Board of Directors
Arizona School Choice Trust

Left to right (sitting):
Neil Nobel, Dr. Matt Ladner, Clint Bolick, Esq., Jaime Molera

Right to left (standing):
Dean Riesen, Dr. Tom Patterson, Michael Kelly, Darcy Olsen, Christopher Smith, Isabelle McVaugh, John “Jack” McVaugh

Jack McVaugh,
President Emeritus

In 1992, Jack and Isabelle McVaugh had recently retired to Arizona when they read a news article in the Wall Street Journal about Indiana businessman J. Patrick (Pat) Rooney of Golden Rule Insurance.  Rooney began his initiative in 1991 to get the Indiana state legislature to fund private schools with state resources. When that did not succeed, he and his company began providing private scholarships to 500 students.

The McVaugh’s were impressed with Rooney’s approach. They had been able to afford to send their children to the best schools possible, but knew that some families especially with lower incomes did not have that opportunity. Their vision was to enhance K-12 education for all Arizona school children by giving parents freedom to choose the school that best met their children's needs. With the help of friends and associates the Arizona School Choice Trust (ASCT) was established. Starting with out of pocket donations, with the addition of state individual and corporate tax credits, the ASCT provides annual scholarships to almost 1000 children from low income families in Arizona.

ASCT founding Board Members Jack and Isabelle McVaugh summarized their vision accordingly, “It is our goal to be a leader in the growing movement across the country for school reform and educational freedom.”

Clint Bolick, Esq.
Chairman of Board

Clint Bolick is the Director of the Goldwater Institute Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation.  Bolick is the former president and general counsel of the Alliance for School Choice, a national nonprofit educational policy group advocating school choice programs across the United States. For 15 years, Bolick has led the nationwide effort to defend school choice programs, with victories in the Wisconsin, Ohio, and Arizona Supreme Courts, culminating in Zelman v. Simmons-Harris in the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 2006, Bolick was the recipient of a Bradley Prize, the freedom movement’s highest honor. He is the author of several fiction and non-fiction books including "Voucher Wars: Waging the Legal Battle Over School Choice". Book available at: Amazon.com   Website: www.goldwaterinstitute.org

Christopher Smith
Treasurer

Christopher Smith is a product, practitioner and proponent of a broad array of teaching, schooling and learning options.  He is also a father, husband, professional, endurance athlete, adventurer and community-minded volunteer.

Professionally, Smith has enjoyed career chapters as a civil engineer, geodesist, water resource management specialist, finance analyst, public policy director and Chief of Staff of the Arizona State Senate, think tank president, CEO of a national cutting-edge Internet-based education policy activism organization and, currently, a member of the management team with digital telecommunications and entertainment company, Cox Communications. Currently, Smith is proud to serve on the boards of directors of seven non-profit organizations, and he is active in ten others.  He also serves in five different ministry roles through his church.

From humble roots, Smith distinguished himself in the study of civil engineering (B.S. Northern Arizona University) and business (M.B.A. Arizona State University).  The combination of this formal education with an atypical informal education (he lived on his own starting at age 15), led to a professional life overflowing with challenging opportunities. 

In turn, the transformation from poor and uneducated to a life rich in knowledge and opportunities, has spurred Smith’s passion to ensure great educational options, leading to even greater opportunities, for each of his three daughters…and the children of others.

Elizabeth McVaugh
Corporate Secretary

Since coming to Arizona in 1992, Isabelle McVaugh has been a leading force for the Arizona School Choice Trust (ACST).  She is a school choice advocate, fundraiser and policy maker.  Isabelle represents that critical link between deserving students having greater access to a quality education and to become a part of a new generation of leaders.

Since 1993, with her guidance and management, the ASCT has raised millions of dollars and provided more than 4,500 students with scholarships. Today, our organization is supported by more than 115 private schools throughout the state of Arizona.  The result of Isabelle’s efforts has not only benefited youth and their families, but our nation in ways that will reward each of us for many years to come.

ASCT Co-founding Board Member Isabelle McVaugh is proof that one person can make a difference and those who take personal responsibility over their lives can excel.

Michael E. Kelly
President and Executive Director

Mr. Kelly is the President and Executive Director of the Arizona School Choice Trust. From January 1995 to January 2004, Kelly, was the Senior Policy Advisor to Phoenix Mayor Skip Rimsza in the economic development arena. Mr. Kelly staffed subcommittees, commissions and boards pertinent to economic development and public safety, in the City of Phoenix.  Kelly is also a behavioral health services expert with more than 20 years experience in training, education, public relations, community organization and development.

Mr. Kelly spent 14 years in administrative positions with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS).  During his tenure at ADHS he revamped funding of the most comprehensive behavioral health service delivery system for children in Arizona; wrote and implemented Arizona’s initial comprehensive service delivery system for seriously mentally ill adults; and coordinated development, implementation and evaluation of the first state and federal contracts /grants for women, the elderly, physically and emotionally disabled, children and people of color. Kelly is also a proud board member of the Arizona Community Foundation and chairs the Program & Distribution Committee.

He also has extensive private sector experience is in Television Production & Broadcast Administration; and raised millions of dollars, collectively, for a variety of community service organizations.

Michael matriculated from the University of Pittsburgh with Bachelors of Arts Degree in Sociology and a Masters of Arts in Teaching.

Matthew Ladner, PhD.
Board Member

Dr. Matthew Ladner is vice president of research for the Goldwater Institute. Prior to joining Goldwater, Ladner was director of state projects at the Alliance for School Choice, where he provided support and resources for state-based school choice efforts. Ladner has written numerous studies on school choice, charter schools and special education reform.

Ladner previously served as director of the Center for Economic Prosperity at the Goldwater Institute and as vice president of policy and communications at Children First America. Ladner is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and received both a Masters and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Houston.
Website: www.goldwaterinstitute.org

Jaime Molera
Board Member

Jaime A. Molera is a founding partner of the Molera Alvarez Group.  The Molera Alvarez Group is a government relations firm which also specializes in affordable housing development. Mr. Molera held a variety of high-level state positions.  Among these were Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction (2001-2003) and top advisor on policy and legislative affairs to Governor Jane Dee Hull (1997-2001).

Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Molera led the charge for Proposition 301, as Campaign Director, to bring Arizona out of the national basement in education funding through new-dedicated resources (nearly a half billion dollars per year) for K-12, Community College, and University education.  He also was a major force to reform the way development occurred in Arizona through the “Growing Smarter” legislation.  Recently, Mr. Molera led the legislative effort to help secure the funding necessary to expand the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine in Phoenix.  Mr. Molera also proudly serves as Chairman of the Arizona Prevention Resource Center.
Website: moleraalvarezgroup.com

Neland Nobel
Board Member

Neland Nobel, one of eight children, came to Arizona with his family in 1961 from rural Western Pennsylvania.  He attended Cave Creek Elementary, Paradise Valley High School, and went on to obtain both a Bachelor's and Master's Degree from Arizona State University.  His degrees were in American History.  During this time he was awarded the Richard M. Weaver Fellowship from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and served as a teaching assistant in the Department of History. 

After graduation, Neland who originally wanted to teach economic history at the college level , decided to go into the investment business.  In the 1970s, he entered the precious metals business and as both sales manager and market manager grew the firm to the third largest of its kind.  In 1982, he left the precious metals business and became a stock broker and Certified Financial Planner. 

Nobel has served with major brokerage houses including; Merrill Lynch, RBC Dain Raucher, and for the past 14 years, UBS. He has always been interested in liberty and has been active in organizations promoting limited government, personal responsibility, and free markets. Neland has been married for 27 years, has two daughters in college and a son with special needs.

Darcy Olsen
Board Member

Darcy Olsen serves as president and CEO of the Goldwater Institute, a groundbreaking state think tank for conservative policy in the United States. Under Olsen’s leadership, the Goldwater Institute has acted as a policy architect for many successful reforms, including several school choice laws, initiatives to protect private property, and broad, across-the-board tax cuts.

Olsen’s opinions have been widely published in such outlets as USA Today and the National Review, and she has provided testimony before Congress. In 2006, Olsen received the national Roe Award for noteworthy achievement in state public policy. Darcy previously served as the director of education policy at the Washington D.C.-based Cato Institute, and as a transitional house manager for the D.C. Coalition for the Homeless.  Olsen earned a B.A. at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, and an M.A. in International Education at New York University. She is a native of the southwest from St. George, Utah.
Website: www.goldwaterinstitute.org