Susan Sclafani works with Chartwell Education Group, an 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 to 2005 in the U.S. Department of Education (ED). Earlier she served as counselor to U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige, where she was the U.S. representative to both the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

Sclafani’s passion for the task of promoting and ensuring the highest standards in education was well demonstrated during her tenure at ED. Among the highlights of her term at the Department of Education 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 of Education’s High School Initiative to better prepare students for twenty-first century education, training, and the workplace.

Prior to serving at ED, Sclafani was chief academic officer of the Houston Independent School District in Texas, one of the nation’s largest urban school districts. In that capacity she focused on a number of areas, including technology, curriculum development, mathematics and science initiatives, and construction management. She also has extensive state education and business experience.

At Chartwell Education Group, 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.