Executive Leadership

Our senior leadership team brings an extensive background of franchising and business expertise.

Darin Harris

Name: Darin Harris
Title: Chief Executive Officer

Darin Harris

Darin Harris is the chief executive officer of Goddard Systems, LLC. He provides leadership to the executive team and guides the vision for The Goddard School system.

Darin Harris

Darin served as a member of the Goddard Systems Board of Directors for two and a half years prior to his appointment as CEO. He most recently was the CEO of Jack in the Box, a publicly traded restaurant franchisor with almost 2,800 restaurants that generates over $5 billion in system-wide sales. During this time, he revitalized the franchise system, accelerated growth, and significantly improved franchisee satisfaction. Prior to Jack in the Box, Harris served as CEO of two other multi-unit businesses and as the COO of a company in the early childhood education space. He has also personally owned and operated multiple franchises.

Jacqueline Burls

Name: Jacqueline Burls
Title: SVP, Chief School Support Services Officer

Jacqueline Burls

Jacqueline Burls is SVP, chief school support services officer at Goddard Systems, LLC. She provides leadership on brand development, operational excellence and customer engagement to drive long-term growth for Goddard Schools across the U.S.

Jacqueline Burls

Previously, Jacqueline served as chief operating officer in the Universities South division for Sodexo S.A., a global food services and facilities company. She oversaw a $700M portfolio of 160 universities across 12 states and focused on curating industry-leading services to facilitate student success.

She has held operations and franchise development leadership positions at Starbucks Coffee Company, Walmart, Inc. and 7-Eleven, Inc. She also served as a consultant within the consumer business practices department at Deloitte and as an investment banker at Morgan Stanley & Co.

Jacqueline holds a bachelor’s degree in political economy and history from Williams College and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

Tim Dwyer

Name: Tim Dwyer
Title: SVP, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary

Tim Dwyer

Tim Dwyer is the chief financial officer, treasurer and secretary of Goddard Franchisor LLC, and he is also SVP, chief financial officer of Goddard Systems, LLC. He provides executive leadership and management of the financial functions, ensuring Goddard Systems and Goddard Schools have a sustainable, long-term and profitable business.

Tim Dwyer

He previously served as chief financial officer of Wind River Holdings, a privately held investment management firm and former parent company of Goddard Systems. In this role, he was responsible for all accounting, financial reporting, treasury, tax, investment, risk management and banking relationships. Tim also held board positions for Wind River’s operating businesses.

Prior leadership positions include vice president of corporate development at Global Indemnity Insurance Company, company controller at United National Insurance and vice president of investment accounting treasury services at Reliance Insurance Company.

Tim holds a bachelor’s degree from Saint Joseph’s University and received his CPA license in 1987.

Marcel Nahm

Name: Marcel Nahm
Title: SVP, Chief Marketing Officer

Marcel Nahm

Marcel Nahm is SVP, chief marketing officer at Goddard Systems, LLC, where he is responsible for leading the premium early childhood education brand and overseeing all marketing and lead generation efforts, as well as corporate communications.

Marcel Nahm

Prior, Marcel was senior vice president of marketing, restaurant brands for FOCUS Brands, where he directed the marketing activities for Moe’s Southwest Grill, McAllister’s Deli, Schlotzky’s and more. There, he also served as vice president and chief marketing officer for Auntie Anne’s and has held leadership roles for The Hershey Company and Mott’s.

With over 25 years of global experience, Marcel has extensive expertise in franchising, omni-channel commerce, P&L management, brand equity stewardship, breakthrough communications, portfolio innovation, digital marketing and media.

Marcel holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro and an MBA from the University of South Carolina.

Cynthia Turner

Name: Cynthia Turner
Title: SVP, Chief Legal Officer

Cynthia Turner

Cynthia Turner is the chief legal officer of Goddard Franchisor LLC and SVP, chief legal officer of Goddard Systems, LLC. She is responsible for legal affairs, including the development and implementation of legal and business strategies, risk management and mitigation, compliance, enforcement and regulatory.

Cynthia Turner

Cynthia also leads the government advocacy and outreach work on behalf of Goddard Systems and The Goddard School franchise system, most notably on issues relating to the franchising industry and federal and state investments in childcare.

Cynthia previously served as assistant general counsel for a sales performance management software and consulting company, as well as a senior litigation associate for one of Philadelphia’s premier law firms.

Cynthia holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a Juris Doctorate from William & Mary Law School.

Lauren Starnes

Name: Dr. Lauren Loquasto
Title: SVP, Chief Academic Officer

Lauren Starnes

Dr. Lauren Loquasto is SVP, chief academic officer at Goddard Systems, LLC. She is responsible for leading the development of The Goddard School’s proprietary education program, driving research-based innovation and implementing new accreditation standards across the franchise system.

Lauren Starnes

Prior, Lauren served as vice president of early childhood education at Primrose Schools Franchising Company, where she oversaw the continued evaluation, development and implementation of Primrose’s early childhood curriculum and research models.

Lauren has more than 20 years of experience in education, including curriculum development, evaluation and implementation, as well as teaching and consulting in the fields of preschool, special needs and elementary education.

A widely published author and lecturer, Lauren holds a doctorate in educational leadership, as well as a master’s degree and doctorate in child development.

Matt Zaia

Name: Matt Zaia
Title: SVP, Chief Development Officer

Matt Zaia

Matt Zaia is SVP, chief development officer at Goddard Systems, LLC, where he is responsible for growing the Goddard School footprint by leading franchisees through site selection, real estate development, design and construction processes.

Matt Zaia

Most recently, Matt served as vice president of development and franchising at Firehouse Subs, part of Restaurant Brands International (RBI). While there, he developed the first development and analytics team and a new franchise sales team, as well as launched new market planning technology for the US and Canadian markets.

Prior to joining Firehouse Subs, Matt was vice president of development at Domino’s Pizza, where he was responsible for corporate and franchise domestic store growth. At Domino’s, he oversaw franchising, market planning, real estate, construction, facilities, and the growth of the domestic and international supply chain center system. With more than 15 years of franchise experience, Matt has guided first-rate global brands with expanding their portfolios and led teams across a broad spectrum of development functions.

Matt holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in architecture, both from Lawrence Technological University.

Dr. Ali Tafreshi

Name: Dr. Ali Tafreshi
Title: SVP, Chief Information Officer

Dr. Ali Tafreshi

Dr. Ali Tafreshi is SVP, chief information officer at Goddard Systems, LLC. He is responsible for building and executing a robust information technology (IT) roadmap, improving processes and applications to deliver value to the franchise system and leading the efforts to implement new technologies and data management.

Dr. Ali Tafreshi

Ali most recently served as chief information officer at Authority Brands, LLC, where he helped lead the creation of future-state software solutions to drive efficiency and optimal experiences for all stakeholders. Prior to joining Authority Brands, he served as an IT leader for consulting firms, the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and T-Mobile, among other organizations.

With more than 20 years of leadership experience, Ali has an exceptional track record and an extensive background in IT operations, security and analytics, vendor management and regulatory compliance in a diverse array of sectors that include aviation, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications and franchising.

Ali holds bachelor’s and doctorate degrees in engineering from the University of Maryland. He has also completed post-doctoral research and executive training in strategy and innovation at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Deborah Thomas

Name: Deborah Thomas
Title: SVP, Chief Human Resources Officer

Deborah Thomas

Deborah Thomas is SVP, chief human resources officer at Goddard Systems, LLC, where she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of human resources strategy, including talent management, employee engagement and leadership development.

Deborah Thomas

Deborah has three decades of experience in HR leadership positions across a broad spectrum of industries including technology, manufacturing, telecommunications, e-commerce and financial services. She most recently served as chief people officer at Somos, Inc., collaborating with the executive leadership team to enable company growth while serving as the steward of company culture. Her innovative approach to peer collaboration and talent management positioned the company as an industry employer of choice, resulting in top-tier employee engagement and satisfaction ratings.

Deborah holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Hampton University and an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Additionally, she has served on an array of boards, including leadership and advisory boards at both of her alma maters; the Rhode Island State Workforce Investment Board; the Work Tango, Inc., board of directors; and the nonprofit board for Positive Impact Health Centers.

Educational Advisory Board

Our Educational Advisory Board (EAB) is a diversely skilled panel of educators, researchers and experts who ensure The Goddard School's individualized learning program is consistently at the forefront of early childhood development.

Sonia Cabell, Ph.D.

Name

Sonia Cabell, Ph.D.

Title

Science of Reading; Early Literacy; Oral Language; Early Writing

Biography

Dr. Sonia Cabell is an associate professor of reading education at the School of Teacher Education and the Florida Center for Reading Research at Florida State University. Her research focuses on early language and literacy instruction, with a particular interest in preventing reading difficulties in young children.

Sonia has authored more than 70 publications, including peer-reviewed articles, books, book chapters and early childhood language and literacy curricula. She is the lead editor of the Handbook on the Science of Early Literacy from Guilford Press, and she co-authored Literacy Learning for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers: Key Practices for Educators from the National Association for the Education of Young Children and Strive-for-Five Conversations from Scholastic. She has also served as an advisor or consultant for a variety of organizations and state departments of education across the United States.

Sonia earned her doctorate in education with a concentration in reading education from the University of Virginia. Previously, she worked as a second-grade teacher and literacy coach in Oklahoma and Virginia.

Jennifer Jipson

Name

Jennifer Jipson, Ph.D.

Title

Early Childhood STEAM Learning; Anytime, Anywhere Learning

Biography

Dr. Jennifer Jipson is department chair and professor of psychology and child development at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo with expertise in how children construct understandings about science, health and technology through everyday activities. She draws on scientific research to develop learning opportunities for young children.

She received funding from the National Science Foundation to design early science learning materials and serves as a consultant for children’s museums, toy companies and digital and traditional media platforms. Her published work includes scholarly research articles, book chapters and an edited volume on learning in museum settings.

Jack Maypole

Name

Jack Maypole, M.D.

Title

Pediatric Health and Well-Being; Public Health and Policy

Biography

Dr. Jack Maypole is a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine and department vice chair and director of the Comprehensive Care Program at Boston Medical Center.

As a pediatrician, Jack treats children with complex and chronic illnesses such as neurodevelopment problems and complications of premature infancy. Jack is active in local, state and national efforts for healthcare advocacy, especially for children with special healthcare needs. He has also written widely on child health matters in print and online.

Jack is a graduate of the Yale University School of Medicine.

Peg Oliveira, Ph.D.

Name

Peg Oliveira, Ph.D.

Title

Quality at Scale; Teacher Coaching; Advocacy; Play-Based Learning

Biography

Dr. Peg Oliveira is the director of the Gesell Program in Early Childhood at The Yale Child Study Center. She is a developmental psychologist with a career in advocacy and social activism. A widely published author, she designs professional development content and trainings that have a direct and immediate impact on how educators and parents see and teach children.

Peg has worked with state agencies, national advocacy coalitions and local initiatives to ensure that all children receive a high-quality early learning experience. Through these efforts, she has helped shape much of the early learning standards and policies around play in the state of Connecticut.

Peg earned her doctorate in psychology from Brandeis University.

Kyle Pruett

Name

Kyle Pruett, M.D.

Title

Family Engagement and Parenting; Social-Emotional Development

Biography

Dr. Kyle Pruett is a clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. Through his child psychiatry work, Kyle has become an international expert and forensic consultant on child, parental and family development; paternal involvement; children’s mental health and creativity; and the effects of trauma, media and divorce on young children.

Kyle is the founder of the Yale Conference on Fatherhood and the Harris Professional Development Network for Training in Early Intervention and Research. He has authored award-winning books, including Me, Myself, and I, Fatherneed and Partnership Parenting, and contributes to such publications as The Washington Post, USA Today, Parents, ABC News and Psychology Today.

Kyle received his undergraduate degree from Yale University and a medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine.

Ann McClain Terrell, Ph.D.

Name

Ann McClain Terrell, Ph.D.

Title

Early Childhood Education Leadership; Education Policy

Biography

Dr. Ann McClain Terrell, Ph.D., is one of the nation’s preeminent early childhood education leaders. As the former president of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the former executive director of the Milwaukee Public Schools Foundation, Inc., Ann's leadership has been instrumental in shaping educational policies and practices across the country. Her fifty years of education experience also includes roles as the director of innovation and director of early childhood education for the Milwaukee Public Schools district.

In addition to being a distinguished educator, Ann is an accomplished author. Her book, Graceful Leadership in Early Childhood Education, reflects her commitment to advancing the early childhood education field. Her community service involvement extends to boards, councils and committees, including the Wisconsin Governor’s Early Childhood Advisory Council and the Milwaukee Succeeds Leadership Table.

Ann holds an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Lakeland University and multiple degrees, including an M.S. in Educational Leadership from Cardinal Stritch University and an M.S. in Cultural Foundations of Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Valerie Truesdale

Name

Valerie Truesdale, MBA, Ph.D.

Title

Education Policy

Biography

Dr. Valerie Truesdale is an education policy expert who currently serves as the assistant executive director of the School Superintendents Association. She has spent the bulk of her career in the public school system, including stints as a teacher, principal, chief instructional services officer, chief technology and transformation officer and superintendent. Additionally, she previously led the policy division of the South Carolina State Department of Education, supervising student assessment, educator licensure, technology and policy.

Valerie is a past president of the International Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and was the first recipient of the National Women in School Leadership Award, conferred by the American Association of School Administrators in 2011. Furthermore, she has been named State Superintendent of the Year by the South Carolina Association of School Administrators and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the organization in 2012.

Valerie holds a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Clemson University, an MBA in marketing from Georgia State University and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of South Carolina.