About

Mission

To enrich the next generation(s)of K-12 students, both in and outside of the classroom, by delivering high-quality standards and curriculum, equipping parents, teachers and community members, and advocating for academic freedom, transparency and parental rights.

Vision

Engaged parents raising virtuous children equipped with core knowledge and an understanding of America's founding principles in order to protect their own future as a self-governing people.

Our Core Values

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Well-being

We believe each generation should ensure opportunities exist that allow the next generation to flourish.

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Authority

We believe parents are the ultimate authority over the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of their children.

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Self-Respect

We believe in a healthy balance of self-respect and self-esteem.

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Providence

We believe God has providence and our founding principles reflect His Will.

MEET THE TEAM

Leadership Team

Advisory Board

Leadership Team

Don Charles

Executive Chairman

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Don Charles is the Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of Freedom in Education, bringing decades of strategic leadership to one of the most complex challenges facing the nation: K–12 education. A retired business executive, Don recognized through both professional and personal experience that America’s education system faces multifaceted problems—gaps in academic quality, lack of transparency, and declining student outcomes.

With a deep belief that education is a moral responsibility and the foundation of economic opportunity, Don now applies his expertise in building and scaling global businesses to drive systemic change. At Freedom in Education, he focuses on identifying and advancing high-impact solutions that strengthen content, restore academic integrity, and ensure every student has access to a quality education.

Melissa Jackson

President

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Melissa Jackson is the President and Co-Founder of Freedom in Education, where she leads efforts to restore academic excellence and support meaningful learning for every student. Her decision to enter the education space was deeply personal—motivated by what she observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, as her four children experienced firsthand the gaps in content and engagement in their classrooms.

Today, Melissa is dedicated to advancing solutions that prioritize knowledge acquisition, spark curiosity, foster virtue, and cultivate wisdom. Under her leadership, Freedom in Education champions high-quality, content-rich learning environments that equip students to thrive—both as scholars and as citizens. Her vision is rooted in the belief that education should lead to human flourishing and a lifelong love of learning.

Apryl Dukes-McDaniel

Creative Director

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Apryl Dukes-McDaniel is the Director of Research and Content and a Co-Founder of Freedom in Education, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching K–12 education through high-quality standards, transparency, and parental engagement. With a background in Business Management and Marketing from North Carolina State University, Apryl brings over 17 years of experience in leadership, communications, and creative design to her work.

After a successful corporate career, Apryl launched her own photography business, allowing her to balance entrepreneurship with raising her three children in Georgia. Her passion for research and education led her to co-found Freedom in Education, where she now oversees the development of academically rigorous, content-rich materials aimed at equipping students with the knowledge, reasoning skills, and critical thinking needed for lifelong learning. Apryl also plays a key role in educating parents about their rights and fostering collaborative partnerships between families and schools.

Beanie Geoghegan

Director of Solutions and Content

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Beanie Geoghegan is the Manager of Solutions and a Co-Founder of Freedom in Education. She works closely with educators to develop and implement solutions that align with the organization’s mission to restore excellence in K–12 education. With over two decades of experience as a teacher, parent, volunteer, and advocate, Beanie brings a deep understanding of classroom dynamics and instructional effectiveness.

She is passionate about promoting direct instruction, knowledge-rich curriculum, and calm, structured classrooms as the most effective path to improving student learning outcomes. Prior to her work with Freedom in Education, Beanie served in a leadership role for a national education-focused organization, where she created mission-driven content and collaborated with parents and communities across Kentucky and beyond.

Now, drawing on her background in both teaching and parenting, Beanie is committed to equipping schools, educators, and families with the tools they need to deliver a high-quality education that prepares students for lifelong success.

Miranda Stovall

Director of Community Engagement

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Miranda Stovall is the Manager of Community Engagement and a Co-Founder of Freedom in Education, where she works closely with parents, educators, and local communities to foster strong partnerships in support of high-quality K–12 education. A dedicated wife and mother of four, Miranda brings passion and experience to her role, having served as a grassroots leader and advocate for education in Kentucky for over four years.

Through her leadership, Miranda has helped equip families and communities with tools to navigate and improve local education systems. She played a key role in statewide efforts to improve transparency and accountability in schools and has contributed to initiatives to strengthen the learning environment for all students. Today, Miranda continues to engage with communities across the state, empowering stakeholders to advocate for excellence and ensuring that every child has access to an education that supports their full potential.

Nathan Gwinn

Senior Advisor, Curriculum and Instruction

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A lifelong passion for education, ignited by growing up with a mom who was a public high school teacher, has propelled Nathan into a fulfilling career as a K-12 leader and educator. Currently serving as the principal of a Catholic high school in Ohio, Nathan's journey encompasses valuable experience as a father of four, a public school administrator, and a teacher.

Driven by a servant leadership philosophy, Nathan sees education as more than a profession - it's a vocation, a means to uplift communities and empower the next generation. With a strong focus on fostering teacher growth to elevate educational outcomes, Nathan is committed to making a lasting impact.

Sabrina Caserta

Director of Communications

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Sabrina Caserta, Media Director, was born and bred in Bronx, New York, is a media publicist and legal analyst consultant who received her Masters' Degree in Investigative Journalism from Columbia University's School of Journalism. As a former reporter, her work has appeared in The Associated Press, The New York Daily News, CBS News and Street Sense. Sabrina has also worked as a contract publicist in the technology sphere and has spent the last several years working in the investigatory department for a New York law firm. As a member of Roger Williams University's class of 2016, Sabrina studied Journalism and Political Science. This fueled her passion for free and fair critical thinking, as well as a grounded, common sense approach to education, which ultimately led her to contract with Freedom In Education.

Advisory Board

Rt Hon Sir Nick Gibb

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Sir Nick Gibb was the MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton between 1997 and 2024, having represented the constituency for 27 years. Nick is also a former Schools Minister, serving for over 10 years in the UK Government under four Prime Ministers (2010-12, 2014-21 and 2022-23). He is a qualified chartered accountant, having worked for KPMG in the 13 years prior to becoming an MP in 1997. Nick graduated in law from the University of Durham in 1981.

As Schools Minister, Nick introduced the Phonics Screening Check and the Multiplication Tables Check and he reformed the Primary National Curriculum as well as introducing revised GCSEs and A levels.

As Education Minister, Nick overhauled the teacher training framework (“Core Content Framework”), and the CPD for teachers in the first two years in the profession (“Early Career Framework”) to ensure that initial teacher training and continuing professional development was evidence-led, as determined by the Education Endowment Foundation. He also oversaw the reform of the suite of National Professional Qualifications (“NPQs”) for teachers, senior leaders and head teachers. He also revised, simplified and strengthened the Teachers’ Standards.

The PIRLS international study of the reading ability of 9-year-olds reported England coming 4th in the world of countries that tested children of the same age, with England achieving its highest ever score – largely attributed to the reforms introduced since 2010. And the recent PISA survey showed England rising from 17th to 11th place in Maths.

A recent Daily Telegraph article

quoted Nick Gibb “as the most influential schools minister in England’s history”.

Doug Lemov

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Gary Houchens

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Gary Houchens, PhD, is professor and director of the educational leadership doctoral program at Western Kentucky University. A former teacher, principal, and district administrator with experience in both public and private schools, Dr. Houchens writes regularly on education policy, leadership, and school improvement. He is a scholar with the Bluegrass Institute and from 2016-2019 served as a member of the Kentucky Board of Education.

Robert Pondisio

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Robert Pondiscio is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and an affiliate of AEI’s James Q. Wilson Program in K–12 Education Studies, where he focuses on K–12 education, curriculum, teaching, school choice, and charter schooling.

Before joining AEI, Mr. Pondiscio was a policy analyst and education reform expert at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education policy think tank. He previously worked for the Core Knowledge Foundation and as an adviser and civics teacher at Democracy Prep Public Schools. Mr. Pondiscio became interested in education policy issues when he started teaching fifth grade at a struggling South Bronx public school in 2002. Before that, he worked in journalism for 20 years, including in senior positions at Time and BusinessWeek.

Mr. Pondiscio is the author of many books, including “How the Other Half Learns: Equality, Excellence, and the Battle over School Choice” (Avery, 2019), which is about Success Academy Charter Schools and was widely reviewed and praised. He is the coauthor of a bestselling series of books for young readers, including “The Ultimate On-Line Homework Helper” (HarperCollins, 1996) and “Kids On-Line” (HarperCollins, 1995). In addition, he is the author of “The Future: An Owner’s Manual” (Harper Trophy, 2000) and “Get on the Net” (HarperCollins, 1999).

Mr. Pondiscio has been extensively published in the popular press, including in The Atlantic, Education Next, the New York Daily News, and The Wall Street Journal. As a frequent speaker, he is often interviewed on radio and television to discuss education issues. His appearances include CNN, Fox News Channel, and hundreds of local TV and radio programs.

Mr. Pondiscio has an MS in elementary education from Mercy College and a BA in English from SUNY Empire State College.