Will Austin

Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Will served as a math teacher at Roxbury Preparatory Charter School and was nominated for Massachusetts Teacher of the Year. He subsequently served as Co-Director for Roxbury Prep, and then as Chief Operating Officer for Roxbury Prep for Uncommon Schools, overseeing the school’s expansion from one to four campuses. Prior to Roxbury Prep, Will served as a fellow at the Steppingstone Foundation. A lifetime resident of Boston and a graduate of Boston Public Schools, Will earned his A.B. in Government from Harvard College and a Master’s Degree in Education from Tufts University.

Will serves as President of the Boston Schools Fund Board of Directors, and as a Director for the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund.

Rana Suh Kannan

Chief Operating Officer

Previously serving as the Managing Director for Boston School Finder, Rana has worked in Boston for the majority of her career in education, supporting students and families. Rana previously taught Algebra and led the Graduate Services team at Roxbury Prep Charter School, coached teachers and school leadership teams as a consultant and for The Achievement Network, and led the implementation of academic intervention programs at Phoenix Charter Academy Network. Prior to her role at Boston Schools Fund, Rana launched Strategic Partnership Programs at Salsify, an eCommerce startup company in Boston. She earned a B.A. in History and Psychology and a Master's Degree in Education Policy & Management from Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Alexandra vonBallmoos

Administrative Assistant

Prior to BSF, Alex garnered more than ten years of administrative experience. Most recently, she served as Executive Assistant to the Head of School at Mother Caroline Academy, where she also provided major support to the development office. Prior to her time at MCA, Alex served as an assistant at a media firm in Washington, D.C. She earned her B.A. in Communications and Political Science from Florida State University.

Dorie Withey

Director of School Support-Literacy

Prior to her role at Boston Schools Fund, Dorie served as a Principal Instructional Specialist at Lit, an organization dedicated to helping school and system leaders build, implement, and sustain research-based reading ecosystems. In addition to working at Lit, Dorie was an Executive Director at The Achievement Network (ANet) where she coached and supported district-level leaders across the country on both academic and assessment strategy. Dorie began her career in the classroom where she taught middle school Language Arts and also served as a school leader for an extended day program in Boston. She earned her B.S. from University of Florida and Master’s Degree in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education. 

Will Austin
Founder and CEO,
Boston Schools Fund

Hank Boye
Managing Director, Strategic Resources Group,
Thomas H. Lee Partners

John Nelson
Principal,
Berkshire Partners

Claire Newton

Lisa Jackson (Chair)

Tammy Tai
Principal,
Tai Consulting

Andrea Wolfe
Chief Advancement Officer,
Mass Insight