Meet the Berkeley Charter Education Association Board
Dr. Stewart Weinberg
BOARD CHAIR
sweinberg@berkeleycharter.org
Dr. Stewart Weinberg retired to Charleston in 2012, after serving eight years as the superintendent of the Dallastown Area School District. Prior to Dallastown, Dr. Weinberg served as the superintendent in Ladue, Missouri; Fairbanks, Alaska; and Lawrence, New York. Previous administrative positions included: assistant superintendent, high school principal, and high school and middle school assistant principal. Dr. Weinberg earned his Master’s degree, and Ph.D. from New York University in New York City. Dr. Weinberg’s two major passions are education and Climate Change. As an educator, he presently serves as the president of the Berkeley Charter Education Association which is the board for Mevers School of Excellence and Berkeley Preparatory Academy. He is the community representative for the City of Charleston’s Resilience and Sustainability Advisory Committee and serves on numerous environmental organizations.
Cheryl Hollis
VICE CHAIR
chollis@berkeleycharter.org
Cheryl Hollis is the Chief Program Officer at Wings for Kids where she has spent the past 12+ years in education, management, and leading efforts for social and emotional development for both youth and adults. As a leader, Cheryl specializes in areas such as program/classroom management as well as many initiatives to support social and emotionally smart environments for all. Cheryl was recently honored as one of Charleston’s Forty Under 40 award recipient for her professional success and community involvement. She was also featured as a social and emotional expert within Discovery Education’s newest virtual field trip release for educators and their students. When not working or supporting others in any way she can, Cheryl enjoys spending time with her husband Quinton Hollis (Head Basketball Coach at Oceanside Collegiate Academy) and with her daughters Braylen and Brooke.
Brian Williams
TREASURER
bwilliams@berkeleycharter.org
Brian Williams is a native of Detroit, MI who moved to Summerville, SC in 2018. He has a background in Information Technology with over 20 years of experience. Currently, he is serving as an IT Project Manager and Lead Associate at the firm Booz Allen Hamilton, servicing the Department of Veterans Affairs. In 2016, he started and ran a 501c3 non-profit Score One Teach One until his move to the Lowcountry. Brian spends his free time coaching football and volunteering at the local food pantry. He is married to his wife of 15 years, Jessica Williams. Together, they have four children, two of which attend Berkeley Preparatory Academy. One son (Joshua) and three daughters (Zion, Zaria, and Sydney).
Brandi VanGorder
SECRETARY
bvangorder@berkeleycharter.org
Brandi VanGorder currently serves as an instructor with Berkeley County Adult Education and is an active board member of the South Carolina Association for Adult and Continuing Education. She earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from Coastal Carolina University and is certified to teach English Language Arts for grades 6–12. She is also completing her Master of Education in Administration and Supervision at Charleston Southern University, which she will receive in December 2025. Before transitioning to adult education, Brandi spent nine years as a secondary ELA teacher, where she took pride in helping her students grow and succeed. She believes education is key to advancing equity, providing individuals and their families with opportunities to thrive, and building stronger, more connected communities.
Brandi and her husband, Nathan Kovacs, are the proud parents of two children, Grayson and Lilian, who attend Berkeley Preparatory Academy. As a family, they enjoy the outdoors and can often be found camping, hiking, or spending time at the beach or pool.
Brandi is deeply honored to contribute to the growth and success of local schools, including Berkeley Preparatory Academy, Mevers School of Excellence, Willie Jeffries School of Excellence, and the broader community.
Diane Boerstler-Henderson
BOARD DIRECTOR
dhenderson@berkeleycharter.org
Diane Boerstler-Henderson is a seasoned business owner with 15 years of expertise in buyer behavior and analytics, having helped over 4,000 clients grow their businesses and increase sales. With a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology focused on Therapeutic Jurisprudence and Childhood Development from Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN, and master’s-level studies in Special Education, Counseling Psychology, and Neurolinguistics, she brings a strategic and holistic approach to education policy and student success.
As an Elected School Board Director (Orcas Island, District 2) and Northwest Washington State Educational Legislative Representative, Diane played a pivotal role in district bond and levy initiatives, shaping statewide education legislation, and ensuring strategic funding allocation for student achievement and teacher support. A champion of experiential learning, she helped advance outdoor education and Farm to Classroom programs, driving a 70% drop in behavior referrals, which directly increased student and teacher performance—as fewer behavior challenges translated to more instructional time and enhanced learning outcomes.
Beyond policy leadership, Diane served as Director of the Advocacy Center (United Religious Communities), collaborating with Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s Team on community mapping—optimizing nonprofit resources to identify and fill critical community service gaps in Indiana and Washington State, ensuring underserved populations had access to essential support systems. Additionally, she partnered with United Way, Meals on Wheels, and Unity Gardens to expand fresh food accessibility and combat food insecurity through community-driven solutions.
Diane’s expertise in special education policy and compliance was further demonstrated at AtWork, where she served on Safety, Finance & Progress, and Operations boards, overseeing regulatory adherence for 2,000 individuals with cross-categorical disabilities.
Above all, Diane is a happily spoiled wife and mother of seven, with two at BPA. She believes in transparent governance, equitable resource allocation, and student-centered initiatives, ensuring schools remain thriving foundations for future generations.
Dr. Tamara Jeffries-Jackson
BOARD DIRECTOR
tjeffries@berkeleycharter.org
Dr. Tamara Jeffries-Jackson, a native of Gaffney, South Carolina, has over twenty-eight years of experience in higher education and has served in various capacities. As Vice President for Student Affairs, she provides leadership and direction to the following areas critical to the student experience: Student Life and Leadership; Judicial Affairs; Residence Life and Housing; Intramural Sports; Counseling and Self Development; Health Services; Career Placement and Planning and University Police. Under her leadership, these units work in tandem to coordinate and implement programs, activities, and services to maximize student learning and development.
She developed a personal commitment to the academic and professional growth and development of students when she began her role in higher education as a project director of a capacity building grant. She later started a career in research and assessment while serving as Research and Planning Administrator in the Office of Institutional Research. Prior to accepting her present position, she served as Interim Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs.
Dr. Jeffries-Jackson received her BA in Communications from Howard University, Washington, DC; her MA in Rehabilitation Counseling from South Carolina State University, Orangeburg, South Carolina; and her Ph.D. in Counselor Education, from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.
She is the proud mother of Jade and Donavon.
Simplicia Smith
BOARD DIRECTOR
ssmith@berkeleycharter.org
Simplicia is a proud Mevers parent of an 8th grade student and a passionate advocate for equity, excellence, and family voice in education. She first joined BCEA to help address urgent challenges impacting her son and the wider school community. Since then, she has played an active role in supporting positive change, helping to move the school forward with purpose and hope.
In her continued board role, Simplicia brings a clear mission: to be a strong, consistent voice for families and to ensure that all decisions reflect both data and meaningful community input. She is committed to upholding BCEA’s values of transparency, equity, and high standards, and believes that as schools of excellence, these principles must always guide our work.
Professionally, Simplicia brings a wealth of experience managing staff operations and budgets with honesty, efficiency, and integrity. She’s known for her collaborative mindset, creativity, and ability to lead with compassion and accountability. These qualities make her a trusted voice in navigating complex decisions and building school cultures where students, educators, and families thrive.
Simplicia also believes deeply in the power of the arts and community to bring people together—an essential part of creating supportive, vibrant school environments. Her work on the board reflects her passion for inclusive leadership and her belief that education is “the great equalizer” that opens doors for all students.
Her dedication to building strong relationships, uplifting family voices, and ensuring every student has the resources they need to succeed makes her a valuable leader in our schools.
Chanel Johnson
BOARD DIRECTOR
cjohnson@berkeleycharter.org
Chanel Johnson, a proud native of Santee, South Carolina, brings over a decade of experience in the medical field and a deep-rooted passion for mental health and community empowerment. Currently pursuing a degree in Clinical Psychology, Chanel combines her academic pursuits with a commitment to healing, advocacy, and personal development.
Chad Weiden
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SCHOOLS cweiden@berkeleycharter.org
Chad loves kids, public education and considers himself extremely fortunate to have been a teacher and school leader in elementary, middle and high schools in both Chicago, Atlanta and Charleston. Chad is a proud graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign with a BA in History and Teaching of Social Studies. He received his Masters in Educational Leadership from National Louis University. After teaching middle school and high school on the east Side of Atlanta and west side of Chicago, Chad became principal at Social Justice High School ensuring 95% of all graduates were accepted to college and principal at Edgebrook Elementary School supporting the school to achieve 99% attainment and growth on the NWEA MAP Assessment in both math and reading. For the past 7 years, Chad has served as the Founding Principal at Meeting Street Elementary Burns in North Charleston. His team turned one of the lowest performing elementary schools in the state to one of the highest growing schools in Charleston County. He is a lover of running, reading and watching The West Wing. But the center of his life is his family: Baron, Uriah and Zoe.
Larryawna Brown
HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR
lbrown@berkeleycharter.org
Originally from Spartanburg, SC and raised in Orangeburg, Larryawan brings a deep commitment to education and community. She is a proud alumna of Estill High School, South Carolina State University—where she earned a degree in Political Science Pre-Law—and Walden University, where she obtained a Master’s in Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resources Management. She also holds the SHRM-CP certification, reflecting her dedication to excellence in the HR field. Larryawan is a devoted mother to an 11-year-old daughter attending Willie Jeffries School of Excellence and is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Crystal Jones-Thompson
Crystal Jones-Thompson is a seasoned finance professional with over 13 years of experience in K–12 education finance and payroll administration. As the Finance Manager, she oversees budgeting, financial reporting, and fiscal compliance to strengthen the association’s financial operations and support its mission of advocating for educators and quality education.
In addition to her career in education finance, Crystal is the Founder and Executive Director of Girl Flight, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering young women through mentorship, leadership development, and community engagement.
Holding an MBA in Finance, Crystal is known for her integrity, efficiency, and strategic approach to financial management. She is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and remains deeply committed to service, transparency, and creating opportunities that uplift both schools and communities.
Michael Yaskulski
Mike was born and raised in Albion, NY and moved to Summerville, SC in 2019. Before relocating, he served as Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds at Kendall School District. Prior to joining BCEA, he was the Director of Operations for IFS Group, A Kleen-Tech Company, in the Charleston area.
He is happily married to his wife, Tammy, for 26 years and they have two children, our daughter Mikayla and our son Tre. In his free time, he enjoys playing sports, especially golf, volleyball and pickleball.