Board of Directors
Theresa Flynn Houghton
Theresa Flynn Houghton joined De Marillac Academy as President and CEO in July 2016, after working 11 years at her high school alma mater Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory. Theresa is grateful to continue her educational vocation in service of the Lasallian Vincentian mission of De Marillac. After high school, Theresa attended New York University, where she pursued her passion for literature and technology, and earned a B.A. in English Language Literature with a minor in Computer Application. “Leaving to Serve”, Theresa has focused her professional and volunteer career on raising support for education at every level. Theresa is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Scandinavian School in San Francisco, and serves as an Admissions Ambassador for New York University. Theresa lives in San Francisco with her husband Chris and children. As a family they enjoy all the City has to offer, from beautiful parks and libraries to the zoo and museums.
Lina Permut
Lina currently serves as the Chief Development Officer at The Washington School for Girls in Washington, DC, and brings a wealth of experience in development and fundraising within international, national, and local nonprofit organizations.
Lina is enthusiastic about the new role, saying, "I am thrilled to join the NativityMiguel Coalition Board of Trustees. Their mission of advancing the impact of their member schools is incredibly impactful, and I look forward to contributing my time, talents, and treasure to support their important work. As a board member, I'm excited to lend my expertise and passion for helping further the Coalition's efforts to advance the narrative of our collective impact on education worldwide, building stronger connections throughout our member schools, and expanding our knowledge and efforts to be rooted in DEIJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice)."
Cameron Taylor
Cameron (BA University of Arizona) is Head of School at Imago Dei Middle School in Tucson, AZ. Longtime director of Graduate Support and Enrichment at Imago Dei, Cameron is now responsible for all aspects of school operations, development, finance, and staff. He believes that working together, across platforms and disciplines, can provide our students a broader foundation to continue building inspired, healthy, successful lives.
Dr. H. eric Clark
Dr. H. Eric Clark is the president of Loyola Academy in St. Louis. Dr. Clark was born and raised in St. Louis, MO, and he is a graduate of St. Louis University High (SLUH) Class of 1983. He earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in Psychology from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Dr. Clark has also earned a Master of Arts in Educational Administration and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from St. Louis University.
Dr. Clark began his career in Jesuit, education in 1992 as an Assistant Principal for SLUH. Dr. Clark decided to leave SLUH and move to Loyola Academy of St. Louis in June of 2008 to become President.
virgil Sheppard
Virgil is the President of Hope Partnership for Education (Philadelphia, PA), bringing over 15 years of professional experience in education and nonprofit leadership to our board.
In reflecting on his new role, Virgil shared, "The work being done in the schools within the NativityMiguel Coalition is inspiring. It is thoughtful, joy-filled, and most of all, impactful. I am excited to serve on the board of such an innovative organization."
Matt Fitzsimons
Matt Fitzsimons was co-founder and Executive Director of Grace Academy, the first all-girls, NativityMiguel Network school in Connecticut. Matt has founded and serves as the now serves as the Executive Director of a second NMC school, Nativity Preparatory School of Bridgeport. Matt’s connection with the NativityMiguel model dates back to the early 1980s when he tutored students at the original Nativity school located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. A graduate of Fordham, Prep, Bronx, NY and Boston College, Matt helped found Grace Academy in 2010
Shalonda Neeley-Gutierrez
Shalonda the Head of School at Cornelia Connelly Center (CCC) in NYC. She has been part of the CCC community since 2003 in many capacities. She began as a Mentor Teacher, Literacy Coach, and 7th and 8th grade Reading Language Arts Teacher. Throughout her time at CCC, Shalonda has been a leader in curriculum and professional development by creating models to ensure the success of our educators. She spearheaded the expansion of our middle school to include a 4th-grade class, developed a systemic approach to Response to Intervention (RTI), and established a Parent Leadership Team. Shalonda has dedicated her career to ensuring the success of catholic school educators and leaders. Shalonda graduated from Fordham University with a B.A, Double Major in Sociology and African-American Studies, then went on to pursue her M.A., Curriculum and Teaching from Columbia University, Teachers College. She is a New York State Certified Elementary Educator (K-6).
James Smith
James is the President of Nativity Prep Rochester. He joined Nativity in 2020. following 19 years with the YMCA of Greater Rochester, most recently as director of development and community engagement. Previously, he served as district executive director of the Carlson, Lewis Street, and Maplewood YMCA branches. Smith has served on the Nativity Prep Board of Trustees for three years, and had been actively involved in supporting its mission to provide a premier education for urban youth.