The Codman Academy Foundation is a 501(c)3 that raises funds from private foundations and individual donors to support the operating activities of Codman Academy Charter Public School. The Foundation Board functions much like that of a non-profit board, and Directors play a role in helping to fundraise, provide financial and programmatic oversight and introduce new friends to Codman.
The Foundation Board meets 4 times per year usually in October, January, March, and May.
Board Members
Mbakwe Okafor, President
Mbakwe Okafor, President, is Associate Director of Admissions & Multicultural Outreach at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, NH. Formerly he was the Coordinator of Multicultural Recruitment at The Fessenden School in West Newton. A founding board member of the Massachusetts Charter School Athletic Organization (MCSAO). Mbakwe spent nine years at Codman Academy Charter Public School; during his tenure as Wellness Director, the program received the 2011 Gold-Level MA School Wellness Award from the MA Departments of Elementary and Secondary Education and Public Health. In May 2012, Mbakwe was named by The Boston Globe as one of the Globe 100, which recognizes the top innovators in MA. Mbakwe received his Bachelor of Arts in English at The College of the Holy Cross and Masters in Sports Leadership from Northeastern University. He attended the Berkshire School as a postgraduate before earning a basketball scholarship to Holy Cross. Mbakwe lives in Easton, MA, with his wife, Guerlande, and two sons, Ikenna and Ethan, and in his free time enjoys reading to his sons and playing basketball with family and friends.
Meg Campbell
Meg Campbell, Founder and former Head of School. In 1989, she was a founder of the nation’s first walking trail honoring women, the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail, where she continues to serve on the board. A former Lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education, in 1993 she was founding Executive Director of EL Education (formerly Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound). She has served on the Boston School Committee and Boston Public Library Compass Committee. Awards include American Youth Foundation “Youth Leadership Award”. Barr Foundation Fellowship and Grand Circle Travel Foundation’s “Lewis Changing People’s Award”. A 40 year resident and activist in Dorchester, she is the author of two collections of poetry from Midmarch Arts Press: More Love ( 2010) and Solo Crossing (1999).
RoAnn Costin
RoAnn Costin is the founder and president of Wilderness Point Investments, a private equity company that focuses on investing in early and expansion stage consumer non-durable product and retailing companies. Ms. Costin began her career in 1981 working for State Street Research and Management, Co. She was the first woman investment analyst, portfolio manager and partner in the firm. In 1989, Ms. Costin joined the Putnam Companies as a member of the Quality Growth group, and in 1992 she founded and was president of Reservoir Capital Management, a firm specializing in quality growth equities investments. Prior to her career in business, Ms. Costin worked in government at the federal and local levels. She received an MBA from Stanford University and a BA in Government, cum laude, from Harvard University, where she was an All-American in swimming and crew. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Stanford University, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Perkins School for the Blind, American Repertory Theater and Codman Academy Charter School.
James Dillon
James Dillon is a retired Partner at Foley Hoag, LLP., where he also served as the Firm’s General Counsel. Prior to working at Foley Hoag, Jim was a Partner at Goodwin Procter, where he specialized in litigation and product liability matters. Jim brings extensive board experience to Codman and he currently serves on the boards of The Huntington Theatre Company and the BIDMC OB/GYN Foundation, Jim also consults with several non-profits that address education and career development, including the Boston Debate League, RoxMAPP and Year Up. He attended Fordham University (B.A.) and Oxford University (M.A.) before receiving his J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Glenda Fishman
Glenda Fishman brings over 25 years of experience in financial management. Currently the Director of Financial Management at the Huntington Theatre Company, she bring a wide array of knowledge from her experience with a consumer catalog company, an architecture firm, and an international education non-profit. Ms. Fishman graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in Economics, earned her Masters in Economics from Brown University and earned her MBA from Harvard Business School.
Devesh Gandhi
Dr. Devesh Gandhi joined the Foundation Board in 2018. He is currently the President of SilverArc Capital, prior to which he was the Senior Health Care Analyst at Sonar Capital Management, LLC and a Research Associate at Sanford C. Bernstein. Dr. Gandhi is a graduate from Princeton University and Yale University. He also holds an MBA in Health Care Management from Wharton, University of Pennsylvania.
Henry Goodrow
Henry Goodrow first joined the Codman community in 1999 when he became the Director of Development for the Codman Square Health Center. Over the last 25 years, Henry has led fundraising for organizations all across the city, including DotWell, the Boston Ballet, Artists for Humanity, and the South End Community Health Center. Henry joined the Foundation Board in 2023 and once again brings his expertise in development and advancement to the Codman community.
Jane Hawkes
Jane Hawkes is currently working as a real estate law agent at Bowditch & Dewey LLP. Jane holds a bachelors from Regis College and a JD from Suffolk University.
Shakye Jones '10
Shakye Jones graduated from Codman Academy in 2010.
Micheal McCollough
Micheal McCollough is the Global Vice President, Strategic Growth at Imperva. He brings over twenty years of experience in the tech industry, including at Schlumberger, Dell, and Akamai Technologies, before assuming his current role at Imperva. Michael joined the Foundation Board in 2022.
Elizabeth O'Donnell
Elizabeth O’Donnell is a SAG-AFTRA actor working in New York and Los Angeles. After graduating from Harvard College in 2017 she completed the Two Year Full Time Meisner Training Program at William Esper Studio.
Lawrence O'Donnell, Jr.
Lawrence O’Donnell, Jr. is the host of MSNBC’s 10pm show The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell. Mr. O’Donnell was an Emmy winning Executive Producer and writer of NBC’s “The West Wing.” The “West Wing” episode he co-wrote on the death penalty won the 2000 Humanitas Prize for writing that “communicate(s) those values which most enrich the human person.” Mr. O’Donnell was also the creator and Executive Producer of “Mister Sterling,” NBC’s Washington-based drama starring Josh Brolin. Mr. O’Donnell was a former contributing editor of New York Magazine with a column on national politics. From 1993 through 1995, Mr. O’Donnell was the Democratic Chief of Staff of the United States Senate Committee on Finance. The Committee has jurisdiction over legislation involving taxation, international trade, health care, Social Security, Welfare, and other income security programs. In 1992, Mr. O’Donnell was Chief of Staff of the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. From 1989 until 1992, Mr. O’Donnell served as Senior Advisor to Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. He began his professional association with Senator Moynihan as Director of Communications in the Senator’s 1988 re-election campaign. A writer prior to entering politics and government, Mr. O’Donnell published the book Deadly Force, which was adapted as a CBS movie in 1986. Suffolk University awarded Mr. O’Donnell an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, in 2001. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Mr. O’Donnell is a graduate of Harvard College. He lives in Los Angeles.
Andrew Perlmutter
Andrew Perlmutter is Executive Vice President of Boston Globe Media Partners (BGMP). In this capacity, he oversees strategic initiatives across BGMP’s portfolio of properties. Managing the growth and development of BGMP’s digital operations is perhaps the most notable of these initiatives. Prior to this role, he served as VP of Operations at The Newsweek/Daily Beast Company, where he transitioned Newsweek into a digital-only property in the run up to the sale of Newsweek. Prior to that, he served as Director of Corporate Strategy & Operations for the Atlantic Media Company, where he led the development and incubation of Quartz. Andrew graduated from Princeton University and holds a JD/MBA from Harvard.
Anne Sanderson
Anne Sanderson brings over 15 years of teaching experience to the Foundation Board. Anne is currently an Associate at the Department of Philosophy at Harvard University, and is the Co-Founder and CEO of ThinkerAnalytix (TA). At TA, she works with professors, teachers, and policymakers to improve students’ critical thinking skills through an online course utilizing Argument Mapping. Anne graduated from Williams College with a B.A. in Literature, from Harvard Graduate School of Education with a Master’s in Secondary Education, and took classes at the Harvard Divinity School as part of their Special Student program.
Jonathan Stephens
Jonathan Stephens joined the Foundation Board in 2020. Originally from Wellesley, Dr. Jonathan Stephens graduated from Roxbury Latin School and proceeded to earn his Bachelor of Arts at Amherst College. He attended medical school at the University of Illinois Chicago, where he obtained his MD, and Columbia University College of Dental Medicine, which awarded his Doctorate of Dental Surgery. Dr. Stephens completed his general surgery internship through Tulane University and his oral and maxillofacial surgery residency at Mt. Sinai / Jacobi in New York City. He attends numerous continuing education activities in dental implants, trauma surgery, and aesthetic dentistry. He is active in the professional community through memberships in the Massachusetts Dental Society, Massachusetts Society of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, AO Foundation, and American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Marlon Thompson, '06
Marlon Thompson, ’06, graduated with a Finance concentration in 2010 from the Carroll School of Managament at Boston College. Marlon’s dedication to Codman earned him a spot on the Foundation Board. He has a long-standing passion for social justice, development, and finance. He currently works in trade operations at IFS (International Fund Services), A State Street Company.
Bill Triant
Bill Triant currently works for Pearson, Inc. as the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Investments. Bill began his career as a teacher in the Boston Public Schools (Charlestown High School) where he taught algebra and business/entrepreneurship. He attended Harvard University for his A.B. and Stanford for his MBA and MA in Education. Prior to joining Pearson he worked for Leeds Equity and Hart Capital, two private equity firms focused on the education industry.
Anne von Guionneau
Anne von Guionneau brings over 30 years of experience in management consulting and investment banking. A senior executive with a successful career in management consulting and investment banking, spanning Europe, US and Asia, she brings deep experience in global competitive strategy, business expansion, performance improvement and mergers and acquisitions. She graduated from the University of Michigan, earned an M.A. from Cambridge University, and her MBA from Harvard Business School.
