Board of Directors

The Ben Franklin Academy (BFA) Board of Directors (Board) works for the students, parents and patrons of BFA in promoting the vision and mission of the school. As a governing board, BFA’s Board sets policies and has oversight over financial matters of the school while focusing on the long-term strategic direction of the school.

BFA’s Board is comprised of seven individuals, committed to the success of BFA’s students. Brief biographies of BFA’s directors can be found below. If you are interested in learning about the composition, regulations and limitations that govern the Board, please download the Bylaws of Ben Franklin Academy.

The BFA Board holds its regular meetings on the second Tuesday of the month beginning at 5:30 p.m. at BFA. Specific dates are listed on the BFA website calendar. Agendas are posted 24 hours before a Board meeting and minutes are posted after approval at the following Board meeting. All are welcome to attend.

Board Members

Bill Castor

President

Bill Castor is beginning his second term on the BFA Board and is its current president. He is a United States Army veteran. Mr. Castor holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing with a minor in chemistry from Central Michigan University and a master of business administration (“MBA”) degree from DePaul University in Chicago with a concentration in finance. He also is a graduate of the executive MBA program at INSEAD, an international business school in Fontainebleau, France. Mr. Castor has spent over 20 years in the energy business, leading teams that develop and finance conventional and renewable energy projects in the United States, as well as Europe. Mr. Castor is currently the Board liaison to the Curriculum Committee.

Matt Keillor

Vice President

Matt Keillor is an at-large director and the Vice President of the BFA Board. Matt holds a degree in education from Greenville College, Illinois. He began his career as a teacher in a variety of settings, including English in Japan, high school in Illinois, and middle school in California. Matt transitioned from a full-time teacher to technology sales in 2004. Currently, he is a Senior Account Executive with Flexential, a Denver-based hybrid IT solutions company. Prior to joining the Board, Matt served on the BFA STEM Committee. Currently, Mr. Keillor serves as the Board liaison to the Technology Committee.

Courtney Jurbala

Treasurer

Courtney Jurbala is treasurer of the BFA Board. She holds Bachelors in both Accounting and Economics from Hartwick College in New York. Ms. Jurbala also received her MBA from the University of Colorado. Ms. Jurbala has recently become the General Manager of Essent Biologics, a subsidiary of AlloSource, a non-profit tissue bank, out of Centennial, Colorado. Prior to this change, she spent her entire career in Finance for several industries. Ms. Jurbala currently serves as the Board liaison for the Finance Committee and Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).

Sarah Nisbet

Secretary

Sarah Nisbet is the secretary on the BFA Board. She holds a degree in education from Texas State University. She has five years experience teaching in a full day Kindergarten classroom. During that time she furthered her education becoming GT trained, ESL certified, and served on the literacy collaborative committee. Since having children she stayed home for a few years but stayed involved leading a play group, running the finance side of her MOPS group, and being a room parent. Currently she is a leading Coffee Advisor for Nespresso and also does remote admin work for LDARtools Inc in Houston. Prior to joining the Board, Ms. Nisbet served on the School Accountability Committee (SAC). Currently, Ms. Nisbet serves as the Board liaison for the School Accountability Committee (SAC) and serves on the BFA Board Nomination Committee.

Adam Lucero

At-Large Director

Adam Lucero is an at-large director on the BFA Board. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from Colorado State University. Mr. Lucero has spent the last fourteen years working in the oil and gas construction industry, as well as the building construction industry. Currently, he manages the preconstruction group for Kiewit working on projects around the nation. Prior to joining the Board, he served on the BFA Board Nomination Committee.

Jason Page

At-Large Director

Jason Page is an at-large director of the BFA board. He holds Bachelor of Science in Music Education and a Master of Business Administration degrees from Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania and a Master of Arts in Leadership from Denver Seminary in Littleton, Colorado. He began his career teaching and performing music professionally as a trombone player, culminating in a multi-year position as musical director for Celebrity Cruise Lines, visiting over 30 countries on several cruise ships. After meeting his amazing wife, Holly, Mr. Page made the transition into information technology, where he has held several roles working for both government agencies and Fortune 500 companies. Prior to joining the board, Mr. Page served on the BFA STEM Committee and as a coach/mentor for the BFA ‘Red Lightning’ pumpkin chunkin’ team. Mr. Page is also the father to Abigail, currently a third grader at BFA.

Karen Ramon

At-Large Director

Karen Ramon is beginning her first term on the BFA Board in 2020. She brings 20 years of experience in education and the nonprofit sectors including 6 years of experience working at the STEM school. She taught secondary mathematics and started a high school business department plus served as the teacher liaison on the SAC committee and the boards strategic planning committee. She currently works as an accountant for HERS on the DU campus. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Colorado State University and an MBA in Business Administration from the University of Houston.

Board Elections

Board elections will take place in spring 2021. Generally, each January the Nomination Committee will provide an election timeline and request Board nominations from the community.

Expectations

General expectations as well as Board activities, duties, and time commitments are highlighted below:

Only one (1) person per family may serve on the Board at any one time.
The Board shall not contract with directors or family members of directors.
Neither directors nor family members of directors may be employees or independent contractors of BFA or serve as officers or voting members of the BFA Parent Teacher Organization.
The average director logs 20+ volunteer hours for BFA a month.
Directors are required to attend all Board meetings, strategy sessions and conferences as determined by the Board.
Directors new to the Board are required to complete the online charter school governance modules created by the Colorado Department of Education or Colorado League of Charter Schools.
Directors new to the Board are expected to review the following required materials within 30 days of being elected or appointed: “Cultural Literacy” by E.D. Hirsch, Jr.; “Boards That Make A Difference” by John Carver; and, “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.”