Dr. Carissa Moffat Miller is the Chief Executive Officer of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), where she works with state education chiefs to ensure all students have the opportunity to graduate from high school prepared for college, careers and life. With a deep understanding of education policy at the state and national levels, Carissa leads CCSSO’s efforts to help states deliver equitable education opportunities to every student.
Carissa, a first-generation college graduate, was named head of CCSSO in 2018, becoming the first woman to lead in its 90-year history.
Prior to joining CCSSO, Carissa served as a deputy superintendent at the Idaho State Department of Education and led the implementation of statewide online testing for the Idaho State Board of Education. Carissa holds a Ph.D. in education from the University of Idaho, a master’s degree in sociology from the University of Wyoming, and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Bruce Buterbaugh is CCSSO's Chief Financial Officer. In his role, he is responsible for directing the financial and accounting activities of the Council and establishing fiscal policies and procedures. He also ensures that the finance staff maintain the financial record systems in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, and monitors the use of all funds.
Prior to joining the Council in 1988, Bruce was the Audit Manager for the certified public accounting firm of Ben A. Kendall, CPA.
Bruce holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Shippensburg University and is a certified public accountant.
Melissa McGrath is CCSSO’s Chief of Staff and oversees the Council’s Member Services, Leadership, Communications, Federal Relations and National Teacher of the Year Program. As Chief of Staff, Melissa is tasked with keeping her pulse on key work across the organization, advising the Chief Executive Officer and senior leadership on critical changes in the education policy landscape, and proactively identifying opportunities to advance CCSSO’s reach, both internally and externally.
Melissa CCSSO in 2014 and previously served as the Director of Communications where she was responsible for developing and executing the Council's strategic communications. In that role, she also worked communications directors in each state education agency to provide resources and support to them as they communicated throughout their states about education priorities. Prior to joining the organization, she spent more than seven years as the Communications Director for the Idaho State Department of Education. Melissa holds bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and Government and Politics from the University of Maryland. She is currently pursuing her Executive MBA at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flager Business School.
Julie Green is CCSSO's Chief Development Officer. Julie comes to this position with nearly 30 years of nonprofit experience, spanning executive leadership, development, external relations, governance, partnership-building and communications. Julie previously served for six years as the chief executive officer of New Futures, a D.C.-based education and workforce development organization. Under her leadership, New Futures grew its budget by nearly 200%, deepened its program, strengthened its outcomes and expanded its board and staff. Julie has also served as chief development and communications officer for E.L. Haynes Public Charter School and director of development for George Mason University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Mount Holyoke College and serves as chair of the nominating committee for the Mount Holyoke College Alumnae Association. She is a member of Leadership Greater Washington’s Class of 2021 and now resides in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her husband and two school-age daughters.
Dr. Jonathan Moore is the Chief Strategy Officer at CCSSO. In this role he leads the internal teams that oversee CCSSO’s professional learning networks, data and technology initiatives, educational equity, high-quality instructional materials, assessment, accountability and student supports, all in alignment with CCSSO’s Strategic Plan Framework. Prior to joining CCSSO, Jonathan served as the Deputy Superintendent for Student Achievement and Acting Superintendent of Public Instruction at the Nevada Department of Education where he aligned resources to support the state’s highest graduation rate on record and also launched the state’s portrait of a learner. He also served as a Deputy Associate Superintendent at the Arizona Department of Education where he oversaw K-12 Academic Standards and Professional Learning and led the creation of Arizona’s computer science standards.
Jonathan holds a doctoral degree in educational leadership and innovation from Arizona State University, a master’s degree in secondary education from Arizona State University, and bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and International Studies from Loyola University Chicago.
Daniel M. French is the Chief Operating Officer at CCSSO. He is responsible for core areas of operations, including human resources; operational and internal management and planning; management of operational aspects of meetings; internal diversity, equity and inclusion; and strategic support at the executive level. Prior to joining CCSSO in 2023, Dan served as Vermont’s Secretary of Education for four years and led the state’s education system through the COVID-19 pandemic and several complex policy initiatives, including school district consolidation and reform of the state’s education funding system. Dan is passionate about organizational leadership, serving as both a principal and superintendent during his long career in education and running his own organizational consulting business before becoming Secretary of Education. In 2009, he was named Vermont Superintendent of the Year, and from 2010-2012, he served as President of the Vermont Superintendent’s Association. Dan holds an Ed.D. in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Vermont, a master’s degree in educational leadership from Plymouth State University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Connecticut. Dan is also a proud Army veteran and a graduate of the Defense Language Institute, where he completed the Korean basic course.