COSA's Governance
NSBA formed COSA in 1967 to provide information and practical assistance to attorneys who represent public school boards. Our Legal and COSA staff provide professional and executive support and programming for our members, school attorneys, and school leaders across the United States. COSA also supports the legal advocacy efforts of NSBA.
COSA is guided by a seven-member Steering Committee, which is elected at the annual business meeting held each spring in conjunction with the NSBA Annual Conference and School Law Seminar. The COSA chair serves ex officio on the NSBA Board of Directors, giving our members a direct link to NSBA’s leadership.
COSA Steering Committee Members:
Chair: Kenneth Walker, General Counsel, Austin Independent School District, Austin, TX
Chair-Elect: Brad Banasik, Legal Counsel, Director of Labor Relations/Policy, Michigan Association of School Boards, Lansing, MI
Secretary: Greg Goheen, Partner, MVP Law, Kansas City, KS
Immediate Past Chair: Haley Percell, Chief Legal Officer, Oregon School Boards Association, Salem, Oregon
Member at Large: Aleks O. Rushing, Partner, Husch Blackwell, St. Louis, MO
Member at large: Leigh Dalton, Partner, Stock & Leader, York, PA
Member at large: Steve Book, General Counsel, North Kansas City School District, Kansas City, Missouri
Verjeana McCotter-Jacobs, Esq. - NSBA Executive Director, ex officio
Devin M. Sheehan, President, NSBA Board of Directors, ex officio
COSA members join either through an affiliated state council, or as an individual member in the U.S., Canada, or other NSBA International Partner country. In affiliated states, all members of the state council must be members of the NSBA Council.
The following states have affiliated state councils: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, and West Virginia.
To carry out its programming, networking, and advisory functions, COSA operates standing and ad hoc committees and working groups.