The Center for the Study of Education Policy is pleased to announce the recent hires of Daina Mwangi, Lisa Skelly, and Vicki Phillips. Mwangi will fill the role of financial specialist; Skelly, the role of research specialist; and Phillips, the role of graduate assistant. These positions are all made possible by a United States Department of Education’s $4.3 million SEED grant that the center received in fall 2020.
Mwangi has a demonstrated history of working in government, nonprofit, and construction industries. Mwangi specializes in financial analysis, grant management, project and quality management, and process improvement. She holds a Master of Science in technology-project management from Illinois State University, CAPM certification, and a Six Sigma yellow belt certification.
Skelly has been an educator in Illinois for more than 20 years. Skelly has experience as an elementary teacher, middle school teacher, math and science curriculum leader, assistant principal at both the elementary and middle school levels, and preK-eight principal and has held several director positions at the district level. In addition, she has extensive experience in curriculum and instruction, grant management, and professional development.
Phillips has worked at the state level as an administrator at Illinois State Board of Education, the regional level as an administrator at the Two Rivers Career and Technical Education System, and the local level as a district superintendent, high school principal, school counselor, and teacher. Phillips’ research areas are specific to the work of the building principal and how their work can be sustained over time to be of the greatest benefit to students as well as most rewarding for the principal. She continues to focus on ways and opportunities to utilize the many rich experiences in her past to inform the future of educational policy and practices.
The center welcomes these colleagues and looks forward to the expertise, knowledge and enthusiasm that each will be bringing to their new positions.
