AFC Announces Leadership Transition

The American Federation for Children (AFC), the nation’s voice for educational choice, is announcing a leadership and headquarters transition that will take place over the next several months. AFC’s Board of Directors has selected the organization’s current Vice President of Communications and Marketing, Tommy Schultz, to be President and CEO-elect; and current Vice President of Operations, Elisa Clements, to be COO.
In addition, the organization will be moving its national headquarters to Dallas, Texas, in the summer of 2021.
John Schilling will continue to serve as AFC’s President until June 1, 2021, and then will become a Senior Advisor to AFC’s new executive team and oversee the organization’s work in Washington, D.C. Greg Brock will continue to serve as AFC’s Chief Executive Officer until April 1, 2021, and will be available to advise the new executive team going forward.
Statement from Bill Oberndorf, Chairman of the American Federation for Children:
“It is a great pleasure to announce the elevation of Tommy Schultz as AFC’s next President and CEO and Elisa Clements as its next COO. This is part of a long-planned transition, and the entire AFC Board could not be more pleased with their appointment.
“Both Tommy and Elisa have the prerequisite knowledge and commitment to the issue of education choice that will be needed to advance the cause of expanding choice of education in our country. All of us at AFC are profoundly grateful to John Schilling and Greg Brock for their leadership, which has transformed AFC into the organization it has become today. We look forward to working with them both in the years ahead.”
Statement from John Schilling, President of the American Federation for Children:
“I am thrilled with the board’s selection of Tommy and Elisa to lead AFC into the future. They are outstanding leaders with a deep understanding of AFC’s core work and a passionate commitment to AFC’s mission. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Bill Oberndorf and our entire board for their tremendous support over the 14 years I have been at AFC, and to our outstanding team at AFC who have done so much to empower families and children across America with educational freedom and opportunity. I look forward to implementing a successful transition and overseeing our work in Washington, D.C.”
Statement from Greg Brock, CEO of the American Federation for Children:
“Tommy Schultz and Elisa Clements are highly effective, experienced, and principled leaders for educational choice. Their energetic and innovative leadership of the AFC team will ensure that educational choice programs continue to grow, delivering hope and opportunity for a new generation of children and families. I wish to express my profound gratitude to Bill Oberndorf and the AFC Board of Directors for the opportunity to serve the organization for the past 11 years, as well as to all of my wonderful colleagues on the AFC staff for the chance to work alongside them in this cause.”
Statement from Tommy Schultz, President and CEO-elect of the American Federation for Children:
“I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to lead an organization dedicated to empowering families with the freedom to choose the best K-12 education for their children. The success of our organization is desperately needed now more than ever. Millions of lower-income and working-class families are begging for better educational opportunities for their sons and daughters, and many of them have been begging for decades. In reaction to the pandemic, the political and bureaucratic leadership of our K-12 district schools revealed to even more families just how broken the system is and how its politics are hurting our kids.
“I am grateful to our Board of Directors for selecting me to lead this fantastic group of people on a mission that could change the course of our country by working state by state to let families control the educational destiny of their children. I am deeply grateful for John and Greg’s leadership at AFC, building the organization into the leading school choice advocacy group in the country through many years of hard work. Their mentorship is something I’ll always value and I am thrilled to have their counsel in the future. I am also excited that Elisa will become our organization’s next COO and could not think of a more capable and talented person to take that role.
“Our transition to Texas from Washington, D.C., will better reflect the true focus of our organization. We’ve invested nearly all of our time and resources into state-level policy advocacy and parent engagement in dozens of states each year, and that will continue to be the case. While federal policy plays a critical role in regulatory issues for our K-12 system, the overwhelming majority of policies that impact students, families, and educators are created and managed at the state and local levels. In addition, the geographically central location will logistically allow our team to engage with state policymakers and advocates across the country in a much easier way.
“My time at AFC has been blessed with deeply rewarding work and fulfilling relationships with our team. I know that will continue to be the case, and I couldn’t be more excited for this next chapter.”
The American Federation for Children seeks to empower families, especially lower-income families, with the freedom to choose the best K-12 education for their children.
AFC, 501(c)(4) conducts lobbying and grassroots advocacy to help pass high-quality school choice laws.
AFC ACTION FUND (527) helps elect candidates at the state level who support private school choice and charter schools, regardless of party affiliation.
AFC GROWTH FUND, 501(c)(3) informs families of their educational options and helps their children enroll in private school choice programs.