Meet Our Team
Knowledgeable, Helpful, and Experienced –
Eager to Help You Succeed
Designed to Create a
Successful Impact
A major distinguishing factor of ESS is our level of management support. Our multi-structured management team is designed to make a positive impact on your district, staff, and students alike. The ESS team features professionals with years of experience servicing schools, including retired superintendents, business managers, and operations managers from the public school arena. We understand the education space, and we’re passionate about enhancing it!
Sales Team
Please select your state to get in touch with a member of our sales team. This dynamic group of individuals is committed to finding the best solution and achieving exceptional, personalized results for each school district.
Daniel McLaughlin
Vice President of Business DevelopmentE: DMcLaughlin@ESS.comP: 609.923.2403
Daniel McLaughlin
Vice President of Business DevelopmentE: DMcLaughlin@ESS.comP: 609.923.2403
Alabama
Arkansas
Arizona
California North
California South
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Daniel McLaughlin
Vice President of Business DevelopmentE: DMcLaughlin@ESS.comP: 609.923.2403
Georgia North
Georgia South
Daniel McLaughlin
Vice President of Business DevelopmentE: DMcLaughlin@ESS.comP: 609.923.2403
Iowa
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Maryland
Maine
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Mississippi
Montana
North Carolina
North Dakota
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
Nevada
New York
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Virginia
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
West Virginia
Wyoming
Buddy Helton
President & CEO
Buddy Helton
President & CEO
Buddy brings over 35 years of business expertise to our clients. For twelve years, he led a national facilities services company with responsibility for K-12 schools and higher education operations across the United States. Buddy delivered results to customers, resulting in high customer satisfaction and company growth with average annual revenues that increased, on average, by 24% per year over eleven years. He founded Southern Building Service in the mid-nineties and served as President of that organization. The company enjoyed exponential growth, again with very high customer satisfaction and references. Buddy and the ESS executive team continue to have a “pioneering” attitude. Buddy graduated from the University of Tennessee with honors and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration.
Steve Gritzuk
Chief Operating Officer
Steve Gritzuk
Chief Operating Officer
Steve Gritzuk is the Chief Operating Officer at ESS. He is responsible for the operations and information technology functions at the company. Prior to joining ESS in 2017, he held several senior level positions for a facilities firm specializing in K-12 facility services. He is accountable for ensuring quality operations and customer centered programs for each and every ESS client.Steve is an alumna of the Georgetown University Master’s in Human Resources Management (2019) and holds an MBA (2004) from Charleston Southern University and well as a B.S. in Marketing (2000) from Clemson University.
John DeVall
Chief Financial Officer
John DeVall
Chief Financial Officer
John DeVall has 22 years of accounting experience in the service industry. He began his career with Associated Building Services as Senior Accountant and expanded his role to Controller of a subsidiary company. In 2005, John joined GCA Education Division to become the Division Controller. He was an integral part of a management team that increased revenue and EBITDA double digits each year from 2005 to 2014. John oversees all of ESS’ financial processes and procedures. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.
Bernie Decker
Senior Vice President of Strategy
Bernie Decker
Senior Vice President of Strategy
Bernie Decker brings over 25 years of human resources experience to ESS. His expertise includes recruiting, hiring, training and development, benefits administration, and union negotiations. He joined ESS after spending twelve years previously with an education services provider where he served as Vice President of Human Resources and Training. His current responsibilities include recruiting, hiring, training of management, recruiters, teachers and support staff, as well as, administration of benefit plans, employee relations, training and employee development. Bernie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Relations from LeMoyne College, Syracuse, New York. He has furthered his education through various American Society for Training and Development seminars and attended Wimberly Lawson Labor Law Seminars for eleven years.
Ron Glisk
Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing
Ron Glisk
Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing
Ron Glisk has more than 30 years of sales and sales management experience. Prior to joining ESS, Ron was EVP of Sales and Marketing for Xanitos, Inc., a hospital housekeeping specialist firm. Before joining Xanitos, Ron was SVP of Sales and Marketing for GCA Services Group’s Education division and, prior to that, SVP of Sales and Marketing for GCA at the corporate level. Ron holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Northern Illinois University.
Andy Hall
Executive Vice President, CT, DE, MD, NJ, PA, RI
Andy Hall
Executive Vice President, CT, DE, MD, NJ, PA, RI
Andy knows the inner workings of school systems – knowledge that helps ESS better-serve clients. He joined the company with more than sixteen years of experience directing financial affairs as a school business administrator for public school districts. He leads a multi-state team in performing day-to-day functions necessary for the company’s success. Andy previously served as school business administrator for Haddonfield Public School District, New Jersey and Gloucester County Special Services School District in Sewell, New Jersey. He also served as Chief Financial Officer of Buhl Electric, Inc. in Sterling, Virginia. He is a member of the International Association of School Business Officials and the New Jersey Association of School Business Officials and serves on the board for the East Coast Migrant Head Start Project. Andy holds a bachelor’s degree from Elon University and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Rowan University.
Thomas Gifford
Executive Vice President, OK, TX
Thomas Gifford
Executive Vice President, OK, TX
Thomas Gifford has 30 years of experience in facility management and operations. He has efficiently managed sales in the excess of $120 million annually in K-12 and higher educational facilities. His responsibilities have included management for operations and quality services throughout the Southwest. Thomas received his Bachelor of Science in Education in 1987 at Carson Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee. He holds a Registered Building Service Manager designation from the Building Service Contractors’ Association International. Thomas oversees all of ESS’ operations in Texas and Oklahoma.
Rick Sanchez
Executive Vice President, AZ, CA, CO, ID, NM, OR, UT, WA
Rick Sanchez
Executive Vice President, AZ, CA, CO, ID, NM, OR, UT, WA
In 1970, Acme Building Maintenance was founded by Henry Sanchez in San Jose, California, the heart of the soon to be Silicon Valley. Rick Sanchez began his career with Acme during his high school years and after graduation from college, joined his father’s firm on a full-time basis. Acme grew to be the premier facilities services company in Northern California and employed more than 2,000 individuals. In 2005, Acme decided to become a part of a national facilities services company and during the next 10 years, Rick held the position of Regional Vice President and led the operations in the Western United States. Rick joined ESS in 2016 and manages ESS’ Western operations. Rick lives in the Bay Area of California with Carol, his wife of 42 years. They have 3 children and 8 grandchildren. He graduated from San Jose State University with a Physical Education and Recreation Degree and from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration.
Bernie Pelc
Executive Vice President, IL, IN, MI, MO, OH
Bernie Pelc
Executive Vice President, IL, IN, MI, MO, OH
Bernie brings to the table an extensive background in business, but also a background and understanding of the educational system and has himself been a substitute teacher. Bernie was raised in a family of educators (mother: teacher, sisters: teachers and counselors, father: superintendent). While working with his father in the operations of Professional Contract Management, Inc., the two realized the need to open additional offices to better serve school corporations. In July, 2006, they opened PCMI West. As Director of PCMI West, Bernie led the company in growth and presence throughout the state of Michigan while maintaining outstanding service levels for client schools. Once he became President of PCMI, he began to expand his leadership in other states providing cost saving programs to school districts. Bernie was recognized by the Greater Lansing Business Monthly publication, as the 2009 “Entrepreneur of the Year” for his many services to public schools. Today, Bernie is an Executive Vice President, for ESS.
Doug Snyder
Executive Vice President, FL, GA, NC, SC, TN, VA
Doug Snyder
Executive Vice President, FL, GA, NC, SC, TN, VA
Doug brings over 25 years of experience in the staffing industry to his role as ESS’ Executive Vice President for Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Specializing in educational staffing, Doug has a passion for creating and implementing solutions for school districts that enhance operational efficiencies and provide valuable cost savings, while maintaining over 99% customer retention in Southeast. He has the ability to fully comprehend our client school districts’ needs and provide the leadership necessary to meet those needs. Prior to joining ESS, Doug spent eight years as a Senior Regional Manager at Kelly Education, an international staffing agency. Here he developed, motivated, and evaluated staff while providing first-class communication with clients to ensure long-term client satisfaction. He also worked for Adecco as District Director where he focused leading the Southeast in new customer development and regional staffing operations managing a team of 22 staff. Doug graduated from Ogeechee Technical College in Statesboro, GA, where he earned a degree in marketing management and a Six Sigma Certification. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Green Briar Children’s Center, the Advisory Board of Ogeechee Technical College, and the Executive Board of the Georgia Employer Committee.
Mike Demarco
Executive Vice President, AL, AR, LA, MS, TN
Mike Demarco
Executive Vice President, AL, AR, LA, MS, TN
Mike joined ESS in 2018, bringing years of project management experience to his position as Executive Vice President of AL, AR, LA and MS. Prior to ESS, he worked for Crothall Healthcare, a subsidiary of Compass Group USA, as Vice President of Information Technology. During his time at Crothall, Mike created a centralized call center for support services, effectively reducing on-site hospital staffing needs and optimizing staff productivity, and drove real-time decisions through business intelligence to determine patient transportation staffing needs. He continued his career with Compass Group USA in 2014 as Vice President of Field Systems Solutions. In this role he optimized the use of Point of Sale, self-checkout, and order/pay technologies to minimize and reduce labor costs within cafes; and managed a large Professional Services team that delivered over 1000 Point of Sale projects in 2017. In his prior role with ESS, Mike has transitioned numerous districts, including some of our largest partners, immersing himself into the local landscape and zeroing in on their unique needs in order to implement a personalized transition plan.
Noelle Baglivo
Executive Vice President, NJ, New England
Noelle Baglivo
Executive Vice President, NJ, New England
Noelle has 13 years of experience operating in the K-12 education space. She also has substantial familiarity and proficiency in human resources, specializing in identifying, fulfilling, and managing the personnel needs of school districts. As a successful leader Noelle has had the opportunity to hire, develop, and mentor ESS staff and takes great pride in the capability to promote from within. Working her way up through the ranks herself she understands the institutional knowledge being part of great growth brings. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree and is a JD Candidate at Nova Southeastern Law School. Noelle began her career in human resources in 2003 before joining our team in 2010. Currently as the Executive Vice President for New Jersey and New England her expertise includes daily operational oversight, employee recruitment and management, customer satisfaction, and collaborative problem-solving.
Phil Engle
Senior Vice President
Phil Engle
Senior Vice President
Phil has been a pivotal part of the organization, taking it from infancy to the largest education-exclusive staffing firm in the country. He has been supporting school districts across the country for more than 16 years. He works hands-on with districts, implementing customized solutions to improve their substitute teacher and support staff programs. Phil has personally overseen over 300 school district transitions since he first joined the company. He is responsible for developing an intimate understanding of each school district and creating a unique transition plan designed for their needs. Phil also oversees the Client and Employee Engagement Teams in New Jersey and Florida. When he’s not increasing districts’ fill rates, Phil can be found swinging his clubs on a golf course.
Wendy Beam
Senior Vice President of Human Resources
Wendy Beam
Senior Vice President of Human Resources
Wendy grew up in a military family and has lived in Franklin, Tennessee since 1982. She received her bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and a master’s degree in education from Vanderbilt University with an emphasis in human resource development. Wendy has over 20 years’ experience working in human resources and operations, including serving as director of training for Whirlpool Corporation. Wendy was recruited by a national staffing company in 2001 and served for 10 years as Director and then Vice President of Operations. In that role, she oversaw the substitute teacher staffing program and led the founding of the Manufacturing Process Outsourcing division (MPO). She has been PHR certified and was a former President of the American Society of Training and Development. Wendy joined ESS in 2016.
Katie McGoldrick
Senior Vice President of Finance
Katie McGoldrick
Senior Vice President of Finance
Katie has substantial experience in accounting and financial planning and analysis over the last 16 years. She graduated from La Salle University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, majoring in accounting and marketing. She began her career in 2007 at KPMG, LLP before transitioning to Energy Plus Holdings, LLC as a Senior Accountant. In 2011 she joined ESS and has since held many roles within the Company including Controller and Interim CFO. Katie specializes in developing and oversight of financial planning and analysis, budgeting and forecasting, and successful delivery of financial and operational commitments to the board of directors and investors.
Evan Erdberg
Senior Vice President/ Division President, Proximity Learning
Evan Erdberg
Senior Vice President/ Division President, Proximity Learning
Evan has over 15 years of online K-12 and higher education leadership and sales and human capital management experience. He is also the founder and former president of Proximity Learning Inc., a company that has become an industry leading K-12 virtual teacher staffing solution. The company acts as the human resources backup plan for over 100 school districts nationwide, placing thousands of teachers in vacant classrooms. Prior to Proximity Learning, Evan held a Director level position at Teachscape, managing one of the largest implementations in the country of principal certification and teacher evaluation systems that incorporated student data.
Meredith Sitko
B.ED., RN, CHES, NCSN - Executive Vice President, PSI/Academic Staffing
Meredith Sitko
B.ED., RN, CHES, NCSN
Executive Vice President, PSI/Academic Staffing
Meredith oversees all organizational activities of PSI, both at micro and macro levels. With over 15 years of experience as a Registered Nurse, Licensed Teacher and Certified Health Education Specialist, Meredith brings substantial expertise and knowledge to her role. Beginning at PSI as a school-based nurse, Meredith has advanced to positions of increasing responsibility, such as Health Educator, Health Supervisor, Director of the PSI School Health Department, and now leads the entirety of the PSI Team.
Meredith’s passion lies in facilitating collaboration among the PSI Leadership Team to refine and enhance current practices while expanding infrastructure and program offerings to strengthen PSI’s services nationwide. She holds licensure as a teacher in Ohio and is also a Certified School Nurse.
Working closely with specialty teams at PSI, Meredith has played an integral part in refining current programs and spearheading new initiatives to position PSI for further growth and development. Her priority remains on implementing strategic plans that incorporate creativity and innovation through training and education programs, establishing new partnerships, and facilitating expanded opportunities to serve students.
Meredith is a proud alumna of Kent State University and finds fulfillment in balancing her professional endeavors with being a devoted mother to her three young children.
Chris Cerf
Former NJ Commissioner of Education
Chris Cerf
Former NJ Commissioner of Education
Chris Cerf previously served as Superintendent of Newark Public Schools and as New Jersey Commissioner of Education. In this role, he oversaw 2,500 public schools, 1.4 million students and 110,000 teachers in 600 school districts. Between 2004 and 2009, he was Deputy Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education where he led organizational strategy, innovation, labor relations and all matters pertaining to recruiting, supporting, developing, and evaluating the nearly 80,000 teachers and 1,450 principals who work in the nation’s largest school district.
In the private sector, Cerf was President and Chief Operating Officer of Edison Schools, Inc, and CEO of Amplify Insight. He currently sits on the Board of Directors of several companies in the K-12 arena. He earlier served as Associate Counsel to President Clinton and as a partner in two Washington, D.C., law firms. A graduate of Amherst College and Columbia Law School, where he was editor-in-chief of the Law Review, Cerf also was a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Prior to attending law school, he spent four years as a high school history teacher in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Dr. Donald Fennoy
Former Superintendent of Palm Beach County Schools, FL
Dr. Donald Fennoy
Former Superintendent of Palm Beach County Schools, FL
Dr. Donald E. Fennoy II is the former superintendent of The School District of Palm Beach County in Florida. The district is the 10th largest in the country with more than 193,000 students and 23,000 employees. Prior to his appointment as superintendent, Dr. Fennoy served as the district’s chief operating officer.
Before joining Palm Beach County, Dr. Fennoy was the senior area superintendent of the South Learning Community for the Fulton County School District. Earlier, he served as executive director of New Leaders for New Schools in Maryland, overseeing the day-to-day operations and programming for the principal development program. In a prior position as a principal in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, his high school received the National School Change Award.
Dr. Fennoy earned his doctorate and master’s degrees, both in educational leadership, from the University of Central Florida and received his bachelor’s degree from Florida A&M University.
Dr. Michael Hinojosa
Former Superintendent of Dallas Independent School District, TX
Dr. Michael Hinojosa
Former Superintendent of Dallas Independent School District, TX
Dr. Michael Hinojosa served more than 27 years as a superintendent/CEO of six public education systems, including two of the 25 largest school systems in America: Dallas ISD in Texas and the Cobb County School District in Georgia. His career in public education, from teacher and coach to superintendent/CEO, spans more than four decades.
Dr. Hinojosa’s recognitions include being named 2002 Superintendent of the Year by the Texas Association of School Boards and 2005 Superintendent of the Year by the University of Texas at Austin. He was honored as Distinguished Alumnus by the College of Education at Texas Tech University and as the Outstanding Latino Educator by the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents in 2014.
Dr. Hinojosa, a graduate of Dallas ISD, holds a doctorate in education from the University of Texas at Austin.
Dorsey Hopson
Former Superintendent of Shelby County Schools, TN
Dorsey Hopson
Former Superintendent of Shelby County Schools, TN
Dorsey Hopson served as General Counsel for several school districts. He also worked as a healthcare executive and was the Superintendent of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools, Tennessee’s largest school district. During his tenure as superintendent, Dorsey presided over the largest school merger in US history. He and his team also worked to improve student outcomes for all students and prioritized improving chronically underperforming schools.
Dorsey received his Bachelor of Arts (with honors) from the University of Memphis. He then attended Georgia State University College of Law, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. Dorsey has a deep passion for education, student equity, and the law. He firmly believes that every child can learn and that education is the equalizer.
Dr. Vernon Johnson
Former Superintendent and Education Entrepreneur
Dr. Vernon Johnson
Former Superintendent and Education Entrepreneur
In addition to ESS, Dr. Vernon Johnson serves as a Board Member for Really Great Reading, and Non-Executive Board Member at Cognita Schools. He formerly served as President & CEO at STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning, Inc. He has also worked as CEO, President, and other roles at Voyager Learning; Board Member at Cambium Learning Group; CEO of Virtual School Network; Board Member at New England College of Business; Superintendent of Richardson ISD, and Superintendent of Rochester Public Schools.
Dr. Johnson earned a Bachelor of Science and Master’s Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Ball State University. He went on to earn a Specialist Degree in Administration and Policy Studies with Special Education Cognate and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Indiana University Bloomington.
Bill Macatee
Former CBS Sports Broadcaster
Bill Macatee
Former CBS Sports Broadcaster
Bill Macatee joined The Vistria Group as a Senior Advisor during the firm’s founding in 2013. His vast board experience includes Academic Partnerships, Supplemental Healthcare, Full Bloom/Catapult Learning, Rock Dental Brands, and MSI, Information Services. In addition, Bill spent five years as a Senior Advisor to Austin-based, CapRidge Partners and as an Advisory Director for Investment Banking with Nomura Americas.
Bill transitioned fully to investment and private equity after a lengthy career in media where he broadcast many of the biggest events in sports, including the Masters, the US Open (tennis), the Olympics, and the NFL.
Bill served as an Adjunct Professor at Chapman University in Southern California where he taught Sports Media at the school’s prestigious Dodge College of Film & Media Arts. He received a BS from Lamar University.
Dr. Donna Wright
Former Superintendent of Wilson County Schools, TN
Dr. Donna Wright
Former Superintendent of Wilson County Schools, TN
Dr. Donna Wright has served in many roles in her 40-plus year career as an educator. She has positively influenced the educational field as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, deputy director, and prior to being named as the Superintendent of Schools for Wilson County (TN) in 2014, served as the Deputy Superintendent in Williamson County and Knox County Schools in Tennessee.
Dr. Wright has been published in many educational journals, invited to present at national and state conferences, served as Adjunct Professor at various institutions of higher learning, and has earned numerous awards. Although Dr. Wright retired from public education, she continues to work with colleagues and school districts throughout the state of Tennessee.
Dr. Wright earned her Doctorate in Leadership Studies from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Candy Crim
Vice President of Recruitment & Talent Acquisition
Candy Crim
Vice President of Recruitment & Talent Acquisition
As Vice President of Recruitment & Talent Acquisition, Candy supports all our teams as they search for candidates for our partnering school districts. Prior to this role, she served as ESS Director of Operations for districts in Middle Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, and Arkansas. Her experience with ESS includes oversight of recruiting and retention, management of vendor relationships, account management, and customer service. Candy graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a Master of Business Education. She has more than 25 years in the Staffing Industry and holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification from HRCI.
Matthew Carrera
Controller
Matthew Carrera
Controller
Matt has over a decade of experience in the accounting sector. He graduated from Rowan University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, majoring in accounting, along with attaining his MBA. He joined ESS as a staff accountant in 2011 and has since become Controller. Matt enjoys Philadelphia sports, traveling and spending time with his family.
Patricia Beachnau
Director of Finance
Patricia Beachnau
Director of Finance
Coming Soon
Jeff Belz
General Counsel
Jeff Belz
General Counsel
As General Counsel for ESS, Jeff oversees all aspects of legal matters, including compliance, vendor contracts, employment matters, and policy development. Jeff has vast experience representing the best interests of educational institutions, having privately represented public K-12 school boards for 17 years and practicing educational law. Jeff was appointed solicitor for three large school districts in New Jersey and served in that position for 14 years until he joined ESS. Jeff earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia and a law degree from Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, Delaware, where he served as a member of the ATLA Trial Competition Team and the Phi Delta Society.
Carrie Myers
Director of Human Resources
Carrie Myers
Director of Human Resources
Carrie is a highly skilled human resources leader with over 25 years of extensive experience in all facets of HR operations. Since joining ESS as our Senior Director of Human Resources in July 2017, she has strategically planned and executed initiatives that align with our organization’s long-term goals. Carrie’s strategic focus includes driving employee recruitment, retention, and development efforts that underpin the success of our partnering school districts.
Her in-depth understanding of state and federal employment law and regulations and her auditing experience ensure our organization maintains the highest compliance and risk management standards. Carrie also strongly advocates for continuous employee development, designing and implementing comprehensive training programs that empower our teams and foster a culture of growth and belonging. She serves as a Senior Advisor on the ESS DEIB Council.
Carrie’s exceptional communication skills and hands-on approach enable her to sustain positive employee relations by effectively mediating conflicts and counseling staff. Carrie has demonstrated expertise in developing, implementing, and refining company policies to ensure they meet regulatory requirements and support our strategic objectives and HR best practices. Carrie continues to lead with a forward-thinking mindset, ensuring the organization remains adaptable and prepared for future challenges.
Jennifer Mangan
Vice President of Marketing & Sales
Jennifer Mangan
Vice President of Marketing & Sales
Jennifer has over eight years’ experience working at ESS. She provides marketing and sales support throughout the company. Prior to joining ESS, Jennifer worked as an Art Director for a south New Jersey company. She has ample experience in design and marketing and helps support ESS’ regional and sales teams. For four years, Jennifer was a board member of Camden Schools Foundation, New Jersey. She graduated from Saint Joseph’s University, Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts.
April Frazier
Vice President of Implementations
April Frazier
Vice President of Implementations
April has been with ESS since 2019, starting out as an area manager in Duval County, Florida overseeing the ISI region. April expertly cultivated relationships with partner schools, built specific action plans designed to support ESS educators in the classroom which increased substitute teacher retention and fill rates. April has now transitioned to our Implementations team where she will transition districts to ESS by collaborating with District personnel to discuss expectations, develop timelines, and execute plans which includes software implementation, transitioning existing and/or new substitute teachers and working hands-on with training local management team members. Prior to ESS, April worked in civilian and military human resources for Department of Navy, as well as government contracting agencies bringing 15+ years of experience. April is a proud veteran, who served as an Operation Specialist in the United States Navy. In addition, April has a Bachelor of Science degree in Supervision and Management.
Joseph Fitzgerald
Vice President of Operations, AZ, CO, ID, NM, UT
Joseph Fitzgerald
Vice President of Operations, AZ, CO, ID, NM, UT
Joseph is passionate about education. He enjoys opportunities to discuss ways of improving student performance with school district leadership teams. Joseph believes in transparency in all business relationships. For almost two decades, he has delivered customized solutions to over 500,0000 students at approximately 45 school districts in nine states. Joseph enjoys mentoring employees, building teams, and providing the appropriate resources so that employees can reach their potential. Joseph is a senior member in the Mountain/West Region leadership team, joining ESS in 2014. As a strategic thinker, he provides improved operations by exploring practical creative solutions to address issues such as staffing, low fill rates, and quality educational instruction. Joseph received his bachelor’s degree in international relations from Brigham Young University and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas. Joseph enjoys working with financials and data as he creates customized solutions for ESS clients. Joseph likes to travel, play soccer, and resides in the Salt Lake City, Utah area with his wife and children.
Amy Brueske
Vice President of Operations, OR
Amy Brueske
Vice President of Operations, OR
Coming Soon
Jenna Cruz
Vice President of Operations, TX
Jenna Cruz
Vice President of Operations, TX
Jenna currently serves as ESS’ Vice President of Operations for partner districts in Texas. Jenna’s primary responsibilities include overseeing all operational aspects to include customer satisfaction and retention, onboarding, and transitions, as well as onsite management and sales support. With a background in multi-unit level management, Jenna’s passion lies with driving results and building great teams. This has been demonstrated through her highly motivated support staff whose focus is providing the best customer experience possible for their respective clients.
Courtney Gee
Vice President of Operations, OK, TX
Courtney Gee
Vice President of Operations, OK, TX
“Courtney is ESS’ Vice President of Operations in Oklahoma and parts of North Texas. She directly oversees all operations, including customer satisfaction, staff retention and onboarding, program implementation, as well as onsite management and support.
With a background in higher education and PK-12 education, Courtney’s passion lies in relationship building within her team and the district partners. Her passion carries over to her highly motivated team, which is often celebrated for the overwhelmingly positive customer service they provide and for maintaining some of the highest substitute fill rates in the country.
“
Errin Owens
Vice President of Operations, Midwest
Errin Owens
Vice President of Operations, Midwest
Errin has over 10 years of experience in customer service. Originally from Akron, Ohio, Errin attended the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff on a golf scholarship where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, concentration in Marketing. Errin relocated to Jacksonville, Florida in 2021 and shortly after started working for ESS as an Implementation Specialist, where she assisted with the onboarding of over a dozen new districts in the Southeast region. Errin enjoys working with people and bringing great customer service to our clients and partners. Errin loves to travel to new districts, meeting the staff and substitutes and when she isn’t traveling, you can find Errin in the gym or on the golf course.
Becky Saffles
Vice President of Operations, South Central
Becky Saffles
Vice President of Operations, South Central
Becky has over ten years of experience in Human Resources in the education field. She was previously a client of ESS in Tennessee handling the implementation of our program in her district before joining our team in July of 2017, overseeing our first district in Florida. Becky spent over four years as a Regional Manager for ESS Southeast region before moving into her current role as Vice President of Operations for the South Central division. She has overseen multiple districts and states, specializing in our operations and recruitment. Becky leads her team with a focus on relationship building and communication which drives increased recruitment.
Mary Davis
Vice President of Operations, South Central
Mary Davis
Vice President of Operations, South Central
Mary has been with ESS since early 2020 but has been working in Higher Education since the early 2000s. Her career in education started at The University of Southern Mississippi where she obtained her bachelor’s in psychology and master’s in education. Mary has extensive background in education, operations, Human Resources, as well as teaching in Higher Education. Mary drives and coaches her Team to success through data analysis of her accounts and obtaining feedback from the School Districts & Subs she works with. Knowing her clients and their needs drives Mary to institute changes that will be beneficial to all parties. Mary has been a major contributor to Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, Indiana and Illinois.
Jamie Marmorale
Vice President of Operations, NC, SC, VA
Jamie Marmorale
Vice President of Operations, NC, SC, VA
A resident of Saint Augustine, Florida, Jamie holds a Bachelor of Science in business management, a Master of Science in organizational leadership and many industry-related certifications. She has over 20 years’ experience in education with an emphasis in leadership, human resources, and recruitment. Jamie is directly responsible for the startup and operations of many districts throughout the Southeast Region. Additionally, she provides robust reporting, staffing solutions and welcomed guidance to our partner districts. Jamie is directly involved in the hiring, training, and management of the regional teams in South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and provides support as needed in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. She served as past President of the Employee Services Management Association (ESM) and has received many accolades throughout her career, including multiple Visionary Awards, Employee of the Year awards, Outstanding Customer Service, and Service Excellence awards.
Anthony Chrzanowski
Vice President of Operations, FL
Anthony Chrzanowski
Vice President of Operations, FL
Anthony is an experienced professional with over ten years of extensive experience in operations management in the K-12 industry. He currently serves as Vice President of Operations at ESS. With a proven track record of optimizing processes, improving efficiency, and driving organizational growth, Anthony plays a pivotal role in overseeing all aspects of operations in the state of Florida. His strategic vision, leadership skills, and dedication to excellence have consistently contributed to the success of ESS. Anthony graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics. He is deeply dedicated to guiding and nurturing teams while cultivating a supportive atmosphere of innovation and advancement within the company.
Brian Engle
Vice President of Operations, NJ, CT
Brian Engle
Vice President of Operations, NJ, CT
Prior to his current position as one of ESS’ Vice President for Operations for the northeast, Brian joined the company in 2012 as a District Manager. Brian’s expertise lies in working closely with ESS’ partner districts in order to better understand their individual substitute staffing needs. As a result, he is able to craft a substitute program that effectively meets those needs while increasing district operation efficiencies and providing valuable cost savings for the district. Brian and his team currently works with partner districts from New Jersey up to New Hampshire. He graduated from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.
Tom Basehore
Vice President of Operations, NJ
Tom Basehore
Vice President of Operations, NJ
Tom has over 14 years of experience working in K-12 education. Since joining ESS in 2013, Tom has managed the delivery of ESS service lines to partnering public, private, and charter school districts across New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. A teacher by trade, Tom began his career in special education classrooms, teaching math and science curriculums to students in grades K-5. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from West Virginia University, where he was a four-year student athlete. Tom has a strong drive for helping educators develop their skills and grow professionally. For the past eight years, Tom has been a nationally certified crisis prevention intervention instructor and has facilitated over 1,000 hours of training to ESS staff in the field. Today, Tom manages ESS operations at partnering school districts across the state of New Jersey, and enjoys crafting specialized staffing programs to meet the evolving needs of school districts.
Rebecca Cardone
Vice President of Operations, NJ
Rebecca Cardone
Vice President of Operations, NJ
Rebecca was hired with ESS in 2013. She spearheaded and managed the company’s long-term department which specializes in finding experienced certified teachers to cover long-term absences in our partnering school districts. Rebecca was integral in facilitating the growth of this department, which started in one state and now successfully operates in many states across the country. After earning a bachelor’s degree in biology from Stockton College, Rebecca has cultivated expertise in customer service and client relationships through various managerial roles since 2000. She currently oversees a team of 20 individuals as our Vice President of Operations in NJ.
Jeff Hite
Vice President of Operations, West PA
Jeff Hite
Vice President of Operations, West PA
Jeff joined ESS in 2013 as a Recruiter in the company’s first office in Western Pennsylvania. As ESS’ business in the state grew, he built strong relationships with districts, staff, and the community. Jeff served as an Area Manager, District Manager, Regional Manager, and Sr. Regional Manager before transitioning to his current position of VP of Operations in 2022. Jeff currently manages 20 staff who oversee more than 70 school districts. He strives to support his staff and ensure that each of his districts receive a high level of service. Jeff earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from St. Vincent College. Utilizing his background in education, Jeff can relate to the perspectives and everyday needs of the districts he oversees, resulting in strong and productive business relationships.
Samantha Hummer
Vice President of Operations, East PA
Samantha Hummer
Vice President of Operations, East PA
Samantha is passionate about helping others and has an extensive background in education. She received her teaching degree from Chestnut Hill College and then taught elementary school students for several years in multiple states. Once she joined ESS in 2017, she knew she could thrive even more. Samantha started as a substitute and then transitioned to the corporate side as a Hiring Coordinator and has moved up through multiple roles, and is currently working as the Vice President of Operations in Eastern Pennsylvania. While she was a Regional Manager in Bucks County, PA, she maintained quality relationships with all 13 partner districts through understanding, professionalism, and humor. Samantha’s background in teaching helps her understand how to help the districts and her team. Samantha loves working with her team and supporting the partner districts.
Joe Birmingham
Vice President of Operations, Philadelphia
Joe Birmingham
Vice President of Operations, Philadelphia
Coming Soon
Myken Caviness
Vice President of Customer Success, Proximity Learning
Myken Caviness
Vice President of Customer Success, Proximity Learning
Myken was one of the first employees ever hired at Proximity Learning and has helped the company grow and succeed. She is now in charge of the full implementation life cycle for clients and ensures the quality of Proximity Learning teachers. Myken brings with her more than 12 years of experience working with K-12 institutions. Myken graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor of Business Administrations degree, specializing in human resources.
Yeva Wilford
M.S., CCC-SLP - Vice President of Operations, PSI/Academic Staffing
Yeva Wilford
M.S., CCC-SLP
Vice President of Operations, PSI/Academic Staffing
Yeva is an experienced speech-language pathologist and detail-oriented leader with extensive experience providing SLP services both in K-12 school. Before joining Academic Staffing in 2019, Yeva worked in various public and charter schools developing IEP goals and implementing treatment plans and served as a lead therapist for the Pre-K program in Broward Count Public Schools, Florida. She also worked several years in rehabilitation clinics evaluating, assessing, and providing direct treatment to children. Yeva earned her Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology from Nova Southeastern University and holds a Certificate of Clinical Competency from the American Speech and Hearing Association. Over the past four years, Yeva has been a leader in hiring, training, and managing Academic Staffing’s therapists providing services to our partner school districts and conducted over 500 speech and language evaluations for students in Pre-K through 12th grade.
Steve Erikson
Chief Information Officer
Steve Erikson
Chief Information Officer
Steve currently serves as the Chief Information Officer for ESS. Before ESS, he was the Vice President and Chief Information Officer for Aramark’s Business & Industry Group. Steve earned his Master of Science degree in information systems from Drexel University after earning his bachelor’s in economics from the University of Maryland.
Scott Mathewson
Senior System Engineer
Scott Mathewson
Senior System Engineer
As the cofounder of willSub, Scott brings over 25 years of database development and design experience to the ESS team. As a leader on the willSub Technology Team, he continues to enjoy new feature design, implementation, and product maintenance. In addition to extensive coding, his background includes telephony, data science, and data analytics. Scott has been a school board member at Johannesburg-Lewiston Area Schools since 2012. Currently, he is serving as the Board President. In his personal time, he enjoys hiking and exploring with his family and Airedale terriers.
Mike Vogt
Senior System Engineer
Mike Vogt
Senior System Engineer
Mike is the co-founder and architect of willSub, ESS’ automated absence tracking and substitute placement system. Prior to joining our team in 2009, he was the owner, analyst, and programmer of Millennium Data Services, Inc. Mike has over two decades’ experience in the education field, serving on the board of education for Johannesburg-Lewiston Area Schools as both President and a committee member. He studied chemical engineering at Michigan Technological University, general engineering at Lawrence Technological University, and client-side web programming with JavaScript at Kirtland Community College.
Zach Vogt
Software Solutions Architect
Zach Vogt
Software Solutions Architect
Coming Soon
Alexandr Nikiforov
DB/BI Project Manager
Alexandr Nikiforov
DB/BI Project Manager
Alex utilizes over 20 years’ experience in the IT development field in his work as a Business Intelligence and Database Project Manager. His experience includes working with enterprise business data processing and analytics solutions for leading corporations both in the United States and internationally. Alex’s areas of expertise involve financial and operational data management, reporting, hands-on collaboration with the development teams responsible for Operations support and new projects implementation. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in information technology and a data science certification from Harvard University.
James McHugh
Director of IT
James McHugh
Director of IT
James manages infrastructure and technology services throughout the country for ESS. Initially joining the ESS team as an IT Technician, he worked his way to IT Manager within a year and is now supported by a team handling all day-to-day IT needs for the company. James began his career in IT as an intern at Springhouse Education where he remained as the IT Administer for four years. Fostering a passion for technology and computers from a young age, James always knew his career would lead him down this path. He has expertise in building, implementing, and configuring Windows Servers and VOIP communications. James also comes from a family of educators, having numerous teachers and board of education members among his immediate family. He shares his life with his wife and two young children.
James Diddle
IT Manager
James Diddle
IT Manager
James started his journey in the IT field nine years ago after receiving his associate degree in business technology, networking. He spent the first year of his career at a local hospital and has been with ESS ever since. James is the South Central IT Department Manager based out of the Paragould, Arkansas office. He is responsible for all IT services for that region. James resides in a small town in northeast Arkansas with his wife, three kids, and three grandchildren. He enjoys woodworking, camping, and boating activities.
Rebecca Ribarro
Vice President of Systems Support
Rebecca Ribarro
Vice President of Systems Support
With a master’s degree in computer science from Rowan University and a bachelor’s degree in computer and network security from Wilmington University in Delaware and more than a decade’s experience as a systems expert, Rebecca brings a wealth of technical knowledge to ESS’ Information Technology and Support department. Her experience comprises work with a wide variety of software, including Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft Access, willsub+, Frontline Education Absence Management, Red Rover, AccessData, Freshdesk, PLI Connect, Canvas, and Blackboard. Rebecca has transitioned, built, and supported Frontline Education Absence Management software for over 400 of ESS’ district clients.
Theresa Trainor
Director of Support Systems
Theresa Trainor
Director of Support Systems
Theresa has been supporting school districts across the country for over 12 years. She started with ESS in a Client Service role assisting New Jersey districts with their employee set up, system configurations, and integrations. Theresa quickly moved up to managing the ESS Client Engagement team supporting the East Coast with a team of 15, plus managing all absence management system transitions and new state growth. She has implemented over 500 clients and supported Human Resources integrations across multiple systems. Theresa has been pivotal in growing the ESS brand across the country, ensuring that each district’s unique needs are met in all the systems that support our clients. Theresa is now the Director of Support Systems at ESS and helps develop internal staff across the country as well as train clients on ESS systems and procedures.
Kelly Mattson
Director of Systems Support
Kelly Mattson
Director of Systems Support
Kelly has been with ESS since 2014, working in client engagement as a representative, lead, and senior lead. Currently, she manages the client engagement team in New Jersey for the Northeast and Southeast regions. Kelly works directly with ESS’ clients, using her depth of knowledge of the Absence Management system to ensure all system processes are running according to the individual needs of our partner districts. She graduated from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in marketing.
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