Andee Steinman, EdD
Andee Steinman has over twenty years of experience in classroom instruction and curriculum design, school and nonprofit leadership, and program design and implementation, most recently serving as Chief Program Officer and Chief of Staff at Junior State of America, an educational nonprofit. In her role as CPO, Andee led a program staff in designing and implementing more than 30 student conventions and programs every year for thousands of high school students across the country. As Chief of Staff, Andee acted as the CEO’s right hand, liaising with the Board of Directors, and managing the Program, IT, and Operations departments. Prior to her time at JSA, Andee served as Head of Upper School and Interim Head of School at Palm Valley School, and taught social studies to students in grades 6-12 for 15 years. Andee was responsible for opening the school’s new Upper School building, leading a team of faculty and staff, and providing curricular and strategic vision for the Upper School.
Prior to moving into education, Andee worked in electoral politics at the local and national level. Andee holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, both from UCLA.
Jodi Wiseley, MEd
Jodi Wiseley has over twenty years of experience in management, accounting, human resources, and development/alumni engagement, including most recently serving as Chief Executive Officer of Junior State of America, an educational nonprofit. Previous to her time at JSA, Jodi served as Chief of Staff and Operations and Executive Director of Parent and Family Programs at UC San Diego. While living in the Palm Springs area, she served as Chief Financial Officer at Palm Valley School where she was responsible for the annual budget, developed the first five-year strategic financial plan in the school’s history, and had oversight of human resources, facilities management and development programs for the 34-acre campus. In her previous position with The Management Trust in Palm Desert, Jodi started in 2004 as the company’s controller, and over the next 11 years, was promoted to positions with increasing responsibility, and in 2014, became the first female Division President within the company.
Jodi is a proud alumna of the University of Florida where she received both a Bachelor of Arts in History and Master of Education degrees.
Laurel Fischer
Since 2010, Laurel Fischer’s career has focused on all facets of classical education, as a teacher, after-school program director, state testing coordinator, curriculum developer, and most recently, school administrator. She has served students Kindergarten through 12th grade as well as incarcerated learners, in public school, private school, and nonprofit settings. With the Junior State of America, she planned and executed a summer program for high schoolers from the United States territories and freely-associated states on Saipan, including managing the scholarship process, travel, housing, instruction, and leisure activities. She has also taught in South Korea.
Her passion for education originated with her own transformative experience at St. John’s College in Annapolis, MD, an all-required Great Books Liberal Arts program. In her free time, she can be found in her garden or greenhouse, reading.