Elizabeth Molina Morgan, PhD., Frederick

Dr. Morgan has spent more than forty years working in urban, rural, and suburban public schools, as a teacher, administrator, and consultant. For a majority of that time, she held positions in four school systems in Maryland, focusing on school improvement. As Chief Academic Officer in the Baltimore City Schools, she led the system’s first, successful, major turnaround effort, and as Superintendent in Washington County for a decade, she created innovative programs to expand opportunities for students and staff, improve schools, and eliminate the achievement gap. Most recently, Dr. Morgan was Chief Education Advisor to America’s Promise Alliance, an organization founded by Gen. Colin and Mrs. Alma Powell, where she led the “Grad Nation” project. She has served on numerous boards, statewide committees, task forces, and commissions. The recipient of numerous honors for excellence in education, Dr. Morgan was named the “2010 National Superintendent of the Year,” by the American Association of School Administrators.

Robert I. Chanin, Silver Spring.

From 1968 until his retirement on December 31, 2009, Mr.Chanin served as  General Counsel for the National Education Association. For most of his career with NEA, Mr. Chanin was a partner in the Washington, D.C., law firm of Bredhoff & Kaiser,P.L.L.C. Mr. Chanin co-authored two treatises on public school labor relations and taught public sector labor law as an adjunct professor at the George Washington University National Law Center. Mr. Chanin received his law degree from Yale University Law School and holds a master’s degree in psychology from Columbia University.

Philip Kauffman, Olney.

Mr. Kauffman’s public education background began with leadership in the PTA, where he served as president, vice president and a member of the board of directors as well as chairing many committees.  He was elected to the Montgomery County Board of Education in 2008 and reelected in 2012.  During his tenure there, he served as the board president and vice president.  He also chaired the Policy Management Committee and the Fiscal Management Committee.  He also served in various leadership positions at the Maryland Association of Boards of Education, including membership on the MABE Board of Directors, chairing its Bylaws Committee and serving on the Resolutions, Nominating, and Credentials committees as well as the Association’s Ad Hoc Committee on Operating and Capital Funding & Policy Issues. A lawyer by profession, Mr. Kauffman received his J.D. in 1977 from the University of Maryland, School of Law.  His undergraduate degree was received from the University of Pennsylvania, from which he graduated in 1974 with a B.A. in economics.  His attorney positions through the years include employment as an attorney advisor with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers where he was responsible for reviewing the development of civilian and military contracts and drafting contracting officer decisions on claims and bid protests.  In 1980, Mr. Kauffman took a position with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where he served most recently as Deputy Assistant General Counsel, with responsibilities over staff, procurement, health care services, among various other areas, until his retirement in 2013.

R. Allan Gorsuch, Ed.D., Trappe.

Dr. Gorsuch has lived and worked in public education on the Eastern Shore of Maryland for over 50 years. He graduated from Salisbury State College and began his career as a teacher of high school English, journalism and mathematics in Kent County Public Schools. He was later assigned as an Assistant Principal and Acting Principal of Chestertown Middle School.  After a sabbatical from that position, Dr. Gorsuch received a Doctorate in Education from the University of Maryland, College Park, then served as Principal of North Hagerstown High School for three years before his appointment as Business Manager and then Assistant Superintendent for Administration for Caroline County Public Schools. In that position Dr. Gorsuch served as Chief Negotiator, Chief Finance Officer and Human Relations Director, and was ultimately appointed as Superintendent of Schools in 1991. He has served on various state commissions, boards and committees, participated in state and national organizations and was recognized by his colleagues as the 1999 Maryland School Superintendent of the Year. Upon “retirement” Dr. Gorsuch served as the Executive Director of the Eastern Shore of Maryland Educational Consortium, lobbying in support of the nine Eastern Shore school boards and their superintendents. Dr. Gorsuch resides in Trappe, MD with his wife of 52 years and is the President and CEO of School System Solutions LLC, providing educational consulting services.

Ronald S. Boozer, Baltimore.

Mr. Boozer holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from Morgan State University.  A lifelong educator, he started teaching with the Baltimore City School System and advanced to hold the positions of Title #1 educational and curriculum specialist and served as school improvement coordinator to three area superintendents.  He has previously worked as an educational specialist for the U.S. Army and as a supervisory employee development specialist for the Defense Intelligence Agency, where he administered training programs throughout the Agency and the Pentagon. Mr. Boozer is married to the former Sarah Collins.  They have a daughter, a son, and two grandchildren.