Director
IDEA Foundation
Alysia Johnston has more than 37 years of experience in community college education. She most recently served as the President for Fort Scott Community College, where she worked closely with the Kansas Board of Regents and the Kansas Technical Education Authority. She served as Vice President for Academic Services for Coffeyville Community College from 2005 to 2015, where she was Chair of the Academic Affairs Committee.
Director of Special Projects
Kansas Migrant Education Program
John Farrell, PhD, has more than 50 years of experience in education and administration. In his capacity as Director of Special Projects for the State of Kansas, he provides direction and oversight for multiple statewide and nationwide projects supporting high-risk students, including the Kansas Migrant Education Program (KSMEP).​ Dr. Farrell also serves on the IDEA Foundation Board of Directors.
Director of iSOSY
Tracie Kalic has more than 30 years of education experience, starting her career as a teacher at the high school and university level. Tracie has assisted school districts in implementing and evaluating federal programs, including Title I, Part A and Title I, Part C. She has provided technical assistance to states across the country to help establish systems of support for at-risk students, both in and out of school. Tracie also assisted in the development of a Multi-Tier System of Support for secondary students in literacy, mathematics, and behavior for the state of Kansas. She has provided training and technical assistance for state level staff and direct service providers from around the nation.
Director of IDRC
Jessica Castañeda has over 24 years of experience in project management, including grant writing, staff coordination and training, program development, and partnership development. She has assisted states in identifying eligible students, created national partnerships with agencies that serve migratory farmworkers, provided training resources, and has overseen the project steering and technical support teams.