Board
Officers
Mary Gunter, Chair
Principal, Liza Jackson Preparatory School, Fort Walton Beach, FL
William T. Krizner, Vice ChairPresident, The Krizner Group, Tallahassee, FL
Dr. Robert A. Reiser, Secretary
Professor, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Altha F. Manning, Treasurer
Director of Alumni Affairs (retired), Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, FL
Directors
Peter A. Butzin
Consulting Practice Manager, Advanced Solutions International, Tallahassee, FL
Robin E. Carroll
Principal, South Heights Elementary School, Henderson, KY
Bob L. Harris
Attorney, Messer, Caparello & Self, Tallahassee, FL
Dr. Richard C. Kunkel
Professor, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Elaine Prine
State Education Coordinator (retired), IBM Corporation, Monticello, FL
Curtis B. Richardson
Consultant, Shared Services Network, Tallahassee, FL
Steven L. Rogers
Client Executive-Florida State & Local Government, IBM Corporation, Tallahassee, FL
Larry V. Sager
Owner/General Manager, Stormwater & Environmental Maintenance Services, Tallahassee, FL
Dr. Diana Scott-Simmons
Professor (retired), Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
Board Profiles
Mary Gunter
Chair
Mary Gunter is a founding board member of the Institute for School Innovation. She currently serves as Principal of the Liza Jackson Preparatory School, a K-8 charter school in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Ms. Gunter previously served as the Assistant Superintendent for the Okaloosa County (Florida) public schools, as well as Principal of Bluewater Elementary School in Niceville, Florida.
Ms. Gunter has long been active in curriculum renewal, including serving as the Project CHILD coordinator for the original pilot research in Okaloosa County. She coordinated the school improvement process for Okaloosa County for five years, and began the first pre-kindergarten program in the district. Her article on sustaining innovation, “Flight Training for a Pilot Program,” was published in the National School Board Journal.
William T. Krizner
Vice Chair
Bill Krizner is the founder of the Krizner Group, an employment law boutique in Tallahassee, Florida. Prior to that, he led the employment law division at Collins & Truett. Mr Krizner’s background includes extensive experience in client counseling, employment law litigation, and governmental investigations.
Mr. Krizner has published numerous articles and is a frequent speaker on human resource issues. Bill is active in his church, and serves on the board for the Dick Howser Center for Childhood Services. He also has been mentoring a young man in the Big Brother program for the past few years. He is the father of two young daughters.
Robert A. Reiser, Ph.D.
Secretary
Bob Reiser is a founding board member of the Institute for School Innovation. He is a professor in the Instructional Systems program at the Florida State University, and has served as department chairperson. Dr. Reiser is the co-developer of Project TEAMS (Technology Enhancing Achievement in Middle School), and is widely recognized for his work in instructional systems design. He has written four textbooks, and published over 50 journal articles on instructional design and technology.
In 2000 Dr. Reiser received the Florida State University Distinguished Teaching Award, the highest honor given to a faculty member, and the first ever for the College of Education. His most recent book, Trends and Issues in Instructional Design and Technology, received the 2007 Outstanding Human Performance Communication Award from the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI).
Altha F. Manning
Treasurer
Altha Manning recently retired as the Executive Director of Alumni Affairs at Florida
A & M University in Tallahassee, Florida. She served as Interim Vice President for Research at the university in 2005. Ms. Manning has a long and distinguished career in education and public service. She was Director of the Florida Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation in 2000-2002. From 1987-1995 she filled many leadership positions in the Florida Department of Education including Deputy Commissioner and Bureau Chief.
After leaving the Department of Education, she worked at the Florida Department of Labor and Employment Security as Director of the Division of Safety, and then as Director of the Division of Administrative Services. Early in her career she was a teacher in North Carolina and Florida, and then coordinated a state demonstration project in Gadsden County, Florida to develop and implement an “Experience Based Learning” elementary level curriculum.
Ms. Manning has traveled and presented extensively on education topics. Among her many awards include the NAACP Outstanding Black Achiever Award in 1989 and 1992, and Distinguished Community Leader and Administrator Award presented by The Society, Florida State University in 1994.
Directors
Peter A. Butzin
Peter Butzin is the co-founder of the Institute for School Innovation, along with his wife, Dr. Sally Butzin. He is a customer relations specialist for Advanced Solutions International, a software company serving associations and non-profits. For many years he was President and General Manager of Southern Accent Computers Systems, a company that he founded in 1984.
Prior to his business career, Mr. Butzin was Executive Director of Common Cause of Florida and Executive Director the Florida Mental Health Association.
He has continued his involvement in civic causes including serving on both the National and State Governing Boards of Common Cause, President of Habitat for Humanity in Tallahassee, board member of Telephone Counseling and Referral Service, and as president of his neighborhood association. Mr. Butzin is also an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. Mr. Butzin has two grown daughters and two granddaughters.
Robin E. Carroll
Rob Carroll is Principal of South Heights Elementary School in Henderson, Kentucky, a Project CHILD National Demonstration Site. Under Mr. Carroll’s leadership, South Heights has made tremendous academic gains and has been recognized as one of the nation’s most exemplary schools. In 2004, South Heights was one of six schools in the country to receive the prestigious National School Change Award.
Mr. Carroll was recognized as the Kentucky School Media Association Administrator of the Year in 2002, and received the ISI Innovation Principal of the Year Award in 2003. He was a finalist for the national ASCD Outstanding Young Educator Award in 2004. Mr. Carroll has two daughters, one who currently is a Project CHILD student at South Heights, and the other is a Project CHILD graduate, now in middle school.
Bob L. Harris
Bob Harris is an attorney and shareholder with the law firm of Messer, Caparello & Self, PA. His practice includes educational and administrative law, providing representation to a variety of public and private educational institutions and associations. He serves as the General Counsel for the Panhandle Area Educational Consortium (PAEC), a consortium of 14 northwest Florida school districts.
Mr. Harris has served as a member of the Governor’s Task Force on Educational Access, Office of Civil Rights, Washington, DC, 1995-1998; as a member of the Keiser University Advisory Board, 1996-2000; and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Florida Metropolitan University, 1998-2005. Mr. Harris is an active community volunteer, including serving as host president for the Babe Ruth World Series held in Tallahassee.
Richard C. Kunkel, Ph.D.
Rich Kunkel is a Professor in the College of Education at the Florida State University, and served as Dean of the college until June of 2005. He was the Wayne T. Smith Distinguished Professor of Educational Leadership and Dean of Education at Auburn University’s College of Education from January 1, 1990 through June 2001.
In 1992, Dr. Kunkel was elected to the Board of Directors of the Holmes Group and in 1998 was appointed to Holmes Partnership as Executive Director. The Holmes Partnership is a national organization of leading research universities in partnership with local schools and organizations in cooperation to improve student performance. Previously, he served as Executive Director of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Evaluation (NCATE) beginning in 1984. Prior to this position, Dr. Kunkel served as Dean of the College of Education at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Particularly skilled in the areas of program evaluation and staff development, Dr. Kunkel has served as consultant to the U.S. AID programs, to Teacher Corps and teacher centers, to the Lilly Endowment and Danforth Foundation, the Missouri Governor’s Conference on Education, and as a long term evaluator to Cities in Schools and various bilingual and Hispanic education projects. He has authored numerous articles, monographs, and technical evaluation reports.
Elaine Prine
Lainey Prine is a founding board member of the Institute for School Innovation. She is retired from the IBM Corporation where she was the Florida State Coordinator for Educational Programs. She was a pioneer in promoting and marketing some of IBM’s breakthrough educational programs, most notably Writing to Read.
Ms. Prine is an active community volunteer, particularly with Big Bend Hospice. She is a trained counselor, and works with terminally ill patients and their families.
Curtis B. Richardson
Curtis Richardson is a consultant with the University of South Florida’s Shared Services Network, an infrastructure that allows communities to address the needs of students in a collaborative way. Mr. Richardson recently completed a distinguished eight-year career as a legislator in the Florida House of Representatives, having been unable to run again due to term limits. In the legislature he was a champion of public education, an advocate for government employees and proponent for accessible, affordable healthcare for all citizens. Rep. Richardson has been recognized for work in the legislature by being named Legislator of the Year, and receiving the Friend of Education Award, Consumer Advocate Award, Humanitarian Award, the Morris Milton Award and more.
Prior to his legislative career, in 1991, Betty Castor then Commissioner of Education invited him to join her staff at the Florida Department of Education. There he served in several capacities including Legislative Specialist, Cabinet Aide and Interim Executive Director of the Commission on Education Reform and Accountability. In 1995 the late Governor Lawton Chiles appointed him Deputy Director of Cabinet Affairs.
In the Fall of 1990 his career in public service began with his election to the Leon County School Board. He was the first Black male elected to that post in the history of the district and served two years as Board Chairman. He has served in numerous civic capacities. For his service he has been named Alpha Man of the Year, Citizen of the Year, Black Achiever, and Volunteer of the Year. In addition, he has received the Outstanding Practice in School Psychology Award, Servant’s Heart Award, Outstanding Leadership Award and numerous others.
Rep. Richardson is married to Nina Ashenafi, an attorney with the Florida Education Association and they have been blessed with two daughters, one who was a Project CHILD student at the Florida State University School.
Steven L. Rogers
Steve Rogers is an IBM Client Executive responsible for business relationships with the State of Florida government agencies. A graduate of the University of Florida, Steve has been with IBM in Tallahassee, Florida since 1984. During his IBM career he has held numerous positions including; Systems Engineer, Sales Representative, Sales Manager, and National Sales Leader for IBM's E-rate program. At one point in his career, he was responsible for IBM's educational sales & support team across the State of Florida. At one time during his career, Mr. Rogers left IBM for 18 months to become the Director of Sales for a successful high tech "start up" company that won many national awards.
Mr. Rogers is involved with many local organizations including the American Cancer Society, Big Bend Hospice, Florida TaxWatch, and Tallahassee Junior Golf. He is a six-year pancreatic cancer survivor and enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, while working to make the community a better place to live.
Larry V. Sager
Larry Sager is the Owner and General Manager of Stormwater & Environmental Maintenance Services in Tallahassee, Florida. From 1985-1997 he and his wife owned and operated the Physicians Weight Loss Centers in Tallahassee. Prior to his move to Tallahassee, Mr. Sager had a very successful career in the restaurant industry, including serving as Corporate Vice President, Operations Administration for Wendy’s International in Dublin, Ohio.
Mr. Sager has been involved in public service, including being elected to the Jonathan Alder School Board in Plain City, Ohio. He is currently involved in local civic organizations, including the Tallahassee 100 Club. Mr. Sager has two grown children and four grandchildren.
Diana Scott-Simmons, Ed.D.
Diana Scott-Simmons is a founding board member of the Institute for School Innovation. She recently retired as Professor Emerita in the Department of Childhood Education, Reading, and Disability Services at Florida State University. She has served as department chair and coordinator of the Reading and Language Arts Program.
Dr. Scott-Simmons is widely recognized for her expertise in using technology in reading instruction. She served as the reading consultant for the original development of the Project CHILD instructional system. She has received the Florida State University Teaching Award, Ball State University Outstanding Alumnus Award, and served as a member of the editorial board of the Reading Teacher, the professional journal of the International Reading Association.