Brilla's Board of Directors is committed to providing the leadership and guidance necessary to foster a dynamic educational environment.
Eric Eckholdt, Chair
Executive Director, Credit Suisse Americas Foundation
SMBC President of the SMBC Global Foundation and Head of Corporate Citizenship, Americas Division Eric is a founding board member of Brilla Public Charter Schools.
Brilla is a source of gratitude and hope to Eric, enabling him to support his dream that all young people have the opportunity to lead choice-filled, upwardly-mobile, and virtuous lives.
Br. Brian Carty
Founder, De La Salle Academy
Brother Brian Carty grew up in humble circumstances on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He was taught by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, a Catholic religious order founded to teach children of the poor and working class, from the fourth grade on. In 1961 he joined the Christian Brothers, dedicating his life to serving others. Brother Brian resurrected the Kelly School concept by founding De La Salle Academy as a private, independent school. Since its founding, De La Salle has provided a high-quality education to over 1,400 academically talented girls and boys from low-income families. Brother Brian’s vision has created a unique place, mirroring the essence of New York City: a multi-racial, multi-ethnic environment, where each child’s individual gifts are celebrated. Brother Brian is a founding Board member of Brilla College Prep charter school in the Bronx, and on the Board of Consultors of Manhattan College: School of Education.
He also serves on the Board of the Summer on the Hill program at Horace Mann, on the Board of Cristo Rey New York High School, and is a Chairman Emeritus of the Franciscan Community Center, a multi-service social service agency, which he co-founded in 1991 to serve the poor people of his old neighborhood on the Upper West Side. He is a past Trustee of St. Hilda’s & St. Hugh’s and of NYSAIS (New York State Association of Independent Schools). In 2007 Brother Brian was named a Pepsi Freedom Hero. In 2008 he was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and the Catholic Guardian Society and Home Bureau’s Humanitarian Award. La Salle University conferred an honorary doctorate on Brother Brian at its May 2013 commencement.
David Ingles
Partner, Allen & Overy
James Jones
Senior Finance/ Accounting Professional
Director, Merrill Lynch James leads business operations, strategy execution and technology platforms for the Merrill Family Office Services group which provides portfolio reporting, wealth and estate planning and family governance to UHNW clients. Throughout his 25+ years of corporate business experience, James has held various finance and business management positions in financial services. His broad and extensive experience includes financial management, budgeting, operational improvement and auditing.
James holds a BA in accounting from Syracuse University and is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in the states of New York and New Jersey. In addition to serving on the Brilla board, James serves on the boards of Culture for One and The Stars of New York Dance and serve as endowment treasurer of Prospect Presbyterian Church in Maplewood NJ where he resides with his wife Salma and daughter, Jessica.
Mary O'Grady
Editorial Board Member and Americas Columnist, The Wall Street Journal,
Mary Anastasia O’Grady writes “The Americas,” a weekly column on politics, economics and business in Latin America and Canada that appears every Monday in the Journal. Ms. O’Grady joined the paper in August 1995 and became a senior editorial page writer in December 1999. She was appointed an editorial board member in November 2005. She is also a member of the board of directors of the Indianapolis-based Liberty Fund. In 2012 Ms. O’Grady won the Walter Judd Freedom Award from The Fund for American Studies. In 2009 Ms. O’Grady received the Thomas Jefferson Award from The Association of Private Enterprise Education.
In 2005 Ms. O’Grady won the Bastiat Prize for Journalism awarded by the International Policy Network for her articles on the World Bank, the underground economy in Brazil and the bad economic advice the U.S. often gives to Latin American countries. In 1997 Ms. O’Grady won the Inter American Press Association’s Daily Gleaner Award for editorial commentary. Ms. O’Grady received a bachelor’s degree in English from Assumption College, an M.B.A. in financial management from Pace University and an honorary doctorate from Francisco Marroquin University in Guatemala City.
Darla Romfo
President and Chief Operating Officer, Children’s Scholarship Fund
Darla Romfo serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of the Children’s Scholarship Fund (CSF), a nonprofit dedicated to providing partial scholarships for low-income children in grades K-8 to go to private school. Immediately prior to joining CSF, Ms. Romfo practiced law in both the public and private sectors. She worked on Capitol Hill from 1993 to 1999 serving as Legislative Director and Counsel to Senator John Breaux of Louisiana and Legislative Director and Tax Counsel to Senator Kent Conrad of North Dakota. She worked closely with both Senators in their roles as members of the Finance Committee and with Senator Breaux as a member of the Senate Democratic Leadership, and as Chairman of the Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare. She also worked closely with Senator Breaux on the National Commission on Retirement Policy and helped develop a comprehensive Social Security and Retirement Reform Bill.
Previously, she was an attorney in private practice specializing in tax law. Ms. Romfo is a nonprofit fellow in the Young President’s Organization, as well as a frequent speaker on education and school choice. Previously, she was on the board of the Geneva School of Manhattan, a private, non-sectarian school with a classical curriculum. Ms. Romfo grew up on a farm in North Dakota and graduated from the University of North Dakota with degrees in political science and accounting. She is a CPA and received a law degree from George Washington University.
Stephanie Saroki De García
Managing Director, Seton Education Partners
Stephanie Saroki de García is co-founder and Managing Director of Seton Education Partners. She helped launch Seton in 2009 to give every child, regardless of background, an opportunity to have an academically excellent, character-building, and vibrantly Catholic education—and ultimately, a chance to live up to his or her God-given potential. Seton currently serves nearly 5,000 predominantly low-income and minority children in seventeen schools and ten cities nationwide. Scholars in Seton’s schools are achieving academic growth results in mathematics and reading that match or beat the nation’s most acclaimed urban charter schools. Most recently, Stephanie launched and for over five years directed the Philanthropy Roundtable’s K-12 education programs, where she spearheaded a series of conferences, strategy sessions, and publications on breakthroughs in education philanthropy.
Previously, Stephanie was a Teach for America corps member in Oakland, California, where she taught high school English. She attended Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government as a dean’s fellow. While completing her master’s degree in public policy at the Kennedy School, Stephanie worked at the Office of Management and Budget. She received a bachelor of arts degree in rhetoric from the University of California at Berkeley. Stephanie lives in San Diego, where she is a proud mom to two great children.
Fr. Anthony Andreassi
Associate Director of the Propagation of the Faith (National Office) & priest of the Brooklyn Oratory of St. Philip
Priest of the Brooklyn Oratory of St. Philip Father Anthony D. Andreassi, a priest of the Brooklyn Oratory of St. Philip Neri, holds a doctorate in history from Georgetown University with a concentration in American Catholicism. He spent 25 years as a teacher and administrator in Catholic secondary education, including as principal of Regis High School in New York City.
He is also author of “Teach Me to Be Generous: A History of Regis High School in New York City” (2014). At present in addition to working in the Oratory Parishes in Brooklyn, he teaches as an adjunct professor at St. Francis College in Brooklyn.
Aaron Brenner
Chief Executive Office, Seton Education Partners
Aaron Brenner is the chief executive officer of Seton Education Partners. Aaron is completing his 30th year of teaching in and leading schools for children and families in the most at-risk contexts. Most recently, Aaron was the Founder of Brillante Academy, Seton’s newest initiative, a Dual Language school in the classical tradition located in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and a General Partner of Seton. Prior to coming to Seton in a full time position, Aaron was the Gary and Barbara Pasquinelli Director of the Notre Dame ACE Academies, a national network of preK-8 Catholic schools. In addition, he served ACE at Notre Dame as an adjunct faculty member teaching Catholic School Culture. Aaron began his career teaching second grade as a Teach For America corps member in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, and later was the founder and school leader of the nation’s first KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) elementary school, KIPP SHINE Prep, in Houston, Texas.
He then served as Head of Primary Schools for the KIPP Houston network and helped lead KIPP’s efforts to build a national network of primary schools while also leading KIPP Houston’s Strategy and Execution office.
SHINE inspired new KIPP elementary schools across the country and countless more schools transcending networks and geographies.
Beyond KIPP, Aaron co-founded and served as CEO of the One World Network of Schools, a global network of high-performing schools serving low-income children. In just four years, One World established 16 schools and formed school leaders in three leadership institutes across six countries.
Aaron earned a bachelor of arts degree in sociology, anthropology, and Russian from Rhodes College; a master of arts degree in educational leadership from Stanford University; teaching awards at the school, district, and regional levels in the State of Texas; and fellowships from the Echoing Green Foundation, the Fisher Foundation, and the Pahara-Aspen Institute. He lives along the border in McAllen, Texas, with his wife and two daughters.
Leo Francisco
Finance, Budget, and Operations, Office of the Bronx District Attorney
Leo Francisco is a dedicated financial and operations leader with extensive experience in public administration and nonprofit management. Currently serving in Finance, Budget, and Operations at the Office of the Bronx District Attorney, Leo plays a key role in overseeing financial processes, payroll reconciliation, and budget management to ensure fiscal integrity and compliance. Previously, Leo served as Director of Operations at Acacia Network Housing, where he managed two facilities housing nearly 400 families. In this role, he led all day-to-day shelter operations, supervised an 80-person staff, and ensured compliance with city and state regulatory standards. His leadership was critical in navigating audits from OTDA, DHS, CFTH, and HRA, reinforcing his expertise in operational compliance and financial accountability.
Leo has also held key roles in audit and accounting, specializing in financial reconciliation, payment processing, and compliance auditing. His background in integrated accounting systems, data auditing, and employee training reflects his strong analytical and leadership skills. Leo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Management from Empire State College and a Master of Arts in Theology (Justice and Public Life) from Princeton Theological Seminary. His commitment to justice, public service, and community development continues to drive his work in financial operations and nonprofit leadership.
Leo is also the proud parent of three children at Brilla Pax, deepening his passion for Brilla’s mission and the community.