Meet Our Team

Karen Annette Francois serves as Chief Executive Officer of Explore Schools, leading a network that serves approximately 1,700 students across Brooklyn. She brings over 20 years of experience in education, including a decade in senior leadership roles at Explore Schools.
As CEO, Karen Annette recently led Vision ’31, Explore’s strategic plan grounded in deep stakeholder engagement and values-driven leadership. Under her guidance, Explore has achieved significant gains in mathematics and reached new milestones in English Language Arts, while also navigating a strategic school consolidation with care, transparency, and community partnership.
Previously, as Assistant Superintendent, she led network-wide strategy for culturally responsive teaching, strengthening academic rigor across K–8 and advancing asset-based approaches. As Principal of Explore Excel Charter School, she drove dramatic student achievement growth, including a 43-percentage point increase in ELA and 42-percentage point increase in math.
Karen Annette began her career as a New York City Teaching Fellow and has held teaching, coaching, and leadership roles across district and charter schools. She holds a BA from Hofstra University and an MS from Brooklyn College. A native New Yorker, she proudly identifies as Haitian-American and is an “Auntie” to many.

Senior Leadership

Qtyashia Arrington

Managing Director of Community Partnership and Family Engagement
Awo Busumsi

Managing Director of Schools
Efrat Kussell

Chief Academic Officer
Tracy Rebe

Chief Schools & Operations Officer
Joel Tracy

Senior Director of Leadership Development
Sam Wilder

Managing Director of Finance
Tiffany Williams

Managing Director of Talent
Veronica Wooley

Managing Director of Operations