Meet Our Team
We are thrilled to announce that Karen Annette Francois has been named as Chief Executive Officer of Explore Schools Inc.
Karen Annette was selected at the conclusion of a lengthy national search led by Promise54 and the Explore Schools Board of Trustees. As Assistant Superintendent, Karen Annette led Explore’s strategy around culturally responsive teaching and unfinished teaching and learning. As CEO, Karen Annette will bring her belief in the importance of strong partnerships with all stakeholders and her commitment to understanding the community’s motivation and context as key levers to authentic, long-lasting student achievement.
Carrie Mauer and Christina Froeb, who co-led Explore Schools for the last four years, will be supporting the transition. We are incredibly grateful for the work Carrie and Christina have put into leading the organization and for their support through this leadership transition.
Please see below for Karen Annette’s bio and to learn more about Explore Schools.

Karen Annette Francois
Chief Executive Officer
Learn More
Karen Annette Francois is proud to serve as Chief Executive Officer of Explore Schools after nearly two decades working in education, including 10 years in leadership roles at Explore Schools. Most recently, as Assistant Superintendent, Karen Annette led the network’s strategy around culturally responsive teaching and unfinished teaching and learning, ensuring a strong, rigorous core academic program across K-8 and spearheading a shift to asset-based thinking. Among her many accomplishments, while leading Explore Excel Charter School, as Principal, Karen Annette led the school to an impressive 43 percentage point growth in ELA and 42 percentage point growth in Math. Her success underscores her deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, centering students’ experiences and identities. Karen Annette believes in the importance of strong partnerships with all stakeholders and values understanding the community’s motivation and context as key levers to authentic, long-lasting student achievement.
Before her appointment as Chief Executive Officer, Karen Annette held teaching, coaching and leadership positions in district schools and charter schools in New York City. She started her career in education as part of the New York City Teaching Fellows program. Karen Annette earned her BA in Speech Communication and Rhetorical Studies from Hofstra University and MS in Childhood Education from Brooklyn College. Additionally, she completed the School District Leadership program and performed post-graduate work at Hofstra University. She is a native New Yorker who proudly identifies as Haitian-American and can be found jogging in Prospect Park or in deep thought at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Senior Leadership
Organized alphabetically by first name

Awo Busumsi
Managing Director of Schools and Programs

Efrat Kussell
Chief Academic Officer

Greg Foster
Chief Operating and Financial Officer

Tracy Rebe
Chief Schools Officer

Tiffany Williams
Interim Managing Director of Human Resources & Finance

Veronica Woolley
Managing Director of Operations

Yasmin Mohsin
Managing Director of Talent
Explore Schools Network Staff
Organized alphabetically by first name

Adam Williams
Director of Technology and Operations

Amanda Hladky
Senior Director of School Operations

Asia Thomas
Student Recruitment Associate

Brittany Michelle
Senior Director of Humanties

Brooke Workman
Senior Consultant of Special Populations

Ebony Staley
Special Projects Associate

Eddie Natal
Finance Associate

Elijah Figueroa
Finance Associate

Eun Mee Willm
Senior Director of Science, Technology, and Mathematics

Isabel Morales
Centralized Procurement Operations Associate

Jarren Kanze
Senior Director of Special Populations

Jeremy Thomas
Senior Director of Special Projects

Kadean Stone-Maddix
Director of Science, Technology, and Mathematics

Kelsey Phillips
Special Assistant to CEO

Kyle Penceal
Recruitment Manager

Mo Kadry
Recruitment Associate

Molly Lenowitz
Senior Recruitment Manager

Nicole Worthy
Senior Talent Manager

Q'tyashia Arrington
Senior Director of Community Partnership & Family Engagement

Rachel Wiley
Operations and Reporting Manager

Sabrina del Sherpa
Senior Director of Literacy

Sherquana Charles
Senior Finance Manager

Skye Bailey
Senior Director of School Culture and Experience

Smriti Rai
Senior Finance Manager

Stefani Gospodinova
Director of Data and Operations

Topher Chavis
Senior Talent Manager

Yetunde Olayinka
Family Engagement Manager
Join the Explore team!
Contact Us
Phone:
347-201-0744
E-mail:
information@explorenetwork.org
Mail:
Explore Schools
20 Jay Street, Suite 211
Brooklyn, NY 11201
© Explore Schools 2022