Executive Team


	Scott Van Beck Executive Director - Contact Dr. Scott Van Beck is a native Iowan and holds a B.A. in History from the University of Iowa, an M.A. in History from the University of Houston, and a Doctorate of Education from the University of Houston. He started his professional career as a teacher at Lanier Middle School in Houston ISD. Later, he taught and served as an assistant principal at Lamar High School, then principal of Paul Revere Middle School. During the 1996-97 school year, Scott was selected Region IV middle school principal of the year. In 1999, he was named principal of the new Westside High School. Scott has served in numerous school leadership capacities, especially those focusing on high school transformation through small school development. In April 2005, he was named West Region Superintendent for Houston ISD, where he supervised 60+schools with a student population of over 54,000. In December 2007, Scott was named Executive Director of Houston A+ Challenge, where he provides vision and direction for a portfolio of inter-related programs designed to increase student college and career readiness, by strengthening classroom instruction, school leadership, and district support for student post-secondary success. He has been married 25 years to his wife Sarah and is father to four native Texans – Wesley, Helen, Sam and Neil. In his spare time, he referees high school basketball games. http://www.twitter.com/scottvanbeck
	Tom Monaghan Director of School Performance - Contact Tom joined Houston A+ Challenge as Director of School Performance in June 2010 to launch A+’s work with students, teachers , principals and families in Challenge Network middle schools. He leads program design and implementation for the initiative, and provides executive coaching to principals at Challenge Network schools and through the Middle School Leadership Academy. Tom came to A+ with 27 years of experience in Houston ISD, most recently having served as Executive Principal in the West Region, where he worked closely with six middle schools and four high schools to build leadership capacity and transform secondary school cultures. He is a longtime member of the A+ network, having graduated from our New Visions in Leadership Academy in 2002 and serving as an Academy coach through the 2009-10 school year. During his tenure as principal of Lanier Middle School from 1998 to 2005, he led the implementation of the school’s Houston Annenberg Challenge Beacon School grant.
	Sheri Miller-Williams Director of School Performance - Contact Dr. Sheri Miller-Williams has served as Director of Leadership and School Performance for Houston A+ Challenge since April 2008. Since then, she has guided all aspects of principal leadership training for A+, including program design, curriculum development, instructional delivery and executive coaching for both aspiring and seated school principals. Currently, she leads principal training and coaching for the Middle School Leadership Academy and oversees school performance work at one Challenge Network Middle School. Prior to joining Houston A+, Sheri served as Vice President of Educational Services and Vice President of Achievement for Edison Schools, where she provided training and supervision for principals and developed programs with partner schools and districts across a 10-state territory. During her six-year tenure with Edison, her track record as a “turnaround specialist” earned her two "Double Four Star Principal" awards – Edison's highest honor for student achievement improvement, school fiscal and operational management (2002-03 and 2004-05). Sheri holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Dillard University, and both an M.A. in Educational Administration and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Prairie View A&M University.
	Marilu Garza Director of Development - Contact Marilu joined Houston A+ Challenge in July 2010 and brings a wealth of experience, enthusiasm and dedication in the realms of public education and nonprofit management. Most recently, she served as Development Director for Memorial Assistance Ministries, a local faith-based organization that helps provide rent and utility assistance to those in need. From 2003 to 2009, Marilu worked as a regional bilingual consultant for textbook publishers Houghton Mifflin and Harcourt. She started her career in 1978 as a first grade bilingual teacher at Wharton Elementary in Houston ISD, eventually advancing to become an assistant to former Superintendent Billy Reagan. She chaired the Cattle Barron's Ball in 2002, and has served as Vice President of Projects for Houston Junior Forum and as Chairman of Spring Branch ISD's Hispanic Advisory Committee.
	Melissa Milios Davis Director of Communications - Contact Melissa has been with Houston A+ Challenge since January 2007, after serving the Los Angeles Unified School District as Director of Communications for the Board President. Prior to that, she worked as a K-12 and higher education reporter for the Daily Breeze newspaper in southern Los Angeles County, where she received a Copley Ring of Truth Honorable Mention for her thoughtful education coverage. She spent three years as a news content producer for the Austin American-Statesman’s web site, Austin360.com, and a year as content manager of a sister site in San Antonio. She also has worked at National Public Radio affiliates in Los Angeles and the Voice of America in London. Melissa holds a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Southern California. She was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio.
	Catherine Reed CPA, Director of Finance - Contact Catherine came to Houston A+ Challenge after 19 years at the Greater Houston Partnership, where she was vice-president for finance and administration. Before joining the Partnership, she was an audit manager for Deloitte Haskins & Sells. Catherine graduated summa cum laude from Rice University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Accounting degree, and is a Certified Public Accountant. She has served as treasurer for Trinity Episcopal Church, the PTO at T.H.Rogers School and the National iMIS Users Group for membership database software.
	Mukta Pandit Special Advisor to the Executive Director - Contact Mukta Pandit is the Founder and CEO of Safal Partners. Prior to founding Safal, Mukta was with the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation for five years, where she led the foundation's expansion efforts in U.S. education and launched international giving in India and Africa. Mukta also drove portfolio analysis and measurement for performance management and charter grants totaling over $160M. Prior to MSDF, Mukta was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Co., where she led engagements in operational improvement and strategy development in the non-profit and for-profit sectors. Prior to McKinsey, Mukta served extensively in Information Technology, with a focus in data warehouse design and business intelligence reporting. Mukta holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business, where she graduated as a Palmer Scholar.

Scott Van Beck

Executive Director - Contact

Dr. Scott Van Beck is a native Iowan and holds a B.A. in History from the University of Iowa, an M.A. in History from the University of Houston, and a Doctorate of Education from the University of Houston. He started his professional career as a teacher at Lanier Middle School in Houston ISD. Later, he taught and served as an assistant principal at Lamar High School, then principal of Paul Revere Middle School. During the 1996-97 school year, Scott was selected Region IV middle school principal of the year. In 1999, he was named principal of the new Westside High School.

Scott has served in numerous school leadership capacities, especially those focusing on high school transformation through small school development. In April 2005, he was named West Region Superintendent for Houston ISD, where he supervised 60+schools with a student population of over 54,000.

In December 2007, Scott was named Executive Director of Houston A+ Challenge, where he provides vision and direction for a portfolio of inter-related programs designed to increase student college and career readiness, by strengthening classroom instruction, school leadership, and district support for student post-secondary success.

He has been married 25 years to his wife Sarah and is father to four native Texans – Wesley, Helen, Sam and Neil. In his spare time, he referees high school basketball games.

http://www.twitter.com/scottvanbeck

Tom Monaghan

Director of School Performance - Contact

Tom joined Houston A+ Challenge as Director of School Performance in June 2010 to launch A+’s work with students, teachers , principals and families in Challenge Network middle schools. He leads program design and implementation for the initiative, and provides executive coaching to principals at Challenge Network schools and through the Middle School Leadership Academy. Tom came to A+ with 27 years of experience in Houston ISD, most recently having served as Executive Principal in the West Region, where he worked closely with six middle schools and four high schools to build leadership capacity and transform secondary school cultures. He is a longtime member of the A+ network, having graduated from our New Visions in Leadership Academy in 2002 and serving as an Academy coach through the 2009-10 school year. During his tenure as principal of Lanier Middle School from 1998 to 2005, he led the implementation of the school’s Houston Annenberg Challenge Beacon School grant.

Sheri Miller-Williams

Director of School Performance - Contact

Dr. Sheri Miller-Williams has served as Director of Leadership and School Performance for Houston A+ Challenge since April 2008. Since then, she has guided all aspects of principal leadership training for A+, including program design, curriculum development, instructional delivery and executive coaching for both aspiring and seated school principals. Currently, she leads principal training and coaching for the Middle School Leadership Academy and oversees school performance work at one Challenge Network Middle School. Prior to joining Houston A+, Sheri served as Vice President of Educational Services and Vice President of Achievement for Edison Schools, where she provided training and supervision for principals and developed programs with partner schools and districts across a 10-state territory. During her six-year tenure with Edison, her track record as a “turnaround specialist” earned her two "Double Four Star Principal" awards – Edison's highest honor for student achievement improvement, school fiscal and operational management (2002-03 and 2004-05). Sheri holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Dillard University, and both an M.A. in Educational Administration and a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Prairie View A&M University.

Marilu Garza

Director of Development - Contact

Marilu joined Houston A+ Challenge in July 2010 and brings a wealth of experience, enthusiasm and dedication in the realms of public education and nonprofit management. Most recently, she served as Development Director for Memorial Assistance Ministries, a local faith-based organization that helps provide rent and utility assistance to those in need. From 2003 to 2009, Marilu worked as a regional bilingual consultant for textbook publishers Houghton Mifflin and Harcourt. She started her career in 1978 as a first grade bilingual teacher at Wharton Elementary in Houston ISD, eventually advancing to become an assistant to former Superintendent Billy Reagan. She chaired the Cattle Barron's Ball in 2002, and has served as Vice President of Projects for Houston Junior Forum and as Chairman of Spring Branch ISD's Hispanic Advisory Committee.

Melissa Milios Davis

Director of Communications - Contact

Melissa has been with Houston A+ Challenge since January 2007, after serving the Los Angeles Unified School District as Director of Communications for the Board President. Prior to that, she worked as a K-12 and higher education reporter for the Daily Breeze newspaper in southern Los Angeles County, where she received a Copley Ring of Truth Honorable Mention for her thoughtful education coverage. She spent three years as a news content producer for the Austin American-Statesman’s web site, Austin360.com, and a year as content manager of a sister site in San Antonio. She also has worked at National Public Radio affiliates in Los Angeles and the Voice of America in London. Melissa holds a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Southern California. She was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio.

Catherine Reed

CPA, Director of Finance - Contact

Catherine came to Houston A+ Challenge after 19 years at the Greater Houston Partnership, where she was vice-president for finance and administration. Before joining the Partnership, she was an audit manager for Deloitte Haskins & Sells. Catherine graduated summa cum laude from Rice University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Accounting degree, and is a Certified Public Accountant. She has served as treasurer for Trinity Episcopal Church, the PTO at T.H.Rogers School and the National iMIS Users Group for membership database software.

Mukta Pandit

Special Advisor to the Executive Director - Contact

Mukta Pandit is the Founder and CEO of Safal Partners. Prior to founding Safal, Mukta was with the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation for five years, where she led the foundation's expansion efforts in U.S. education and launched international giving in India and Africa. Mukta also drove portfolio analysis and measurement for performance management and charter grants totaling over $160M. Prior to MSDF, Mukta was an Engagement Manager at McKinsey & Co., where she led engagements in operational improvement and strategy development in the non-profit and for-profit sectors. Prior to McKinsey, Mukta served extensively in Information Technology, with a focus in data warehouse design and business intelligence reporting. Mukta holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business, where she graduated as a Palmer Scholar.