MOXIE is founded and led by Mainers with deep K-12 education, nonprofit, and community expertise– including track records as teachers, school leaders, and superintendents.

We bring lived experiences as multilingual, cognitively diverse, first-generation college going, rural, and immigrant students. Several of us are also parents of current students in Maine’s public schools.

Our school leadership includes:

Dr. Beth Rabbitt, Ed.L.D.
Founding Executive Officer

Beth brings over 20 years of experience in the K-12 nonprofit, philanthropic, and private sectors, having worked as a teacher, consultant, researcher, and nonprofit leader. Beth is a Portland  Pahara-Aspen Education Fellow and serves on the board of several education nonprofits, including Catalyst:Ed and GiveThx. She earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College and a doctorate (Ed.L.D.) from Harvard University, where she was an inaugural cohort member in the University’s Doctor of Education Leadership program. Beth lives in Portland, Maine, and is a parent of students in Portland Public Schools. A passional fan of outdoor recreation and public spaces, she is Chairperson of the Portland Parks Commission and a board member of the Portland Parks Conservancy.

Daniel Sonrouille, M.Ed.
Founding Principal and Lead of Teaching and Learning

Dan brings over 20 years of experience in education working with K-12 students and schools, supporting schools districts, and working with teachers from across the country as a Professor of Secondary Science, Curriculum Design at Relay Grad School of Ed. He has been the founding member of three high schools where he designed and taught numerous science courses while also serving in a variety of teacher leadership and network-level leadership roles. He holds school building and district curricular certifications in Maine, a B.S. in biology from Central Connecticut State University and a master’s degree in secondary education from City College, NYDan lives in Portland, Maine, and is a parent of students in Portland Public Schools

Founding Board Members

  • Juliana Charles Brown, M.Ed.

    Charlie is Senior Director of Systems Transformation at KnowledgeWorks and resides in Portland, Maine. She is an expert in education policy, competency-based learning, and equitable performance assessment systems, having worked at the New York City Department of Education, the Center for Collaborative Education, and the the NYC Mastery Collaborative. Charlie earned a bachelors in American History from McGill University and a masters in Education Policy from Columbia University. Outside of KnowledgeWorks, Charlie can be found riding motorcycles, hiking and enjoying electronic music.

  • Jessie Seymour Perkins

    Jessie is a multigenerational Mainer with deep experience working across business/ nonprofit lines to build stronger cross-sectional partnerships for thriving communities. She previously served as the head of the Bethel Chamber of Commerce, leading efforts to diversify Western Maine’s economy and strengthening its role as a hub for outdoor recreation. She is an active member of the Maine Climate Council, and led the Bethel Area Nonprofit Collaborative. Jessie earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College and an IOM certificate from the Institute of Management.

  • Matthew Pouillot

    Matt serves as CEO and Broker of Pouliot Real Estate Group, where he applies entrepreneurial vision to address Maine’s housing needs and community development. A native of Augusta, Matt began his career in politics at a young age, serving in the Maine House of Representatives and then in the State Senate — most recently representing District 15 — where he championed financial literacy in schools, affordable housing policy, and transparency in public benefits reporting.  Beyond public service and real estate, he sits on local civic and business boards, including the Kennebec Valley Board of Realtors, Augusta Rotary, and the Downtown Alliance.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Maine at Augusta,  and his deep ties to the region inform both his professional and civic leadership.

  • Virgel Hammonds, M.Ed.

    Virgel is co-Chief Executive Officer of FullScale, where he forges partnerships with national policymakers and local learning communities across the country to support communities to redesign systems to become more learner-centered. Virgel was formerly superintendent of the RSU 2 school district in Maine, Chief Learning Officer at KnowledgeWorks, and a high school principal at Lindsay Unified School District in California. Virgel serves on multiple boards, including the Jobs for Maine Graduates Executive and Mastery Transcript Consortium Advisory Council. He has bachelor’s degree from the University of Mass Lowell and a Master of Education from Fresno Pacific University. Virgel is the parent of two students in the Maine school district he led as a superintendent.