There are organizations which provide general support to schools, which can share their track record with a range of non-profits. Year after year, charter school founders experience the same start-up challenges that their peers faced before them. CSBM believes that finance and operations leaders who have actually worked in NYC charter schools, especially those who have gone from start-up through renewal, are the best resources for new and existing schools. CSBM is the only organization that recognizes the high-level accountability demanded of charter schools and knows the unique needs of charter schools. CSBM's founder learned, first-hand, that school finance and operations were a key indicator of success, which was heavily scrutinized by authorizers during monitoring visits and during the charter renewal process. He understands that the success of finance and operations directly impacted your organization's survival. The goal of CSBM is to use this knowledge to ensure that all charter schools are able to flourish and serve their students.
WHO IS CSBM'S FOUNDER?
Raj Thakkar was the Chief Financial Officer of Explore Charter School , where he managed the areas of accounting, finance, human resources, payroll, facilities, compliance, charter renewal, and technology. His 12 years of work experience at for-profit, start-up companies and small businesses has led to a specialization in turnaround management, operational efficiency, treasury management, expense reduction, and systems implementation. Mr. Thakkar earned his MBA in Finance from NYU's Stern School of Business and a BS in Engineering Science from Hofstra University . He is a native New Yorker.
Raj's vision is to provide guidance to charter school leaders through the tough business decisions that will lead to success. When he was hired by Explore, the school had few resources available to handle its non-academic responsibilities. Raj's prior experience, extensive network and relentless navigation of regulatory agencies led to Explore being recognized as a model charter school by its authorizer. This experience reinforced his skill set and increased his wealth of knowledge, and can greatly benefit other emerging charter schools.
