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LYNN – KIPP is delighted to announce a new chairman of its board of directors. Current board member Amanda Seider has been appointed chairman of the board, replacing retiring board chair Michael Kendall, who served as chair since 2011. Kendall will remain on the board. Thomas Beecher, CEO Of Cartera, has been appointed Vice Chair to replace Ms. Seider.
Under Mike Kendall’s leadership, KIPP Massachusetts grew from one middle school educating 300 students in Lynn to two districts in Lynn and Boston. KIPP now educates 2150 students in grades K-12. Kendall also oversaw the construction of KIPP’s two state of the art campuses in Lynn and Mattapan, as well as the purchase of the JB Blood Building in downtown Lynn, which will become the permanent home of KIPP Academy Lynn Collegiate High in August 2019.
“We are grateful for Mike’s work as chair the past eight years, and we are thrilled to have Amanda step into the role of Board Chair,” said Caleb Dolan, Executive Director. “Her commitment to our students and families and to closing the attainment gap has been the driving force of her work on our behalf for the past seven years. We look forward to Amanda’s leadership as she takes us through our next phase of growth. Her experience in the education space and insight will prove an incredible benefit not only to KIPP Massachusetts but more importantly to our kids and families.”
“I’m honored to take on this important role,” said Amanda Seider, “and I’m grateful to Mike for his great work as chair. Through a period of extensive growth, both in scale and complexity, Mike has ensured we’ve stayed true to what makes KIPP great – a focus on strong results, a joyous, nurturing culture, and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels. As I assume the chair position, I’m eager to lead the next chapter of our board’s work. I’m very excited about KIPP’s future, and to continue to support the incredible work of our students and families in this new capacity.
Amanda joined the KIPP MA Board in 2011. Amanda began her career as fourth grade teacher in Atlanta, and has spent her career in the nonprofit sector. Amanda is a native of Dorchester, and a graduate of Boston Public Schools. A first-generation college student, she holds an AB from Harvard College and a master’s degree from Emory University. Today, she serves as chief of staff on the Teach For America – Massachusetts regional team.
Current KIPP MA board members are: Chair Amanda Seider, Teach For America; Vice Chair Tom Beecher, Cartera; Treasurer Matt Fates, Ascent Venture Partners; Secretary Joel Abramson, Flagship Travel; Jennifer Betancourt, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health; Doug Borchard, New Profit; Jennifer Davis, Harvard Graduate School of Education; Caleb Dolan, KIPP Massachusetts; Dawn Foye, Citizens Schools; Ivelisse Gonzalez, Eastern Bank; Michael Kendall, Goodwin Procter LLP; Paul Ketterer, AEW; Shenkiat Lim, City Year.
About KIPP Massachusetts: KIPP Massachusetts is a network of five open enrollment public charter schools serving over 1,890 students in Lynn and Mattapan, and part of a national network of 209 KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program) schools located in 20 states and the District of Columbia serving 88,000 students. Its mission is to create an environment where students will develop the academic skills, intellectual habits, and character traits necessary to maximize their potential in college and in life. KIPP alumni are graduating from college at rates that exceed the national average and at approximately five times the rates of peers from low-income communities. To learn more, visit
