Pamela Benigno has been the Director of the Independence Institute’s influential Education Policy Center since 1997. Pam provides a counterbalance to the education establishment. She isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo to create better learning opportunities for Colorado’s children, stand up for parental rights, and support independent-minded teachers.

Pam has authored and co-authored numerous publications, speaks to local and national groups, and provides commentary as a radio and television guest on K-12 education policy. Her work has been noted in several books and local and national publications, including The Wall Street Journal, School Reform News, Daily Caller, and Townhall Magazine.

Since the late 1980’s Pam has been involved in the passage of private school choice programs.

In 2007 she launched the one-of-a-kind SchoolChoiceForKids.org to educate English and Spanish speakers about educational options offered in Colorado.

In 2005 Pam realized the need to reach school board candidates and members with policy ideas and has since hosted school board candidate policy briefings and mailed the Education Policy Center’s publications to all Colorado school board members and superintendents.

As a former public school educator, Pam has a heart for teachers. The Education Policy Center has an outreach to Independent-minded teachers via IndependentTeachers.org. Pam created the K-12 Policy Roundtable as an outreach to university education majors as they prepare to become future teachers.

As a Biden appointee, Pam serves as a member of the Colorado Advisory Committee to the U.S. Office of Civil Rights. She is the past chair and current board member of the Professional Association of Colorado Educators (PACE). Additionally, she serves on the Colorado League of Charter School’s Governmental Affairs Committee.