NAF Welcomes Distinguished Leaders to Board of Directors, Strengthening Mission to Prepare Future-Ready Graduates
(December 03, 2025 – New York, NY) – NAF, a leading national education nonprofit transforming the high school experience for over 112,000 students nationwide, is proud to announce the addition of distinguished leaders to its Board of Directors including:
- Kermitt J. Brooks, Chief Legal Officer at The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian Life): In his role, Brooks leads legal, compliance, corporate governance, and government affairs. His vast legal experience enables him to play a pivotal role in shaping the regulatory landscape of the insurance industry. Brooks also serves on the boards of industry and non-profit organizations, including the National Organization of Life & Health Insurance Guaranty Association and Michigan State University Foundation.
- Bob Ferrell, Executive Vice President of Global Human Resources at World Wide Technology: Ferrell is responsible for creating a workforce experience that fulfills and inspires WWT and Softchoice employees across the globe. He is a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General and former Army Chief Information Officer/G-6, and leads WWT's human resources strategy, global talent acquisition, leadership development, organizational design, employee development, compensation and benefits, HR operations and technology, and employee relations.
"I'm honored to join NAF's Board of Directors and support its mission to prepare students with the skills they need to succeed in school, their careers, and beyond," said Kermitt J. Brooks. "Every child should have access to quality education, and I feel a strong connection to NAF's work on both a personal and professional level. I am eager to support its vision of ensuring that all students have the chance to succeed."
"I'm pleased to join the Board of Directors at NAF, an organization that shares WWT's deep commitment to empowering the next generation of leaders through education and opportunity," said Bob Ferrell. "Our long-standing partnership with NAF has helped bring real-world experiences and future-ready skills to students across the country, and I'm excited to help further that mission in this new role."
"We are thrilled to welcome Kermitt and Bob to the NAF Board," said NAF CEO, Lisa Dughi. "Their strategic leadership and dedication to creating opportunity will be instrumental, as we work to expand access to career-connected learning and open doors for the next generation of leaders."
The addition of Brooks and Ferrell reflects NAF's bold vision for the future, one where every student, no matter their background, has access to meaningful learning experiences that prepare them to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. With these appointments and the guidance and commitment of the full Board of Directors, NAF is poised to deepen its impact and expand opportunity for students nationwide.
About NAF:
Since 1980, NAF has led a movement for immersive, career-focused teaching and work-based learning in high school. With the support of NAF community-based advisory boards, schools connect with the workforce to fuel shared progress—from creating paid internship opportunities to fostering innovation and building future-ready businesses. NAF helps students explore career options, create a plan for the future, and take part in hands-on, work-based learning unlike anything traditional public education systems can offer. NAF puts students on a path to achieving their full potential.
NAF has grown from one NAF Academy of Finance in New York City to hundreds of academies across the country focusing on growing industries including finance, hospitality & tourism, information technology, engineering, and health sciences; and support programs of study that are aligned with the National Career Clusters Framework. During the 2024-25 school year, over 112,000 students attended over 600 NAF academies across 34 states and territories. In 2024, NAF academies reported 99% of seniors graduated with 90% of graduates planning to go to college. Learn more at naf.org and follow us on social @NAFCareerAcads.