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.

Bryan Molen

Vice President

Bryan Molen is the secretary of the BFA Board. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Maine, Orono. Mr. Molen has been in the commercial risk management and insurance brokerage industry for 15 years, and currently works for Aon Risk Solutions, the largest risk and insurance brokerage in the world. Mr. Molen currently works in support of the BFA Board Nomination Committee and chairs the Strategic Planning Committee.

Steve Haas

Treasurer

Steve Haas is the current treasurer of the BFA Board. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Valparaiso University in Indiana and a MBA from the University of Colorado. Mr. Haas has worked for Johnson & Johnson for more than 25 years and currently serves as Contract Director for Orthopedics. Mr. Haas also serves as the Board liaison for the Finance Committee and the Grants Committee.

Courtney Jurbala

Secretary

Courtney Jurbala is Secretary 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 Research Tissue and Cells for 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 School Accountability Committee (SAC).

Burgandy Hodge

Director at Large

Burgandy Hodge is a “founding family” of BFA and currently is an at-large director on BFA Board. She holds a bachelor’s degree in technical journalism from Colorado State University and a MBA from University of Phoenix with a concentration in technology management. Her background includes over 20 years of professional HR/recruiting and operations management experience. She is a trained facilitator in Six Sigma and Lean Business Process Improvement. Ms. Hodge has experience leading in diverse industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, charter school, and military settings. Prior to joining the Board, she served as BFA’s operations director and on the BFA Recruitment Committee prior to the school’s opening. Currently, Ms. Hodge serves as the Board liaison for the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) and chairs the BFA Board Nomination Committee.

Matt Keillor

Director at Large

Matt Keillor is an at-large director on the BFA Board. He 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. Mr. Keillor transitioned from a full-time teacher to technology sales in 2004. Currently, he is an Account Executive with Flexential, a Denver-based hybrid IT solutions company. Prior to joining the Board, Mr. Keillor served on the BFA STEM Committee. Currently, Mr. Keillor serves as the Board liaison to the Technology and STEM committees.

Sarah Nisbet

Director at Large

Sarah Nisbet is an at-large director 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 Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) and serves on the BFA Board Nomination Committee.

Board Elections

We hope you’ll actively engage in the Board Election Process!

The ability of any charter school to carry out its mission and vision depends on the strength of its organizational foundation. A critical element of this foundation is the charter school board itself. In addition to fulfilling legal requirements, every charter school needs a board composed of individuals who not only support the school’s mission but also sincerely believe in and seek to promote it. Advocating for BFA and its educational philosophy is an important function of the Board and involves promoting the mission, vision and goals of BFA within both the BFA community and the community at large.

2019 BFA Board Election Results

Thank you to the approximately 160 families and/or staff members who voted and helped select our newest BFA Board members. Sarah Nisbet was selected by the Parent Voting Group to fill Seat 3, Class B. The BFA Board appointed Bryan Molen to fill Seat 4, Class B. Both of these positions are for a three-year term, ending in May 2022.

Congratulations to the new Board members and thank you to all of those who accepted the nomination, as well as those who took the time to vote. There were three excellent candidates for this election, and we appreciate their dedication to ensuring BFA remains an amazing school for our children.

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.”