Hanna Skandera
PERDOCEO EDUCATIONAbout Hanna Skandera
Hanna Skandera (age 51) is an independent director of Perdoceo Education Corporation, appointed on February 7, 2025. She is President and CEO of the Daniels Fund, a $1.7 billion philanthropic organization, and previously held senior education policy roles in New Mexico, Florida, California, and the U.S. Department of Education. She holds a B.B.A. from Sonoma State University and a master’s degree in American Politics and International Relations from Pepperdine University’s School of Public Policy .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| State of New Mexico | Secretary of Education | 2011–2017 | Led significant improvements in academic achievement; managed $2.7B budget |
| State of California | Undersecretary (Gov. Schwarzenegger) | 2004–2005 | Senior executive oversight in state education administration |
| State of Florida | Deputy Commissioner of Education (Gov. Jeb Bush) | 2005–2007 | Regulatory and policy leadership in K-12 education |
| U.S. Department of Education | Deputy Chief of Staff & Senior Policy Advisor | 2007–2009 | Federal policy strategy and operations |
| Mile High Strategies | President & CEO | 2017–2020 | Education-focused advisory leadership |
| Pepperdine School of Public Policy | Visiting Professor | Various | Teaching and public policy engagement |
| Harvard Kennedy School | Distinguished Teaching Fellow | Various | Academic leadership |
| Hoover Institution (Stanford) | Research Fellow | Various | Policy research |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniels Fund | President & CEO; Board member | 2021–present (board since 2019) | Philanthropic fund; $1.7B assets |
| Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce | Board member | N/A | Private board role |
| MGT | Board member | N/A | Private board role |
| Philanthropy Roundtable | Board member | N/A | Private board role |
| Risepoint | Board member | N/A | Private board role |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined all director nominees except the CEO are independent; committees are composed entirely of independent directors .
- Committee assignments: Not yet appointed to any committees as of the proxy filing (newly appointed in Feb 2025) .
- Attendance: The Board met six times in 2024; each incumbent director attended at least 75% of applicable meetings. Skandera joined in 2025, so 2024 attendance does not apply; directors are expected to attend annual meetings .
- Board leadership: Gregory L. Jackson, an independent director, serves as Chairman of the Board (since Nov 16, 2023) .
- Skills matrix: Skandera’s nominated expertise includes Educational Services and Related Legal/Regulatory Experience and Investment Management/Financial Expertise .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy/Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (independent director) | $80,000 | Payable quarterly |
| Chairman cash retainer | $180,000 | Increased Oct 2024 from $130,000 |
| Committee chair fees | $20,000; Audit Chair $25,000 | Payable quarterly |
| Meeting fees | $1,500 per meeting | Paid for each Board/Committee meeting starting with the 18th such meeting in the 12-month period following the annual meeting |
| 2024 director comp | N/A for Skandera | She did not receive compensation in 2024 (joined in 2025) |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Component | Policy/Grant | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSUs | $125,000 target value for independent directors (granted at annual meeting) | Time-based; example 2024 grants (6,256 RSUs) settled June 14, 2025, subject to continued Board service through the 2025 annual meeting | New directors joining during the year receive a pro rata equity award for partial-year service (amount not specified) |
| Performance metrics | None for director RSUs | N/A | Director equity is time-based; no performance conditions disclosed for directors |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- No public company directorships disclosed for Skandera; her listed boards are private organizations (Daniels Fund, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, MGT, Philanthropy Roundtable, Risepoint) .
- No interlocks or related-party exposures disclosed; Audit Committee oversees related-party transactions .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Educational regulatory leadership: Senior state and federal education roles provide sector-regulatory insight highly relevant to PRDO’s regulated higher education operations .
- Financial/investment management: Oversees a $1.7B philanthropic fund; contributes to board oversight on capital allocation and governance .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Owned | RSUs Vesting Within 60 Days | Options Exercisable Within 60 Days | Total Beneficial Ownership | % Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanna Skandera | — | — | — | — | <1% |
- Director stock ownership guidelines: Independent directors must hold stock equal to 3x the base cash annual retainer; must retain at least 75% of “net shares” from equity awards until guidelines are met. Amended guidelines approved January 22, 2025 .
- Hedging/pledging: Prohibited under the Insider Trading Policy for covered persons, including directors .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; deep education regulatory expertise supporting compliance and risk oversight; strong corporate policies (clawback for executives, hedging/pledging prohibitions, stock ownership guidelines); no related-party transactions disclosed .
- Watch items: No beneficial ownership reported as of March 28, 2025; early tenure without committee assignment yet—monitor assignment to Compliance & Risk or Nominating & Governance to leverage expertise and improve board effectiveness .
- Shareholder signals: Say-on-Pay approval was ~97% in 2024, indicating broad investor support for compensation governance frameworks; positive context for overall board credibility .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed regarding related-party transactions, pledging/hedging, or director attendance. Initial zero ownership is a neutral watch item given recent appointment and guideline-driven expected accumulation .