Staff

Elizabeth A. Sherman, Ph.D.
Executive Director

Elizabeth Sherman, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of Presidential Classroom. In 1992, Dr. Sherman founded and directed the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. During the next 11 years, she established a distinctive graduate certificate program, research institute and conference series focused on policy training, political education and leadership development for women. She also served as a research fellow from 2002–2004 at the Center for Public Leadership and as a teaching fellow in 1994 for the Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Dr. Sherman holds a Ph.D. in sociology from Boston College, a master's degree in urban and environmental policy from Tufts University and a bachelor's degree in political science from Emmanuel College. She is married to former Congressman Mickey Edwards, R-Okla., who teaches at Princeton and directs leadership programs at the Aspen Institute in Washington, D.C. Sherman has instructed undergraduate and graduate level courses at a number of institutions, including Boston College and the University of Massachusetts, Boston on American policy, women in politics, political sociology, social movements and sociological theory. She is a recipient of the Associated Press Public Service Award, the Abigail Adams Award from the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus, and the President's Leadership Award from the Massachusetts Association of Public Administrators.

Maria Darie
Director of Finance and Administration

Maria Darie is the Director of Finance and Administration at Presidential Classroom. Ms. Darie joined Presidential Classroom in October 2007. Since joining the organization, Ms. Darie's priority is to help design and implement initiatives to strengthen the organization's capital structure and to better position Presidential Classroom to pursue growth opportunities. Prior to joining Presidential Classroom, Ms. Darie has served as the Accounting Manager for New Horizons Computer Learning Center of Washington, D.C., where she reorganized the company's accounting department to improve its operating productivity and concentrated on executing the corporate strategy. Ms. Darie holds a Bachelors of Science degree in economics from Ploiesti University and an International Executive MBA from Georgetown University.

Richard Mitchell
Director of Marketing and Operations

Richard Mitchell is the Director of Marketing and Operations at Presidential Classroom. Mr. Mitchell joined Presidential Classroom in 2007 and is responsible for all external marketing initiatives and operational needs.

Paris Borden
Admissions Specialist

Paris joined the staff at Presidential Classroom in 2006 and serves as Admissions Specialist.

John Croft
Program Director

John Croft is Presidential Classroom's Program Director. As Program Director, Croft is responsible for planning and managing programs. Croft holds a Master of Business Administration from George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon, and a bachelor's degree in social work with a minor in business administration from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Croft previously worked as a project manager for Youth Resources in Portland. He was a project manager for the Oregon Student Forum on Leadership and Service, an assistant project manager of Oregon Vision, and a program associate for the International Foundation in Washington, D.C. Early in his career, Croft worked as the director of the Lindenwood Center in Norfolk, Virginia, and he served on committees for the Virginia Student Leadership Forum and National Student Leadership in Washington, D.C.

Melissa Cowart
Assistant Program Director

Melissa Cowart joined the Presidential Classroom staff in 2006, and currently serves as the Assistant Program Director. She primarily manages the editing and publication of Outlook, weekly project simulations, and Congressional affairs.   She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication. Currently, she is pursuing her Master's degree in Communications and Risk Management at George Mason University. Melissa currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia and enjoys traveling, scrapbooking, reading, and coffee. Prior to becoming a full time staff member, Melissa served as a Summer Program Assistant and also a Volunteer Instructor with Presidential Classroom.

Annabelle Ombac
Logistics Manager

Originally from Williamsburg, Virginia, Annabelle Ombac graduated Cum Laude from Virginia Tech with a B.A. in Communication and a double minor in French and International Studies. She was active in student media as Director of Photography for all the school publications. Her work has been honored winning 1st place in news and feature photography from the Virginia Press Association (VPA). Annabelle strives for student outreach and education having worked for the Colonial Williamsburg as a historical interpreter and the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation in its development office. Her interests include: photography, hiking and traveling abroad. As a former PC Program Assistant, she shows her continuing support for Presidential Classroom as its Logistics Manager.