Board of Directors

Mr. William Beale

Board Chairman, Richmond, Virginia
Retired Executive, Union Bank & Trust

Successful financial and administrative leader with over 30 years of progressive experience in banking/finance. Responsibilities have included CEO of Union Bankshares Corp, Chairman of American Bankers Association, Treasurer of ABA, and various other roles in banking/finance. (Joined JASON Board: 2016)

The Honorable Alan Mollohan

Board Vice-Chairman, West Virginia
U.S. Representative, West Virginia (Retired)

Former congressman, member of the House Appropriations Committee and three of its twelve subcommittees. Chairman of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies. Member of the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies, and the Subcommittee on Homeland Security. (Joined JASON Board: 2016)

Mrs. Susan Jones

Board Secretary, Berryville, Virginia

Susan has a background in healthcare, including executive and clinical roles.  She has served in a variety of board member positions for education and healthcare organizations, including Chairman of the Board for Grafton School and Our Health Inc and various board member positions for Shenandoah University, Powhatan School, Clarke County Education Foundation, and other organizations. (Joined JASON Board: 2017)

Mr. Rob Soni

Board Treasurer, Massachusetts 

Entrepreneur/Investor:  Rob is active as an investor, board member, and leader for a variety of technology, consumer, and education businesses. Rob has recently started or helped launch Foodnome, ZippSlip, Gadget Software, Nexstreem, and Protex90, among others.  Rob is an honors graduate from Harvard College and a Rotary Scholar. (Joined JASON Board: 2017)

Mrs. Kathy Hurley

Board Member, Virginia

Kathy is a 45-year veteran of the education industry and has served in top positions in both publishing and technology companies, including executive positions with Pearson and IBM. In 2014, Kathy was selected as a Fellow of the Advanced Leadership Initiative (ALI) at Harvard University. She currently sits on the Board of Directors for several for-profit and non-profit organizations in the education industry and serves as a national and international speaker on leadership, diversity in the business world and gender equity issues. (Joined JASON Board: 2017)

Mrs. Lorie Karnath

Board Member, West Park, New York
Co-Founder, The Explorers Museum

Avid explorer, adventurer, and author who has canvased the globe in search of answers to elusive questions. Most recently served three terms as the 37th president of The Explorers Club—only the second woman in the club’s 108-year history to be elected. (Joined JASON Board: 2015)

Dr. Mort Sherman

Board Member, Leesburg, Virginia
Executive Associate Director, AASA

Nationally recognized educator with more than 30 years’ administrative experience in raising academic standards, closing achievement gaps and uniting stakeholders. (Joined JASON Board: 2015)

Mrs. Robin Wiener

Board Member, District of Columbia
President, ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries)

Robin leads the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI), in Washington DC which represents approximately 1,300 private, for-profit companies in 41 countries around the world. She joined ISRI in 1989 directing the environmental compliance activities and was appointed executive director in 1997 and then President in March 2000. Robin was appointed to the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Steel (ITAC-12) by the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative. She also serves as Chairwoman on the NMVTIS Advisory Board. Robin currently serves on the Boards of SERI, the National Recycling Coalition, and Keep America Beautiful. She is a Past Chair of NAM and is a member of the Key Industry Associations Committee (KIAC) of ASAE. She is also a Director of the International Environment Council of the Bureau of International Recycling in Brussels, a member of BIR’s E-Scrap Steering Committee, and serves on the Steering Committee of Electronics Recycling Asia and on the Jason Learning Board. Ms. Wiener earned a J.D. degree cum laude (Georgetown University Law Center), her B.S.E. degree in chemical engineering (University of Pennsylvania), and is co-author of the RCRA Compliance & Enforcement Manual (Shepard’s McGraw-Hill, 1994) as part of its Environmental Law Series. (Joined JASON Board: 2015)

Ms. Susan Kemnitzer

Board Member, Shepherdstown, WV

Susan recently retired from a long career in leadership positions in science, engineering and natural resource management.  Most recently she served as Deputy Director of the Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport System Division of the National Science Foundation Directorate for Engineering.  As a member of the Senior Executive Service, Susan managed the award of $400 million of new grants each year which explore the most innovative multidisciplinary research and education.  Her goal has always been to discover new knowledge but more importantly to develop the next generation of engineering researchers, inventors, innovators and entrepreneurs.   She strove to accomplish these same goals when serving as the Deputy Director of two other divisions of the Directorate for Engineering, namely the Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems and the Division of Engineering Education and Centers.  

Dr. Christopher F. D'Elia

Board Member, Baton Rouge, LA 
Professor and Dean, College of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University (LSU)

Christopher is an environmental champion, dedicated educator, recognized leader, and passionate supporter of music. Prior to his position at LSU, he served in roles of increasing responsibility at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg from 2004-2009. From 1999-2002 he worked at the University at Albany, SUNY as a professor, operations manager for the SUNY Research Foundation, and Vice President for Research. For 22 years, Christopher worked in Maryland, both at the University System of Maryland and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. He spent 10 years as the director of the Maryland Sea Grant College Program. Also, he was appointed as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Co-Chair of the Legislative Committee of the Commission on Food, Environment and Renewable Resources. Earlier in his career, he served as Director of the Biological Oceanography Program at the National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Rodney E. Watson

Board Member, Houston, TX
Executive Director, Region 4 Educational Service Center

Dr. Rodney E. Watson currently serves as the new executive director of Region 4 in Texas.

Watson joined Region 4 from the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), where he served as the deputy executive director/chief of staff. His main responsibilities include leading several key departments, overseeing key TASB initiatives, and leading large cross-functional projects to provide support to school districts across the state.

Prior to working at TASB, from 2014-2021, Watson served as superintendent of schools for Spring Independent School District (Spring ISD), a district of more than 33,000 students. Some of his accomplishments in the district included leading advancements in early childhood and special education, improving student data management, increasing opportunities, and choice of schools for students, implementing innovative new-teacher development and postsecondary preparedness programs, and overseeing the completion of a $330 million bond referendum.