OSCP Education Advisory Council
The Saint Louis University Office of School and Community Partnerships Education Advisory Council works to ensure the existence of high-quality public charter schools in Missouri, specifically those sponsored by SLU.
Council Members
Carlos Ann McClain
Carlos McClain was instrumental in the start-up and served as an administrator for a French full-immersion charter school from which she retired after 20+ years.
Helping people is very important to her and she has played a major role in guiding both children and adults in making quality decisions that impact their lives in positive ways. She was one of the founding members of the Coalition of 100 Black Women – Kansas City Chapter, which is a nonprofit volunteer organization for American women. McClain has volunteered with several organizations, including the WEB DeBois Learning Center, Black Chamber of Commerce, Derrick Thomas Third and Long Foundation and other community organizations. She was awarded The Imperial Court of North and South America Hall of Fame Award for Outstanding Women for her contributions to her church, community, state and country. She continued helping people by traveling to and assisting and training staff in small rural hospitals across the country in their efforts to offer healthcare to all residents who were insured or uninsured.
McClain, with her late husband, started a successful business that she has continued to manage for over 20 years, sharing knowledge with companies that share the same goals. She continues to participate in community outreach and development efforts.
Dean Johnson
Dean Johnson has over 25 years of professional experience as a teacher, school leader, humanitarian relief worker, social entrepreneur, nonprofit CEO, and public policy advocate. Throughout his career, he has sought out and created opportunities to improve educational access and living conditions, especially for marginalized children and families. Strategic planning, grant writing and management, capital campaigns, organizational start-up, public policy research and advocacy, project monitoring and evaluation, program design and implementation, and budget management are all areas in which Johnson has extensive experience. Johnson lives in Kansas City with his wife and two daughters.
Lewis Sheats
Lewis Sheats is an entrepreneur and educator. He has an extensive background in opportunity identification, new venture planning, and strategic planning and execution. Sheats has leveraged his experience to develop nationally recognized entrepreneurship curriculum that combines practicality and theory. In his entrepreneurial endeavors, Sheats has led the creation and development of several unique ventures from launch to profitability.
In addition to leading the launch of numerous startups, Sheats serves on multiple boards for new ventures and entrepreneurship support organizations. In academia, Sheats used his leadership and entrepreneurial experience to develop and lead North Carolina State University’s entrepreneurship curriculum based on developing entrepreneurial mindsets and individual student preparedness. As the founding executive director, Sheats launched the NC State Entrepreneurship Clinic, an initiative where students are engaged in experiential learning, are embedded in the entrepreneurship ecosystem, and are provided the space and tools needed to execute their own ideas. As the assistant vice provost for Entrepreneurship at NC State, Sheats led the efforts of cooperation across programs throughout the university. These efforts led the undergraduate and graduate programs to be consistently ranked in the top 20 in the United States and number one in the southeast according to the Princeton Review. In November 2021, Sheats was named the executive director of the Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship at Saint Louis University.
Sheats is an award-winning educator who was named the 2024 Community Builder of the Year by St. Louis Startup Week, Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor by the NC State Alumni Association and the 2015 Dr. John S. Risley Entrepreneur of the Year. His programs and work have been recognized by the United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship and the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers. He has been invited and presented the clinic model and methods of building an entrepreneurial mindset around the world, including Denmark, Moldova, Ukraine, Canada, Gibraltar, Japan and Australia. Sheats is passionately devoted to preparing the next generation through entrepreneurship education.
Raven Pugh
Raven Pugh is an innovative entrepreneur, consultant, and development coach driven by a passion for empowering and inspiring others. Her mission is to help individuals heal and achieve their fullest potential, fostering an abundant life through faith and hard work.
For over 15 years, Pugh has dedicated her expertise to restoring and sustaining excellence within organizations. She achieves this through strategic planning, refining operational systems, and cultivating positive organizational cultures. As the CEO of Upper Coaching, Raven is committed to bridging personal, professional, and community development. Upper Coaching provides comprehensive coaching, training, business consulting, and project management services, all designed to deliver mission-aligned results that effectively address the diverse needs of clients and communities.
Raven holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in criminology from the University of Missouri–St. Louis, as well as a Master of Arts in Education and Innovation from Webster University, specializing in sustainability and social equity studies.
Terry Harris
Terry Harris, Ph.D., is one of the St. Louis region’s most innovative educators working to build equity and well-being among students and the African-American community.
With a deep passion for education and community empowerment, Harris has made a significant impact through innovative initiatives and a commitment to positive change. Harris’ work is grounded in the guiding question, “And how are the children?” His goal is to one day be able to answer this traditional Masai greeting with a resounding, “The children are well.”
Harris’ work stands as a testament to his belief in the transformative power of education and community involvement. With an impressive track record and an unyielding commitment to creating a brighter future, he continues to inspire individuals and organizations alike.