Meet Our Founding Team
Eric Grannis
Executive Director
Eric Grannis, a leading expert on charter school law, has served on the boards of several schools, advised many others, and led a charter school incubator. Before founding his own law firm, Eric was an attorney at Debevoise & Plimpton and served as a legislative aide to Congressman Charles B. Rangel. Eric has also taught at Isaac Newton, a public school in East Harlem, and is a graduate of Columbia College and Law School, where he was a law review editor, and is the co-author of A+ Parenting (HarperCollins, 2023).
Rebecca Goodsell
Principal
Rebecca Goodsell previously served as an Assistant Principal at Success Academy, overseeing grade-level operations, leading schoolwide professional development, and directing Integrated Co-Teaching implementation. Earlier, she was a 2nd Grade Lead Teacher and then a Grade Team Lead. After graduating cum laude from Syracuse University, Rebecca began her career in education by serving as an AmeriCorps member and then team leader with City Year New York.
Luke Weston
Assistant Principal
Luke Weston currently serves as a Grade Team Leader at a charter school in Harlem, where he analyzes student data, supports curriculum implementation, and coaches teachers to drive strong academic outcomes. He previously served as an Assistant Principal at Hungerford Elementary School, overseeing curriculum, professional development, and teacher evaluation. Luke holds a degree in Elementary Education from the University of Roehampton and is pursuing a master’s degree in Childhood and Special Education at Touro University.
Shaniqua Sonnee
Assistant Principal
Shaniqua Sonnee will serve as Founding Assistant Principal at Strive Charter School. She currently serves as Director of Enrichment at Hunter College Elementary School, where she supervises staff, supports family partnership, and leads student-centered program development. Shaniqua brings over a decade of experience across early childhood education and holds a Master of Science in Education in Progressive Leadership from Bank Street College of Education and a B.A. in Psychology from Lehman College.
German Cerrate
Director of Technology & Systems
German Cerrate serves as Director of Technology and Systems at Strive Charter School, where he leads the development and management of the school’s core technology systems. He brings a solutions oriented and detail focused approach, working closely with leadership to support smooth, efficient, and reliable school operations. German graduated from SUNY Oswego with a degree in Computer Science and is committed to building systems that create a strong experience for both staff and families.
Jeffrey Nagel
Board Chair
Jeffrey Nagel is an Operating Partner at AEA Investors, advising portfolio companies on growth, operations, and leadership. He previously served as CEO of NBTY Inc., a Carlyle Group portfolio company, and as a Corporate Officer at General Electric, where he led multiple global business units. Jeff also chairs Cursive, a tech-enabled packaging startup, and has served on the boards of Numotion, Redwood Logistics, SCIO Automation, and TricorBraun. He earned both his B.S. and M.B.A. from Carnegie Mellon.
RJ Price
Board Treasurer
RJ Price is Co-Founder of Seven Springs Partners, where he acquires and builds small and mid-sized services businesses with long-term potential. He previously led investments at Allen & Company and worked at Shumway Capital, TPG, and Greenhill & Co. His experience spans public and private equity, entrepreneurship, and company building. RJ earned a B.A. in Economics from Yale University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Peter Schwartz
Vice-Chair of Board
Peter Schwartz is Chief Legal and Risk Officer at the College Board, where he oversees the legal, test security, accommodations, accessibility, and information security compliance functions. He previously held senior legal roles at Antheus Capital, Kaplan Test Prep, and MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings. Peter began his career at Ropes & Gray after clerking on the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts. He earned his B.A. from Brown and J.D. from Columbia Law School.
Sonia C. Park
Board Member
Sonia C. Park is Executive Director of the Diverse Charter Schools Coalition, a national network of more than 200 schools advancing intentional diversity and equity. She has served as Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Education, Executive Director of Manhattan Charter Schools, and led the Charter Accountability office for New York City. Sonia earned her B.A. from Drew University and her M.S. in Education Policy from Johns Hopkins University (May 2026).
Iris Chen
Board Member
Iris Chen led the New York launch of Wildflower Schools, a network of teacher-led Montessori schools. She previously served as CEO of the I Have A Dream Foundation and as Executive Director of The Fund for Public Schools. Iris has also held senior roles at Teach For America, including NYC Executive Director and National Program Director. She began her career as a teacher in Brooklyn and consultant at McKinsey & Company and holds degrees from Yale University, Harvard Law, and Harvard Business School.
Faune Brooks
Board Secretary
Faune Brooks is Senior Vice President and Counsel at BNY Mellon, advising on privacy, data governance, and cybersecurity. She previously served as Senior Legal Counsel and Data Protection Officer at Success Academy Charter Schools, where she developed a network-wide privacy program and managed compliance for federal grants. Earlier, she practiced at Debevoise & Plimpton and Dentons, focusing on litigation and civil rights. Faune earned her J.D. from Yale Law School and her B.A. from New York University.
Sheila Lopez
Board Member
Sheila Lopez is Head of Board Engagement and Individual Giving at Braven, a national nonprofit helping first-generation and low-income students secure strong first jobs, where she previously served as General Counsel, Head of NYC Partnerships, and Executive Director of Braven New Jersey. Earlier, she practiced law at Davis Polk & Wardwell and worked for the New York City Council and Success Academy. Sheila earned degrees from Harvard College and Law School.