Staff & Consultants

Kaaren Heikes, Executive Director
Kaaren has served in the public education arena for 18 years, five by teaching middle and high school students and thirteen by leading regional and state-level initiatives related to alternative education, workforce development, and charter schools, within Education Service Districts and nonprofit organizations. For the past four years, she served as the Director of the Charter Schools Development Center’s Oregon program, providing extensive technical assistance to charter schools, charter developers, and district sponsors, as well as working at the state level to influence legislation, policy and practices. In order to better address the needs and opportunities in Oregon and throughout the Pacific Northwest, Kaaren and her key advisors in the charter community established NWCEO to continue and expand their previous work. Kaaren has earned an M.S. in K-12 Administration, a B.A. in English, and Educational credentials both in K-12 Administration and Secondary Teaching.