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

Matt Keillor

President

Matt Keillor is an at-large director and the 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 liaison to the Curriculum Committee.

Sarah Nisbet

Vice President

Sarah Nisbet serves as vice president on the BFA Board of Directors. She holds a degree in education from Texas State University and spent five years teaching full day Kindergarten. During that time, she furthered her education becoming GT trained, ESL certified, and served on the literacy collaborative committee. When she left teaching to spend more time with her kids, she stayed involved by leading and running the finance side of a MOPS group and volunteering at BFA. Currently she is a Senior Coffee Specialist at the Nespresso Boutique. In addition to her volunteer work at BFA, Ms. Nisbet leads a single mom’s group at Mission Hills Church. Prior to joining the Board, Ms. Nisbet served on the School Accountability Committee (SAC) for four years. Currently, Ms. Nisbet serves as the Board liaison for the Community Events Committee and the Uniform Committee. She’s also our representative on the DCSD Alliance.

Adam Lucero

Treasurer

Adam Lucero is the Treasurer of 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. Adam represents the Board on the Finance Committee.

Mette Castor

Secretary

Mette Castor is the Secretary of the BFA Board. She has a degree in Psychology with minors in Biology and Chemistry from Louisiana Tech University, and is a 2022 LSU Flores MBA Candidate. She began her career with GlaxoSmithKline but left to become a full-time mom in 2006. During that time, she continued to stay active with the Junior League of Denver, the Miss America Organization, as the Chair of her MOPS group, and as a volunteer with several organizations, including BFA. She and her husband, Bill, have three sons and have been at BFA since the doors opened in 2011 when their oldest son was in kindergarten. She served three years on the School Accountability Committee (SAC) and now serves as the Board liaison to that same 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. Jason is the Board liaison for the STEM and Facility Committee.

Karen Ramon

At-Large Director

Karen Ramon serves as an at-large director on the BFA Board of Directors. 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. Karen is the Board liaison for the Curriculum Committee and the Grant Committee.

Haley Maglieri

At-Large Director

Haley serves as an at-large director on the BFA Board of Directors. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication from Texas Tech University and a Juris Doctor degree. She is a Colorado licensed attorney. In addition to her role and duties as a Board member, Haley is committed to providing volunteer services both in and out of the classrooms at BFA. Currently, Haley represents the Board as the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) liaison and leads the Board Succession Committee.

Board Elections

Board elections will take place in the spring. 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.”