Septima Clark Public Charter School

Ms. Jenny DuFresne, Ed.M. - Founder/Head of School
Ms. DuFresne is the founder of Septima Clark Public Charter School, the first all boys public charter school in the District of Columbia. She is a former Building Excellent Schools Fellow, a national program designed to train aspiring school leaders to develop high performing public charter schools.   Ms. DuFresne's professional career includes a 10-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps, work in corporate level media relations, and service in the national nonprofit community. These professional experiences led her to become a 5th grade teacher in DC Public Schools through the DC Teaching Fellows program. During her service as a teacher, the vision of a high performing public school that would serve to educate boys was born.  Ms. DuFresne holds an Ed.M. from Harvard University and a BA from George Mason University.

James (Jay) Coston, Esq. - Chair
Jay Costan is a partner at SNR Denton US LLP, specializing in energy law.   He represents electric and natural gas project developers and other energy clients on a broad range of issues, including project contracts, licensing, access to transportation or transmission service, regulatory matters before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other agencies and litigation of disputes involving energy contracts and regulation. He has served on the Septima Clark Board and as Chair of the Development Committee since 2007.   Mr. Costan has served in leadership capacities in other charitable and civic organizations, including Christ Church, Georgetown, where he has been active in fundraising. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia (BA in English, 1970) and Washington & Lee University Law School (JD cum laude, 1974). Prior to entering law practice, he clerked for Judge J.P. Coleman on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans.

Debbie Lister - Vice Chair
Debbie Lister is a board member of Septima Clark Public Charter School. She currently works as a Program Manager for the CityBridge Foundation where she serves multiple corporate partners in an innovative skills-based, cross-sector service model Ms. Lister’s professional career spans 15 years of work in national and local nonprofits. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Lithuania where she facilitated workshops on grant writing, fundraising, project management and marketing skills to national and regional NGOs throughout the country.   Ms. Lister holds a MPA from American University and a BA from University of Florida.

Steve Messner - Treasurer
Mr. Messner is a management consultant and interim C-level executive with over 25 years of experience in finance, general management, operations, and strategy. He has also been CEO, COO, and CFO of professional services companies in the Washington, DC, area and the founder of two management consulting firms. Mr. Messner holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School, an MS in Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a BA and an MS in Applied Mathematics from Harvard University.

Catisha (Tisha) Jackson - Secretary
Mrs.Jackson is a Special Investigator for CACI. She is currently pursing a B.A in Criminal Justice and plans to work with at-risk youth. Her commitment to children and her dedication for helping them succeed is what led her to joining the board. She earnestly believes in the Septima Clark model and is excited that her membership on the board will allow her to be a part of conditioning our young boys to compete, achieve and contribute productively in society. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family; a spirited three year-old who is learning her way in the world, an eight year old son, who is a promising student at Septima and a loving husband who is proudly serving in the United States Air Force.

Gerry Widdicombe – Trustee

Mr. Widdicombe has served as the Director of Economic Development for the Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) since 2000. At the Downtown BID, Gerry oversees the BID’s efforts to strengthen and diversify the Downtown and Center City economy. Prior to joining the BID, Gerry worked for two years for the District of Columbia government in the Office of the Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development and the Treasurer’s Office in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (1998-2000). Gerry’s past professional endeavors include work for Goldman, Sachs & Co. for nine years in New York City (1978-1979 and 1981-1989), and for the RTC and FDIC in DC for three years (1991-1993). He was a financial consultant for 1993-1998. Gerry graduated from the Harvard Business School (1981), Dartmouth College (1978) and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Chevy Chase, MD (1974). Gerry serves on the DC BID Council, and on the boards of Directors of the National Cherry Blossom Festival (Treasurer), the Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District, the Woolly Mammoth Theatre (Treasurer) and the Nora School in Silver Spring (small private high school/Chair 1996-2004), and the Septima Clark Public Charter School.

Mara Nicastro - Trustee

Mara Nicastro is the Assistant Head of The Nora School in Silver Spring, MD. She has been a committed educator in the DC community for over 20 years. After working for several years in all boys Catholic high schools, she moved to the Nora School to work with students with different learning styles. She has been an active member of the Board of Directors at the Nora School since 1991. She lives in Maryland with her husband and their three children. She earned an MA from The George Washington University, and a BA from Dickinson College.

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