Travis Washko
About Travis Washko
Independent Chairman and Director of SOPA; age 47; appointed June 2024. Current Head of School at Dehong Xian (Education in Motion/EiM Group) in Xi’an, China since 2022; prior roles include Principal/EVP at Living Word Shanghai High School, leadership posts at Beanstalk International Education Group and Nord Anglia Education (2018–2021), Director of Athletics at The British School of Beijing and Livingston American International School (2007–2018), and Managing Director at TA & Associates Asia Limited & Equity International Asia Limited (2001–2006). Education: Master of Education (Educational Leadership) from Dallas Baptist University (2013) and B.A. in Political Science from Dickinson College (company disclosure notes 2020) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dehong Xian (EiM Group), Xi’an | Head of School | 2022–present | Leads school operations and academic programs |
| Living Word Shanghai High School | Principal / Executive Vice-President | Prior to 2022 (dates not specified) | School leadership and academic oversight |
| Beanstalk International Education Group; Nord Anglia Education (China) | Activities Director | 2018–2021 | Extracurricular program leadership |
| The British School of Beijing; Livingston American International School | Director of Athletics | 2007–2018 | Athletics program management |
| TA & Associates Asia Ltd.; Equity International Asia Ltd. (Shanghai) | Managing Director | 2001–2006 | Financial services/corporate finance leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dehong Xian (EiM Group) | Head of School | 2022–present | Current external operating role |
| Other public-company boards | — | — | None disclosed in SOPA filings |
Board Governance
- Roles: Chairman of the Board; Audit Committee member (not Chair). Independent under Nasdaq rules; Board affirms independence for Washko, Puccio, Carrington, Freed, Dunn; Gautier non-independent .
- Committees and chairs (current structure): Audit—Carrington (Chair), members Puccio and Washko; Remuneration—Freed (Chair), members Dunn and Puccio; Nominating & Corporate Governance—Dunn (Chair), members Carrington and Freed .
- Attendance: In 2024, Board met 4 times; each committee met 4 times; no director (incumbent) attended fewer than 75% of meetings .
- Election results: At Oct 3, 2024 Annual Meeting, Washko received 35,250,130 votes for, 60,520 withheld (99.83% for) .
- Risk oversight: Board oversees risk; Chairman collaborates with Board; independent directors may assess if conflicts with management arise .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fee Earned / Paid in Cash | $46,750 | FY 2024 | Director compensation table shows cash-only for Washko; no stock/options in 2024 |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Grant Date | Shares/Units | Fair Value ($) | Vesting | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Awards (RSUs/PSUs) | — | — | — | — | None disclosed for directors in FY 2024 |
| Option Awards | — | — | — | — | None disclosed for directors in FY 2024 |
| Metric | Target | Actual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue/EPS/EBITDA-linked metrics | — | — | No director performance metrics tied to pay disclosed |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Roles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | No other public-company directorships or interlocks disclosed for Washko; no Item 404(a) related-party participation reported for new directors upon appointment . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Two decades across education management and earlier financial services; senior leadership in international school systems and prior managing director experience in Shanghai-based finance firms .
- Education: M.Ed (Educational Leadership, Dallas Baptist University 2013); B.A. Political Science (Dickinson College, company disclosure notes 2020) .
- Audit Committee experience; Board confirms independence; not designated as “financial expert” (Carrington designated) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Common | Series X Super Voting Preferred | % of Series X | % of Voting Stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Washko (Director) | 8,373 | * | — | — | * |
- Footnote: “* Nonmeaningful” per company’s beneficial ownership table. As of Aug 28, 2025, 6,105,525 common shares outstanding .
- Hedging/Pledging: Company states it does not currently have practices or policies regarding hedging or offsetting decreases in market value of equity securities—lack of anti-hedging policy is a governance risk .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent Chairman; Audit Committee member; independence affirmed; strong 2024 shareholder support (99.83% for) indicating investor confidence in the slate .
- Alignment concerns: 2024 director pay for Washko was cash-only ($46,750) with no disclosed equity grants—limits direct ownership alignment; beneficial ownership is small and marked nonmeaningful .
- Conflicts/related party: No related-party transactions reported for Washko; no family relationships; new directors not party to Item 404(a) transactions upon appointment .
- Policy red flag: No anti-hedging policy; absence of hedging restrictions can undermine long-term alignment .
- Structural governance risk: Voting control concentrated in Series X Super Voting Preferred Stock held by founder Dennis Nguyen (94.29% of Series X; 81.79% of total voting power), potentially limiting the practical influence of independent directors despite formal independence .
Implications: While Washko’s independence, committee service, and strong election support are positives, cash-heavy director compensation and very low personal ownership, combined with the company’s super-voting structure and lack of hedging policy, present alignment and governance quality risks that investors should monitor .