Board of Directors

Mychael has been involved with public education for most of his adult life, teaching in Charles County and Howard County, Maryland, before moving into administration in Frederick County, Maryland. He rose from assistant principal to principal, coordinator and director in Wichita, Kansas, then assistant superintendent in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, superintendent in Owego, New York, and roles in the New York City school system as a Local Instructional Superintendent before work in Texas helping students who had dropped out of high school earn diplomas. Since retiring, he advocates for children through the PTA, the Military Family Advisory Network, and school district committees. He and his husband have two boys and reside in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Dr. Sheila Steen's career in education spans approximately 25 years, with 20 of those years serving at the middle school level. She is presently a Middle School Division Instructional Facilitator for Loudoun County Public Schools. Her previous experience includes special education teacher, special education department chair, and mentor leader, and she served as a middle school dean for several years. Dr. Steen earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from the College of William and Mary and her doctorate in Educational Administration and Policy Studies from The George Washington University. She is dedicated to middle level education and committed to supporting school communities in providing rich, engaging learning experiences for all students.

Barbara Nichols is retired from public education in Virginia after 34 years of service. She served as a classroom teacher and building administrator at the high school level for 16 years. The remainder of her career was at the division level, serving as Secondary Supervisor, Director of Middle School Education, and Interim Assistant Superintendent of Instruction with Loudoun County Public Schools in Northern Virginia. A past president of VMSA, Barbara became Executive Director in 2018.

Katie Johnson is starting her eighteenth year in education and, most importantly, her fourteenth year in the middle level. In addition to teaching United States History, Government and Civics at both the high school and middle school levels, she has served as a middle school department chair, dean, and assistant principal, and currently serves as principal of Belmont Ridge Middle School in Leesburg, Virginia. A graduate of the State University of New York at Binghamton, she earned her Master of Science in Education at Hofstra University and her administrative certificate at George Mason University. She values the transformative middle school years and embraces education of the whole child, focusing her leadership on deeper learning in a safe, supportive environment.

Dr. Sanders is the principal at St. Clare Walker Middle School in Middlesex County. Her teaching career began in 2009 as a middle school language arts teacher. She later became an elementary school principal before returning to the middle school level, where her passion lies. Dr. Sanders completed her bachelor's and master's degrees in teaching at James Madison University and a master's in Educational Leadership at William and Mary, earning her Doctorate of Education from VCU in 2022. She lives in Lancaster County with her husband and son.

Tori H. Beck began her career in Virginia Beach City Public Schools in 2013 as a middle school math teacher, then served as a math specialist and as an assistant principal at several middle schools before moving to the high school level. She holds a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Old Dominion University and a Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies from the University of Texas at Austin, and is endorsed in Administration and Supervision, PreK-12.

Shante' Knight is a career educator who has served as an elementary and middle school teacher, award-winning principal, and district leader. She is a proven school culture and academic transformation strategist specializing in leadership development and education innovation, having led underperforming schools to double-digit gains in student performance. She brings deep appreciation for the challenges students in marginalized communities face and sees education as the gateway to a fulfilled life. She earned her undergraduate degree from Bowie State University and her master's in Education Administration from Trinity College in Washington, DC, and resides in Midlothian, VA with her husband and two boys.

Ms. Dorsey, a 15-year veteran of public education, has worked in New York State, Virginia, DC, and Maryland public schools. In addition to teaching English Language Arts at the middle school level, she has served as a literacy coach, testing coordinator, and resource teacher, and worked at the Maryland Department of Education as an ELA Specialist helping districts develop formative assessments and lessons for grades 7 and 8, including service on Maryland's GEAR UP team. A graduate of Lehman College in the Bronx with an undergraduate degree in English, she earned a Master of Secondary Education from Bowie State University and is pursuing her Ph.D. at Notre Dame of Maryland University.

JJ Green is a respected educator whose career spans music education and school leadership. Beginning as a passionate band director, his bands earned numerous superior ratings, grand championships, and Virginia State Honor Band ratings. He then served as assistant principal at Marion Middle School with a focus on positive school culture and academic improvement, and now leads Chilhowie Middle School with an emphasis on student-centered practices, community engagement, and a supportive, inclusive environment. He is married with three children.

Adrian T. Chatman began her career at Greensville County Public Schools in 2011 as a seventh-grade English teacher, also serving as English Department Lead, forensic team coach, and on the School Improvement Team and VTSS committee. After 11 years of teaching she became the district's secondary Reading Coach before moving into administration. She earned her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Administration from Virginia State University, with a dissertation on teacher perceptions of socio-economic status and student success. She believes all students can learn, regardless of family SES, when given dedicated teachers, an encouraging community, and a supportive school climate and culture.

Jason Matlock is an accomplished educator with 20 years of experience, including a decade as a middle school administrator. As principal at Damascus Middle School, he fosters an inclusive, dynamic learning environment. Before administration he served as a special education teacher, developing deep understanding of diverse learning needs. He resides in the Damascus community with his wife and two sons and is committed to the power of education to shape the future.

Ms. Noffsinger leads computer science integration in SmithTech, teaching a fusion of the AVID elective with computer science principles. Named the 2025 VDOE Middle School Computer Science Champion Educator for her work in curriculum development, school-wide implementation, and family-friendly computer science nights, she is in her fifth year of teaching, all at Oscar Smith Middle School in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Dr. Frederick is originally from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and earned her Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education Social Studies from Auburn University. She began teaching in Austin, Texas, taught middle school history for three years, then earned her master's in School Administration from Peabody College at Vanderbilt University in 2005 while teaching middle school social studies in Washington County, VA, moving into administration as a middle school assistant principal in 2014. She earned her Doctorate of Education from East Tennessee State University in 2019 and joined the Education Department faculty in 2018, where she also serves as Director of the Neff Center for Teacher Education, Education Department Chair, and CAEP Lead.

Ken Nicely is superintendent of Roanoke County Public Schools, a district of 27 schools serving over 13,000 students, and was the 2025 Virginia Region VI Superintendent of the Year. Previously assistant superintendent, director of instruction, middle school principal, and Spanish teacher, his tenure has brought national recognitions including the Carnegie Foundation's Future of High Schools Network, Virginia Innovative Practice Awards, and District of Innovation status, alongside major facilities and student-support initiatives. A past VMSA president, he has served on the AMLE Board of Trustees, the AMLE Schools of Distinction steering committee, the Middle School Journal editorial board, and the AMLE Foundation Board.

Logan Childress, an accomplished music educator and producer turned Emerging Technology Specialist, is known for introducing innovative technologies and computer science initiatives in education, including building two state-of-the-art virtual reality labs that helped Bristol Virginia Public Schools earn a Top Schools designation. Recognized as a 2023 ISTE 20 to Watch winner and 2022 VSTE Outstanding Technology Coach of the Year, he has collaborated with state lawmakers on legislation promoting modern technologies in public education, with work featured by U.S. News and World Report, the Houston Chronicle, and The Washington Post.

Dr. Mark L'Esperance was named professor and dean of James Madison University's College of Education effective July 1, 2019. Previously professor and chair of Elementary and Middle Grades Education at East Carolina University, where he also led the ECU Community School, he has presented and published extensively and coached hundreds of administrators in strategic planning and instructional leadership. He earned his Ph.D. from UNC-Greensboro in 1998 and envisions a College of Education empowered by collective purpose, engagement, and national recognition for innovation in educator preparation.

Nancy Deutsch is the director of Youth-Nex, the UVA Center to Promote Effective Youth Development, and Professor of Research, Statistics and Evaluation and Applied Developmental Science. Her research examines the socio-ecological contexts of adolescent development, particularly identity, after-school programs, and relationships with important adults. She received her BA from Vassar College and Ph.D. in Human Development and Social Policy from Northwestern University, became editor of the Journal of Adolescent Research in 2017, and serves on the editorial board of Qualitative Psychology and the Research Advisory Board of the National Mentoring Resource Center.

Abby Gillespie is Director of Strategy and Engagement for the UVA Youth-Nex Center, building networks and partnerships, driving key initiatives, and enhancing organizational capacity, with a focus on the Reimagining Middle School initiative to dramatically improve learning experiences and outcomes for young adolescents. Her career spans classroom teaching, advocacy and policy, education and healthcare consulting, and nonprofit management. She earned a Master of Education from Pace University and a bachelor's degree from UNC-Chapel Hill.