Authors & Presenters

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.

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.

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.

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.

Jody Gallimore, EdM, specializes in implementing professional learning communities (PLC) in the elementary and middle school settings. With over 38 years of experience, her roles of teacher, school leader, and district office leader enable her to coach using both experience and evidence-based practices.

Maria Espinoza, EdM, is the principal of Freeport Elementary in Freeport, Texas. With 17 years of experience, she specializes in early childhood education and implementing the professional learning community process to help underperforming schools.

Sal Herrera is the director of student support services in Fremont, California. He specializes in coaching collaborative teams, designing an effective multitiered system of supports (MTSS), and building a culture of collective responsibility.

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.

Eric Atuahene, EdD, is a dedicated educational leader known for his commitment to student achievement, instructional excellence, and collaborative school culture. Dr. Atuahene has consistently championed equity, innovation, and data-informed decision making to drive academic success. His leadership is grounded in fostering trust, accountability, and continuous growth among educators and students alike. Holding a doctorate in education, Dr. Atuahene combines scholarly expertise with practical leadership to create impactful, sustainable change in educational settings.

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.

Brenda Davis is an experienced educator originally from New Zealand. As an educator, Brenda is committed to educational equity for all students and has served in Title 1, urban, high poverty, and high multilingual learner populations for over 20 years.

Robert Mountjoy is the former principal of West Side Elementary School in Rossville, Georgia, where he led his staff in developing a collaborative culture centered around the three big ideas of a professional learning community (PLC). He is passionate about equity, data-driven practices, and schoolwide systems.

Margaret Meadows has 25 years of experience in education as an elementary teacher and a principal in K–12 schools. Her passion is collaborating with underperforming schools to find academic success.

Artia Shorter is a dedicated assistant principal at a Title I elementary school in Georgia. With extensive experience working with students living in poverty in Title I schools, Artia is passionate about guiding educators through the professional learning community process and building shared knowledge amongst professional learning teams to increase the cognitive rigor of students.

Mary Mazariegos has worked in a variety of education roles, including English teacher, instructional coach, ELL facilitator, secondary English curriculum coordinator, and principal. She was integral in the work at U.S. Grant High School in Oklahoma City.

Keri Rathbun, EdD, is the director of Coordinated School Health and Career Counseling for Fort Smith Public Schools, Arkansas. She has worked in education for more than 20 years and served as an administrator at the middle and high school levels.

Kendra Bell, PhD, retired from Peoria Unified School District in Arizona in 2022 after serving as chief academic officer for the district. Throughout her career, Dr. Bell has emphasized the importance of continual improvement through professional learning communities.

Amy Moore leads Deer Valley Unified School District’s PLC vision and mission as the professional learning manager. In May 2021, Deer Valley Unified School District was recognized as a model PLC district.

Chad M. V. Dumas, EdD, focuses primarily on collaborating to develop capacity for continuous improvement. An international educational presenter and award-winning researcher, he has led nationally recognized improvements for both students and staff.

John D. Ewald, EdD, is a former superintendent, principal, adjunct professor, and teacher. He has been an administrator and teacher at the elementary, middle, high school, and college levels.

Michael L. McWilliams is a fierce advocate for classroom teachers, school leaders and staff members who work daily to ensure all students learn at high levels. Michael has spent the last 28 years as an educator, with 20 of those years serving as an elementary school principal. Equipping and empowering others to be the best version of themselves is his life’s mission. He specializes in developing the foundation needed for effective implementation of the Professional Learning Communities at Work® process.

Kim Nichols, EdD, is former assistant superintendent in Ringgold, Georgia. Under her leadership, Catoosa County Schools was named the first Model PLC District in Georgia and twelve schools have become Model PLCs.

Emily Feltner, EdD, has over 30 years of experience at all levels in education. She works with schools and districts in the areas of leadership, literacy, and school improvement.

Pamela Liebenberg, EdD, has been an educator for more than 25 years. She has served as an award-winning teacher, assistant principal, principal, regional director, and district director supervising 35 schools in the Tuscaloosa County School System.

Education specialist Kristi S. Langley most recently served as a district-level director of professional learning communities and a director of data and assessment. She has repeatedly facilitated successful schoolwide implementation of the professional learning communities process for more than 25 years.

Eddie Velez is the former principal at Kennedy High School in Fremont, California. He specializes in building leadership capacity, building PLC culture, implementing RTI, and coaching collaborative teams. He has a genuine connection and care for every school he serves and is respected for his ability to meet schools “where they are” without compromising the end goal of creating equitable opportunities for all students.

Matthew Treadway, EdD, is the former principal of Freedom Elementary School in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, where he led his staff in developing a collaborative culture centered on the three big ideas of a professional learning community.

A skilled district and school administrator with more than 29 years of experience in public education, Amy Clark is passionate about school improvement, believing this is accomplished through a strong collaborative team and an unwavering commitment to learning for all.

Kathryn Morem, EdD, has served as a dedicated leader in education for over 30 years. As a leading expert for Solution Tree, Dr. Morem partners with school and district leaders across the country to achieve top-tier rankings.

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.

Cristi Parsons has 28 years of education experience as a teacher, counselor, principal, curriculum director, and assistant superintendent. She was named National Distinguished Principal in 2013 and has led two campuses in PLC practices to become Model PLC schools.

Cheyana Leiva is a transformational leader who understands the challenges schools are facing and the strategies necessary to improve. As a principal, she led her high-poverty school to an A rating in three years.

Bo Ryan is principal of the Ana Grace Academy of the Arts Elementary Magnet School in Bloomfield, Connecticut. He is passionate about building and sustaining professional learning communities (PLCs) and has led two different schools to Model PLC at Work® certification.

Toby Arritola is the principal at Mountain Vista Elementary School in Aurora, Colorado. With more than 20 years of experience as an educator, Toby specializes in and advocates for developing PLCs and a healthy school culture.

Dana Renner is the assistant superintendent of Stillwater Public Schools. She has more than 20 years of experience in education and has worked at all levels of education, from preschool through high school.

Mandy Barrett, EdD, currently serves as an elementary school principal in northwest Arkansas. She has over 20 years of experience working in high-poverty schools and schools with large ESL populations.

Dr. Wendy Custable is the assistant superintendent of leadership and organizational development at the award-winning Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. With 25 years in education, she is now a leader in secondary education.

Casey R. Ahner is currently the coordinator of special programs at Albuquerque Bilingual Academy, and he has served as a special education teacher, counselor, assistant principal, and principal at the intermediate and elementary levels.

Michael J. Maffoni, an educator since 1987, has a diverse background that includes experience as a teacher, principal, and central administrator in a variety of districts in Colorado. He also teaches courses in educational leadership as an affiliate faculty member at Regis University.

With a career spanning over three decades, Tesha Ferriby Thomas, EdD, is a seasoned educator whose dedication to fostering collaborative learning environments has significantly enhanced educational practices and student outcomes in schools nationwide.

David Jones has more than 25 years of experience in education as a superintendent, principal, assistant principal, and teacher. He supports schools throughout the country with the professional learning community and response to intervention school improvement processes.

Debora Bamforth, an educational speaker, has more than 40 years of experience in education. She served as principal of the D. J. Bakie School in New Hampshire and also worked in the Timberlane District, where she designed and implemented an enrichment program for a school of nearly 1,200 students before assuming the administrative role of curriculum coordinator.

Dr. Aspasia Angelou has 25 years of educational experience as a teacher, teacher trainer, high school principal, and director of high school design and superintendent.

Kwame Stephens has over 20 years’ experience in education, having served as a teacher, high school principal, and consultant. In his current role, Kwame develops and facilitates professional learning opportunities in the areas of school improvement and leadership development.

Tammy Miller is the former director of education for the Monroe County Community School Corporation in Bloomington, Indiana. Under Tammy’s leadership, the district advanced from a state letter grade of D to an A.

Michael Roberts is an author and consultant with over two decades of experience in education. Michael has been a teacher and administrator at every level from elementary school to the district office and has worked with students from all demographics.

Rebecca Nicolas, EdD, is the principal of Fern Creek High School in Louisville, Kentucky. Her work is focused on the implementation of the PLC process and the integration of collaborative teams.

Nathan Meyer, EdD, is an assistant superintendent for accelerated improvement for Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Kentucky. Previously, he served as principal and assistant principal at the DuFour Award–winning Fern Creek High School.

Michelle Marrillia, an educator since 1996, has a diverse background as an educator and a passion for training coaches in professional learning communities, developing teacher leaders, implementing response to intervention systems, and creating doable coaching programs.

Diane Kerr, a consultant, was assistant principal at Mason Crest Elementary School, Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia. She has supervised and led multiple teams, providing services to schools, parents, and students.

Kyle Palmer, EdD, is the former principal of Lewis and Clark Elementary in Liberty, Missouri. He is a passionate believer in the power of PLCs and uses his expertise to help schools build collaborative cultures to improve student learning.

Jacqueline Heller focuses on building capacity and collective efficacy with teachers, to ensure all students learn at high levels. As a literacy teacher and coach at Mason Crest Elementary, she helped the school become the first National Model Professional Learning Community to receive the DuFour Award.

Brig Leane, a consultant, has over 20 years of experience in education as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal in a variety of settings.

Tamie Sanders has worked in education for almost 30 years. After teaching at the middle school level, she entered school administration and has made it her mission to improve student achievement.

Paula Maeker is an educator, consultant, and advocate for learner-centered education. She has more than twenty-three years’ experience as an elementary teacher, literacy specialist, instructional coach, Title 1 program coordinator, campus administrator, director of elementary literacy, and director of instructional design.

Jennifer Deinhart is a K–8 mathematics specialist working as a mathematics instructional coach at Rose Hill Elementary in Virginia. A passionate educator with more than 20 years of experience working with diverse populations within Title I schools, she works collaboratively with teams of teachers to provide quality mathematics instruction.

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.

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.

Scott A. Cunningham is principal of Orange Middle School (Olentangy Local School District) in Ohio. He has over 23 years of experience in education as a principal, assistant principal, and teacher.

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.

Robin Noble is an educator, author, consultant, and presenter with more than 30 years of experience in education. She is currently the director of school improvement for Santa Fe Public Schools and has served as an elementary school principal, district instructional coach, middle school English teacher, and special education teacher.

Regina Stephens Owens, EdD is an internationally recognized presenter and practitioner who specializes in creating a culture of connectivity and collaboration while utilizing systems thinking.

Mona Toncheff, an educational presenter and author, has over 30 years of experience in public education. Mona works with educators and leaders nationwide to build collaborative teams and ensure all students receive high-quality mathematics instruction.

Michelle Dillard is an assistant superintendent for Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Kentucky, where she oversees two high schools, three middle schools, fifteen elementary schools, and three Success Pathways schools.

Matt Devan is director of school support and improvement for Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. He provides guidance and feedback to schools as they develop professional learning communities.

Mary Hendricks-Harris is the superintendent of the Francis Howell School District in Missouri. Previously, she served as the chief academic officer, in which role she supported improvement efforts at both the building and district levels.

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.

Kimberly Rodriguez Cano, a consultant with over 30 years’ experience, is a former transition specialist, special education coordinator, professional development director, and school improvement specialist for the Florida Department of Education, supporting educators in that state and across the United States.

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.

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.

Jon Yost is the recently retired associate superintendent of curriculum and instruction for Sanger Unified School District in California. He has worked in public education at the elementary, secondary, and district levels.

Joseph Ianora, principal on special assignment at Campbell Union High School District, has been an educational leader for more than 35 years, guiding schools by fostering learning communities for students, staff and parents. He has been lucky enough to hold almost every position within a school site, from custodian up to principal and everything in between. He has worked with inner city schools and suburban districts, and he has K–16 experience with an emphasis on high school.

Joe Cuddemi has over 35 years of experience in education, serving as a teacher, counselor, and principal in a wide variety of educational settings, including adjunct professor at Colorado State 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.

Jason Hillman is principal of Parkside Elementary School in Wyoming. He is an expert in school culture, school improvement, and professional learning community practices, and he has spent more than 20 years as an educational leader.

Jack Baldermann has been a passionate educational leader for over 30 years. His experience includes leading several high-poverty urban schools to significant success and supporting eight different priority or high-poverty schools to become Model PLC at Work® schools.

Gwendolyn Zimmermann, PhD, is director of assessment, research, and evaluation at Adlai E. Stevenson High School District 125, a model professional learning community district in Lincolnshire, Illinois.

Greg Kushnir is an educational leader and presenter with over three decades of dedicated service in public education, specializing in oral language, reading, and writing disabilities. He is committed to enhancing educational outcomes for all students.

Geri Parscale spent 28 years in education and has worked as a classroom teacher, principal, professional development director, and finally deputy superintendent of Fort Leavenworth Schools, USD 207. Her mode of operation was always the same: learning for all kids.

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.

Clara Sale-Davis takes no excuses for low performance, and she sets an inspiring example for all students, noting that “all means all.” Born, raised, and educated in Texas, she worked in the Brazosport Independent School District in Freeport for 32 years.

Cheryl O’Leary is principal of Thomas Edison Primary School, a Title I school located in Kankakee, Illinois. Cheryl implemented professional learning community concepts and results-driven professional development that brought about substantial, schoolwide change.