October 24, 2023 — The National Center for Teacher Residencies (NCTR), a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing, launching, supporting, and accelerating the impact of teacher residency programs, has elected four new members to its Board of Directors.
The newest members to the NCTR Board include:
- Teresa “Tracy” Bach, director of finance and operations, Morrison Family College of Health & School of Education, University of St. Thomas (Minnesota);
- Rashawn “Shawnee” Caruthers, vice president of advocacy, Getting Smart;
- Edmund Clark, Ed.D., chief information officer, information technology, California State University’s Chancellor’s Office; and
- Edward Herrera, chief finance and operating officer, Braven, Inc.
The new members bring a vast range of experiences and perspectives to the board that will contribute to NCTR’s progress and growth in supporting teacher residency programs to recruit, prepare, and retain teacher residents toward becoming teachers of record.
“We are excited to welcome Tracy, Shawnee, Edmund, and Edward to our Board to help guide the strategic direction forward for NCTR,” said NCTR Board of Directors Chair Laura Weeldryer. “Their contributions will be invaluable toward supporting our teacher residency programs and fulfilling our mission of creating equitable pathways for aspiring educators looking to enter and thrive in the teaching field.”
“Individually, each member brings their own unique talents and experience in various industries, including higher education, corporate, and nonprofit,” said NCTR CEO Kathlene Holmes Campbell, Ph.D. “Yet together, they share a passion for supporting educators and advocating for equitable pathways and practices in education—aligning to NCTR’s mission. We look forward to our collaboration with the new board members to advance the teacher residency movement.”
Tracy Bach is a finance professional with close to 30 years of experience. She has been with the University of St. Thomas for more than four years, where she currently serves as the director of finance and operations for the School of Education and the Morrison Family College of Health. Her focus includes supporting the launch of the Susan S. Morrison School of Nursing, as well as furthering the mission of the School of Education and College of Health from a finance and operations perspective.
Prior to the University of St. Thomas, Bach spent more than 20 years at Target Corporation in various finance and accounting positions, leading multinational teams to deliver strategic and operational priorities for the organization, with a focus on compliance. She holds an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of St. Thomas and a master’s degree in finance from the University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management.
Shawnee Caruthers is a dynamic leader in advocacy, currently serving as the vice-president of advocacy at Getting Smart, an organization that supports more equitable learning opportunities for all. With an unwavering commitment to fostering inclusive educational environments, she passionately champions the transformative potential of equity-driven, real-world learning experiences.
Prior to her role at Getting Smart, Caruthers made significant contributions as the director of career and technical education for Kansas City Public Schools in Missouri. A seasoned speaker, her distinguished career spans over 15 years, during which she has immersed herself in diverse communities as an educator, mentor, and tireless advocate for college and career readiness. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism, dual master’s degrees, and a specialist degree in educational leadership, with a specialized focus on secondary and career and technical education administration.
Ed Clark, Ed.D., is an award-winning leader skilled at leveraging technology and relationships to develop innovative approaches for strategic outcomes. He has decades of experience in higher education practices and has overseen digital transformation initiatives at multiple universities. These efforts included online learning initiatives, developing academic research environments, increasing student recruitment, and improving student retention.
Clark is currently the CIO for the California State University (CSU), the largest university system in the United States. His role is to serve as a strategic partner for the Chancellor’s Executive Team and collaborate with university campus presidents and their chief information officers to catalyze strategic and innovative administrative and academic technology initiatives to advance the mission of the CSU. He holds a doctorate in education from Minnesota State University, Mankato, a master’s in management of technology from the University of Minnesota, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Florida State University.
Edward Herrera serves as the chief operating and financial officer at Braven, a national organization that empowers promising, underrepresented young people—first-generation college students, students from low-income backgrounds, and students of color—with the skills, confidence, experiences, and networks necessary to transition from college to strong first jobs, which lead to meaningful careers and lives of impact. Previously, he was the chief financial officer at the LGBT Center in New York City, the second largest community center in the nation, and financial controller at BMW of Manhattan—the only entity in North America still owned by BMW Global.
Originally from California and now a NYC resident, Herrera advocates for diversity and inclusion in the nonprofit sector and is involved with organizations that promote equal opportunities for underrepresented groups. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego, and an MBA from Baruch College in New York City.
Since its founding in 2007, NCTR has helped launch more than 100 teacher residency programs across the country. In 2022-2023, NCTR supported 47 teacher residency programs and 22 aspiring teacher residency programs as part of its Residency Design Academy (RDA) in 26 states, based on NCTR’s Annual Report data.
The teacher residency model is designed to provide teacher residents with both theory and practice, combining a yearlong classroom apprenticeship with undergraduate or graduate coursework. Teacher residents are trained as part of a cohort of their peers and are matched with and guided by an experienced mentor teacher throughout their residency experience. Teacher residents also receive a stipend and graduate support to help ensure their success during their first year of teaching in a classroom as a teacher of record.