Ira Harge Jr.

Chief Executive Officer

Ira Harge, Jr., BSBA, MA, MBA has over 30 years business and sports management experience, and, 10 years teaching experience.  He was a banker for 25 years before becoming a coach full time.  Ira, Jr. also has a Level II Teaching License from the State of New Mexico and taught at both the secondary and post-secondary levels.  From 2012-2013, he was the Executive Director for New Mexico Youth Foundation and Alliance and then, from 2013-2018, became the Associate Executive Director for the Hiphop Basketball Foundation.  As a coach, Ira, Jr. started out coaching in the recreation leagues and progressed to the collegiate ranks.  In 2008, he was hired as an Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach for New Mexico Highlands University where he coached for four (4) years with his bother Joe Harge.  During Ira Jr.’s tenure at New Mexico Highlands University, the team set an NCAA record for the “greatest turnaround in NCAA history,” made its first NCAA Division II tournament appearance, and won the Western side of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.  He left the collegiate ranks to go teach and coach at Pecos High School where he won 2 back-to-back State Basketball titles and three straight District Championships.  Ira, Jr. graduated from the University of Denver (DU) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.  He played basketball at DU, as well as, at San Diego State University.  After Ira, Jr. finished his college career, he went to Belgium to play professional basketball.  He later earned two (2) master’s degrees, one in Sports Administration and the other in Business Administration both from New Mexico Highlands University.  Ira, Jr. is a native of Albuquerque, NM where he attended St. Pius X High School. Ira, Jr. and his wife Lisa are very active in their community.  They live in New Mexico and have 6 children between the two of them - Ira, III, Jazmine, Drew, Alesa, Mary, and Alianza, and, two grandchildren, Aariyah and Zyon.  

Geraldine Harge

Chief Marketing Officer

Geraldine Harge, Ed.D., Senior Associate, National School Reform, provides on-site assistance to superintendents, district and school leadership teams, principals and teachers. She has extensive expertise and experience in project coordination, special education reform, and performance management. Dr. Harge is also part of the CTAC team that provides training on student learning objectives for new teacher and principal evaluation systems. She served in a leadership role for the federally-funded TIF-LEAP partnership with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. She previously served as Superintendent of Schools in Berryessa Union School District, San Jose (CA) and Nye County School District, Tonopah (NV); as Director of Special Education in San Mateo Foster City School District (CA); and as Regional Superintendent, Principal, Counselor and Classroom Teacher in the Albuquerque Public Schools. Dr. Harge has nationally recognized expertise in rural education, special education, and systemic reform. She was honored as Nevada Superintendent of the Year.