Susan Sclafani

Dr. Susan Sclafani works with Chartwell Education Group, a national and international consulting group, and the National Center for Education and the Economy. She served as Assistant Secretary of Education for Vocational and Adult Education from 2003-2005 in the US Department of Education. Earlier she served as Counselor to the U. S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige, where she was the U.S. representative to OECD, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and APEC, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Dr. Sclafani’s passion for the task of promoting and ensuring the highest standards in education was well demonstrated during her tenure at the U.S. Department of Education. Among the highlights of her term at the Department was the leadership role she played in the creation of the Mathematics and Science Initiative (MSI) to focus attention on the importance of mathematics and science in the education of all students. MSI emphasized the need for teachers knowledgeable in math and science at every level of schooling and the importance of further research in both areas. Her international work led to her leadership of the joint E-Language Learning Project with the Chinese Ministry of Education. She also led the Department’s High School Initiative to better prepare students for 21st Century education, training and the workplace. Prior to serving at the Department, Dr. Sclafani was Chief Academic Officer of one of the nation’s largest urban school districts, and in that capacity perfected her diverse skills focusing on technology, curriculum development, mathematics and science initiatives, and construction management. She also has extensive state education and business experience.

At Chartwell Education Group, Dr. Sclafani has continued her international education work as well as her work in improving K-12 educational systems at local, state and national levels. She has worked with professional organizations and foundations to meet their goals and has advised education organizations in both the public and the private sectors in the United States and abroad.