Discussions

Patrick F. Bassett became the president of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) in August 2001. NAIS, a membership organization for more than 1,800 independent (private) schools and associations of schools in the U.S. and abroad, is the “national voice for independent schools and the center for collective action on their behalf,” providing advocacy for independent K-12 college-prep education, research and trend analysis, leadership and governance guidance, and professional development opportunities for school and board leaders.

Bassett began his career in independent schools in 1970 as an English teacher, lacrosse coach, and dorm parent at Woodberry Forrest School (VA), an all boys boarding school. In 1980, he became headmaster of an all girls school, Stuart Hall (VA), where he remained until 1989, when he was appointed head of school at Pomfret School (CT). From 1993-2001, Bassett was the president of the Independent Schools Association of the Central States (ISACS). He is an adjunct faculty member of Teachers College, Columbia University.

Bassett has served on the board as a trustee of NAIS (1985-1989), The Multicultural Alliance (1994-2000), The Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education (CSEE - since 1996), and The Council for American Private Education (CAPE - since 2001). In June of 2010, Bassett was appointed to the board of trustees of Williams College (MA).

Professional recognition has included being named a Kellogg National Leadership Fellow in 1986; a recipient of the Educational Leadership Award in 2000 by The Klingenstein Center of Teachers College (Columbia University) and global leadership awards from both The European Council for International Schools (ECIS) and from the Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools (NESA).

A Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude graduate of Williams College (’70) where he was captain of the lacrosse team, Bassett also holds a master’s degree in film studies from Northwestern University (’73). He and his wife, Barbara, have two grown daughters and two grandchildren living in Boulder, CO.

Adam Tucker is the Lead National Senior Program Officer for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s College-Ready Education Team.  Adam focuses on systems grant-making that advances the foundation’s mission of

raising the national high school graduation rate and helping all students—regardless of race or family income—graduate prepared for college.  Adam’s investment portfolio promotes innovation and field-building among some of the nation’s largest school systems, state agencies, and high-capacity intermediary organizations. Prior to joining the Foundation, Adam served in various senior level roles at Edison Schools and LearnNow, both education management organization.  In his current role at the Foundation, Adam also draws upon his experience with the Coalition of Essential Schools where he led its public engagement and advocacy program, and Children Now, a nationally recognized children's advocacy group. He started his education career as a high school history teacher and program administrator in New England.  Adam is a graduate of Brown University.

Dr. Mario Piedra
Director of Permanent Education, EARTH University - Costa Rica

Mario Piedra is the Director of the Permanent Education Program at Earth University. His position encompasses the overall responsibility for the strategic direction, financial and administrative management of this division of EARTH. In the last four years the Permanent Education Program at EARTH University (PEP) has secured national and international projects for over 5 million dollars strengthening the sector dialogue to address critical areas of sustainable rural development in the humid tropics of Central America enriching the development objectives of EARTH. At this point PEP is negotiating projects for several million dollars with several potential donors. Mario was a awarded professor and researcher at CATIE. He has also taught Econometrics, Quantitative Methods, Production economics and Economics Bases for Sustainable Development. He chaired and co-chaired - as a committee member - more than 20 thesis at the M.Sc. level and chaired one at the Ph.D. level on themes ranging from the Kyoto protocol and CDMs to payment for environmental services, land use change, watershed management, economic aspects of biodiversity conservation, among others.¨ 

Kim Bouldin-Jones
Global Health Expert - St. Louis, MO
Vice-Chair, GYLI Board of Directors

Kim Bouldin-Jones is an internationally recognized and sought after educator specializing in HIV/STD and Global Disease Prevention. Ms. Bouldin-Jones’ work in global disease prevention/education has taken her from South America to Africa where she works with both government and non-government organizations in affective ways to combat problems of HIV, Malaria and TB. She has been both key note speaker and presenter to numerous National and International Conferences on topics ranging from HIV/Global Disease Prevention Programs, Global Education, Substance Abuse, Diversity, HIV in Correctional Institutions and Women’s Health. Ms. Bouldin-Jones started a non-profit organization, Medical Facility Aid to help provide infrastructure improvements to rural hospitals in the developing world in 2008. Her consulting firm, KBJ Consulting, has worked with various agencies such as the Pontifical Healthcare Council on Pastoral Care, Vatican City, UNICEF, Zimbabwe, Bethzatha Healthcare, Ethiopia and Ministries of Health, Ecuador. Her firm also is a member of the United Nations Civil Society Organizations for HIV, which is involved in the millennium development goals of 2010. Ms. Bouldin-Jones was credited for organizing HIV Testing and Awareness Week in Uganda. The goal of the week was to increase awareness and testing to three million people in the capitol city Kampala in late 2009. She is currently working on a campaign in Uganda to combat a parasitic disease called Jiggers. Ms. Bouldin-Jones is the Chair of the Board of Directors for Global Youth Leadership Institute and is a member of the Global AIDS Roundtable in Washington, DC. She also chairs the Global Health Network in St. Louis, Missouri. She teaches Health and works in the Counseling Department part-time at John Burroughs School in St. Louis.¨

Cecilia Nipp
Dean of Diversity and Global Education, Ursuline Academy of Dallas

Cecilia is Dean of Diversity and Global Education ("The DODGE") at Ursuline Academy of Dallas. A native of Mexico, raised in the United States, she received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Dallas and her Master’s degree from Middlebury College in Vermont. As part of her work at Ursuline, Cecilia has established sister-school partnerships in Brazil, Peru, Chile, England and, coming soon, Uganda. She also manages Ursuline’s long-standing partnership with Huaxia Girls’ school in Beijing, the first all-girls school to open in China after the Cultural Revolution. In addition to spending a great deal of time globe-trotting, blogging and seeking out global learning opportunities for students, Cecilia is an active member of the World Affairs Council of Dallas / Ft. Worth and she also serves on the Global Advisory Board of GYLI.