About Us

Nicole Neily is the executive director of PDE Action and the president and founder of Parents Defending Education. She sits on the board of Speech First, a national campus free speech organization, and has worked at the Independent Women’s Forum and the Cato Institute

Caroline Moore is the Director of Government Relations for PDE Action and the Vice President of Parents Defending Education. She has worked for several non-profits including the Federalist Society and the Mercatus Center. Additionally, she has worked for the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the White House, and the Republican Attorneys General Association. She has a master’s in Regulatory Policy from Northwestern University.

Alex Nester is the political director of PDE Action and an Investigative Fellow for Parents Defending Education. Before joining Parents Defending Education, Alex reported on education at the Washington Free Beacon and produced podcasts for Nebulous Media.

Michele Exner is the Director of Federal Affairs at PDE Action and a Senior Advisor for Parents Defending Education. Prior to joining PDE, she spent nearly 15 years managing press and communications at various levels of government and the private sector, including at the Office of the Speaker of the House, the U.S. Senate, CBS News and various Department of Defense organizations. Michele began her career serving as an active-duty Marine officer, including two overseas deployments to Iraq and Africa. She received her undergraduate degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and has a master's in Leadership, Education, and Development from the University of Maryland. She is the mother to a son and daughter who currently attend elementary school.

Marissa Fallon is a Senior Advisor at PDE Action and the Director of Advocacy for Parents Defending Education, where she assists parents and parent groups to advocate for their students. She is a founding member of Coalition for TJ, a parent organization that promotes meritocracy in K-12 education. She has over two decades experience as a business owner and researcher. Marissa has a MA from The George Washington University.

Mailyn Salabarria is a Senior Fellow at PDE Action and the Director of Community Engagement at Parents Defending Education. At Parents Defending Education, Mailyn works with media relations and public speaking in English and Spanish, and assists with parent advocacy and training in the Western United States. Mailyn was born in Cuba and has lived in the United States since 2001. She has a Law Degree from Havana University and a MS in Mass Communication and Journalism from Florida International University. She has worked as a professional interpreter and translator, has been a small business owner and is a graduate from the Leadership Program of the Rockies. Mailyn is a passionate advocate for parental and individual rights, her motto is freedom versus force, and she is the mom of two children, made in the USA with Cuban parts.

Scarlen Valderaz is a Senior Fellow at PDE Action and the Public School Advocate Associate for Parents Defending Education, where she assists and equips parents with resources to successfully advocate for their students. Scarlen is an active member of her local PTA and other parent groups that believe in public school student advocacy. She holds a BA in business leadership and has a background in telecommunications and business ownership.

Paul Runko is the Digital Communications Specialist for PDE Action and Parents Defending Education, where he communicates with parents and parent groups through a wide range of digital channels, sharing resources, information, events and news. Paul has many years of experience in media as well as in education.