Our nationwide staff work daily to support the mission and vision of NREA with the direction of the Executive Board.
Dr. Melissa Sadorf serves as the Executive Director of the National Rural Education Association, bringing over 30 years of experience in rural education as a teacher, principal, and superintendent in Arizona. A recognized advocate for rural schools, she previously led the Arizona Rural Schools Association and now continues her work in higher education, preparing the next generation of school leaders.
Dr. Sadorf is the author of The Resilient Rural Leader: Rising to the Challenges of Rural Education (ASCD, 2024) and host of The Rural Scoop podcast, where she uplifts rural voices and shares strategies for resilient, place-based leadership. She is committed to strengthening NREA’s role as a national convener and catalyst for rural innovation, policy, and leadership development.
Walker brings more than 25 years of association management and nonprofit experience to NREA. Most recently, she served nearly seven years as Director of Operations with the Texas Rural Education Association (TREA), where she played a key leadership role in organizational operations, membership engagement, conferences and events, corporate partnerships, and sponsorship development. Prior to joining TREA, Walker spent 18 years with the Texas Library Association.
A seventh-generation Texan, she has a deep appreciation for rural communities and the people who serve them and has remained actively engaged in the association community through volunteer and leadership service with the Texas Society of Association Executives and organizations in her local community.
With more than 25 years of experience leading education initiatives, Andrew Ko is a recognized leader in the education sector, having previously served as managing director of global education at Amazon Web Services, corporate vice president of Samsung Global Education and general manager for Microsoft Corporation’s U.S. Education business.
His background in education, consulting for the World Bank, his former role as a member of Virginia’s state board of education and experience as a venture capitalist provide a strong foundation for this position.
Hailey first got involved with rural schools advocacy as a college student. She was connected to the Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools through a professor at SIU Carbondale. Now, she is a full-time communications consultant DBA Evil Eye Creative Studio.
Hailey began consulting for NREA in 2020 and has been on the team ever since, organizing communications and developing media on-site at the National Forum to Advance Rural Education each year.
Dr. Allen Pratt served as the Executive Director of the National Rural Education Association from 2017-2024. Dr. Pratt has been instrumental in advancing the mission of the NREA, tirelessly advocating for the needs of rural schools, educators, and students across the nation. His leadership has been a driving force in shaping and implementing policies that support and uplift rural education. Under Dr. Pratt’s guidance, the NREA has forged critical partnerships and developed programs that will continue to thrive and evolve under the capable leadership of the NREA team.
