Board of Directors
The NKEC Board has oversight regarding the mission and vision of NKEC, as well as policy and financial matters.
If you would like to contact the Board, please email: aheim@nkeccorp.org. If you would like to provide a written statement to be read at an NKEC Board Meeting, please email: aheim@nkeccorp.org.
Mrs. Brea Corsaro
NKEC Board Chair
Mrs. Brea Corsaro serves a Corporate Director and is the parent of three children—one a recent 8th-grade graduate in the Class of 2025, and two who are still attending Cambridge Lakes Charter School. She is employed by Strategic Communications and Marketing, where she brings her expertise in community engagement and strategic initiatives. Her current term runs through July 2030.
Mrs. Kelly Burke
NKEC Vice Chair
Mrs. Kelly Burke serves as a Corporate Director with extensive experience in education. She is currently the Director of Early Childhood Education at Harvest Christian Academy. Before her current role, she served as a principal within Community Unit School District 300 (CUSD 300). Director Burke’s current term extends through August 2029.
Mrs. Anne B. Miller, J.D., LL.M.
NKEC Corporate Director
Mrs. Anne B. Miller serves as a Corporate Director and is the Managing Partner at Fishman Miller. She previously served as President of the CUSD 300 Board of Education and currently serves as Chair of the Board for JourneyCare Hospice. Director Miller’s current term runs through August 2029.
Dr. Daniel E. Walsh
NKEC Corporate Director
Dr. Daniel E. Walsh serves as a NKEC Corporate Director and as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. With extensive experience in both academic leadership and organizational governance, Dr. Walsh is serving a term as Corporate Director from March 2024 through August 2028.
Dr. Art Fessler
NKEC Corporate Director
Dr. Art Fessler serves as a Corporate Director and is a seasoned educator and administrator with over 30 years of experience in public education. He formerly served as Superintendent of Community Consolidated School District 59 in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, a position he held until 2021. Currently serving a term from December 2024 through August 2028, Dr. Fessler brings a distinguished record of educational leadership to his role as Corporate Director.
Mrs. Maxine Schmidt
NKEC Community Director
Director Schmidt serves as the NKEC Community Director and a sports management professional. She is the parent of three children—two former Cambridge Lakes Charter School students, and the youngest will be entering 8th-grade at CLCS. Mrs. Schmidt and her family have spent over a decade at CLCS and throughout that time were involved in many programs and extracurriculars. Mrs. Schmidt participated in the NKEC Strategic Planning Retreat in February 2026 and is serving the remainder of a Community Director term from July 2026 through August 2027.
Ex Officio Members
Mr. Mark Rasar
NKEC Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Mark Rasar serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Northern Kane Educational Corp. (NKEC), a position he has held since December 2023. He brings over 20 years of experience in the field of education, having served in a wide range of leadership roles, including teacher, coach, building-level administrator, district-level administrator, and university-level instructor. From 2016 to 2019, Mr. Rasar served the Community Unit School District 300 (CUSD 300) community as an associate principal. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, as well as an Educational Leadership Certification from North Park University. Mr. Rasar is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Mrs. Alyssa Heim
Executive Assistant to the CEO and NKEC Board Secretary
Mrs. Alyssa Heim is an accomplished professional with over 12 years of experience in government and community relations, project management, and executive administration. Most recently serving as Director of Special Projects and Government Relations for the Cincinnati Business Committee, Heim led high-impact initiatives in economic development, public education, and government affairs—successfully advancing policy outcomes and strengthening member engagement at the city and county levels. Building on this foundation, Heim stepped into the role of Executive Assistant to the CEO and Board Secretary mid-June 2025, bringing her deep expertise in executive coordination, board
management, and stakeholder engagement to support strategic leadership at the highest level. She holds a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice from Bellarmine University.