Dillon Clark (Nonprofit)

I am the Chief Financial Officer for Breakthrough Montessori Public Charter School, a start-up public elementary school in Petworth. I lead the finance, operations, maintenance and human resource functions for Breakthrough Montessori. Before coming to Breakthrough, I worked as a Specialist for Behavioral and Education supports for the District of Columbia Public Schools. During that time, I was appointed Team Lead for the Implementation of Scholarly Research to increase academic rigor in Self Contained High School Classrooms, and Behavior and Educational Supports Crisis Lead. Before DCPS, I was a Social Work Case Manager with the Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services.

As Chief Financial Officer for Breakthrough Montessori Public Charter School I have to opportunity to serve families throughout entirety of the District of Columbia. School choice and academic achievement are important issues facing urban families. As Chief Financial Officer of a public school, I have the ability to create a positive school culture, drive operations, and expand human capital experiences to ensure staff are happy, healthy, and enjoy their jobs. I enjoy my work in public school administration because I have the opportunity to not only create a wonderful, exciting, and accepting place to grow and work for teachers and staff, but also a safe and welcoming place to learn and grow for students and families. As Breakthrough Montessori grows, I hope to continue to support and have a lasting impact on hundreds of students, families and employees.

It is also my goal to restructure the finance and operations of charter schools in the Washington, D.C. area. As the charter school movement grows, children from all neighborhoods, socio-economic backgrounds, religions, race, and ethnicities are given more choice and opportunity. Perfecting the financing and operations of these schools is paramount to expanding access to academic rigor and school choice to families who have limited access to quality public education.

I also currently serve as a Commissioner to the Montgomery County Commission on Landlord-Tennant Affairs a semi-judicial body in Montgomery County MD. I also advised start-up non-profits in New York and Washington, D.C. including multiple public charter schools, and serve as a member of the Board of Directors of a New York based non-profit organization that is on consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council and is focused on HIV and AIDS prevention education in immigrant communities throughout the United States.

I received my Bachelors of Arts in Politics with a concentration in World Politics from The Catholic University of America and a Masters of Science in Social Work with a concentration in Social Enterprise Administration and a minor in Law from Columbia University in the City of New York.

In my spare time I enjoy playing and listening to music, and getting to as many National Parks as possible with my border collie Max.

I welcome the opportunity to network with my fellow public administrators. You may contact me at 36Clark@gmail.com and my LinkedIN at: www.linkedin.com/in/Dillonclark