Elisa Westapher

Elisa Westapher

Chief Development & Business Officer

In her role as Chief Development & Business Officer, Elisa Westapher cultivates and strengthens NACSA’s organizational and business partnerships to further our mission and strategic initiatives. These organizational partnerships include working with our board of directors, strategic advisory council, members, and federal policy partners. Elisa also leads our development team to ensure future financial growth and stability through maintaining strong relationships with NACSA’s current donors and creating new relationships aligned to our strategic priorities.

In addition, Elisa heads our consulting division, which provides authorizers and other education stakeholders with customized services and supports to maximize outcomes for students across the United States. Elisa has extensive and specialized experience in authorizer evaluations, operator due diligence, and projects that focus on the intersection of policy and practice.

Prior to joining NACSA, Elisa practiced law at Holland & Knight, LLP, where she specialized in education and commercial real estate. During her time there, Elisa helped state agencies, charter schools, nonprofits, and ed tech companies structure programs and transactions to achieve their educational goals and maximize flexibility under the law.

Elisa holds a J.D. from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and a B.A. in government from Cornell University. Elisa lives in Oak Park, Illinois with her husband, two children, and dog.


Most Recent Posts
How to Start Updating Your New School Application to Reduce the Paper Burden
Most authorizers will need some time to make NACSA’s suggested improvements to their new school application process. Here are some ideas on where to start.  1. Focus on the vision...
NACSA Statement on Supreme Court Decision on Charter Schools
Statement from NACSA President & CEO, M. Karega Rausch, Ph.D., on the Supreme Court of the United States decision in the case of St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School...
After a Quarter Century: Time to Reboot the New Charter School Application Process
The public charter school sector was designed to be responsive and innovative, operating in a space freed from the bogged-down bureaucracy that so often hampers other public schools. Each new...