Claire Leheny

Executive Director,
Claire joined AISNE in 2015 as the organization's Executive Director. Prior to joining AISNE, Claire was the founding Executive Director of the National Network of Schools in Partnership (NNSP), which brings together public and independent schools to build partnerships that expand opportunities for students. Claire began her career as an independent school teacher, coach and administrator and then spent over… More

Claire joined AISNE in 2015 as the organization’s Executive Director. Prior to joining AISNE, Claire was the founding Executive Director of the National Network of Schools in Partnership (NNSP), which brings together public and independent schools to build partnerships that expand opportunities for students. Claire began her career as an independent school teacher, coach and administrator and then spent over a decade as a senior executive for two media companies based in London and Washington, D.C. Claire is a graduate of Northfield Mt. Hermon, Oberlin College, and Georgetown University. She lives with her husband in Milton, MA.

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Eliza Alexander

Director of Research & Special Programs,
Eliza joined AISNE in the fall of 2020. Prior to AISNE, Eliza was the Executive Director of the Independent Schools Association of Northern New England (ISANNE). She is thrilled about the recent merger between AISNE and ISANNE and the potential a unified network holds for member schools. Eliza worked in the independent school community in Washington DC for over twenty… More

Eliza joined AISNE in the fall of 2020. Prior to AISNE, Eliza was the Executive Director of the Independent Schools Association of Northern New England (ISANNE). She is thrilled about the recent merger between AISNE and ISANNE and the potential a unified network holds for member schools. Eliza worked in the independent school community in Washington DC for over twenty years leading an array of educational initiatives. More recently, she returned to her home state of Maine where she now resides with her husband and two children.

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Becky Biggs

Director of Professional Learning and Community Programs,
Becky Biggs joined AISNE in the summer of 2018. She has a B.A. from Colby College and a M.Ed. from Lesley University. A 2000 graduate of the Shady Hill School Teacher Training Center, Becky currently serves on Shady Hill School's TTC Advisory Board. Before joining AISNE, Becky spent 20+ years in schools in Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island including Shady… More

Becky Biggs joined AISNE in the summer of 2018. She has a B.A. from Colby College and a M.Ed. from Lesley University. A 2000 graduate of the Shady Hill School Teacher Training Center, Becky currently serves on Shady Hill School’s TTC Advisory Board. Before joining AISNE, Becky spent 20+ years in schools in Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island including Shady Hill School, Waynflete School, and Moses Brown School. Prior to being AISNE’s Director of Professional Development, she was an early childhood and elementary school classroom teacher, a lower school Spanish specialist, a math coordinator, and a dean of lower school admission. Becky appreciates the opportunity to build programming for AISNE member schools based on emerging trends, current needs and challenges, and the strong desire our AISNE member schools have to connect with peers across the network. She believes strongly in the power of each individual being a lifelong learner and models this approach every day in her role. Becky enjoys personal connections with individuals from AISNE member schools and thoroughly appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with people in a variety of roles to create the best programming possible for our association.

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Jeff Covello

Jeff Covello

Director of Marketing and Sponsorships,
Jeff is AISNE's Director of Marketing and Sponsorship. Prior to joining AISNE in 2022, he spent a decade serving as the Senior Director of Marketing and Events with the American Montessori Society, a global association with more than 16,000 members. Jeff has worked in non-profit marketing and communications for 20 years, beginning his career in arts administration with New York… More

Jeff is AISNE’s Director of Marketing and Sponsorship. Prior to joining AISNE in 2022, he spent a decade serving as the Senior Director of Marketing and Events with the American Montessori Society, a global association with more than 16,000 members. Jeff has worked in non-profit marketing and communications for 20 years, beginning his career in arts administration with New York City Opera at Lincoln Center, and most recently as the head of marketing for HELP USA, a nationwide homeless and housing service provider. Jeff is a native New Englander; he grew up outside of Hartford, CT. He currently lives in Queens, NY, and is unfortunately a fan of the New York Yankees.

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Alexander Noren

Director, Finance, Technology, & Operations,
Alexander joined AISNE in 2019. Alexander began his career at PWC where we worked as a licensed CPA with large nonprofits assisting them with tax and compliance work. He then transitioned to working with small nonprofits specializing in streamlining back-office, bookkeeping processes. He has worked with start-ups, small nonprofits, and independent schools to optimize their accounting and admin efforts. He… More

Alexander joined AISNE in 2019. Alexander began his career at PWC where we worked as a licensed CPA with large nonprofits assisting them with tax and compliance work. He then transitioned to working with small nonprofits specializing in streamlining back-office, bookkeeping processes. He has worked with start-ups, small nonprofits, and independent schools to optimize their accounting and admin efforts. He is a graduate of Harvard University and Brigham Young University. Alexander and his wife are the proud parents of four boys.

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Betsy O’Brien

Manager, Program & Communications,
Betsy joined AISNE in 2019. A graduate of Fontbonne Academy and John Carroll University, she also has a certificate in Marketing Strategy from Cornell University. Prior to joining AISNE Betsy dedicated a year of service through AmeriCorps working with City Year Boston. She joined AISNE from Boston Globe Media, where she was immersed in the ever-changing, cross-channel media landscape. Betsy… More

Betsy joined AISNE in 2019. A graduate of Fontbonne Academy and John Carroll University, she also has a certificate in Marketing Strategy from Cornell University. Prior to joining AISNE Betsy dedicated a year of service through AmeriCorps working with City Year Boston. She joined AISNE from Boston Globe Media, where she was immersed in the ever-changing, cross-channel media landscape. Betsy enjoys supporting our member schools and the communication efforts of AISNE.

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Sara Wilson

Director, Membership & Accreditation,
Sara joined AISNE as Director of Membership and Accreditation in 2018. Prior to joining AISNE, Sara was Senior Director of School Accreditation & School Improvement at the American Montessori Society. She began her work in education as a kindergarten teacher in public and independent schools before becoming a Montessori Early Childhood teacher and teaching in public and private Montessori schools.… More

Sara joined AISNE as Director of Membership and Accreditation in 2018. Prior to joining AISNE, Sara was Senior Director of School Accreditation & School Improvement at the American Montessori Society. She began her work in education as a kindergarten teacher in public and independent schools before becoming a Montessori Early Childhood teacher and teaching in public and private Montessori schools. Sara has served on the Executive Committee of the National Council for Private School Accreditation (NCPSA) and on the boards of state private school accrediting agencies including the Virginia Council for Private Education (VCPE). Sara is a graduate of Northfield Mount Hermon School, the University of Virginia, and the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Sara lives in Beverly, MA with her daughter.

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