Professional Learning Team

Suzanne Abdelrahim Tartir's teaching background and expertise includes elementary education, curriculum and instruction, reading education, multicultural education, teacher education, and education for English language learners. Most recently, she worked as a research associate with the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA) at The George Washington University. Prior to that, she supervised, mentored, and taught weekly seminars for pre-service teachers at George Washington. Ms. Abdelrahim holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in reading education from Towson University, as well as a doctorate in education from The George Washington University.

Lynn Bunnell's career in education includes serving as a classroom teacher, curriculum coordinator, staff development director, elementary school principal, and assistant superintendent of educational services. In her role as assistant superintendent, she developed and implemented the district curriculum as well as the Title 1, English language learners, assessment, and gifted and talented programs. Ms. Bunnell holds a B.S. in education from Oakland University and a master's degree in administration from San Jose State University. She attained Tier 1 and Tier II Administrative Services credentials from Azusa Pacific University and California State University, San Bernardino. In addition, she has a CLAD (Cross-Cultural, Language, and Academic Development) credential to work with English language learners.

Sandi Cangialosi-Marino is a highly respected educational leader with more than 29 years of experience as a teacher, principal, founding director, and educational consultant. Through her work as an instructional leader, Ms. Cangialosi-Marino has built a strong background in designing, implementing, and evaluating school- and district-wide professional development with a focus on literacy (K–8); comprehensive school planning, design, and implementation of standards-based curriculum aligned to state standards; school leadership teamwork; and teacher retention. She holds a master's degree in education from Hunter College.

Patty Copeland's extensive experience includes providing professional development, technical assistance, and effective leadership to campuses, districts, and charter schools. She has worked at the state and district level aligning national math standards (pre-K–12) and English language proficiency standards with math instruction and assessment, and she is actively involved in teacher training, with expertise in the areas of secondary math instruction using technology and sheltered instruction for English learners. Ms. Copeland has a master's degree in educational administration from Tarleton State University with an additional graduate specialization in mathematics, and she is certified as a secondary math teacher, math 4–8 specialist, and principal.

Michon Floyd has more than 14 years of experience in the field of education. Prior to joining Teachscape, she was the director of curriculum and instruction for a charter school management organization based in Washington, D.C. Ms. Floyd has worked in both public and Catholic school settings as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, and coordinator of assessments and data. She holds an M.Ed. in elementary education and has completed additional post-graduate studies in the field of educational leadership.

Laura Grandau has worked with in-service and pre-service teachers (at the K–12 and university levels) for more than 10 years and in various capacities, including mentor, coach, and critical friend. She has conducted research on math teacher learning (K–12), student thinking in mathematics, and instructional leadership. In addition, Ms. Grandau's experience includes teaching math and science to K–8 students in both urban public and private schools, and serving as a math and science lead teacher, special education assistant, and curriculum coordinator. She holds a B.A. and M.A. from The University of Chicago and is completing her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction and teacher education/mathematics at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Ed Greene has served as a consultant with Teachscape since 1999 and currently provides services in instructional leadership. With more than 35 years of experience in the field of child development, early learning, and children's media environments, Mr. Greene has held positions in the philanthropic, private, and public sectors, including higher education. He served as director of global outreach with Sesame Workshop, providing technical assistance and managing educational outreach strategy development projects in the United States, Central America, India, Jordan, and Kosovo. Currently, Mr. Greene serves on multiple boards, including the Coalition for Quality Children's Media and the HighScope Educational Research Foundation, and is also a member of the advisory council of the Educational Equity Center at the Academy for Educational Development. He holds a bachelor's degree in music from DePauw University, an M.A. in child and human development from Pacific Oaks College, and a Ph.D. in elementary and early childhood education from the College of Graduate and Professional Studies at Indiana State University.

Dorothy Hutcheson, a leadership coach in a large urban area, has served as a teacher, principal, director of Head Start, executive director of leadership development, academic reviewer for a juvenile justice system, and state facilitator for SIG (School Improvement Grant) schools. She is known for her work as a turnaround specialist and a leadership coach, and has served as an outside provider and a leading consultant to schools undergoing the improvement planning process in large urban, suburban, and rural areas. Ms. Hutcheson holds a B.S. in elementary education from St. Paul's College, an M.A. in educational leadership from Longwood University, and is completing her dissertation in the area of policy and leadership at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Leona Jamison, who has expertise in 21st-century skills, professional learning communities, cultural competency, action research, project-based learning, and systems thinking, has been a professional educator for 34 years. In addition to teaching at the elementary and middle school levels, Ms. Jamison taught and directed a program for gifted and talented students, and then moved on to become an administrator. While serving as assistant principal and then principal for three diverse urban schools, she directed district Title I and Literacy initiatives. As director of professional development, Ms. Jamison led the $5.9 million Digital Age Literacy Initiative of the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township in Indianapolis, Indiana. During that time, she planned and facilitated training for 35 digital age literacy coaches as well as the district's administrators. Ms. Jamison is a certified facilitator for the Covey Leadership Center and has been a facilitator for the Teacher Leadership Academy in Central Indiana as well as the Indiana Professional Standards Board's Mentor Certification and Novice Teacher Training program.

Julia Kassissieh is an independent consultant who supports schools and districts in building capacity for improved teaching and learning. Currently, Ms. Kassissieh provides services to two districts in the Washington State Summit District Improvement Initiative. She supports district leadership teams in using classroom walkthrough data for decision making, provides professional development in high yield instructional strategies, and provides support for collaborative lesson-planning cycles. For nearly two decades, her experience in the field of education has included being a teacher, administrator, external evaluator, and action researcher. In addition, she has contributed to a variety of school improvement and redesign efforts in secondary schools, including the federal Small Learning Communities (SLC) program, the Bay Area School Reform Collaborative (BASRC), and High Performance Learning Communities (HPLC). Ms. Kassissieh holds a master's degree from Stanford University's Graduate School of Education.

Louise Malandra, who co-founded a California Distinguished School, has held many positions during her career. She served as a school administrator, state/federal funds program coordinator, consultant for local and national school district programs, consultant for educational publishers, DAIT (District Assistance and Intervention Team) and SAIT (School Assistance and Intervention Team) leader, and adjunct faculty and program director at University of California, Berkeley. Ms. Malandra is nationally recognized for her work in the areas of reading and literacy development, differentiated instruction, curriculum design and alignment, and administrative leadership development, and also for her effective work in school program improvement. Most of her career has been spent working with schools with diverse populations in underserved communities. Ms. Malandra holds a B.A. in social science and an M.A in education from University of California, Berkeley, as well as a doctorate in education with a focus on curriculum and instruction from University of San Francisco.

As a successful public school educator, Norma Maldonado continues her commitment to children by assisting teachers and administrators through the myriad issues confronting education today. Prior to her role at Teachscape, Ms. Maldonado served as a special education and regular/bilingual teacher, speech pathologist, and assistant principal. As an area curriculum director, she directed curriculum implementation and assisted in the supervision of 36 campuses. Areas of professional development and coaching in which she has expertise include: collaborative communication, data analysis, English language development, special education, early childhood, and educational leadership. Ms. Maldonado holds a B.A. in communication disorders from Our Lady of the Lake University and a master's degree in education from The University of Texas.

Gene May's experiences as a teacher, administrator, and educational trainer have assisted in his drive to promote positive growth in student learning through discussions of differentiation, best practices, and diversity at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. In his role as a professional learning director at Teachscape, Mr. May's leadership and vision in the use of school-wide quality practices has led to shared ownership by all stakeholders in promoting successful learning for all students.

Virginia Mealing has served as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, assistant superintendent, district administrator, and curriculum director in several public school systems. As an educational consultant, she mentors principals and school-based administrators, and she specializes in providing professional development opportunities in technology application training. In her role as a service provider for Teachscape, Ms. Mealing delivers training in Classroom Walkthrough, high yield strategies, leadership mentoring, and Teachscape Reflect products. She has served as a consultant for school improvement for the Florida and Georgia departments of education and as a university supervisor for student teachers. Ms. Mealing holds a B.A. in elementary education from SUNY New Paltz, an M.S. in elementary education from Brooklyn College, and a specialist diploma in administration and supervision from Queens College.

Barbara Neale has served as a teacher, principal, and district ESL/LOTE/language assessment coordinator in public education. She is known for her district-level work in developing innovative programs for English language learners and alternative educational settings. Currently, Ms. Neale serves as a consultant to public and private schools across the country. She holds a B.S. in elementary education and an M.S. in reading from SUNY Geneseo, as well as an ESL endorsement and a Principal EC-12 certification from Texas Woman’s University.

Lynn Owens has served as a teacher, administrator, Reading First leader, business owner, and college instructor. She is the former owner of a supplemental education service (SES) organization, which provided before- and after-school tutoring to students in low-performing schools in Tennessee and Mississippi. Many of the schools that partnered with her organization made significant strides in student achievement. Ms. Owens has presented at a host of conferences on topics such as literacy, classroom management, differentiated instruction, and early childhood. She holds a B.A. in elementary education, an M.E. in educational leadership, and 30 additional semester hours in curriculum and instruction from The University of Mississippi.

Donna Parker-Tate has served as a teacher, assistant principal, advisor to the superintendent of elementary schools, Comer facilitator, adjunct professor at The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Charlotte, and principal. Presently, she is a principal mentor for new principals in the North Carolina public schools and a senior consultant for Teachscape. Ms. Parker-Tate holds a B.A. from Shaw University, a master's degree in educational leadership from The UNC at Charlotte, and a math/science certification from The UNC at Chapel Hill.

Jodi Pass is an experienced educator with more than 11 years of classroom teaching experience. She is known for her work in accelerating the progress of struggling readers and has a passion for helping children grow as learners, especially in the area of literacy. Ms. Pass is the owner and operator of Bookworms, LLC, which provides private tutoring services and supports families seeking supplemental literacy opportunities for their children. She also taught special education for many years and worked with students with ADHD, learning disabilities, social emotional disorders, and autism. Ms. Pass completed her early education at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and completed further special education teacher training at the Educational Service Center in Dallas, Texas. She has a master’s degree as a reading specialist from Northeastern Illinois University, where she teaches education courses in the Department of Reading.

Shauntelle Phelan has experience in the public and private sectors of education. Prior to joining Teachscape, she served as a teacher, education specialist, district-level coordinator, assistant principal, and university adjunct faculty member. She has worked extensively with diverse populations in urban settings and specializes in working with English language learners and ESL programs. She has a deep understanding of school counseling, building school culture, school leadership, and English language arts (ELA) curriculum and pedagogy. In her current role at Teachscape, she provides project management support, coaching, and group facilitation of professional development sessions; facilitates webinars; and supports professional services in researching methods and project management strategies. Ms. Phelan holds a B.A. in elementary education from Weber State University, an M.A. in education from University of Phoenix, and a certification in administration and supervision from Johns Hopkins University. 

With 25 years of experience in varied aspects of education, Jennifer Rosenboom has served as an ESE (Exceptional Student Education) teacher, elementary teacher, middle school reading teacher, and high school literacy coach. She spent five years as a district-level administrator in curriculum and professional development, and as a staff developer, she coordinated a New Teacher Orientation Program. Additionally, Ms. Rosenboom was a national trainer for Project CRISS, Mathematica Research; an adjunct education instructor at University of South Florida, Sarasota-Manatee; and a content-area reading professional development trainer. As a service provider for Teachscape, she has participated in numerous facilitation endeavors with Manatee District Schools in Bradenton, Florida. Ms. Rosenboom holds a B.A. in elementary education from University of Florida and an M.A. and Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction from Argosy University.

Marilyn Sica has served as a teacher, assistant to the director of the office of student progress, assistant examiner, coordinator of gifted and talented and arts programs, staff developer, teacher mentor, field specialist, and assistant principal in private and public education in a large urban school district. She is known for her school-wide implementation of a balanced literacy program and the development of inclusion classes in kindergarten and Grade 1. Ms. Sica holds a B.S. in elementary education from Brooklyn College and an M.A. in urban educational leadership from Fordham University.

Sharron Stroman began her education career as a kindergarten teacher in Howard University's early learning program. She gained additional teaching experience in public school systems in Maryland and Virginia. Ms. Stroman has also served as a principal at two schools in Washington, D.C., where she led staff in the study and implementation of effective literacy teaching practices that promote students to become proficient readers and writers. She worked on the national Head Start Family Literacy Project, supporting Early Head Start and Head Start sites across the country in the area of early literacy programming. She also served as director of literacy for a professional development organization that supported high-quality literacy instruction in 21 D.C. public schools. Currently, as a professional learning director at Teachscape, Ms. Stroman serves on school turnaround teams that support schools in Michigan and Nevada. She also provides support to a Texas school district in the implementation of a new teacher evaluation system. Ms. Stroman earned an undergraduate degree from Howard University and graduate degrees from Purdue and Trinity universities.

As an early childhood and elementary teacher, Johnna Timmes has taught in many educational environments, including urban school districts and suburban and rural settings. Currently, she serves as an educational consultant working with teachers, administrators, and other school district personnel, providing professional development in instructional strategies to increase student achievement and high school reform best practices. Ms. Timmes holds a B.S. in early childhood education with a minor in special education from Bradley University. She also holds an M.Ed. in K–12 curriculum and instruction from National-Louis University, Washington, D.C. campus.

Susan Walters manages, develops, and facilitates professional development sessions that are founded on research-based strategies for teachers, instructional leaders, and districts. Throughout her career, Ms. Walters has held an array of curriculum, leadership, and professional development positions. She has assisted beginning teachers in becoming acclimated to the school climate through the development of differentiated professional development plans, and she has supported the development of veteran teachers into reflective practitioners through a National Board mentorship. Ms. Walters holds a B.S. from SUNY Buffalo and an M.S. from Elon University. She is also a certified Middle Childhood Generalist National Board teacher.

Yulonda Walker has served as a teacher, instructional specialist, curriculum leader, and school turnaround coach in public education. She is known for her district-level work in supporting schools through the implementation process of the Race to the Top SIG (School Improvement Grants) for High Priority Schools within large urban areas. Ms. Walker holds a B.A. in biology from The University of Toledo, an M.A. in teaching from Wayne State University, and an education specialist certificate in administration and general supervision from Wayne State University. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in K–12 administration with a focus on urban specialization at Michigan State University.

Carole Williams has served as a teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent in public and private education. She is known for her district-level work in mentoring and developing new teachers and principals. Ms. Williams has worked as a leading consultant to schools and districts engaging in school improvement processes in large urban areas. She has been a key player in Teachscape's design and facilitation of Classroom Walkthrough and currently serves as a senior director for professional development services to public and private schools across the country. Ms. Williams holds a B.S. in elementary education from The College of New Jersey and an M.A. in educational leadership from St. Mary's College in Moraga, California.