Chief Executive Officer | Dr Rachel Maldonado
Dr. Rachel Maldonado’ considers south Mississippi, New Orleans, Louisiana, and Baltimore, Maryland her homes, although she has lived all over the United States from West coast to Midwest, to Gulf coast, to East coast. She was raised mostly by her mother in south Mississippi and by a veteran father from Baltimore, Maryland. Although her parents were not together for much of her young life, they instilled in her a deep appreciation for diversity, truth, and resilience. Despite facing homelessness and financial hardship as a child, she eventually positioned herself ambitiously, by working and attending high school, to attend college. She earned scholarships to pursue her passion for music, studying voice and piano at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Delta State University. Her vocal talent and academic excellence led her toward graduate studies at Indiana University where she majored in operatic performance. Life took a new direction when she married and began her family during graduate school. Dr. Maldonado has two successful adult children. Her oldest is in nursing school, and the other has a degree in political science.
Dr. Maldonado began her teaching career in 2002 in Duval County Public Schools, Jacksonville, FL, and later moved to Indianapolis Public Schools as a high school instructional coach under a Gates Grant. She earned two Master’s degrees in Education, while raising two children and teaching full time. She earned her doctorate in Educational and Organizational Leadership in 2025 from National Louis University in Tampa, FL and Chicago, IL. In 2012 she relocated from Indianapolis to Jacksonville, FL. She became Principal of Duval MYcroSchool, a dropout recovery charter high school, where she built a nationally recognized model for serving at-risk youth — achieving one of Florida’s highest dropout recovery graduation rates at 96.2%. Her leadership philosophy centers on high accountability, compassionate feedback, and an unwavering belief that all people can learn at any age. Dr. Maldonado believes that giving students boundaries, being consistent about holding them accountable, and teaching them about the society they will be walking into better equips their social and emotional well-being and inherently, makes them good citizens and exceptional leaders in any industry they choose. Dr. Maldonado is especially proud of the work she has done with parents over the years, helping them as a co-parent to get their children across the finish line so they can thrive, not just survive.
Now serving as CEO of Irvington Community Schools, Dr. Maldonado brings decades of frontline educational leadership to her role. A proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., she is a fierce advocate for equity, inclusion, and the power of youth to shape a more just society. Her story — marked by personal adversity, professional perseverance, and a commitment to the most underserved students — continues to inspire educators and communities across the country.
To learn more about Dr. Rachel Maldonado please visit: https://voyagejacksonville.com/interview/rising-stars-meet-rachel-maldonado-of-west-side-of-jacksonville-fl/
Chief Academic Officer | Rosemary McCloskey
Rosemary McCloskey began her career in education in 2003 as a science teacher in Jones County, North Carolina. As a military spouse, she served students in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, California, and Indiana, gaining diverse educational experiences that shaped her student-centered leadership philosophy. Throughout her career, she has served as a teacher, dean, instructional coach, Director of Instructional Coaching, and Principal of both Irvington Community Middle School and Irvington Community Elementary School.
Mrs. McCloskey is passionate about ensuring every student has access to rigorous, engaging learning experiences while fostering strong relationships among educators, families, and the community. As a principal, she has led schoolwide academic growth through a relentless focus on instructional excellence, teacher development, data-driven decision-making, and high-quality curriculum implementation. She is committed to building collaborative cultures where educators receive meaningful coaching and support to maximize student achievement.
In 2021, Mrs. McCloskey partnered with the Southern Indiana Education Center to support school administrators and instructional coaches in developing intentional coaching systems that strengthen instructional practice and professional growth. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from East Carolina University, a Master of Science in Biology from the University of Maryland, and a K–12 Administrative Endorsement from James Madison University.
ICES Principal | Kathryn Welch
Katie Welch is a passionate and knowledgeable educational leader with over sixteen years of experience serving students, teachers, and school communities. She is dedicated to creating safe and supportive learning environments where every staff member and child is challenged to grow and embody the characteristics of lifelong learners. Katie believes consistency, strong relationships, high expectations and collaboration are the foundation of a thriving school community.
Throughout her career, Katie has served in a variety of educational roles spanning from Pre-K to high school, including classroom teacher, interventionist coordinator, instructional coach, high school coach, district instructional specialist, assistant principal, and principal. Her experiences have taken her across Indiana as well as internationally, where she taught and led in both Ghana and Chile. These diverse experiences have shaped her belief that every student deserves access to high-quality instruction and a school culture where they feel a strong sense of belonging.
As Principal of Irvington Community Elementary School, Katie is committed to fostering a culture built on safety, trust, teamwork and academic excellence. She is excited to work alongside staff, students and families to ensure every child receives engaging instruction, meaningful support and opportunities to reach their full potential. Katie is honored to serve the Irvington community and looks forward to partnering with families to help every Raven soar.
ICMS Principal | Jennifer Roberts
Jennifer Roberts is a dedicated and passionate educational leader . With over a decade of experience in education, Jennifer has a proven track record in instructional leadership, school operations, and student engagement. She is committed to fostering a culture of excellence, equity, and high achievement for all students.
Prior to becoming Principal, Jennifer served in multiple leadership roles at ICMS, including Assistant Principal, Dean of Operations, and Instructional Coach. She has been instrumental in implementing mastery-based grading, supporting restorative practices, and enhancing collective teacher efficacy. Jennifer is also a certified TAP evaluator, and is trained as a Restorative Practices trainer.
Her professional journey is marked by a commitment to the Irvington Way—building respectful, responsible, safe, involved, and focused learning environments for every student.
IPA Principal | Jana Goebel
Jana Goebel has spent her twenty plus years in education dedicated to differentiated instruction, graduate preparation, and teacher support. She believes the purpose of education is to prepare students to be productive, compassionate, engaged members of their communities.
Mrs. Goebel began her career in education in 1993 as an elementary special education teacher. She taught in North Manchester, Lawrence Township, and Speedway. While raising her children she continued to seek opportunities to educate children in a variety of settings including as a preschool teacher. Mrs. Goebel became a part of the ICS community first as a parent, eventually joining the IPA staff as a Special Education Teacher of Record in 2011. In 2012 she took on the additional role of Special Education Coordinator, helping to systematize and support special education services in grades K-12. In 2014, she was named Director of College and Academic Services at IPA where she also served on the Indiana State Board of Education’s Graduation Pathways Panel. Mrs. Goebel accepted the position of principal for Irvington Preparatory Academy in 2019. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Special Education from Manchester College and a Masters of Educational Leadership & Administration from Ball State University.
As the proud parent of two IPA alumni, Mrs. Goebel knows firsthand the impact an IPA education has on students’ futures. She relishes the opportunity to collaborate with parents, teachers, and students as they prepare for their future & celebrate their accomplishments.