Charlie is the 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 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.

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 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.

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 nonprofits, including the Portland Parks Conservancy. 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 volunteer Ski Patroller.

Alaariu is Facilities Director at Portland Community Squash. In his prior rols as event director, he helpoed PCS grow from a few major events a year into a hub of weekly community gatherings. Alaari was born in a small town in Western Sudan and arrived in 1to the U.S. in the kate 1980s, working to earn a college degree with honors while building a career that took him from mail clerk to office manager. He moved to Maine in 2007 and, before joining PCS, worked as a mental health counselor and DSP. A proud father of five— including an incoming MOXIE student— Alaari speaks English, Arabic, and basic Spanish and holds CRMA, DSP, MHSS, CPI, and CPR/First Aid certifications.