Episode #25 - Building an operations leadership pipeline with Trey Vernaci, Sr. Director of Operations at RePublic Schools

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GUEST

Episode Guest:

Websites:

https://republiccharterschools.org/

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this conversation, Daniel Casselli and Trey Vernaci discuss the lack of qualified or trained operations professionals in the charter school sector, particularly in Mississippi. They explore the implications of this issue and how it affects the ability of schools to scale and provide quality education. Trey shares his journey in tackling this problem by developing an operations leadership residency program. The program focuses on eight key areas of operations and includes hands-on experience at a school. Trey offers advice to others who want to replicate a similar program, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and starting small.

EPISODE TAKEAWAYS

• The lack of qualified or trained operations professionals is a challenge in the charter school sector, particularly in nascent sectors like Mississippi.
• Operations is the backbone of a school and plays a critical role in its ability to function and support students.
• Developing a pipeline of operations professionals is essential for the growth and sustainability of charter schools.
• The operations leadership residency program in Mississippi aims to address this challenge by providing hands-on experience and training in key areas of operations.
• Collaboration and sharing resources with other organizations in the sector can help replicate similar programs and support the overall growth of the charter school sector.

RESOURCES

Strategists for Good: https://strategistsforgood.com/

School Ops: https://schoolops.com/

Mississippi First: https://www.mississippifirst.org/

CHAPTERS

00:00 The Lack of Qualified Operations Professionals
09:46 Building a Pipeline of Operations Professionals
14:27 Designing the Operations Leadership Residency Program
18:37 Hands-On Learning and Embedding in Schools
21:14 Lessons Learned and Advice for Replication

ABOUT OUR GUESTS

Trey is a deep believer that high-quality education is critical to the advancement of individuals and society. Unfortunately, systemic racism has long limited access to this opportunity, consequently restricting who has access to self-advancement. As an experienced and committed leader in school operations, Trey works every day to ensure that historically marginalized populations are given equitable access to high-quality education by ensuring maximum efficacy of operations.

Trey is a talented Senior Director of Operations with over five years of experience in managing and coaching, budget and finance management, facilities and capital projects design and management, system creation and implementation, enrollment and recruitment oversight, community engagement and partnership coordination, local, state, and federal program compliance and implementation, and vision and strategy execution. They have successfully managed regional and school-based operations by meeting outlined metrics and driving leader development through coaching a team of director-level employees.

ABOUT OUR HOST

Daniel Casselli is a life-long learner whose passion for education has driven his professional endeavors. He is a former classroom teacher and youth ministry director whose entrepreneurial spirit landed him in the world of education technology. At EVERFI Inc., Daniel helped run the business development efforts for EVERFI’s Financial Education Program and the company was eventually sold to Blackbaud for $750M in 2021. Shortly before EVERFI’s acquisition, Daniel joined Class Technologies as one of the earliest sales hires and went on to lead K12 Enterprise Sales and helped the company land its first 100+ K12 customers across public, charter, and private schools. Daniel brings his unique experiences to BuyQ where he is focused on growth, operational excellence, business strategy, and client satisfaction. He is a graduate of Grove City College where he studied Religion and History. 

You can listen to Charter School Insider: Lessons from the Nation's Top Charter School Operators on your favorite podcasting platform...

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