Who We Are

CPSC Foundation

Central Park School for Children Foundation helps advance progressive education at Central Park School for Children and in the Durham community.

We encourage the natural eagerness of a child to explore, grow, relate to others and understand and influence the world in which they live. The Foundation endorses and promotes the principles of progressive education: respect for children and integrated project-based learning by doing.

The CPSC Foundation is managed by the CPSC Executive Director, John Heffernan, and a board of directors.

The members of the Foundation board are Robert “Bob” Chapman (President), Geoffrey Phillippe (Treasurer), James “Buster” Black, Vicky Patton, and Alan Staple. Ex Officio Members include Arlie Harris (Executive Director, CPSC), Marcia Brooks (Chair, CPSC Board of Trustees) and John Heffernan (Executive Director, CPSC Foundation).

CPSC FOUNDATION DEVELOPMENT Committee

John Heffernan, Chair, Bryan Gilmer, Richard Hart, Vicky Patton, Katie Wagstaff, Arlie Harris (Meetings – 1st Wednesday @ 3pm)

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James Black

James Black is Vice President of AIG Global Real Estate Investment Corp. He manages real estate investment for AIG in the southeastern United States. Buster received a Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Charleston and a master’s degree in Real Estate Finance from New York University. Buster is a Central Park School for Children parent.

Marcia Brooks

Marcia Brooks is board chair of Central Park School for Children. She is the executive director of Lakewood Avenue Children’s School in Durham. Marcia has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of New Hampshire, and a Master’s degree in Industrial Design at the North Carolina State University College of Design, with her thesis in Early Childhood Environmental Design. She earned certification in K-12 art education and has the North Carolina Early Educator Certificate and credentials in Early Childhood Teaching and Early Childhood Educational Administration.

Bob Chapman

Bob Chapman is the Foundation’s board president. He is Managing Director of Traditional Neighborhood Development Partners, LLC in Durham. He also serves on the boards of Central Park School for Children and of the Triangle Community Foundation Real Estate Foundation. He previously served on the boards of the Congress for New Urbanism, the National Town Builders Association, Duke School for Children, and the North Carolina Art Society. Bob received an A.B. degree from Duke University.

John Heffernan

John Heffernan is in his fourteenth year as executive director of Central Park School for Children. Previously he taught elementary school for 10 years in New York City and in Durham, where he was honored as “Teacher of the Year.” John was selected as a Kenan Fellow for Teacher Leadership in 2007 and as a Fulbright Memorial Scholar in 2004. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a triple major in Psychology, Philosophy, and Studio Arts from Georgetown University followed by a Master of Arts degree in Elementary Education and Teaching from Bank Street College of Education.

Kate Moser

Kate Moser has over 15 years of development experience in higher education, healthcare, and nonprofits. She has been part of four major capital campaigns raising millions of dollars for organizations in Virginia, North Carolina, and around the world. Kate attended Hollins University as a Batten Scholar and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies. She also received a certificate in Leadership Studies from the Batten Leadership Institute.

Vicky Patton

Vicky Patton is the founder of Central Park School for Children. She previously served as executive director of the Governor’s Center at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy and as Assistant to the President for Duke president Terry Sanford. Vicky led successful efforts to relocate the American Dance Festival to Duke and to convert the Duke Pre-School and Primary Program into Duke School School for Children. She has A.B. and M.B.A. degrees from Duke.

Geoffrey Phillippe

Geoffrey Phillippe is a Strategic Innovation Partner at Elephant Ventures, LLC. Geoffrey has a Bachelor of Science degree from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University, and an M.B.A. from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. He is a Central Park School for Children parent.

Alan Staple

Alan Staple is a Vice President at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI). His responsibilities include leading price reduction negotiations for CHAI with the global pharmaceutical and diagnostics industries and identifying new opportunities and funding partnerships that expand access to life-saving medicines. Alan served as founding treasurer and board member of Central Park School for Children. Alan has a B.A. in economics from Oberlin College and an M.S in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.