Leadership

Founding Board and Advisors

Oxford Classical Charter Academy is being developed by an independent local founding board, supported by startup executive leadership and non-voting advisors who bring academic, operational, legal, financial, and civic experience to the work.

“Veritas et virtus.”

— The Academy motto

Clear governance. Strong counsel.

Oxford Classical is organized through a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation with an independent founding board responsible for governance, public accountability, charter development, financial oversight, and policy adoption.

The school’s founding work is also strengthened by startup executive leadership and non-voting advisors. These roles support the board and the planning effort, but governance remains with the Founding Board of Trustees.

Founding Board of Trustees

The voting board responsible for governance, oversight, public accountability, and charter readiness.

Startup Executive Leadership

Project leadership supporting application development, outreach, development, and implementation planning.

Advisory Board and Contributors

Non-voting advisors who provide expertise in education, institutional development, leadership, and civic formation.

Governance note: Advisory board members and academic contributors do not exercise voting authority over the school. They strengthen the founding effort while the independent local board remains responsible for governance.

Voting governance

Founding Board of Trustees

The Founding Board of Trustees is the governing body responsible for Oxford Classical’s nonprofit governance, charter application, financial stewardship, policy framework, and public accountability.

Laura Sanchez, M.Ed.

Board Chair / Founding Trustee

Director of Finance & Strategy, Casa Carmen Wines

Laura Sanchez works in finance and strategy at Casa Carmen Wines and has experience across education and philanthropy. She is a graduate of the College of Charleston and the Harvard Graduate School of Education and previously served as a senior consultant at American Philanthropic, supporting fundraising and strategic planning for mission-driven organizations. She brings practical experience in finance, development, and educational planning to the founding effort.

Justin J. Watkins, J.D.

Founding Trustee

Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Justin J. Watkins is a partner in the Philadelphia office of Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP. With a background in scientific research and university-to-business technology transfer, he advises clients in the manufacturing, pharmaceutical, health care, and health care information technology sectors on business formation, strategic combinations, venture investing, financing, and governance matters. He earned his J.D. cum laude from Temple University Beasley School of Law and his B.A. from Swarthmore College.

Joe Simmons, MBA

Board Vice Chair / Founding Trustee

Energy Executive and Transformational Leader

Joe Simmons brings more than four decades of leadership in the energy industry, including senior executive roles at Constellation Energy and Sunoco. His experience spans energy trading, upstream oil and gas, and refinery operations. At Constellation, he served as executive sponsor of a major five-year transformation to implement a new energy risk management system. He began his career as a geophysicist in exploration and production. Joe holds degrees from Harvard University and Purdue University, with additional graduate study at the University of Houston.

José J. Sáenz Crespo, M.P.A.

Board Secretary / Founding Trustee

Director of Systems, Intercollegiate Studies Institute

José J. Sáenz Crespo is Director of Systems at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, where he leads enterprise architecture, digital operations, and technology infrastructure supporting ISI’s national work in classical liberal and civic education. He holds an M.P.A. from American University’s School of Public Affairs and a B.A. in Political Science from The Catholic University of Argentina. His career spans organizational transformation and strategic communications, including work with the Inter-American Development Bank, Buenos Aires City Government, and The Walt Disney Company Latin America. A native of Ecuador now living in Southern Chester County, José brings international perspective and a deep commitment to institutions rooted in enduring ideas.

Jim Dunn

Board Treasurer / Founding Trustee

Public-Sector Partnerships and Procurement Executive

Jim Dunn brings nearly four decades of experience with Grainger, where he has worked closely with the Federal Government, the U.S. General Services Administration, and the United States Postal Service. He oversees contractual engagements that support strong and effective public-sector partnerships. Jim is also committed to the mission of National Industries for the Blind, supporting procurement from nonprofit agencies that create employment opportunities for individuals who are blind. He serves on advisory boards for the United States Postal Service and the Coalition for Common Sense in Government Procurement. Jim holds B.A. degrees in Finance and Management.

Rich Orpneck, MBA

Founding Trustee

Former President, Oxford Area School Board

Rich Orpneck has a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh and an M.B.A. from Widener University. He has more than 40 years of experience in chemical research, sales, and marketing. Rich is active in his community and church and brings governance experience to Oxford Classical Charter Academy, having served as President and Vice President on the Oxford Area School Board. His commitment to Oxford Classical reflects a belief that students are best prepared for citizenship through a firm foundation in the basics, strong character, and a willingness to serve.

Startup execution

Startup Executive Leadership

Startup executive leadership supports the board by coordinating the practical work required to move from concept to application readiness: planning, documentation, outreach, development, and implementation support.

John A. Burtka III, MBA

President / Startup Executive Officer

Director of Advancement and Outreach, Coalition for a Prosperous America

John A. Burtka III is Director of Advancement and Outreach for the Coalition for a Prosperous America, where he works with domestic manufacturers, farmers, and industry leaders to strengthen U.S. industrial capacity and reshore critical supply chains. He holds an M.B.A. from Bowling Green State University and has completed advanced executive and postgraduate study in global procurement, lean systems, Six Sigma, international executive leadership, and economic policy. His background includes manufacturing leadership, entrepreneurship, redevelopment work, and public service as Chairman of the Hillsdale County Commission. In Oxford Classical’s startup phase, he supports the founding board through project coordination, application development, community outreach, development, and institutional planning; this executive role does not replace board governance.

Non-voting counsel

Advisory Board and Academic Contributors

Oxford Classical is also supported by non-voting advisors and academic contributors. Their role is to provide counsel, subject-matter expertise, and institutional support; they do not serve as voting trustees.

Enrique Pallares, Ph.D.

Non-Voting Advisory Board Member / Academic Leadership Advisor

Research Director and Lecturer, University of Pennsylvania

Dr. Enrique Pallares is Research Director and Lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania, where he oversees operations and fundraising for the Penn Initiative for the Study of Markets. He holds a B.A. in Literature and Philosophy from The New School University and a Ph.D. in Political Theory from The Catholic University of America, where he also taught. He was a founding member of UP Academy Lawrence, a charter school in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and contributes experience in academic leadership, institutional formation, and charter-school development.

Jane Forsyth Pallares, Ph.D. (ABD)

Non-Voting Advisory Board Member / Classical Education Advisor

Teacher and Scholar of Literature and Classical Education

Jane Forsyth is a scholar of literature and classical education. She holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Thomas Aquinas College and is Ph.D., ABD, in English Literature at The Catholic University of America. Her teaching background includes literature, writing, and the liberal arts at the secondary and university levels, and she now teaches writing and Great Books at Villanova University. She brings classroom experience and deep familiarity with the intellectual aims of classical education.

Dennis Brown

Non-Voting Advisory Board Member / Educational Leadership Advisor

Educational Leader and Former Elementary Principal

Dennis Brown brings extensive educational leadership experience from Chester County, including service as Principal of East Goshen Elementary School in the West Chester Area School District. His work as a school leader emphasized student engagement, positive behavior reinforcement, and a strong school community. Known for encouraging good conduct through practical incentives and visible leadership, Dennis helped foster a school culture rooted in accountability, encouragement, and trust. He brings to Oxford Classical Charter Academy a deep commitment to student formation, civic character, and the role of strong school leadership in shaping young people.

Johnny Burtka

Non-Voting Advisory Board Member / Institutional Development Advisor

Nonprofit Executive, Author, and Editor

Johnny Burtka is a nonprofit executive, author, editor, and commentator with experience leading educational and civic institutions. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, where he led institutional growth, expanded student programs, strengthened donor development, and advanced national work in civic and liberal education. He edited Gateway to Statesmanship and has hosted programs on political leadership, culture, and the Western tradition. He brings experience in educational leadership, institutional development, fundraising, communications, and the renewal of liberal education to the founding effort.