Allison R. Kokkoros, CEO, Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School

Allison Kokkoros has more than 30 years of experience in adult education and immigrant integration, first coming to the Carlos Rosario School as an ESL teacher. Allison played an instrumental role in advocating and writing the charter grant for Carlos Rosario Charter School to receive its charter and become the first adult education charter school in the nation in 1998. She was named CEO of the Carlos Rosario School in 2014 after serving in a variety of roles at the organization ranging from teacher to principal.

Under her leadership, the School has grown to a nationally-recognized $30 million dollar organization and to serve more than 3,000 students annually, launching new programs in response to community needs, including a small business program, a bilingual teacher training program, and a college transition initiative. More than 80,000 men and women have graduated from the School over these years and today are our region’s teachers, health professionals, leaders, and small business owners.

Allison earned her Master’s Degree in Business Administration with a focus in Nonprofit Management from George Washington University and completed undergraduate studies in English, Education, and Journalism at Eastern Mennonite University. She has been honored with the SmartCEO Brava Award, DC STARS Tribute Most Outstanding Adult Principal award, and the DC Learns Mike Fox Literacy Leader award. She currently serves on the board of the DC Charter School Alliance.

Angela Medina, Chief Operations Officer

Angela joined Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School in 2022 and currently serves as its Chief Operations Officer overseeing the finance, human resources, information technology, front desk, and transportation teams.

Angela has over 16 years of experience as a seasoned operations leader, both in the software technology industry with MicroStrategy and VMWare, and the nonprofit sector. Prior to Carlos Rosario School, she was the Director of Operations at Academy of Hope, another adult charter school in the District, where she was instrumental in the successful implementation of the school’s virtual learning model during COVID-19.

Angela was and is still inspired by Carlos Rosario School’s incredible community of learners that resemble her own family’s story immigrating to the U.S. when she was three years old, for a chance at the American Dream. She often wishes there was a Carlos Rosario School to support her parents that arrived in the U.S. not speaking English and starting from nothing. Now that she has achieved the American Dream, it is a privilege to play some small part in our student’s journeys to success.

Angela received her Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Masters of Science degree in Nonprofit Management from Columbia University in the City of New York.

Robert M. Skelton, General Counsel

Robert M. Skelton, Esq. (“Bob”) is the General Counsel for the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School and is a member of the Executive Team. Bob holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Union College in Schenectady NY and a Juris Doctorate from the George Washington University Law School. He also has the Certified Association Executive credential following many years working in the non-profit association community. His work in the non-profit community led him to seek out a new position with a mission-driven organization that works to help people be successful and achieve their goals.

Bob has previously served as the Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and/or Vice President of Human Resources for a national association, start-up technology companies and for the regional subsidiary of Toyota Motor Sales, USA. While at Toyota, he really appreciated being able to drive some great cars!

Bob has also served on the board of Mary of Nazareth Catholic School.

Julio Jay Haddock Ortiz, Senior Advisor to the CEO

Julio Jay Haddock Ortiz is the senior advisor to the Chief Executive Officer. He was born in Puerto Rico and raised in New York City and is a longtime resident of DC. He is a graduate of St. John’s University of NY. A 50-year hospitality executive mostly in DC and operating Potomac Hotel Group (now Modus) and a partner in Capital Hotels of WDC which was sold in 2018.

Jay is a dedicated community supporter with ties to Whitman Walker Clinic, GALA Hispanic Theatre, served as chair of the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs under Mayor Anthony Williams for 8 years, board member of the Hotel Association of WDC, former member of the Small Business Administration Community Board and presently serving on the Board of Events DC the oversight organization of hospitality/tourism in WDC. He has received recognition and awards from the DC Council, The Office of Vice President Al Gore, The DC Mayor’s Art Award, El Tiempo Latino Newspaper, Washington Hispanic Newspaper, The Hotel Association of WDC, The Restaurant Association, the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the NBC/Telemundo Community award. His volunteer work in the Latino community expands many years.

Jay has supported Carlos Rosario for over 25 years showing his commitment to the immigrant community of Washington, DC.

Karla Vasconez, Manager, Executive Administration

Karla Vasconez currently the Manager, Executive Administration for Carlos Rosario International Charter School holds a master’s in business administration and has held a wide range of professional positions such as working as a Lawyer’s assistant, International Student Advisor, Public Affairs representative, Program Associate of Sponsored Programs, International Student Recruiter, Division Chief Assistant at the IDB, and Executive Assistant to the CEO at Carlos Rosario School. She prides herself in being a proactive, flexible, highly adaptable professional. As an immigrant herself, and one who enjoys thriving in multicultural settings, she has taken every new position as an opportunity to be part of something bigger than herself and doing her part while giving her very best to help the community.

All these varied opportunities have given her a wide range of experience including international program administration, program marketing, design and logistics, office supervision, student advisory, student event management, student recruitment, managing budgets.

While being able to maintain solid relationships with internal and external vendors, and planning events such as local education fairs, new training offerings, and educational events overseas including event negotiation, international program fundraising, volunteer management, participant communication and coordination of attendees among other skills. She has always sought to give a hundred percent in the quest to achieve the goals of each of the organizations of which she has been a part of.