FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 3, 2022
CONTACT: Kimberly Aguilar, (805) 341-4689
Compass Charter Schools (Compass) is pleased to formally introduce Elizabeth (Liz) Brenner as our incoming Superintendent & CEO. J.J. Lewis, current Superintendent & CEO, announced his resignation in late August after seven years in the role, which led the Board of Directors to work with the search firm McPherson & Jacobson to find his successor. After an extensive search, the Board named Brenner as the next leader, taking the helm officially on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
Brenner has more than 20 years of experience in education, starting as a high school teacher in New Jersey and currently serving as Chief Development Officer at SIATech. She has served as a teacher, vice principal, principal, director of education, chief academic officer, and chief development officer. Brenner received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Kean University and her Master of Science in Educational Administration from National University. She has extensive charter school experience and knowledge of state accountability systems in classroom-based and independent study programs and is a passionate advocate for equity in education.
“Liz Brenner brings to Compass an impressive set of experiences that make her well-suited to both understand and serve the needs of our scholars and families as well as navigate the landscapes of policies that affect schools like ours. I’m excited to get to work with her on the next phase of Compass’s ongoing development,” shares Thomas Arnett, chair of the Board of Directors.
In Brenner’s position as Chief Development Officer with SIATech, she oversaw developing new partnerships and maintaining existing partnerships at fifteen school sites in California. In addition, she advocated for the school on legislative issues, policy changes, and compliance. As Chief Academic Officer, she supervised the Instructional Services team, including curriculum, student information, professional development, and student data. Brenner promoted collaboration and coordination across these teams to ensure that staff and students were supported in all educational aspects of the school. Furthermore, as Executive Director of Education, she oversaw operations at 12 school sites throughout California and directly supervised school site principals.
“I am eager to work with Ms. Brenner and to share ideas on what we can do to continue Compass’ success and growth,” shares Samantha Herrod, chair of the Parent Advisory Council and member of the Board of Directors. “I believe she has the skill set and capabilities to further our progress. I look forward to seeing what wonderful new ideas she has to offer and her becoming part of our Compass family!”
Brenner has experience building partnerships in the community; she is an advocate for policy efforts and has worked with local and state representatives. She has increased scholar enrollment, received grants, awards, and expanded a social-emotional program at her school. Brenner led two WASC accreditations cycles and leadership workshops in Hope Theory and Trauma Informed Systems. She also developed a new teacher evaluation system through the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) Educator Effectiveness and Evaluation (E3) project.
“Thank you to the Compass community and the Board of Directors for selecting me as your next Superintendent and CEO,” Brenner shares. “Equity in education has been my passion since I began my career in education, and I believe that personalized learning is a powerful way to achieve that equity. I also believe in developing trauma-informed practices to ensure that all scholars and staff feel safe and supported at school. Involving staff, parents, and community members in this effort is critical, and the work of becoming a trauma-sensitive school is paramount to scholar success. I have been a charter school advocate for over twenty years, and schools like Compass exemplify why charter schools are necessary. Parents of Compass scholars have a choice to enroll their scholars in a free public education that provides them with access to an equitable and engaging environment where they can reach their true potential. I look forward to continuing to support the great work that Compass is doing and in working on the priority areas that will ensure that this amazing school continues to thrive.”
To learn more about Brenner, visit her LinkedIn profile.
About Compass Charter Schools
Compass Charter Schools is a WASC-accredited virtual personalized learning public charter school serving thousands of scholars throughout California. Catering to TK-12 grade scholars, Compass offers two personalized learning programs. Compass is committed to creating a collaborative virtual learning community, inspiring scholars to appreciate the ways in which arts and sciences nurture a curiosity for lifelong learning, and preparing scholars to take responsibility for their future successes.
For more information, visit About Compass, and follow us on social media via Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.