Speakers
Heather Wendling
Authorizers
Interested in learning how Colorado’s authorizing context looks like and is different than authorizing in other states? Join us for this session as we zoom out to provide a national overview of charter school laws on key topics and share insights from NACSA’s annual survey of charter school authorizers on issues ranging from charter school openings to closures and authorizer staff levels.
As NACSA’s Vice President of Consulting Services, Heather leads NACSA’s consulting work with authorizers and education leaders across the country on customized projects designed to strengthen authorizing practices and outcomes for students.
Heather previously worked as a Project Director for WestEd, leading a three-year grant to establish and operate NY-RISE, New York State’s first technical assistance resource center and provide professional development to its 351 charter schools.
Formerly, Heather was the Director of Learning at NACSA. In that position, she served as an authorizing field expert in a variety of projects with all types of authorizers and developed resources critical to strengthening quality in the sector, including a comprehensive Special Education Toolkit for Authorizers. Prior to joining NACSA, Heather served as a Senior School Evaluator and the Director for New Charters at the SUNY Charter Schools Institute.
Earlier in her career, Heather spent eight years working in charter and traditional public schools as a Teach for America Corps member, and as a special education teacher, coordinator, and instructional coach in both elementary and middle school settings. Heather earned her BA in Political Science from SUNY Stony Brook University, her MST degree from Pace University, and her JD from the University of Connecticut School of Law.
In her role as Chief Development & Business Officer, Elisa Westapher cultivates and strengthens NACSA’s organizational and business partnerships to further our mission and strategic initiatives. These organizational partnerships include working with our board of directors, strategic advisory council, members, and federal policy partners. Elisa also leads our development team to ensure future financial growth and stability through maintaining strong relationships with NACSA’s current donors and creating new relationships aligned to our strategic priorities.
In addition, Elisa heads our consulting division, which provides authorizers and other education stakeholders with customized services and supports to maximize outcomes for students across the United States. Elisa has extensive and specialized experience in authorizer evaluations, operator due diligence, and projects that focus on the intersection of policy and practice.
Prior to joining NACSA, Elisa practiced law at Holland & Knight, LLP, where she specialized in education and commercial real estate. During her time there, Elisa helped state agencies, charter schools, nonprofits, and ed tech companies structure programs and transactions to achieve their educational goals and maximize flexibility under the law.
Elisa holds a J.D. from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and a B.A. in government from Cornell University. Elisa lives in Oak Park, Illinois with her husband, two children, and dog.