Authors & Presenters

Bridget Cahill was a middle school teacher in Westminster Public Schools in Boulder, Colorado, before becoming a leader at the district level. There, she planned and implemented competency-based instruction in science, literacy, and English language development.

Lucy Pearson, assistant principal at John E. Flynn/A Marzano Academy, brings over a decade of experience as a teacher, special education interventionist, and instructional coach. She is committed to building strong relationships with students and families.

Ryan Mahn is currently the assistant principal at a K–6 STEAM elementary school. He is passionate about fostering innovative learning environments, STEAM education, and transforming school culture to prepare students for a bright future.

Chrissy Jolly is an experienced educator passionate about transforming professional learning into meaningful, results-driven success. Guided by the principles of explore, engage, empower, she works collaboratively to identify needs, implement innovative strategies, and create sustainable systems for continuous improvement.

Dr. Lindsey Cochran, EdD, serves as the principal of Hillcrest Elementary in Morristown, Tennessee. Her leadership at Lincoln Heights Middle School earned Model PLC at Work® recognition and Tennessee Reward School status, highlighting her commitment to collaboration and student growth.

Monica Jackson has many years of experience in education as a principal, counselor, and teacher. Currently, she is a managing director of elementary leadership at Frisco ISD in Frisco, Texas, where she helped lead schools to become successful professional learning communities.

Kelli Bateman is an educator with 25 years of experience as a teacher, instructional coach, speaker, and team leader. She creates inspiring learning programs and is passionate about standards-based grading and collaborative assessment—the kind that leads to successful implementations despite resistance.

Dr. Jacye Jamar, a former principal, has 20 years of experience in education. As a principal in progressive school districts in Texas and Oklahoma, she led initiatives that successfully achieved recognition as a Model PLC at Work school.

Charles Farmer, PhD, has almost 30 years of experience in education and currently serves as a middle school principal. In his career, he has worked as both a high school and middle school principal and has long believed that the PLC at Work® process is paramount to successful learning.

Thomas Crook is a seasoned superintendent with over 20 years of experience in education. Under his leadership, Canisteo-Greenwood Elementary School in Canisteo, New York, achieved Model PLC at Work® school status within its first year in the New York State PLC Project.

Shawn DeRose is an accomplished educator and school leader with over 20 years of experience in educational administration. Under Shawn’s leadership, both Annandale High School and Glasgow Middle School achieved recognition as a Model PLC at Work® School.

Chad Roland, EdD, is the assistant to the superintendent at Kiski Area School District in Western Pennsylvania. The collaborative efforts at Kiski Area High School earned recognition as a Model PLC at Work® school in 2017, a distinction successfully reestablished in 2023.

Justin Holmquest is the principal of New Prairie Middle School (NPMS) in New Carlisle, Indiana. NPMS gained recognition as a Model PLC at Work® school for its success in improving student achievement and commitment to the PLC at Work process.

Britney Dueling is an MTSS specialist for a Model PLC at Work® district in Phoenix, Arizona. She supports districtwide implementation of RTI at Work™ practices across K–6, K–8, middle schools, and high schools.

Kessa Early, EdD, brings 23 years of distinguished experience in education, transforming schools into award-winning institutions. As a principal of alternative education in California, she has successfully overseen multiple schools, each achieving remarkable success under her leadership.

Karin K. Hess, EdD, the creator of the Hess Cognitive Rigor Matrices, is an internationally recognized speaker and leader in developing practical approaches for using cognitive rigor and learning progressions in assessments. Since 1998, Karin has been working in schools as an elementary and middle school principal, district curriculum director, and classroom teacher.

Gearl Loden is the superintendent of Nixa Public Schools. Under Dr. Loden’s leadership, Nixa Public Schools has been recognized as a Model PLC at Work® district and includes multiple Model PLC at Work schools.

Jacquelyn Buchert is an instructional coach at Kildeer Countryside School District 96, a Model PLC at Work® district. She has over 10 years of experience providing personalized support to educators and students, focusing on diverse learners and inclusive practices.

Dr. Kristian Edgeman has over 15 years of experience in education and currently serves as principal of Ringgold Elementary School in Ringgold, Georgia. Throughout her career, she has played a key role in helping schools achieve Model PLC at Work® status.

Aubrey Curran is an educational consultant and trainer with 25 years of experience. His recent focus is on professional learning and staff evaluation systems in schools, aiming to support the development of a healthy school culture.

Tom Dodd, PhD, is a speaker and leader with over 30 years of experience in public education and higher education combined. He served as president of the Colorado Association of School Executives and as an International Baccalaureate® leader.

Dr. Jill Kind is the director of learning and achievement for Osseo Area Schools in a diverse suburb of Minneapolis. Her areas of focus are curriculum, assessment and standards-based instruction, and grading at the secondary or system levels.

Dr. Ryan Sikkes is an educational consultant and presenter with over 20 years’ worth of experience in teaching and administration in Canada’s Yukon Territory. He is passionate about supporting schools and systems in their efforts to improve assessment and grading practices.

Brian Jaffe is an educational leader with 18 years of experience. He specializes in fostering positive learning environments, promoting self-care for educators, and implementing data-driven strategies for student success.

Dr. Nathan Boyd is a leadership coach specializing in creating healthy culture and bolstering strong leadership within schools. With over 20 years of experience, his award-winning work led a school to receive the Blue Ribbon Award for sustained excellence.

Sienna Shively is a principal coach in Phoenix, Arizona. Sienna has more than 25 years of experience working as a teacher, principal, director of curriculum and instruction, and principal coach.

Lori Emmington is a seasoned educational leader with over 25 years of experience helping teachers, schools, and districts build and sustain strong professional learning communities that drive student success.

Tricia Graham is a passionate educator with more than 29 years of industry experience. She currently serves as director of student support services for Deer Valley Unified School District in Phoenix, Arizona.

Carolyn McKanders is director emeritus for Thinking Collaborative, the home of the Adaptive Schools Seminars® and Cognitive Coaching Seminars®. Her passion is supporting quality human relationships through the promotion of self-love, communication, collaboration, and leadership skills development.

Mandy Froehlich, EdD, is a passionate and experienced professional who has dedicated her career to inspiring change in teaching. She formerly served in the Ripon Area School District in Wisconsin and is currently an author, advocate, and innovator in the field of education.

Dr. Robert J. Garmston is an emeritus professor of educational leadership at California State University, Sacramento. Author of 12 books, he is the co-developer of Cognitive Coaching: Developing Self-Directed Leaders and Learners with Art Costa and co-developer of The Adaptive School: A Sourcebook for Developing Collaborative Groups with Bruce Wellmann. He has also served as an administrator, teacher, principal, and director of instruction.

Dr. Molly Capps is a principal for Moore County Schools in Southern Pines, North Carolina. As an administrator, Dr. Capps has proven highly successful in school improvement, winning multiple state and national recognitions for exceeding growth.

Bri Crook most recently served as the instructional coach at Baxter Elementary in Baxter, Iowa. She has several years of experience in education at the elementary level and district level, also serving as the technology director.

Jonathan Ferris is a program coordinator at the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, British Columbia, where he oversees practicum placements for teacher candidates, supervises faculty mentors, and teaches courses on classroom management, professionalism, ethics, and teacher presence.

Kirk Savage, EdD, is an assistant superintendent for Chilliwack School District in British Columbia, Canada, where he has been working as a senior leadership team member since 2012.

Kevin Carroll has more than 31 years of experience as an educator. He has served as a teacher, principal, adjunct professor, and educational expert. Currently he partners with other educators, capitalizing on his successes as a school leader.

Dan Phelps serves as a dedicated middle school principal in northern Illinois. Dan is deeply committed to advocating for adult and children’s health and wellness, viewing it as a fundamental cornerstone for effective schooling and academic success.

Darcy Kraus is an independent educational consultant with over 37 years of experience specializing in building- and district-level leadership.

April Severino Kennedy is an award-winning speaker, literacy consultant, former principal, and educator. She is a dynamic and energetic presenter whose accolades include being Florida’s Teacher of the Year and a nominee for Disney’s American Teacher Award.

Quinn Wulbecker, EdD, is principal at Adolph Link Elementary School, a large K–6 public elementary school that’s home to a Spanish/English dual language program in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Michelle Wambach is an elementary principal in Southern Arizona, where she is a dedicated and visionary educational leader. She has served as a teacher, student achievement teacher, and administrator.

Becky Symes specializes in educator wellness, supporting new teachers, curriculum development, effective instruction, and professional learning communities. She has experience as a new teacher induction coordinator, literacy coach, instructional facilitator, curriculum developer, and presenter.

Cindy Sholtys-Cromwell has spent the last 23 years as an administrator with the Kelso School District in Washington. She is currently the principal of Kelso Virtual Academy (K–12) along with the Kelso GED Program.

Hannah Polk, EdD, serves as a principal in a large metropolitan school district in Georgia. Her pursuit of excellence is evident as she advocates for high levels of learning for all students. In addition, she is passionate about guiding educators on paths to improve school culture, navigate difficult conversations, and enhance the overall effectiveness of their collaborative teams.

Jennifer Gracyalny, EdD, serves as the assistant superintendent of teaching and learning in the Pulaski Community School District in Wisconsin. She has served as an elementary principal, middle school associate principal, and secondary agriscience teacher/FFA advisor.

Lazunia Frierson, EdD, is assistant superintendent of district and school effectiveness in a Georgia Model PLC at Work® district. She is a 24-year educator with district and school leadership experience.

Veronica C. Rodriguez, EdD, is the curriculum and instruction world languages and dual language coordinator at Pasadena Independent School District. With more than 23 years in education, she has served as a teacher, counselor, assistant principal, and district-level administrator.

Jennifer Shaver, EdD, has been in education for over 15 years, serving as a teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, and most recently head principal. She opened a new elementary school in 2020.

Erica Strick is the principal of Floyd L. Bell Elementary, a Model PLC at Work® school in the Windsor Central School District. With over a decade of experience, Erica continuously implements systematic strategies that effectively address the achievement gap.

Andrea Thompson is the principal of Shell Lake Middle/High School in Shell Lake, Wisconsin, and has previously served as a director of curriculum and instruction, district assessment coordinator, summer program coordinator, and gifted and talented coordinator.

Shelly Wilfong, PhD, is assistant superintendent of Wawasee Community School Corporation in Syracuse, Indiana. She has been an educational professional for 30 years, with 19 years as a classroom teacher.

Destiny Reddick, an educator with 17+ years, currently serves as an assistant school leader of instruction at an urban, open-enrollment public charter school. Dedicated to underserved students, she emphasizes achievement and social-emotional empowerment. With public school district leadership and experience as an assistant dean in higher education, Destiny presents nationally, authors instructional frameworks, and mentors teacher leaders.

Logan Heflebower has been coaching baseball since his collegiate playing career came to a close in 2019. He is the infield coach at Division II, Colorado Christian University, in Lakewood.

Amanda Dunn, EdD, currently serves as an academic coordinator in the north Houston area. She has over 20 years of experience teaching fine arts, special populations, and English in addition to leading the professional learning communities process.

Dr. JoAnne Andre-Flanagan has more than 30 years of experience in the field, where she has served across the preK–12 continuum as a teacher, building administrator, assistant superintendent, and superintendent.

Dixon Brooks, PhD, has spent more than 30 years as an educator working to maximize learning opportunities for students, as well as district and school staff members, by leading cultural and systemic change processes that result in exceptional student achievement.

Haley Vogel, EdD, is assistant principal at Pine Island Academy in St. Johns County, Florida. Her more than 20 years of experience in education includes six years as a school leader and 13 years teaching. She is passionate about working with teacher teams to rethink assessment.

Christie Shealy, EdD, is the director of student services in Anderson School District One in South Carolina. She has worked with the district’s math, English language, mental health, testing, and accountability programs. Dr. Shealy specializes in developing and sustaining professional learning communities at various levels.

Dena D. Slanda, PhD, is a research associate in the College of Innovation and Education at the University of Central Florida. She is also a professor in residence for the Teacher Quality Partnership grant project, which emphasizes mathematics and disciplinary literacy for preservice teachers.

Brad Moore currently serves as the chief academic officer in Anderson School District One, located in upstate South Carolina. In this role, he oversees preK–12 curriculum and instruction while also supporting professional learning communities throughout the district.

Taylor Barton, EdD, is a K–12 school leader in Atlanta, Georgia. He led his high-poverty school to achieve Model PLC at Work® status, and he currently leads a digital school, grades 3–12.

Amanda Meadows, EdD, is a middle school resource specialist for Madison County School System in Huntsville, Alabama. She has supported the work of professional learning communities as a middle school instructional coach, assistant principal, and K–12 assessment specialist.

John Darnell is the principal at Highlands High School in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. Throughout his career, he worked across the state of Kentucky in both urban and rural schools as a social studies teacher and principal.

Rob Feltner is the regional executive director for Lake County Schools in Florida. An educator for more than 28 years, he has been an elementary school teacher, assistant principal, and high school principal.

Jose “JoJo” Reyes, EdD, is a dynamic award-winning leader and presenter for the students and staff he serves. Dr. Reyes is currently a faculty and lecturer for California State University.

Stephenie Smith is an assistant principal at Hazel Green Elementary School in Alabama. Previously, she served as instructional coach at Sparkman Middle School, a Model PLC at Work® school in Alabama that has earned Highly Effective Schools Accreditation. With a background as a middle school science teacher, she works with teachers, school administrators, and district leaders to implement effective professional learning communities (PLCs) and response to intervention (RTI) in order to close achievement gaps in key subgroups. Her focus is emphasizing teacher expertise and building collective efficacy through PLCs.

Wendy Daniels is a professional development specialist and instructional designer, empowering educators through coaching, professional learning communities, literacy frameworks, and assessment design to improve student outcomes from early childhood to K–12.

Emily McClain lived and led the work of professional learning communities as an elementary school teacher, school and district instructional coach, and district literacy specialist. She continues her passion by supporting districts and schools across the nation as a coach, presenter, and author.

Heather Carter is the current secondary instructional support specialist for the Bartow County School System in Georgia. She specializes in cultivating and sustaining a PLC culture by providing support to teacher collaborative teams, leadership teams, and district stakeholders.

Anthony Grazzini, EdD, is the director of grants and accountability with Cicero School District 99. Over more than 20 years in education, his experiences have allowed him to collaborate with diverse people to meet all students’ needs.

Jordan Ashley has led the development and implementation of guaranteed and viable curriculum systems across schools and districts, focusing on both academic achievement and social-emotional learning and behavioral learning.

Carissa R. McCray, PhD, is an English instructor in K–12 education who has worked in Duval County and rural Sumter County, Florida. She has refined her craft to focus on redefining the educational trajectory for students of color.

Jane Ardell is a full-time Solution Tree associate with over 30 years of experience in education. She was most recently a director at Cartwright School District in Phoenix, Arizona, where she worked with teachers and administrators on instructional planning, assessment and intervention.

Jessica Edwards is an instructional support specialist at the Professional Learning and Innovation Center, Broome-Tioga BOCES in upstate New York. Previously, she taught special education for eight years across various grade levels and educational settings.

Adrienne Turner has 15 years of experience as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, instructional technology coach, and new teacher coordinator. She is currently the English language arts coordinator for grades preK–12 at Deer Creek Schools in Edmond, Oklahoma. Adrienne works to support teachers primarily in the areas of instruction, assessment, and wellness.

With more than 35 years of experience as an educator, Peter Marshall most recently served as a school administrator and in a central office position as the principal for leadership and staff development.

Dawn Caruso, EdD, is a former district administrator of assessment and accountability in Florida. She also served as a virtual school administrator as well as a literacy coach at the state and school level.

Jared J. Savage is the principal of Fairmont Elementary School (TK–8) in the Sanger Unified School District in California. He has been an educator for 19 years, serving as a teacher, coach, counselor, guidance learning specialist, assistant principal, and principal.

Gib Ostheimer is a high school principal in Wyoming and a former elementary school principal. He has worked with schools on topics including assessment architecture, instructional agility, and school improvement and culture.

Jeanetta Jones Miller has been an educator since 1986. Throughout her award-winning career, she has taught American studies, senior projects, and a variety of English courses, and served as department chair.

Bill Zima is the director of implementation for Marzano Academies, working with schools to help realize their unique vision of high reliability organizations that build agency in all learners.

Nathan L. Wear is the associate superintendent and chief academic officer of Linn-Mar CSD in Marion, Iowa. He has served as an elementary teacher and as an elementary and high school principal.

Matt Townsley, EdD, is an associate professor of educational leadership at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He is a former district administrator and teacher in Solon Community Schools, also in Iowa, where he led curriculum, assessment, and school-improvement initiatives, all under the umbrella of a professional learning community philosophy.

Rea Smith is an elementary mathematics and science curriculum specialist in northwestern Arkansas. She passionately supports the work of professional learning communities with a focus on common assessments to improve student and teacher learning.

Amy Tollefson is the district-level principal with Osseo Area Schools in a diverse suburb of Minneapolis. Over more than 20 years, she has also served as a secondary school principal, secondary social studies teacher, district office coordinator, and assistant principal.

Ken Mattingly is a retired classroom teacher with 27 years of experience. He has implemented classroom assessment for student learning for the past 15 years.

Anisa Baker-Busby, EdD, serves as an elementary school principal in middle Georgia. She has over 16 years of experience working in high-poverty schools as an elementary teacher and administrator.

Melissa Dickson, EdM, is an outstanding presenter and educator. She is passionate about providing teachers with research-based ideas and strategies that they implement immediately. In her decades as an educator, Melissa has been a literacy coach, staff developer, site-based team leader, mentor teacher, inclusion teacher, classroom teacher, and early childhood teacher.

Terri L. Martin, EdD, is executive vice president of business development at Solution Tree and Marzano Resources. She has experience as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, adjunct professor, and director of school improvement initiatives.

Jan K. Hoegh has been a classroom teacher, building-level leader, professional development specialist, assistant high school principal, and curriculum coordinator.

Philip B. Warrick, EdD, is an author and presenter and has worked globally in the areas of school leadership, instruction, collaborative practices, and grading.

Marie Alcock is a consultant specializing in the areas of curriculum, instruction, and assessment design. She has spent the last 20 years working in public and private education as a teacher, administrator, and public advocate.

Brian M. Stack is a superintendent of schools in New Hampshire and a former principal who specializes in supporting teachers and administrators in developing, sustaining, and enhancing structures to support all learners.

Paul Cancellieri is a science teacher in North Carolina with 23 years of experience both in the classroom and working with teachers to enhance learning with technology and research-based practices.

Robert Lynn Canady, EdD, is a professor emeritus at the University of Virginia. He has taught grades 6–12 and served as principal of elementary, middle, and junior high schools.

Carol E. Canady is a literacy advisor with various school districts across the eastern United States. Her passion is to help educators reduce student failure by institutionalizing practices that accelerate reading achievement.

Andrew Churches is a teacher, head of faculty, and information and communications technology enthusiast. He teaches at Kristin School in Auckland, New Zealand, which has a comprehensive technology program for all students.

Troy Gobble is principal of Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Illinois. He previously served as assistant principal for teaching and learning at Stevenson.

Tom Schimmer is an author and a speaker with expertise in assessment, grading, leadership, and behavioral support. He is a former district-level leader, school administrator, and teacher.

Tom Hierck has been an educator since 1983, and his career has spanned all grade levels and many roles in public education. He has presented to schools and districts across North America with a message of celebration for educators seeking to make a difference in the lives of students.

Tim Brown is an internationally recognized presenter and practitioner who specializes in helping school leaders and teachers align their school improvement efforts across an entire campus and/or district.

Thomas W. Many, EdD, dedicated his life's work to helping teachers, administrators, school boards, parents, and other education stakeholders. He focused his passion for school improvement on organizational leadership, implementation and change, and Professional Learning Communities at Work® strategies and concepts

Thomas R. Guskey, PhD, is senior research scholar at the University of Louisville and professor emeritus in the College of Education at the University of Kentucky. A graduate of the University of Chicago, he began his career in education as a middle school teacher and later served as a school administrator in the Chicago Public Schools.

Susan Udelhofen, PhD, has 15 years of experience as a consultant. She provides professional development on some of the most relevant topics in education, including the Common Core, assessment, and school improvement.

As an author and a leader in the field, Sharon V. Kramer, PhD, emphasizes the importance of creating and using quality assessments as a continual part of the learning process. Dr. Kramer served as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction of Kildeer Countryside School District 96 in Illinois.

Sarah Schuhl specializes in professional learning communities, mathematics, assessment, school improvement, and RTI. She has been a secondary mathematics teacher, high school instructional coach, and K–12 mathematics specialist.

Samuel Ritchie is a consultant with 35 years of experience as a practitioner. For most of those years, he was the director of technology at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Illinois.

Robert J. Marzano, PhD, is cofounder and chief academic officer of Marzano Resources in Denver, Colorado. A leading researcher in education, he is a speaker, trainer, and author of more than 50 books and 200 articles.

Rebecca Stobaugh, PhD, is an assistant professor at Western Kentucky University. She teaches assessment and unit-planning courses, supervises first-year teachers, and consults with school districts on critical thinking, instructional strategies, assessment, technology integration, and other topics.

Nicole Dimich works with elementary and secondary educators in presentations, trainings, and consultations that address today’s most critical issues, all in the spirit of facilitating improved support of student learning.

Mark Onuscheck is director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Illinois. He is a former English teacher and director of communication arts.

Maria Nielsen, educational speaker and author, specializes in supporting teachers and administrators in the areas of PLCs, RTI, school culture, curriculum design, the highly engaged classroom, and assessment systems. Her life’s work is to help schools build successful systems to ensure high levels of student learning.

Mandy Stalets is a teacher and learner who is passionate about sound assessment and grading practices, as well as standards-based learning. Along with her consulting work, she is currently a high school mathematics teacher at Illinois State University’s laboratory schools.

Lisa Almeida is a recognized educator with over 20 years of experience delivering professional development and implementation support to educators. Most notably, she is known for effective leadership and teacher coaching in the areas of standards, assessment, data-driven decision-making, and professional learning communities.

Lee Crockett is an author, speaker, designer, inspirational thinker, and the creative force behind some of the most exciting transformations in education happening worldwide.

LeAnn Nickelsen, an author and a former teacher, is an expert on brain research strategies, best practices in literacy, and other high-impact tools that close and prevent gaps in high-poverty schools.

Kim Bailey is former director of professional development and instructional support for the Capistrano Unified School District in California. She also served as an adjunct faculty member at Chapman University in California.

Ken O’Connor is an independent consultant specializing in grading and reporting. He has been a staff-development presenter and facilitator in 47 US states, nine provinces and one territory in Canada, and in 25 countries outside North America.

Katie White is an author and presenter with more than 30 years of experience in education. She has been a system leader, an administrator, a learning coach, and a K–12 classroom and online teacher.

Karen Power is an educational presenter and a former teacher, principal, superintendent, and senior advisor for professional learning and leadership. Karen has implemented the PLC process both as a principal and as a superintendent, and for several years, she has supported collaborative work in schools to meet the needs of students.

Jonathan G. Vander Els specializes in supporting teachers and administrators in schools and districts across the country in developing, sustaining, and enhancing structures to support all learners.

Jennifer L. Sparrow is deputy superintendent of Singapore American School. She spent 13 years as a middle school teacher and 11 years as a schoolwide administrator.

Jeffry Overlie is an International Baccalaureate coordinator for Fridley Public Schools in Minnesota. He also works as an adjunct professor of education at Bethel University.

With over 30 years of experience in K–12 education, author and education expert Jeanne Spiller is an associate with Solution Tree, supporting schools and districts through workshops, coaching, and collaborative initiatives to enhance instruction, foster innovation, and promote equity.

Jadi Miller, EdD, is director of assessment for Elkhorn Public Schools in Elkhorn, Nebraska. She has experience as a teacher and an administrator at the elementary, secondary, and district levels.

Gerry Varty has served as a classroom teacher, principal, director of curriculum and instruction, assistant superintendent (learning and system improvement), and executive director of professional development.

Garnet Hillman is an educator, author, presenter, and learner. She has served as an instructional coach at Caruso Middle School and as a Spanish teacher at Lockport Township High School, both in Illinois.

Eric Twadell, PhD, is superintendent of Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. He has been a social studies teacher, curriculum director, and assistant superintendent for leadership and organizational development.

Eileen Depka, PhD, has a background in assessment, common assessment design, rubric development, standards-based assessment, question design, classroom questioning practices, positive practices in grading and reporting, and the implementation of standards-based grading and reporting.

Douglas Reeves, PhD, is the author of more than 40 books and more than 100 articles on leadership and education. He has twice been named to the Harvard University Distinguished Authors Series and was named the Brock International Laureate for his contributions to education.

Dennis Shirley, EdD, is Duganne faculty fellow and professor at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College. He holds a doctorate from Harvard University.

Dennis King, EdD, has focused on school improvement throughout his career, first as a practicing school administrator and now as an educational presenter. His 28 years in education include teaching in an alternative school, an urban high school, and two suburban school districts where he also served as a district administrator.

Damian Cooper has specialized in student assessment for more than 20 years. He has been a secondary English, special education, and drama teacher; a department head; a librarian; a school consultant; and a curriculum developer.

Chris Jakicic, EdD, an author and a consultant, was principal of Woodlawn Middle School in Illinois from 1999 to 2007. She began her career teaching middle school science.

Cassandra Erkens is the author of eight books with more currently in progress, as well as chapters in several anthologies. Additionally, she is a facilitator, a trainer of trainers, an educator, and a coach. Her work focuses on educational topics, including assessment, instruction, leadership, school improvement, and professional learning communities.

Brad Cawn is a teacher educator, author, researcher, and trainer who specializes in helping schools and teachers integrate ambitious teaching and learning—inquiry-based instruction, disciplinary literacy, project-based learning, etc.—across the content areas.

Anthony Reibel hails from Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Illinois and is the current assistant principal for teaching and learning. Anthony is also coauthor of several books: Proficiency-Based Assessment, Proficiency-Based Instruction, Proficiency-Based Grading in the Content Areas, and Pathways to Proficiency which explore the relationship between proficiency, pedagogy, and evidence-based grading.

Angie Freese is an author and speaker with expertise in assessment, leadership, system improvement, and strategic planning. With over two decades in education, Angie brings a unique blend of experiences that include classroom teacher, building administrator, curriculum specialist, and district leader.

Ainsley B. Rose is an author, a presenter, and a consultant. An experienced elementary and secondary teacher and principal, he is former director of education for the Western Quebec School Board.