Meet the Team | National Student Board Member Association

Our Story

Our Team

George-Constantinos Charonis

George joined the National Student Board Member Association (NSBMA) as Executive Director in January 2024. In parallel, he works as Designer, Youth Engagement at the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE). At NSBMA, George provides strategic direction, leading on organizational development and sustainability while managing daily operations. At NCEE, George leads strategic engagement with students and young people to foster their active participation in their educational experiences.

George has over twelve years of experience in student engagement and youth rights. He coordinated the United Nations Human Rights Office’s first-ever global youth program. Prior to the UN, George worked in civil society organizations at the local, national and international level in Europe, including at the European Youth Forum.

George holds a Masters of Science in Climate Change and Policy from the University of Sussex and a Bachelors in Physics from the University of Bath.

Zachary Patterson

Zachary Patterson (He/Him) is the Chair of the Board of Advisors of the National Student Board Member Association. Patterson served as the Student Member of the San Diego Unified School District Board of Education from 2019 to 2022, representing more than 120,000 students in Southern California after creating the role in his district. While in office, Patterson reformed the absence code to allow excused absences for mental health, introduced a graduation requirement for students to attain competency in mental health, and served as the founder of the California Student Board Member Association.

Patterson brings expert knowledge on Student Board Member policy as well as a deep understanding of the systemic challenges faced by students on school boards.

Jennifer Tran

Jennifer Tran (She/Her) is a member of the Board of Advisors of the National Student Board Member Association. Tran served as the Student Board Member for the Garden Grove Unified School District during the 2021-2022 school year, representing more than 40,000 students in Orange County, California after creating the position in her district. In her term, she removed barriers to queer safe-space adornment, passed state legislation to allow for civic engagement excused absences, and wrote a statewide bill allowing districts to give Student Board Members full voting rights.

Tran is a field expert in student education policy and a lifelong advocate for an education system where students have a direct seat at the table.

Allyson Chan

Allyson Chan (She/Her) is the Programming Director for the National Student Board Member Association. Chan served as the Student Board Member on the San Mateo County Board of Education in the 2020-2021 school year, representing over 90,000 students in the county. Through her position, she learned more about the power of student voice and advocated for her board’s support of AB 824 to allow student representation on California county and charter boards, an experience similar to her own.

Chan is passionate about building programs centered around education advocacy, and is excited to continue uplifting student voices through building trainings and other programs for NSBMA.

Rida Karim

Rida Karim (she/her) joined the National Student Board Member Association (NSBMA) as East Regional Vice President before interning for the organization during its annual START Conference. She now serves as NSBMA’s Communications Coordinator, where she leads national outreach efforts, manages organizational messaging, and uplifts student board member voices across the country.

Rida served as the Student Representative on the Fairfax County School Board for the 2023–2024 academic year, representing over 180,000 students and advancing initiatives related to equitable grading, inclusive school meals, and tech access.

Deborah Melnick, Ed.D.

Deborah joined NSBMA in April 2026 as the Program and Membership Officer for Massachusetts and New England. A higher education leader and passionate advocate for student voice, she brings more than 20 years of experience across diverse academic environments, with deep expertise in academic advising, policy development, and building inclusive, student-centered communities.

Having served four years as both a member and Chair of the Board of the Marblehead Community Charter Public School, Deborah developed a firsthand understanding of why student perspectives must help shape the policies and decisions that affect them most. That commitment carries through her professional work: as Director of Academic Advising at Minerva University, she oversaw academic support for a student body spanning 70 countries, advised the Provost on academic policy, and championed retention initiatives for diverse student populations. She also spent over two decades as an Adjunct English Professor at Salem State University, where she was widely recognized for her dedication to student success.

Deborah holds a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership from Maryville University and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Education Administration from Salem State University, and brings to her role at NSBMA a practitioner's understanding of board governance, policy-making, and equity-centered student advocacy.