Staff

IEERB Staff

Dr. Stacey Hughes, Executive Director shughes@ieerb.in.gov

Stacey has served Indiana public school children as a high school science teacher, high school principal, superintendent, assistant superintendent at the Indiana Department of Education, and education consultant. Stacey received her B.S. from Indiana University, Bloomington, M.S. from Indiana University Purdue University, Fort Wayne, and Ph.D. from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.

Traci Hackleman, Esq., Director of Compliance thackleman@ieerb.in.gov

Traci earned a B.A. from Purdue University, with a major in Elementary Education, and worked as a teacher before attending the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, earning her J.D., cum laude, with a concentration in Advocacy, in 2012. While in law school, Traci served as an intern at the Indiana Supreme Court in Chief Justice Shepard’s chambers. Traci has worked for the State of Indiana since 2012. Before joining IEERB, she was a mediator, complaint investigator, and Assistant Director of Special Education at the Indiana Department of Education.

Erin Lahr, Esq., Director of Dispute Resolution elahr@ieerb.in.gov

Erin earned her B.A. from Indiana University, Bloomington with a double major in Political Science and Criminial Justice. She earned her J.D. from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law in Bloomington in 2008.  She has worked for the State of Indiana since 2010 and served as a Marion County Local Office Attorney, an Administrative Law Judge, Chief Administrative Law Judge, and Deputy General Counsel for the Department of Child Services before joining IEERB in 2023.

Sarah Masterson, Research Director smasterson@ieerb.in.gov

Sarah earned an Associate's in Accounting from Ivy Tech Community College and graduated with a B.A. in General Studies from IUPUI in 2019.  She is currently attending Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law earning her J.D. Prior to joining IEERB, she served Indiana school children as a substitute teacher before joining the finance team at the Indiana Department of Education. She has worked for the State of Indiana since 2020.

Jacob A. May, Esq., General Counsel jmay@ieerb.in.gov

Jake graduated from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis with majors in Business Management and International Studies, after which he attended the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, earning his J.D. cum laude in 2011. Jake began his legal career as a law clerk at the entertainment and intellectual property law firm of Meitus Gelbert Rose LLP. He has represented the State of Indiana in civil litigation and contract matters since 2014 and joined IEERB in March of 2018.

Ryan Preston, Chief Financial Officer rypreston@ieerb.in.gov

Ryan graduated from Hanover College in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting. Before joining IEERB, Ryan worked for the Indiana State Board of Accounts from 2001 to 2018. He spent the first ten years as a field examiner auditing various local governmental entities in southern Indiana and the last seven years as the Director of Audit Services for Schools in the Indianapolis office.

Cheri Spicer, RP®, Case Administrator cspicer@ieerb.in.gov

Cheri is a registered paralegal and a graduate of Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis, with a Bachelor of Law in the Liberal Arts degree and a certificate in Paralegal Studies. Cheri also holds an associate degree in paralegal studies from Ivy Tech Community College. She is a member of the Indiana Paralegal Association. Prior to joining IEERB, she worked as a paralegal for Klipsch Group, Inc.