Our Team
Betsy A. Johnson, M.Ed.
Executive Director
Betsy Johnson is the Executive Director of the Virginia Association of Independent Schools, where she has served since 2005. With more than 40 years in education, she has worked as a teacher and administrator at St. Michael’s Episcopal School and previously as Director of Accreditation for VAIS. Under her leadership, VAIS has expanded its membership and developed signature initiatives. Serving on numerous Boards of educational organizations, she is a well-known presenter on topics in educational governance and helped architect programs to strengthen mission-clarity and long-term sustainability for VAIS.
Maggie Barrett
Member Services Coordinator
After nearly 20 years at Sabot School in Richmond, Maggie brought her experience to VAIS. She served as director of admissions and most recently as senior administrative liaison, with a focus on providing support to the entire school community. Maggie works closely with the VAIS member school communities and helps them access the resources and support they need so they can focus on their most important work: living out their school’s mission.
Lelia G. Grinnan
Director of Accreditation
As Director of Accreditation, Lelia Grinnan capitalizes on a growth mindset to promote innovation, communication, and collaboration among 90+ VAIS member schools. Since joining VAIS in 2017, Lelia has streamlined the accreditation process to support schools’ advancement as they fulfill their unique missions, and enhanced the professional development experience. Working closely with heads of school, business officers, and other school leaders, Lelia promotes understanding, self-reflection, and best practices to encourage ongoing improvement. She routinely collaborates with accreditation colleagues through the International Council Advancing Independent School Accreditation (ICAISA) to identify trends, shared pressure points, and solutions for independent schools across the country and abroad.
Wendy C. Lawrence
Director of Finance & Operations
Darcie L. TeVault, Ed.D.
Director of Professional Learning
Darcie TeVault serves as the Director of Professional Development is a faculty member within the School of Education at Johns Hopkins University. She partners with independent schools to strengthen teaching and learning through research-informed practice and thoughtful instructional design. Her areas of expertise include the Science of Learning, pedagogical master planning, supervision and evaluation of instruction, and curriculum mapping across grade levels and departments. Dr. TeVault works closely with faculty and school leaders to examine instructional practices, deepen curriculum alignment, and ensure that schools remain responsive to current research and best practices. She is known for her ability to connect research to real classroom practice and to engage teachers in meaningful, context-specific conversations that lead to thoughtful, practical improvement.
Reese Vinson
Events Coordinator
Reese Vinson comes to the VAIS with over 20 years of experience in event management and working in independent schools. She holds a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in mass communication. She supports VAIS’s legacy of excellence through in-person and virtual events to help the organization exceed every expectation for hospitality and set new standards for event ingenuity.
Gain the benefits of a VAIS membership.
Membership connects independent school teams to a powerful professional network dedicated to strengthening independent school education across Virginia. Member schools gain access to professional learning, leadership development, accreditation support, research, and collaborative networks.