Coalition Executive Director Dave Machado
AGENDA
2026 Charter Advocacy Summit
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
8:00 AM to 3:30 PM
“From Policy to Possibility: Navigating the New Charter Landscape”
SESSIONS & SPEAKERS
Summit WiFi
- Network: MarriottBonvoy_Conference
- Password: ncccs26
During Q&A segments, please text questions to Dave Machado at 704.472.7338.
8:00 AM Breakfast*
*The breakfast buffet will open at 7:30 AM to accommodate attendees who would like to eat earlier.
8:30 AM Welcome
- Dave Machado, Executive Director, North Carolina Coalition for Charter Schools
The color guard team from Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy performs. Isabella Smith from Wake Preparatory Academy leads the Pledge of Allegiance. Students from Wake Preparatory Academy sing the Star Spangled Banner, under the direction of Jerry Robinson.
8:45 AM Opening Remarks: What’s Next for Charter Schools Nationally?
- Hayley Sanon, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Chief Strategist, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education
Introduction: Shannon Stein, Superintendent, Lake Norman Charter School; Member, Coalition Board of Directors
Hear from a national education policy leader and strategist about where charter schools fit following the Department of Education’s recent restructuring. We’ll have plenty of time for audience Q&A.
9:15 AM Charter Advocacy and the 2026 Legislative Agenda
- Harry Kaplan, Partner, McGuireWoods LLP; Senior Advisor, McGuireWoods Consulting
- Dylan Reel, Senior Government Relations Advisor, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton
- Amanda Falkenbury, Vice President, State Government Relations, McGuireWoods Consulting
- Story Oliver, Policy Analyst, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton
Moderator: Andrew Moceri, Legislative Committee Chair and Member, Coalition Board of Directors; Executive Director, Pine Lake Preparatory
Get the inside track on the 2026 legislative session from the Coalition’s expert Government Relations Team. Find out what the Coalition hopes to accomplish on behalf of charter schools.
9:45 AM Break
10:00 AM Polling, the Public, and Charter Schools
- Donald Bryson, CEO, John Locke Foundation; Publisher, Carolina Journal
Introduction: Dave Machado
A perennial crowd favorite at the Summit, this session shares the public’s view of charters. Learn what the latest polling numbers reveal about charter favorability among North Carolina voters in 2026—and whether support is waxing or waning.
10:30 AM Charter Schools Review Board (CSRB) Trends and Your School
- Ashley Logue, Executive Director, Office of Charter Schools (OCS)
- Stephen Gay, Member, CSRB; Executive Director, Bradford Preparatory School
- Todd Godbey, Member, CSRB; President and CEO, Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington
- Eric Guckian, Member, CSRB; Former CEO, United Way of the Greater Triangle
Moderator: Shelly Shope, Vice Chair, Coalition Board of Directors; Member, CSRB; CEO, Pinnacle Classical Academy
Hear from CSRB and OCS leaders about recent charter school trends in North Carolina—and what you can expect in the future regarding charter renewals, applications, remote academies, and more.
11:00 AM The New Regulatory and Legal Landscape
- Matthew Tilley, Counsel, NC Coalition for Charter Schools; Partner, Womble Bond Dickinson
- Steven Walker, Counsel, CSRB; Attorney, Walker Law Office
- Bruce Friend, Chair, CSRB; Superintendent, Pine Springs Preparatory Academy
- John Eldridge, Vice Chair, CSRB; Executive Director of School Services, Performance Charter Development
Moderator: Jonathan Bryant, Chair, Coalition Board of Directors; Chief Administrator, Lincoln Charter School
Recent laws have reconfigured the regulatory and legal landscape for North Carolina charter schools. Learn how to navigate it successfully, with input and guidance from the state’s top charter school legal and policy experts.
12:00 PM Lunch
1:15 PM The Latest on the Charter Schools Program (CSP) Grant
- Rhonda Dillingham, Executive Director, North Carolina Association for Public Charter Schools (NCAPCS)
- Meredith Flowe, Chief of Staff, NCAPCS
Introduction: Dave Machado
Hear what’s next for North Carolina, given the nearly $53 million in federal CSP grant funding allocated to the Association for awards to state charter schools.
1:45 PM Local Funding: Challenges and Opportunities
- Melissa Blackwell, Superintendent, Neuse Charter School
- Andrew Swanner, Executive Director, Oxford Preparatory School
- Jennifer Killen, Head of School, Piedmont Community Charter School
- Joseph Peel, Board Chair, Northeast Academy for Aerospace & Advanced Technologies; First Ward Councilman, Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Moderator: Gregg Sinders, Treasurer, Coalition Board of Directors; North Carolina Development Director, Charter One; Board Member, Pine Springs Preparatory Academy
Learn from some of our state’s most innovative and resourceful charter leaders as they share updates on local funding issues. They’ll outline ways to build relationships with county commissioners, request facility funding, and optimize your school’s appropriated fund balance. Jeff Poley, Director of Disaster Services and Rural Economic Development at the State Treasurer’s Office, will open the session with an update on regulatory changes in the bond market.
2:30 PM The Legislative View on Charters
- Neal Inman, Chief of Staff for the Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives
- Lisa Stifler, Chief of Staff for the Democratic Leader of the North Carolina Senate
Moderator: Megan DeKraker, Member, Coalition Board of Directors; Chief of External Relations, National Heritage Academies
Influential leaders at the North Carolina General Assembly share their views on what to expect regarding the state budget and what’s on the horizon for K-12 education and charter schools during the upcoming legislative short session.
3:00 PM Strong Schools and the Power of Education
- North Carolina Lt. Governor Rachel Hunt
Introduction: Stephen Gay
Hear from the Lt. Governor—who also serves on the State Board of Education—about the power of strong schools, including charters, to transform public education.
3:15 PM Final Remarks
- Dave Machado
The Coalition’s leader shares his vision for what’s ahead in 2026 and beyond.
3:30 PM Summit ends
