, and the roles & responsibilities of their boards, in conformity of the Education Act and PG. She is also collaborating to develop a Board Member Manual explaining the fiduciary role of a School Board and its members, and how to work within the Policy Governance Model. She believes PG has the capacity to empower Boards to create a better future for humanity.

Lindsay Grillet (1st term July 1, 2021, Term Ending - June 30, 2025)

Rick Maloney, Associate Board Member
I have been a local board member for the University Place School District beginning in 1995. In 2001-2003 as board president I led the investigation, decision to proceed, and implementation of the Policy Governance model, which our district has continuously used to govern the district for the past 21 years. As a result of our governing practice, our district has consistently produced outcomes for students that rank among the top tier (top 20 of 295 districts in one rating system, top 10 in another) of school districts in Washington State, although our student demographics reflect much greater poverty and diversity than almost all other districts at the highest levels. Since then, I have provided dozens of presentations on our Policy Governance experience at state and national school conferences and have provided two presentations for International Policy Governance Association (2007, "Board Business or Staff Business - An Agenda that Works") and Govern for Impact (2020, "The Continuous Journey Toward Board Effectiveness"). I have written two books on governance (A Framework for School Governance, 2017, and Putting Policy Governance to Work, 2018) and wrote an article for the inaugural issue of Govern magazine on our district's then-19 years of experience using the model (2021). Since 2006 I have consulted with and coached other boards in their efforts to apply the Policy Governance model. I provided two days of governance training for the District Education Councils (4 anglophone and 3 francophone boards) of New Brunswick, Canada (2021) and a keynote presentation for the annual conference of the New Mexico School Boards Association (2023). As a member of the board of directors of the Washington State School Boards' Association I have influenced the adoption of evaluation practices for the association based on policy governance principles.

Keisha Richards, Associate Board Member

Keisha L. Richards' extensive professional experience and interest in Policy Governance makes her a potential great contributor to the GOVERN Board. Her dynamic and results-driven approach honed over 30 years in the banking, hospitality, and construction product industries has seen her excel in managing strategic partnerships and providing expert assistance with regulatory compliance, strategic planning, and staff development.

As the CEO of St. Thomas Federal Credit Union, Keisha has demonstrated her ability to navigate complex issues and develop strategies to address operational gaps, enhancing efficiency and productivity. Her previous experience as Vice President of Regional Operations at Banco de Puerto Rico further underscores her leadership skills and ability to collaborate cross-functionally to develop and implement SOPs and new product launch strategies.

Keisha's involvement as a Managing Member of Solum Group LLC, a firm that provides rental properties where tenants live in comfort, style, and elegance, and Managing Director of The Compliance Corner®, a consultant firm that provides regulatory guidelines for new and existing small and mid-businesses, showcases her commitment to supporting businesses and individuals in their growth and development. Her educational background includes a BA in Business Administration, Management, and Operations from the University of the Virgin Islands and a Graduate Certificate in Auditing from Walden University, along with her various professional certifications as a Certified Bank Secrecy Officer, Certified Risk Manager, Certified Human Resources Professional, Certified Business Development Officer, and Certified Internal Auditor. She sits on the Board of Directors for CU*South, a technology and core software that services credit unions. Her professional acumen has equipped her with a solid foundation to contribute effectively to the GOVERN Board.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Keisha is also actively involved in community initiatives, such as "Feeding the Homeless" and "Teaching Children to Save." She has also been a guest speaker at several women's empowerment and educational conferences. These experiences reflect her dedication to giving back to the community and her ability to inspire and educate others.