Jeanne works to advance policies and practices that ensure children have access to 21st century education, and the programs and schools that best meet their needs. She founded and serves as CEO of the Center for Education Reform (CER) which for almost 3 decades has influenced critical changes in how US education operates. In 2021, she launched the Yass Prize for Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding and Permissionless Education to reward education providers who perform for underserved students. She is a frequent writer, commentator and podcast host. She holds an MS from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA from Dickinson College.

Michael is the Executive Vice President of The Center for Education Reform and Deputy Director of the Yass Foundation for Education. For the last 23 years he has worked in a variety of roles for non-profits, private companies and government agencies where he worked on a number of education reform related activities but always with the goal of fighting to ensure parents have the right to choose the best educational options for their children. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and a Masters of Public Administration from The George Washington University. Michael has also served as an elected official in the District of Columbia and currently chairs a city wide commission. He lives with his wife and family in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC.

Caroline Allen is the Vice President of the Yass Prize, and leads the team with managing and executing the application process, judging process, awardee announcements, and accelerator bootcamp. Prior to joining the Yass Prize team, she spent eight years in the classroom, teaching Special Education and elementary general education in Massachusetts, including at the nationally recognized Edward Brooke Charter School in East Boston. She is a Teach For America alum and has extensive experience working with teachers, families, community members and school leadership in the areas of professional development, teacher coaching, strategic vision planning and differentiation to meet the diverse needs of all learners. Caroline received her undergraduate and Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Josephina Rago is the Program Associate for the Yass Prize, working closely on project execution as well as curating the Yass Prize Movement Platform for cohorts to thrive. Preceding her role with the Yass Prize, Josephina built her professional and educational experience serving underserved students in the south Bronx, the southside of Chicago, and Detroit, as well as in small towns of Michigan and Maine. Beginning as an AmeriCorps Member, she developed her fiery passion for closing the achievement gap. Over the subsequent decade, Josephina improved success rates for adolescents and first generation college students with learning differences, mental health challenges, behavioral challenges, and executive functioning difficulties within public, charter, private, and residential school settings. Josephina earned her undergraduate degrees from Hobart and William Smith Colleges; her MAT in Special Education at National Louis University; and her MSEd in Higher Education Administration at CUNY Baruch College.