Meet the board
Experts in their fields and passionate about educational equity, our Board of Directors are elected to represent the commitment to a strong educational program for our scholars. Directors serve without compensation. Meet our current board members!
Board Members

Charles Russell, M. Ed, President
Charles Russell is a native Houstonian with over 33 years of experience as an educator. Charles Russell is a graduate of Prairie View A&M, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and a Master of Education degree in School Administration. During his 33 years as an educator, he has served in many capacities, including teacher, assistant principal, and principal.
Charles is a proud member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity incorporated. Additionally, Charles enjoys spending quality time with his wife, Phyllis C. Renfro Russell, daughter & son-in-law, Randa R. Russell Walker and Oveal J. Walker, and his two grandchildren, Randon C. Walker, and Vea S. Walker.
Charles’ aspirations have always been to be able to contribute to society and make a difference.
Michelle Harris’ bio is coming soon!

Michelle Harris, M. Ed, Member

Chrishelle Palay, Member
Chrishelle Palay is the director of the Houston Organizing Movement for Equity (HOME) Coalition. HOME was created in response to Hurricane Harvey in an effort to ensure all Houstonians equitably recovered from the disaster. HOME comprises several organizations whose expertise ranges from policy advocacy, direct services, legal enforcement, and grassroots organizing. Prior to leading this collective, Chrishelle focused on fair housing policy advocacy as the Southeast Co-Director at Texas Housers for over seven years. Through this work, she provided housing and neighborhood development policy analysis and review to local community organizing groups who were addressing major disinvestment and neglect in their communities. Her expertise grew from disaster recovery efforts after 2008’s Hurricane Ike disaster recovery process. This experience well-positioned community leaders, organizers, and advocates to demand equitable investment and treatment for low-income communities in the Hurricane Harvey recovery process.
Before transitioning into social justice work, Chrishelle practiced architecture, specifically multifamily high-rise development. Chrishelle is a Next City Vanguard alumni and was a Ford Public Voices Fellow of The OpEd Project. She also participates in several national cohorts, including Community of Practice on Local Housing Strategies, Ford Just Cities Narrative Shift Project, and the National Fair Housing Peer Network Group.
Chrishelle has a Bachelor of Architecture from Prairie View A&M University and proudly serves on the boards of directors of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County, and Rhodes School For The Performing Arts.
Derrick Sherrard’s bio is coming soon!

Derrick Sherrard, Member

ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING
13334 Wallisville Rd.
Houston, TX 77049
(281) 458-4334
information@rhodesschool.org
NORTHSHORE CAMPUS
13334 Wallisville Rd.
Houston, TX 77049
(281) 459-9797
HUMBLE CAMPUS
600 Charles Street
Humble, TX 77338
(281) 319-9300
Charles Russell, M. Ed, President
Michelle Harris, M. Ed, Member
Chrishelle Palay, Member
Derrick Sherrard, Member
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