Board of Directors

Dr. Craig R. Barrett was born in San Francisco, California and received his Bachelor of Science, Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Materials Science from Stanford University, serving on the faculty of Stanford after graduation. Dr. Barrett was a Fulbright Fellow at Danish Technical University in Denmark and a NATO Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Physical Laboratory in England. In 1974 Dr. Barrett joined Intel Corporation. He was elected to Intel Corporation’s Board of Directors in 1992, became Intel’s fourth president in 1997, chief executive officer in 1998, and chairman of the board in 2005, a post held until he retired in May 2009.

Dr. Barrett is a leading advocate for improving education in the U.S. and the world, and is a vocal spokesman for the value technology can provide in raising social and economic standards globally. He chairs BASIS Charter Schools, Inc., Change The Equation, STAND for Children Arizona, Dossia, Smithsonian Gem and Mineral Collectors and the National Forest Foundation; co-chairs the Skolkovo Foundation Council and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Advisory Board; vice chairs Science Foundation Arizona; serves on the Boards of Achieve, K12, Society for Science and the Public, Carnegie Institution for Science, the Arizona Commerce Authority, Tallwave, Impele and Geothermic Solution. Dr. Barrett served as Chairman of the National Academy of Engineering and the United Nations Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technologies and Development. He co-chaired the Business Coalition for Student Achievement and the National Innovation Initiative Leadership Council, and served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the U.S. Council for International Business and the Clinton Global Initiative Education Advisory Board. Dr. Barrett serves on numerous other boards, policy and government panels and committees.

Shelly M. Esque retired from Intel Corporation in January 2016 as vice president of Legal and Corporate Affairs, global director of the Corporate Affairs Group, and Chairman of the Board of the Intel Foundation. With oversight of teams in more than 35 countries, she worked to enhance Intel’s reputation as the world’s leading technology brand and corporate citizen.

Esque has a passion for coaching and mentoring women, attributing her success to guidance from women as she traversed her path from farm girl, to Arizona State University college student, to young professional, and beyond.

Esque has participated as a speaker at world events, including the World Economic Forum, World Bank and UNESCO education forums, the Clinton Global Initiative, as well as international Corporate Responsibility conferences. She regularly interviews with media and meets with key government leaders around the world.

Recipient of the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce 2011 ATHENA Businesswoman of the Year Award, Shelly was honored for her excellence in business and leadership, exemplary community service and support and mentorship of other women. She was also recognized by AZ Business Magazine as one of the 50 Most Influential Women in Arizona. In June 2018 Shelly was elected to the Board of Directors of California Water Services Group the third largest publicly traded water utility in the United States.

Although her Intel career took Esque around the globe, she has deep roots in Arizona, supporting numerous local community and educational organizations, including service on the boards or advisory councils of Greater Phoenix Leadership, Expect More Arizona, BASIS Charter Schools, Inc., the Arizona Business and Education Coalition, Valley of the Sun United Way, KAET Channel 8, and many more.

Victoria Rico is a native of San Antonio and the current Chairwoman and Trustee of the George W. Brackenridge Foundation. In 2009, she became a trustee for the Foundation and has been heavily involved in San Antonio’s education quality ever since. In 2011, she published A Proposed Strategy for San Antonio: High-Quality Charter Replication which was the foundation for Choose to Succeed and its efforts – which she founded and serves as a member of its board. In addition to her work with the Brackenridge Foundation, Victoria has served on several charter school governing boards, including BASIS Texas Charter Schools, Inc. She holds a J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University.

Debbie Veney is the founder and CEO of Agency, an advocacy and strategic communications nonprofit. Before creating Agency, Debbie led communications, marketing and grassroots advocacy at the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. She brings more than 20 years of experience in strategic communications, advocacy, crisis communications, and media relations. She also brings a deep passion for equity in education and believes in the power of a high-quality education to change a child’s life.

Debbie has also held senior communications and policy positions at NewSchools Venture Fund, The Education Trust, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Communities In Schools. Before joining the nonprofit arena, Debbie built a solid reputation in corporate communications and issues management at DuPont, CIGNA and United Healthcare.

Debbie serves on the board of directors of the D.C. Jazz Festival, Education Writers Association, and BASIS DC charter school. She was also the founding board chair of the Philadelphia affiliate of Komen for the Cure. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Howard University, and a master’s degree in broadcasting, telecommunications, and mass media from Temple University, where she was honored with a Lew Klein Award and inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame.

As the Alliance’s CSO, Liz Smith develops, refines, and oversees implementation of the organization’s key strategies. Liz has extensive experience in advocacy developed over a decade-long career in public policy and governmental affairs. Liz honed her skills as the Senior Vice President for Economic Competitiveness at the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, where she oversaw the organization’s policy, projects, and government relations team. Her eight-year tenure at BRAC came after five years as the Research Director for SCI Research, a Baton Rouge marketing research company, where she ran public opinion polls, electoral focus groups, and jury research.

In addition to her role on the BASIS Baton Rouge board, Liz serves as a board member for the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children, is a member of the Public Affairs Research Council’s Constitutional Convention Steering Committee, and is a Louisiana Senate President appointee to the state’s Early Childhood Care and Education Commission. She has previously served on the board of directors for Leadership Baton Rouge Alumni, the Up Alliance, Volunteers in Public Schools, LA Workforce Development Board 21, Theatre Baton Rouge, and the Baton Rouge Family and Youth Services Center.

In 2016, Liz was named one of the Baton Rouge Business Report’s Forty under 40. She is a member of the 2014 class of Leadership Baton Rouge. She has received awards from the Louisiana STEM Expo and the Louisiana Association of Business Educators for driving business support of public schools. Liz is also an Education Attainment Fellow of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

Liz earned her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Riverside. She holds a Juris Doctorate and a Bachelor of Civil Law from LSU’s Paul M. Hebert School of Law.

A torchbearer for the business community, Glenn Hamer has a proven track record for success in the public policy arena. He testified before the 87th Legislature, second day on the job, and made meaningful contributions to the passage of top legislative priorities for the business community (including broadband expansion, “Keep Texas Trucking,” pandemic liability protections, and preventing astronomical increases in Unemployment Insurance).

Since the pandemic, Glenn has made it his mission to visit more local chambers of commerce than anyone else on the planet. He connects businesses, small and large, with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to protect Texas’ pro-business climate. Glenn is proud to be a part of the Texas Camino Real District Export Council, American Society of Mexico, and National Immigration Forum. He also serves on the board for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and chairs its committee of 100 (CCC100).

Glenn came to TAB after 14 years as CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry — where he played a central role in major tax, education, legal and healthcare victories. He was at the forefront of the business community’s advocacy for the United States-Mexico- Canada Agreement (USMCA). Glenn is a highly regarded international issues expert and has joined governors, mayors, and the U.S. Chamber on trade missions to China, Taiwan, Mexico, Canada, Israel, and the United Kingdom. Recognizing the global race for talent to keep our economy strong, Glenn is also a recognized champion on immigration reform.

Glenn has also served as chief of staff to Arizona Congressman Matt Salmon, executive director of the Arizona Republican Party, legislative assistant to Sen. Jon Kyl, and executive director of the Solar Energy Industries Association.

A graduate of Cornell University and Arizona State University’s College of Law, Glenn is married with three daughters, all of whom exhibit a strong entrepreneurial spirit. His wife Tali is quadrilingual, and their daughters are bilingual (English and Hebrew).