Board of Directors

Connect’s governing board ensures that Connect is carrying out its mission and remains financially sound.  The board also works to raise awareness of the school and its work, fundraise to support its mission, and help set the strategic direction of Connect.  Members are volunteers.  You can contact the board by emailing board@connectrwc.org.

The board meets regularly, in public.  You are welcome to attend; find our meeting schedule here.

Jay Dunlap, Secretary

Jay Dunlap is an educator with more than 32 years of experience as a teacher and administrator in public, charter, and private schools. His daughter attended Connect from grades 1–8, giving him a strong parent perspective on the school’s mission. In 2019, he founded Learning Farm Educational Resources, a nonprofit supporting students from underserved communities and those with learning differences.

Tommy O’Toole, President & Treasurer

Tommy O’Toole has served on the Connect board since 2016 and provides deep financial oversight and governance leadership. A retired partner of a Big Four public accounting firm, he brings more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Tommy is also a Connect parent, with three children who attended the school.

Anabel Jensen

Dr. Anabel Jensen is an internationally recognized education leader and author who has trained more than 15,000 educators, parents, and community members. She has served as Director of The Nueva School and CEO and Co-Founder of Synapse School in the Bay Area. Much of her work has focused on emotional intelligence and social and emotional learning skills for adults and children. She is a Co-Founder of Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Network and serves as President of the organization.

Dawn Simpkin

Dawn Simpkin joined the Connect Board of Directors in 2024 after first volunteering as a campus tutor. A retired automotive executive with more than 20 years of leadership experience, she brings strategic and operational expertise to the board. As the parent of a son with nonverbal autism, Dawn is deeply committed to expanding inclusive educational opportunities for students with diverse learning needs.

Earnest Cole - 

Earnest L. Cole brings experience in government, nonprofit leadership, and program management. His professional background includes marketing, research, data analysis, and grant writing, with work spanning local and state government initiatives. A U.S. Marine Corps disabled veteran and business owner, he holds a B.A. in Political Science and Urban Planning from Southern University in New Orleans.