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Hayley Sanon Archives - North Carolina Coalition for Charter Schools

Mar 26
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It’s a Wrap: 2026 Charter Advocacy Summit

By News

The color guard team from Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy performs at the beginning of the 2026 Summit.

It was wonderful to see so many of you at our Charter Advocacy Summit this week at the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley Hotel! We had a great time talking with you at the kick-off reception on Tuesday as well. (You can see Dave Machado, the Coalition’s executive director, making remarks at that event in the photo at the left.)

The next day at the Advocacy Summit, we heard from a fantastic line-up of speakers and panelists. We’ll share a more comprehensive update in the coming days–along with videos capturing event footage and interviews–but we wanted to share a few rapid turnaround highlights below.

300 Summit registrations

We had another sold-out crowd this year, with around 300 people registered for the Summit (including attendees, speakers, sponsors, and staff/volunteers). This is a new Summit record! We’re so grateful so many of you wanted to come out this year and hear about the importance of charter school advocacy.

120 charter schools represented

It was remarkable to see so many charter schools represented in Raleigh this year at our Summit. Last year, 89 charter schools were represented at the Summit. We celebrate this impressive growth and expanded reach of the charter advocacy message to more North Carolina charter schools.

Thank you to our distinguished 2026 Summit speakers and panelists, who shared their insights with us, including:

North Carolina Lt. Governor Rachel Hunt speaks at the Summit.

 

  • North Carolina Lt. Governor Rachel Hunt
  • Hayley Sanon, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education
  • Bruce Friend, Chair, Charter Schools Review Board; Superintendent, Pine Springs Preparatory Academy
  • John Eldridge, Vice Chair, Charter Schools Review Board; Executive Director of School Services, Performance Charter Development
  • Ashley Logue, Executive Director, Office of Charter Schools
  • Donald Bryson, President and CEO, John Locke Foundation; Publisher, Carolina Journal
  • 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

Hayley Sanon of the U.S. Department of Education shares opening remarks.

… as well as numerous other talented speakers, panelists, and moderators. See them listed out by session in the Summit agenda.

We also want to thank our hard-working volunteers who helped with set-up, registration, and other event logistics. This year’s volunteers included Kim Campbell, Amelia Schneider, Shae Faraday, and Tammy Heuts.

Below, we share some photos from the event.

Attendees gather at the kick-off reception on Tuesday, March 24.

Attendees listen to a Summit session on Wednesday, March 25.

The regulatory/legal panel addresses the Summit. From left to right: Moderator Jonathan Bryant and panelists Steven Walker, John Eldridge, Bruce Friend, and Matthew Tilley.

We also want to thank our amazing 2026 Summit sponsors, who made this event possible!

Finally, we share some Summit resources below.

*This post has been updated since publication.

Feb 10
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New 2026 Summit invite with speakers including NC Lt. Gov. Hunt

By News

Over 240 charter stakeholders convened last February for the Coalition’s most recent Summit.

We’re very excited to share our new 2026 Summit invite with you. Access it here or by clicking on the invite image below. We’re pleased to see spots filling up–so don’t wait to register!

At this year’s Summit, you’ll hear from an incredible line-up of confirmed speakers, including:

  • Lt. Governor Rachel Hunt
  • Hayley Sanon, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Education
  • Bruce Friend, Chair, Charter Schools Review Board
  • Matthew Tilley, Partner, Womble Bond Dickinson, and Coalition Counsel
  • Ashley Logue, Executive Director, Office of Charter Schools (OCS)
  • Donald Bryson, CEO, John Locke Foundation; Publisher, Carolina Journal

You’ll also hear from state policymakers, industry experts, and the Coalition’s own Government Relations Team. Below, we share bios for two confirmed Summit speakers.

North Carolina Lt. Governor Rachel Hunt

Rachel Hunt began her career as an attorney in domestic law, helping families navigate complex challenges through mediation and practical problem‐solving. Seeing a need for greater support in education, she later founded Hunt for College, LLC, a consulting firm that guided students and parents through the college application process.

During the years she stepped back from full‐time work to focus on raising her children, Rachel remained deeply engaged in her community. She spent more than a decade volunteering with Charlotte‐Mecklenburg Schools and serving on the boards of several nonprofit organizations.

Her commitment to public service led her to seek elected office, where she served in the state legislature and worked to support the people and communities she represented in Charlotte. Today, as the 36th Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, she brings forward the values instilled in her by her parents, former Governor Jim and Carolyn Hunt—service, integrity, and a belief in the power of education.

Rachel’s career reflects a lifelong dedication to strengthening schools, supporting families, and building thriving communities. As Lieutenant Governor, she has launched her Future‐Ready North Carolina agenda to address the child care crisis, bolster community colleges, and invest in workforce development—ensuring a strong and prosperous future for our state.

As you likely know, Lt. Governor Rachel Hunt also serves on the North Carolina State Board of Education. What you may not know is that she served on the board of her son’s charter school. You can see a longer bio for Lt. Governor Hunt here.

Hayley Sanon – Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Chief Strategist, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Hayley Sanon most recently served as the K-12 Education Policy Advisor for the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Previously, she was the Program Manager of the American Enterprise Institute’s Conservative Education Reform Network. She started her career in education as a 7th grade math teacher in Greensboro, NC. She holds an M. Ed. in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. in Public Policy and Political Science, with a minor in Education, from Duke University. She is a proud North Carolina native, born and raised in Winston-Salem.

In addition to sharing remarks, Ms. Sanon will also take questions from the audience. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear more about the national K-12 landscape and what’s next for charter schools–as well as where charter schools fit, given the recent restructuring of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education with the U.S. Department of Labor. We’re also so pleased that Ms. Sanon is a former teacher and North Carolina native!

See the Department of Education’s fact sheet outlining the interagency agreement with the Department of Labor.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Coalition Member Schools

  • Register early and receive a discount. Cost to attend before March 3: $125.
  • Cost to attend after March 3: $150.

*Multiple attendee discount: For every two leaders who register from each member school, a third leader may attend for free.

Non-Member Schools

  • Register early and receive a discount. Cost to attend before March 3: $175.
  • Cost to attend after March 3: $200.

*Membership incentive: Charter schools that join the Coalition before February 24 will receive the member discount on registration.

Hotel and registration

  • The Coalition has reserved a block of rooms at the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley Hotel ($169/night). Book your hotel room here. Rooms are available until March 10; however, last year’s hotel block filled up, so don’t wait!
  • Click here  to register for the Summit. View the reception invite here.

Learn more about the Advocacy Summit or the Coalition.