Ms. Masana Mailliard has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer for Gwinnett County Public Schools, filling the vacancy left by the retirement of Mr. Joe Heffron. Ms. Mailliard comes to GCPS from Dekalb County Schools, where she has been serving as the Deputy Chief Financial Officer and acting as Interim Chief Financial Officer for the past two years. Ms. Mailliard has over 28 years of progressively responsible experience in K-12 financial management, including roles with the Georgia Department of Education and Broward County Schools, Florida. Ms. Mailliard holds her bachelor’s degree in Business Management as well as graduate courses conducted in the field of Forensic Accounting from Florida Atlantic University. Ms. Mailliard also holds certification from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the field of Business Analytics, and is certified by Ernst and Young in Accounting, Auditing and Internal Controls, and the University of Georgia, Carl Vinson Institute in Governmental Accounting.

Mr. Knudsen represents all or part of the Central Gwinnett, Dacula, Collins Hill, Discovery, Lanier, Mill Creek, Mountain View, North Gwinnett, and Seckinger clusters, as well as GIVE Center East, Gwinnett Online Campus, International Transition Center (office), and Phoenix HS. He joined the School Board in January 2019, and was re-elected in 2022. His current term will expire in December 2026.

 Dr. Watts began his service as superintendent of Gwinnett County Public Schools on Friday, July 31, 2021. He had been serving as the superintendent of Kent School District (KSD), the 5th largest and 2nd most diverse school district in Washington State. With more than 26,500 students, KSD also employs 3,600 staff members and operates a $450 million budget.

During the past six years, Dr. Watts developed a bold strategic planning process; maintained an intentional focus on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging; and improved organizational effectiveness so that all students may thrive. KSD’s four-year adjusted cohort graduation rates have risen to record levels for all students as a result.

Dr. Watts is member of The Broad Academy Fellowship (2018-2019), and he has demonstrated a strong track record of success as an instructional, operational, and community leader. Before taking the position in Kent, Dr. Watts served in Gwinnett County Public Schools for 13 years in varied leadership roles with increasing levels of responsibility.

Dr. Watts is a non-voting member of the Foundation Board.

Mr. Lupuloff spent more than 20 years as Senior Managing Director for Bear Stearns/JP Morgan, as well as Managing Director with Raymond James, and most recently growing the fixed income group at Fifth Third. In the community, he is a founding member of the Norcross High School (NHS) Foundation, where he held the positions of president, treasurer, and vice-president. His service to NHS also includes work as a booster club officer and member for multiple sports and clubs. In addition, Mr. Lupuloff is a founding member of the Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation and current executive board member. He also is a founding and past board member of the Georgia Tech Parents Advisory Board. Mr. Lupuloff earned his degree in business administration from the University of Alabama and has worked in the financial services industry since 1982.

Mr. and Mrs. Lupuloff currently serve on the University of  Georgia Student Affairs Advisory Board and endow 3 scholarships to UGA’s
Disability Resource Center for Students.

Mr. Lupuloff and his wife Jan actively support Partners Against  Domestic Violence, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Camp Twin Lakes, and were inducted in the NHS Foundation Hall of Fame in 2011. Jan is the current Chairperson for Norcross, Duluth and Lilburn Meals on Wheels. They have four children, all Norcross HS graduates of 2007, 2009, and 2016.

Mr. Lupuloff is a non-voting member of the Foundation Board.

Having served nine years as director of recruitment & retention for the district following a career in banking, I was selected in March 2009 as executive director of the Gwinnett County Public Schools Foundation.

A proud graduate of Gwinnett Schools and the University of Tennessee, I’ve enjoyed being active in the community.  The following are examples of past or present participation, Leadership Gwinnett; Partnership Gwinnett Education Committee; Atlanta Chamber of Commerce Recruitment Committee; Gwinnett County Revitalization Task Force; JM Tull YMCA Community Board; Center for Pan Asian Community Services Grant Advisory Board; United Way Executive Committee; Rotary Club of Gwinnett; Primerica Foundation Board; Gwinnett Coalition Great Days of Service Advisory Board; Leadership Gwinnett Regional Day Committee; Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Advisory Board; Gwinnett Medical Foundation Women’s Advisory Counsel.

Ms. Herndon Patterson is a non-voting member of the Foundation Board.