Superintendent Degenfelder Appoints Charter School Authorizing Board Members

Superintendent Degenfelder is proud to announce her appointments and re-appointment to the Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board: Steve Lupien, Jill Bramlet, and Joe Feiler.

“Steve, Jill, and Joe are all independently qualified charter school advocates. Each brings unique and exceptional expertise to the board through their collective decades of school and business leadership throughout the state and all over the world. I have no doubt that by working together they will bring innovative and quality charter schools to the state,” said State Superintendent Degenfelder. 

Professor Steven Lupien is the Ada Lovelace Director of the University of Wyoming’s Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation (CBDI) and a lecturer in blockchain, digital assets, and cryptocurrency at the UW College of Business. A national leader in blockchain policy and education, he has helped position Wyoming at the forefront of digital asset innovation. He is co-author of Blockchain Fundamentals for Web 3.0 and co-founder of BeefChain, the first USDA-approved blockchain-based agricultural traceability platform. A former executive at Five Star Products, IMS Ltd./Land O’Lakes, and AT&T, Lupien also served as Executive Director of the Digital Asset Trade Association and currently sits on the boards of Intersect, Wyoming Cyber Action Network, CyberWyoming, and the Digital Ledger Governance Association. He regularly advises policymakers and leads the annual Wyoming Blockchain Stampede, a key forum for regulatory and technological collaboration. Lupien filled a vacancy on the board in September 2024 and is being appointed for a new term. 

Jill Bramlet holds a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of Wyoming and a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and Special Education from Black Hills State University. She serves as an Educational Leadership Consultant at Cognia and a Lead Evaluator at AdvancED where she leads accreditation work for schools all over the state, country, and internationally. Her past roles include Executive Coach and Project Coordinator at the Wyoming Center for Educational Leadership and Executive Director of the WY P-16 Education Council. Jill has also held leadership positions in Wyoming school districts, including Elementary Principal and Director of Special Education. She was also a member of Governor Gordon’s RIDE education advisory group. Jill is a new appointee on the board. 

Joseph Feiler is a Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher with 35 years of experience in Natrona County School District 1 and a co-owner of Timberline Construction. Feiler has served as a WDE Grant Evaluator for the Carl Perkins Grants and was Chairman of the Wyoming Association for Career and Technical Education scholarship committee. In 2023, Feiler was inducted into the Wyoming Association of Career and Technical Education Hall of Fame. He has also been recognized as Wyoming Technology Education Association Outstanding Teacher of the Year, and a Wyoming Governor’s “Teaching Outside the Box” awardee. Feiler is being reappointed on the board.