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. A tireless advocate for both public and private school choice, she works with education organizations, policymakers, and community leaders to expand school choice opportunities. She has served on various committees, including the Colorado State Board of Education’s implementation committee for Colorado’s school voucher program (the program was later struck down by the Colorado Supreme Court) and the Douglas County School Choice Task Force. More recently, Pam has spearheaded efforts to expand parental choice in Colorado via a scholarship tax credit program.

To empower all parents, Pam directed the development of the unique, user-friendly SchoolChoiceForKids.org that educates English- and Spanish-speakers about the many educational options offered in Colorado. A major project of the Center continues to be Hispanic outreach.

Pam has authored and coauthored numerous publications, speaks to local and national groups, and provides commentary as a radio and television guest on K-12 education policy. Her most recent publication, On the Road of Innovation: Colorado’s Charter School Law Turns 20, chronicles an extensive story of tragedy and triumph that has expanded educational opportunities for many Colorado students.

Pam’s past work has been noted in several books and numerous local and national publications, including The Wall Street Journal, School Reform News, Daily Caller, and Townhall Magazine. Under Pam’s leadership, the Center supplies vital information and ideas to Colorado policymakers, community leaders, and media voices. The Center also empowers parents with knowledge, and demands accountability from the public school system.