Nicole Russell
Executive Director
Nicole serves as NAFIS Executive Director, overseeing the strategic direction and daily operations of the organization. She has experience on Capitol Hill and in federal lobbying, corporate communications and nonprofit government relations, specializing in education policy. She started her career as a federal lobbyist representing cities, counties, and school districts across the United States. An active-duty Marine spouse, Nicole has served in leadership roles on several military nonprofit organizations in Washington, DC and Okinawa, Japan.
Anne O’Brien
Director, Communications
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Anne oversees NAFIS communications, branding and messaging to external audiences and NAFIS members; works on NAFIS membership recruitment, renewal, and engagement strategy; and manages the activities of the Federally Impacted Schools Education Foundation (FISEF). She came to NAFIS from the Learning First Alliance, where she served 10 years, ending her tenure as Deputy Director. She comes at her work from a classroom perspective, beginning her career as a high school science teacher before earning a masters in education policy.
Jayson Schimmenti
Director, Policy & Advocacy
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Jayson leads NAFIS policy and regulatory work with Congress and the Administration, manages the organization’s grassroots efforts and builds relationships with key stakeholder organizations and coalitions. He brings nearly a decade of experience as a lobbyist and policy staffer on Capitol Hill to this role. He most recently served as D.C. Executive Director for Duane Morris Government Strategies, managing federal policy priorities for various clients. Before that, Jayson worked as a congressional staffer for six years.
Melvin Bodmer, Jr.
Manager, Operations
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Melvin manages NAFIS office operations, including finance, human resources, the association management system and the annual membership renewal process. He brings more than a decade of experience in the non-profit and association sector, serving as Director, Administrative & Member Services for the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) for seven years as well as working on membership, database administration and accounting for the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) and National Association of College Auxiliary Services (NACAS).
Joel Arthur
Manager, Membership Experience
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Joel manages NAFIS membership recruitment, retention and engagement, and he oversees logistics for NAFIS conferences and other events. He has significant experience organizing advocacy-driven events in the education and government sectors, most recently as a conference coordinator for minority-owned non-profits in the museum and transportation industries. Focusing on acknowledging legacy and fostering progress, he has produced events for a wide variety of organizations, including the Smithsonian Institution and the Association of African American Museums.