ROSTER OF PARTICIPANTS
Denver Marriott City Center Denver, CO
Presented by the Education Commission of the States
Education Commision of the States
2015 National Forum on Education Policy
June 29 – July 1, 2015
Denver, CO
ALABAMA
Stephanie Bell
Member
Alabama State Board of Education
Sally Howell
Executive Director
Alabama Association of School Boards
Eric Mackey
Executive Director
School Superintendents of Alabama
Lisa Woodard
Governmental Affairs Director
School Superintendents of Alabama
ALASKA
Lynn Gattis
Representative
Alaska Legislture
Mike Hanley
Commissioner
State Department of Education
Nancy Norman
Education Consultant
Norman Consultant Services
Deena Paramo
Superintendent of Schools
Matanuska Susitna Borough School District
Gary Stevens
Senator
Alaska State Senate
ARIZONA
Elvy Barton
Senior Policy Advisor
AZ House of Representatives
Ashley Berg
Executive Director of Policy Development &
Government Relations
Arizona Department
Michael Madden
Assistant Legislative Research Analyst
Arizona House of Representatives
Janice Palmer
Director of Governmental Relations & Public
Affairs
AZ School Boards Association
Samuel Stone
Executive Director
Civics Education Initiative
Aaron Wonders
Research Analyst
AZ House of Representatives
ARKANSAS
Ginny Blankenship
Legislative Analyst
Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Research
Joyce Elliott
Senator
Arkansas Senate
Terri Hardy
President
TNH Educational Consulting, Inc.
Kenneth James
Senior Advisor
BloomBoard, Inc
Ouida Newton
2015 Arkansas Teacher of the Year
Poyen High School
ARMED FORCES EUROPE
Sarah Loomis
Instructional Technology Coach
DoDEA
CALIFORNIA
Ruth Chung Wei
Director of Assessment Research &
Development
Stanford University
Chris Cross
Chairman
Çross & Joftus
Jannelle Kubinec
Senior Program Director
WestEd
Thomas Arnett
Education Research Fellow
Clayton Christensen Institute
Becca Bracy Knight
Executive Director
The Broad Center for the Management of
School Systems
J. Kirk Brown
Director of Science and STEM
Integration/Innovation
San Joaquin County Office of Education
William Cirone
County Superintendent of Schools
Santa Barbara County Education Office
Andrew Coulson
Chief Strategist and Vice President of Data
and Evaluation
MIND Research Institute
Delaine Eastin
Former Supt. of Public Instruction
State of CA
Jane Foley
Senior Vice President, Milken Educator
Awards
Milken Family Foundation
Julia Gonzales
Director, Government Relations
Amplify
Judith Heiman
Principal Fiscal & Policy Analyst
California Legislative Analyst's Office
Gisele Huff
Executive Director
Jaquelin Hume Foundation
Erika Hughes
Director of Corporate Affairs
Pearson
Janine Ingram
Vice President of Philanthropic Partnerships
MIND Research Institute
Kenneth Kapphahn
Fiscal Analyst
Legislative Analyst's Office
Michael Kirst
President
California State Board Of Education
Kelly LaMar
Thank America's Teachers
Farmers Insurance
Jason Lange
CEO/Co-Founder
BloomBoard
Silver McDonald
Chief Commercial Officer
BrightBytes
Gavin Payne
Director, US Policy, Advocacy &
Communications
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Alejandra Rincon
Book author
Undocumented Immigrants and Higher
Education
Kristin Ruff
Director of Business Development
Metrix Advisors
Harold Stanislaw
Professor of Psychology
California State University, Stanislaus
Shirley Weber
Assemblymember
California State Legislature
Daniel Zavala
State Policy Director
StudentsFirst
Richard Zeiger
Associate Superintendent
California Department of Education
COLORADO
Josh Abram
Senior Fiscal Analyst
Legislative Council of the Colorado General
Assembly
Chris Ammons
Research Analyst
CO Department of Higher Education
Cherise Anderson
Teacher
Douglas County, Colorado School District
John Armstrong
Information Analyst
State Higher Education Executive Officers
Beth Bean
Chief Research Officer
CO Department of Higher Education
Julie Bell
Education Group Director
NCSL
Jane Best
Chief Strategy Officer
McREL International
Amanda Bickel
Chief Legislative Analyst
Joint Budget Committee, Colorado General
Assembly
Marianne Boeke
Senior Research Associate
NCHEMS
Cody Buchanan
Community Partnership Specialist
Colorado Department of Education
Lorna Candler
Director
Colorado Division of Private Occupational
Schools
Adina Chapman
Director of Higher Education Policy Analysis
The College Board
Steffanie Clothier
Senior Policy Director
Alliance for Early Success
Michael Cohen
Manager of Assessment Support
Denver Public Schools
Brita Darling
Senior Staff Attorney
Colorado Office of Legislative Legal
Services
Heather DeLange
Academic Policy Officer
Colorado Department of Higher Education
Sunny Deye
Program Principal
National Conference of State Legislatures
Marco Dorado
Rhonda Epper
Chief Student & Academic Affairs Officer
Colorado Department of Higher Education
Michelle Exstrom
Education Program Director
National Conference of State Legislatures
Alicia Garcia
Senior Policy Analyst and REL Midwest
Deputy Director
American Institutes for Research
Lisa Gezelter
Research Analyst
Colorado Legislative Council
Eric Gorski
Reporter
The Denver Post
Chelsea Henkel
Colorado Policy Analyst
Stand for Children
Marshall Hill
Executive Director
National Council for State Authorization
Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA)
Suzanne Hultin
Policy Specialist
National Conference of State Legislatures
Dwight Jones
Superintendent in Residence
Discovery Communications
Stephen M. Jordan, Ph.D.
President
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Rachel Kurtz-Phelan
Research Analyst
Colorado Legislative Council Staff
Jennifer Landrum
President and CEO
Denver Preschool Program
Patrick Lane
Project Manager
WICHE
Kelly Latterman
Research Analyst II
National Conference of State Legislatures
Sarah Leibrandt
Project Coordinator
Western Interstate Commission for Higher
Education
David Longanecker
President
Western Interstate Commission for Higher
Education
Chanda Lowrance
Student
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Joel Moore
Senior Legislative Editor
Colorado Office of Legislative Legal
Services
Inta Morris
Chief Advocacy and Outreach Officer
Colorado Department of Higher Education
Laura Mutton
School Accountability Committee Chair
Mountain Vista High School
John Myers
Vice President
APA Consulting
Robert Palaich
President
Augenblick, Palaich and Associates
Jeanette Patterson
Fellow
EPFP Fellow
Julie Pelegrin
Assistant Director
Colorado Office of Legislative Legal
Services
Lori Pidick
Director of Development & Communications
PEBC
Jennifer Price
Director of External Affairs
AT&T
Barth Quenzer
Instructional Curriculum Specialist
Denver Public Schools
Vanessa Quintana
Program Consultant
Colorado Department of Education
Andrew Rauch
Lead Finance Analyst
Colorado Department of Higher Education
Yesenia Robles
Staff Writer
The Denver Post
Casey Sacks
Grant Project Manager
Colorado Community College System
Ann Schimke
Reporter/Community Editor
Chalkbeat Colorado
Karen Schimke
Christina Sedney
Project Coordinator
Western Interstate Commission for Higher
Education
Sara Shelton
Director of Civic Engagement Initiatives
The Civic Canopy
Jennifer Sobanet
Chief Operating Officer
Colorado Dept. of Higher Education
Amber Tafoya
Director of External Affairs
AT&T
Christine Tharaldson
Manager, Global Accounts
HelmsBriscoe
Daniel Thatcher
Senior Policy Specialist
National Conference of State Legislatures
Kathleen Thirkell
Math Chairman
Lewis-Palmer High School
Nancy Todd
Senator
State of Colorado
Evy Valencia
Policy Advisor
Office of Governor Hickenlooper
Lauren Victor
Talent Research and Policy Analyst
CO Department of Higher Education
Ashley Wallace
Education Program Manager
National Conference of State Legislatures
Jeff Wasden
President
Colorado Business Roundtable
Madeleine Webster
Research Analyst II
National Conference of State Legislatures
Dustin Weeden
Policy Specialist
National Conference of State Legislators
Cyrus Weinberger
Principal
Red Hawk Elementary, St. Vrain Valley
School District
Matthew Weyer
Policy Specialist
National Conference of State Legislatures
Julie Whitacre
Director of Government Affairs
Colorado Education Association
Terry Whitney
Director, Government Relations
College Board
Lucinda Willits
Deputy Executive Director
Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium
Shelley Woodson
Deputy Director, Scholarship Initiative
Colorado Department of Higher Education
Simon Workman
Associate
APA Consulting
Katie Zaback
Senior Policy Analyst
SHEEO
Terrance Adams
Associate Legislative Analyst
Connecticut General Assembly, Office of
Legislative Research
CONNECTICUT
James Comer
Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry
Yale Child Study Center
John Moran
Principal Analyst
Connecticut General Assembly
Desi Nesmith
Principal
Bloomfield Public Schools
Ray Rossomando
Research and Policy Development
CEA
Kelli Wells
Executive Director
GE Foundation
Hayley Zinn Rowthorn
Director of Literacy, Assessment and
Instructional Improvement
South Windsor Public Schools
DELEWARE
Kim Anderson
Director, Benchmarking College- and
Career-Readiness Standards
SREB
Jenna Bucsak
Program Officer
Rodel Foundation of Delaware
Christopher Ruszkowski
Chief Officer, Teacher & Leader
Effectiveness Unit
Delaware Department of Education
Megan Szabo
Teacher of the Year
Delaware
FLORIDA
Christie Bassett
2015 Florida Teacher of the Year
Highlands Grove Elementary
Archie Cubarrubia
Vice Provost for Institutional Effectiveness
Miami Dade College
Ester de Jong
Professor
University of Florida
Thomas Furlong
Policy Consultant
St. Petersburg College
Emma Humphries
Civic Engagement Coordinator
Bob Graham Center for Public Service |
University of Florida
Gregroy Marshall
Alignment Director
Florida Department of Education
Jon Rogers
Director, Academic & Student Affairs
Florida Board of Governors
Gabe Sheheane
Sr. Director, Government Relations, Florida
The College Board
Kelli Stargel
Senator
Florida State Senate
David Tandberg
Associate Professor
Center for Postsecondary Success, FSU
GEORGIA
Andy Baxter
Vice President for Educator Effectiveness
Southern Regional Education Board
Cheryl Blanco
Vice President, Postsecondary Education
Southern Regional Eduction Board
Merrianne Dyer
Consultant- Coach
Scholastic
Satyn Nishon Geary
Senior Policy Analyst
Georgia State Senate
Kim Holland
Director of Early Learning and School
Readiness
Gwinnett County Public Schools
Blythe Keeler Robinson
President & CEO
Sheltering Arms Early Education & Family
Centers
Matthew Smith
Program Manager, Educator Effectiveness
Southern Regional Education Board
Arianne Weldon
Director
Get Georgia Reading Campaign
HAWAII
Lyla Berg
Founder
Kids Voting Hawaii
Risa Dickson
Vice President for Academic Affairs
University of Hawaii
Joan Husted
Executive Committee
Education Institute of Hawaii
Michelle Kidani
Chair, Senate Education Committee
Hawaii Senate
J N Musto
Executive Director
UH Professional Assembly
Linda Musto
Professor Emeritus
University of Hawaii
Alan Oshima
President and CEO
Hawaiian Electric
Jim Shon
Director
Hawaii Educational Policy Center
Roy Takumi
Representative
Hawaii House of Representative
IDAHO
Paul Headlee
Deputy Div. Manager, Budget & Policy
Idaho Legislative Services Office
Alison Henken
K-12 Accountability Manager
Idaho State Board of Education
Kim Zeydel
2015 Idaho Teacher of the Year
Meridian Academy
ILLINOIS
James Applegate
Executive Director
Illinois Board of Higher Education
Stephanie Bernoteit
Assoc. Dir., Academic Affairs
Illinois Board of Higher Education
Vicki Cyrulik
Philanthropist
State Farm
Alison Douglas
Dir. College Readiness
Elgin Community College
Steven Elza
2015 Illinois Teacher of the Year
Fremd High School
Amanda Fenton
Director of State and Federal Policy
National Association of Charter School
Authorizers
Craig Lindvahl
Executive Director
Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship
Kimberly Nelson
Executive Director of Early Childhood
Rockford Public School District 205
Elliot Regenstein
Senior Vice President, Advocacy and Policy
Ounce of Prevention Fund
William Sanders
M.D. Emergency Medicine
Community First Medical Center
Julie Schaid
Assoc. Dean, College Readiness & School
Partnerships
Elgin Community College
Ellen Sherratt
Senior Policy Associate
Center on Great Teachers and Leaders
Lisa Shimmel
Senior Policy Analyst
American Institutes for Research
Tony Smith
State Superintendent of Education
Illinois State Board of Education
INDIANA
Brittany Corona
State Program and Government Relations
Director
The Friedman Foundation for Educational
Choice
Alison Griffin
Senior Vice President, External &
Government Relations
USA Funds
Jon Gubera
Senior Director, Government Affairs
The College Board
Dennis Kruse
Senator
Indiana State Senate
Kathy Nimmer
2015 Indiana Teacher of the Year
Tippecanoe School Corporation, Harrison
High School
Beth Stull
Grassroots Specialist
State Farm
Kelly Wilber
5th grade mentor teacher
Southport Elementary School
Holly Zanville
Strategy Director
Lumina Foundation
IOWA
Tod Bowman
Senator
Iowa Senate
Kurt Burkum
Senior Director, Research
ACT
Timothy Crellin
Legislative Fiscal Analyst
Iowa Legislative Services Agency
Amy Sinclair
Senator
Iowa General Assembly
Cindy Winckler
Representative
Iowa Legislature
KANSAS
Sally Cauble
Member
Kansas State Board of Education
Lauren Douglass
Principal Research Analyst
Kansas Legislative Research Department
Therese Edgecomb
Educator
USD 497 Lawrence Schoo District
William Elliott
Director
Center on Assets, Education, and Inclusion
Frank Henderson, Jr.
Past President
Kansas Association of School Boards
Matt Jordan
Business Development Officer
Kansas Leadership Center
Patrick Kelly
Director of Career and Technical Education
Lawrence Public Schools
Shannon Ralph
Biology Teacher
Dodge City High School
Sharon Wenger
Principal Fiscal Analyst
Kansas Legislative Research Department
KENTUCKY
Bennett Boggs
Legislative Analyst
Kentucky Legislative Research Commission
Rhonda Caldwell
Deputy Director
Kentucky Association of School
Administrators
Deno Curris
Regent, Murray State University
State of Kentucky
Kelly Foster
Associate Commissioner
Kentucky Department of Education
Terry Holliday
Commissioner of Education
Kentucky Department of Education
Verna Lowe
VP for Compliance and Assistant to the
President
University of the Cumberlands
Sarah Reed
3rd Grade Teacher, NBTC-Literacy
Jefferson County Public Schools/Field
Elementary
David Wickersham
Policy Advisor
Kentucky Department of Education
Marcus Williams
Executive Director
National Association for Regulatory
Administration
Wayne Young
Executive Director
Kentucky Association of School
Administrators
Pam Goins
Director of Education Policy
The Council of State Governments
Roger Marcum
Chair
Kentucky Board of Education
Mary Ann Miller
Executive Director
Kentucky Department of Education
LOUISIANA
Vicky Condalary
Senior Program Specialist
National Institute for Excellence in Teaching
Anna Gatlin
Director of State Engagement
USA Funds
MAINE
Jennifer Dorman
2015 Maine Teacher of the Year
Skowhegan Area Middle School
MARYLAND
Caroline Boice
Policy Analyst
Maryland Department of Legislative
Services
Garret Halbach
Policy Analyst
Maryland Department of Legislative
Services
Kathleen Hetherington
President
Howard Community College
Adrienne Jones
Speaker Pro Tempore
Maryland General Assembly
Pat Laystrom
SVP, State Policy
Connections Education
Sean McComb
2014 National Teacher of the Year
Baltimore County Public Schools
Ted McConnell
Executive Director
Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools
Michele McNeil
Federal Policy Reporter
Education Week
Beth Parker
SVP
VOX Global
Darcy Pietryka
Senior Study Director
Westat
Andy Plattner
President
Plattner Communications
Andrew Ujifusa
Staff Writer
Education Week
Judith Walker
Early Learning Branch Chief
MD State Department of Education
Matthew Wicks
VP Policy and Data Analysis
Connections Education
MASSACHUSETTS
Monnica Chan
Director, Policy & Research
New England Board of Higher Education
Mitchell Chester
Commissioner
Dept. of Elementary and Secondary
Education
Brooke Clenchy
Sr. Associate Commissioner
Mass. Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education
Joy Coates
Senior Program Manager
Jobs For the Future
David Driscoll
Former Commissioner
Massachusetts Department of Education
Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg
Director of CIRCLE
Tisch College at Tufts University
Richard Moore
Senator
Massachusetts
Paul Toner
President
New Voice Strategies
Martin West
Associate Professor
Harvard Graduate School of Education
MICHIGAN
Melody Arabo
2015 Michigan Teacher of the Year
Keith Elementary
Brian Barber
Curriculum Consultant
Michigan Department of Education
Mary-Dean Barringer
Director
Council of Chief State School Officers
Amanda Price
Representative
Michigan House of Representatives
MINNESOTA
Dean Aamodt
Teacher
Wahpeton Public Schools North Dakota
Kelita Bak
CEO
National Youth Leadership Council
Brad Baumgartner
EVP Sales
Questar Assessments, Inc.
Jamie Candee
CEO
Questar Assessments, Inc.
Kevin Dahle
Senator
Minnesota Senate
Todd Iverson
Director, Government Relations
The College Board
Alice Johnson
Senator
Minnesota State Senate
Gary Mainor
Vice President
Pearson
Canda Mueller
VP Assessment Design and Psychometrics
Questar Assessments, Inc.
Jeff Peterson
Executive Director - State Gov't Relations
The College Board
Valeria Silva
Superintendent
Saint Paul Public Schools
Chuck Wiger
Senator
MN State Senator
MISSISSIPPI
John Polk
Senator
Mississippi
Laurie Smith
Education Policy Advisor
Office of the Governor
Carey Wright
State Superintendent
Mississippi Department of Education
MISSOURI
Harold Briscoe
President
Cosmic Signal Media
Patrick Gadell
Attorney at Law
Chris Holmes
Missouri Teacher of the Year 2015
Hazelwood West High School
Joel Jennings
Assistant Professor
Saint Louis University
Julee Koncak
Director of Community Relations
Burns & McDonnell
Art McCoy
Superintendent-in-Residence/CAO
MIND Research Institute
Rusty Monhollon
Assistant Commissioner for Academic
Affairs
Missouri Department of Higher Education
Mike Nietzel
Senior Policy Advisor
State of Missouri
David Pearce
Missouri State Senator
Missouri State Senate
Mike Talboy
Director of Government Affairs
Burns & McDonnell
Margie Vandeven
Commissioner of Education
Missouri Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education
MONTANA
Elsie Arntzen
Montana Senator
Steve Bullock
Governor
State of Montana
Elly Driggers
Teacher
Helena School District #1
Debra Lamm
Representative
State of Montana
Pad McCracken
Research Analyst
Montana Legislative Services
Siri Smillie
Education Policy Advisor
Montana Governor's Office
Carmen Taylor
Dean of Academic Affairs
Aaniiih Nakoda College
NEBRASKA
Shelby Aaberg
2015 Nebraska Teacher of the Year
Scottsbluff High School
Roy Baker
Senator
Nebraska Unicameral Legislature
Tammy Barry
Education Committee Legal Counsel
Nebraska Legislature
Michael Baumgartner
Executive Director
Nebraska's Coordinating Commission for
Postsecondary Education
Wilbert L. Rainey
Education Committee, Legal Counsel
Nebraska Legislature
Jay Sears
Program Director
Nebraska State Education Association
NEVADA
Todd Butterworth
Senior Policy Analyst
Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau
Barbara Cegavske
Secretary of State
State of Nevada
Carolyn Edwards
Member, Board of School Trustees
Clark County School District
Dale Erquiaga
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Nevada Department of Education
Brian Mitchell
Education Fellow
Office of Governor Brian Sandoval
Ian Salzman
2015 Nevada Teacher of the Year
Spring Valley High School
Brian Sandoval
Governor
Nevada
Patrice Tew
Trustee
Clark County School District
Michael Wixom
Regent
Nevada System of Higher Education
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Kathryn Dodge
Principal
Dodge Advisory Group, LLC
Stuart Kahl
Founding Principal
Measured Progress
Elizabeth Lichtenberg
Teacher
Alton Central School
Mel Myler
Representative
State of New Hampshire
Nancy Stiles
Senator
NH Senate
Mark Vattes
Director, Government Relations
The College Board
NEW JERSEY
Kristine Beisel
Director, Global Affiliate Strategy
Destination Imagination, Inc.
Debra Bradley
Director of Government Relations
NJ Principals and Supervisors Association
Mark Mautone
2015 NJ State Teacher of the Year/Lead
Teacher
Hoboken Public School District
Peter Renwick
Principal
Westfield High School
Shirley Turner
Senator
New Jersey Senate
NEW MEXICO
Travis Dulany
Senior Research Analyst
New Mexico Legislative Education Study
Committee
Nathan Eckberg
Program Evaluator
NM Legislative Finance Committee
Clint Elkins
Fiscal Analyst
New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee
Yann Lussiez
Progam Evaluator
New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee
Debra Minyard
2015 New Mexico Teacher of the Year
Pojoaque Valley High School
Alan Morgan
Owner
High Dessert Government Relations
Frances Ramirez-Maestas
Director
Legislative Education Study Committee,
New Mexico
Dennis Roch
Representative
NM Legislature
Hanna Skandera
Secretary of Education
New Mexico Public Education Department
NEW YORK
Karen Baicker
Director of Community Affairs
Scholastic
Charles Basch
Professor
Columbia University Teachers College
Mary Blanusa
Program Officer
The Leona M and Harry B Helmsley
Charitable Trust
Janelle Cherrington
Sue Cui
Associate Program Officer
Helmsley Charitable Trust
Kathleen Digan
Governmental Relations Representative
New York State School Boards Association
Johanna Duncan-Poitier
Sr. Vice Chancellor,Community Colleges
and the Education Pipeline
The State University of New York
Bethaida Gonzalez
Dean
Syracuse University, University College
Gerry House
President, ISA and Senior Vice President,
ETS
ISA, a Division of ETS
Juan Martinez
Chief Communications & Advocacy Officer
GLSEN
Richard McKeon
Program Director
Helmsley Charitable Trust
Anne Schiano
SVP, Government Relations
MetaMetrics
Paul Shiffman
Chief Executive Officer
Presidents' Forum
Ruby Takanishi
Senior Research Fellow
New America Foundation
Liz Willen
Editor-in-Chief
The Hechinger Report
Renée Wilson-Simmons
Director
National Center for Children in Poverty,
Columbia University
Nancy Zimpher
Chancellor
State University of New York
NORTH CAROLINA
Jennifer Facciolini
Educations Specialist
SAS Institute Inc.
James E. Ford
North Carolina Teacher of the Year
NC Dept of Public Instruction
Maurice Green
Superintendent
Guilford County Schools
Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins
Director-Program & Communications
The Hunt Institute
Robert Landry
Retired Superintendent
North Carolina
Don Martin
Professor
High Point University
Catherine Scott-Little
Associate Professor
UNC-Greensboro
Malbert Smith
President
MetaMetrics
Mike Ward
Owner
The MEWs Educational Consulting, Inc.
Nadja Young
Education Specialist - SAS® EVAAS® for
K-12
SAS
NORTH DAKOTA
Mike Bitz
Superintendent
Mandan Public Schools
Aimee Copas
Executive Director
North Dakota Council of Educational
Leaders
Kayla Effertz
Sr. Policy Advisor
North Dakota
Rae Ann Kelsch
President
RA Kelsch Consulting LLC
Jack Maus
Superintendent
Grafton Public School #3
Donald Schaible
Senator
ND Senate
Anita Thomas
Senior Counsel
ND Legislative Council
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS
Marvin Tamangided
Northern Mariana Islands Teacher of the
Year
CNMI PSS
OHIO
Colleen Grady
Senior Policy Advisor
Ohio House of Representatives
Lori Michalec
2015 Ohio Teacher of the Year
Tallmadge High School
Brian Page
Manager, Outreach and Education
Budget Challenge
Katherine Prince
Senior Director, Strategic Foresight
KnowledgeWorks
OKLAHOMA
Belinda Biscoe Boni
Associate VP for Outreach; South Central
Comprehensive Center Director
University of Oklahoma
Ann Coody
Representative
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Jose Dela Cruz
Coordinator for Academic Affairs Projects
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
Education (OSRHE)
Bryce Fair
Associate Vice Chancellor for Scholarships
and Grants
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
Education
Kevin Fortenberry
Reinspector, Risk & Compliance - Claims
State Farm Insurance
Sarah Hall
Associate Direcotr
South Central COmprehensive Cernter at
OU
Jeff Hickman
Speaker of the House
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Andrea Kearney
Senior Fiscal Policy Analyst
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Kyle Lankford
Communications Coordinator for the Central
and South Central Comprehensive Centers
University of Oklahoma Comprehensive
Centers
Angela Michael
Staff Attorney
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Jason Proctor
2015 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year
Tahlequah High School
Donna Richardson
Director
Central Comprehensive Center at OU
Michael Rogers
State Representative
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Scott Tohlen
Research Analyst
Oklahoma House of Representatives
Kerri White
Technical Assistance Coordinator
South Central Comprehenisve Center at OU
Jake Yunker
Deputy Policy Director and Education Policy
Advisor
Office of Governor Mary Fallin
OREGON
Kirsten Aspengren
Senior Director
Educational Policy Improvement Center
Bob Brew
Executive Director
Oregon Office of Student Access &
Completion
Rajendra Kumar Chetty
Founder President
Teach for Odisha
Matt Coleman
Executive Director and Chief Academic
Officer
Educational Policy Improvement Center
Victoria Cox
Committee Administrator
Oregon State Legislature
Richard Donovan
Committee Administrator
Oregon Legislature
Nancy Golden
Chief Education Officer
Oregon Education Investment Board
Cassandra Hayt
Chief of Staff
Oregon State Legislature
Mark Johnson
State Representative
State Of Oregon
Michael Lindblad
2015 Oregon Teacher of the Year
Gresham Barlow School District/Gresham
H.S.
Salam Noor
Dorothy Spence
Deputy Legislative Director
Office of Oregon Speaker of the House
PENNSYLVANIA
Anthony Grisillo
2014 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year
Glenwood Elementary School, RTMSD
Jonathan Supovitz
Co-Director
Consortium for Policy Research in
Education, University of Pennsylvania
RHODE ISLAND
Heather Hudson
Policy Advisor
Office of the Governor of Rhode Island
SOUTH CAROLINA
Jennifer Ainsworth
South Carolina Teacher of the Year
South Carolina Teacher of the Year
Megan Carolan
Associate Director for Policy Research
Institute for Child Success
Rainey Knight
Director of Special Projects
SC Education Oversight Committee
Jay Ragley
Vice President, State Relations
Connections Education
Ann Shaw
Director of Higher Ed.
NIET
Dana Yow
Director of Public Engagement and
Communications
SC Education Oversight Committee
SOUTH DAKOTA
Allen Hogie
2015 SD Teacher of the Year
Brandon Valley School District
Melody Schopp
Cabinet Secretary
South Dakota Department of Education
Jacqueline Sly
Representative
SD House of Representatives
TENNESSEE
Michelle Gaskin
Legislative Attorney
Tennessee General Assembly
Dolores Gresham
Chair, Senate Education Committee
Tennessee Senate
Helen James
Legislative Attorney
Tennessee General Assembly
Nathan James
Deputy Exec. Director for Leg. Affairs
Tennessee State Board of Education
Amanda Klafehn
Legislative Research Analyst
State of TN - Offices of Research and
Education Accountability
Michael Maren
Research Analyst
Tennessee General Assembly
Candice McQueen
Commissioner
Tennessee Department of Education
Rachel Militana
Legislative Attorney
Tennessee General Assembly
Lori Paisley
Executive Director, Coordinated School
Health
Tennessee Department of Education
Claude Pressnell
President
Tennessee Independent Colleges and
Universities Association
June Rivers
SAS Institute Inc (Retired)
Sarah Teague
Senior Vice President
Pinnacle Financial Partners
Jennie Verner
Director of Advocacy
TN SCORE
Karen Vogelsang
Teacher - 4th Grade
STOY Tennessee/Shelby County Schools
TEXAS
Michelle Arnold
Senior Director, Government Relations
The College Board
Mike Belcher
Education Startegist- Americas
HP, Inc
Daniel Branch
Attorney
Winstead PC
Rob Eissler
Legislative Consultant
The Schlueter Group
David Gardner
Deputy Commisioner for Academic Planning
and Policy
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Marcus Lingenfelter
Vice President, State and Federal Programs
National Math and Science Initiative
Kerry Moll
Vice President of Policy and Advocacy
Stand for Children
Dean Nafziger
CEO
Edvance Research, Inc.
Raymund Paredes
Commissioner
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Kimberly Reeves
Reporter
Quorum Report
Lizzette Reynolds
Chief Deputy Commissioner
Texas Education Agency
Philip Uri Treisman
Director, Charles. A Dana Center
The University of TX at Austin, Charles A.
Dana Center
Justin Yancy
Executive Director
Texas Business Leadership Council
UTAH
Victoria Ashby
Associate General Counsel
Utah Office of Legislative Research
Jared Brueckner
Regional Sales Manager
Truenorthlogic
Mohsen Ghaffari
Teacher
North Star Elementary
Allyson Goldstein
Policy Analyst
Utah State Legislature
Joel Lathrop
Sales Director, State Education Agencies
Truenorthlogic
Marlon Lindsay
Executive Director of Government Affairs
Imagine Learning
Michael Melendez
Legislative Liaison
Waterford Research Institute
Claudia Miner
VP of Development and UPSTART Director
Waterford Institute
Allison Nicholson
Research Associate
Utah Education Policy Center
Spencer Pratt
Fiscal Manager
Utah Legislative Fiscal Analyst's Office
Tiffany Stanley
Policy Analyst
Office of Legislative Research and General
Counsel
Howard Stephenson
Senator
Utah State Senate
VIRGINIA
Thomas Brady
Director
DoDEA
Janelle Duray
Vice President
Jobs for America's Graduates
Heather Durosko
Policy and Research Analyst
NACAC
Suhail Farooqui
CEO
K12 Insight
Dale Frost
State Policy Director
iNACOL
Susan Gentz
State Policy Associate
iNACOL
Sarah Herzog
Legislative Fiscal Analyst
Virginia Senate Finance Committee
Kathy Hurley
Consultant
K12 Insight
Jim Kohlmoos
Advisor/Partner
WT Grant Foundation/ EDGE
Melissa Mellor
Manager, Public Policy Outreach
ASCD
Marjorie Myers
Principal
Key School ~ Escuela Key - Arlington Public
Schools, Virginia
Chris Stolle
Member, 83rd House District
Virginia House of Delegates
CT Turner
Sr. Director, State Accounts & Government
Relations
GED Testing Service
Patricia Wright
Former Virginia Superintendent of Public
Instruction
WASHINGTON
Twyla Barnes
Chair
NCLCE Board
Sarah Bolton
Education Policy Director
Senate HELP Committee
Nathan Bowling
AP Government & Politics and AP Human
Geography Teacher
Lincoln HS, Tacoma Public Schools
Jeff Charbonneau
2013 National Teacher of the Year
Zillah High School
Randy Dorn
State Superintendent
Office of Superintendent of Public
Instruction
Riley Gervais
Governmental Relations Specialist
WA Office of Superintendent of Public
Instruction
Kristie Kauerz
Research Assistant Professor, P-3 Policy &
Leadership
University of Washington
Noreen Light
Associate Director, Academic Affairs and
Policy
Washington Student Achievement Council
Les McCallum
Associate
Evaluation Systems Group of Pearson
Lyon Terry
4th Grade Teacher
Seattle Public Schools
Tom Vander Ark
CEO
Getting Smart
WASHINGTON DC
Susan Abravanel
President
Susan Abravanel Consulting, LLC
Michael Allen
Partner
Teacher Preparation Analytics
Monica Almond
Policy & Advocacy Associate
Alliance for Excellent Education
Emily Alvarez
State Engagement and Outreach
Parcc, Inc
Saroja Barnes
Director, Educator Preparation
CCSSO
Katherine Bassett
Executive Director and CEO
National Network of State Teachers
Brian Bridges
Vice President, Research and Member
Engagement
UNCF
Alyssa Chudnofsky
Policy Analyst
College Board
Marjorie Cohen
Senior Policy Analyst
National Governors Association
Michael Cohen
President
Achieve
Kristin Conklin
Partner
HCM Strategists
John Denning
Senior Program Officer, College Ready
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Michael DiMaggio
Director, Strategic Partnerships
Council of Chief State School Officers
Andy Drewlinger
Program Assistant
CCSSO/National Teacher of the Year
Program
Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield
Senior Policy Analyst
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)
Elizabeth Emery
Policy Project Manager
Foundation for Excellence in Education
Rhian Evans Allvin
Executive Director
National Association for the Education of
Young Children
Paul Ferrari
Director of Educator Engagement and
Outreach
CCSSO
Jasmine Gary
Senior Associate
American Federation of Teachers
Aaron Goldstein
Manager of State Policy and Relations
American Association of Colleges for
Teacher Education
Loretta Goodwin
Senior Director
American Youth Policy Forum
Kati Haycock
President
The Education Trust
Margaret Horn
VP for State Engagement and Outreach
Parcc, Inc
Sandi Jacobs
Vice President and Managing Director,
State Policy
National Council on Teacher Quality
Scott Jenkins
Education Program Director
National Governors Association
Scott Jones
Senior Associate for Research & Policy
Arts Education Partnership
Gregory Kienzl
Senior Research Associate
ACT
Christopher Kingsley
Associate Director, Local Policy & Advocacy
Data Quality Campaign
Paige Kowalski
Vice President, Policy and Advocacy
Data Quality Campaign
Chuck Melley
Vice President, U.S. Government Relations
Pearson
Angela Minnici
Director (Center on Great Teachers and
Leaders)
American Institutes for Research
Carissa Moffat Miller
Deputy Executive Director
Council of Chief State School Officers
Brennan Parton
Associate Director, State Policy and
Advocacy
Data Quality Campaign
Shanna Peeples
2015 National Teacher of the Year
CCSSO/National Teacher of the Year
Program
Jon Quam
Directory, National Teacher of the Year
Program
Council of Chief State School Officers
Jennifer Ramacciotti
Algebra Teacher
KIPP DC College Prep
Donique Reid
Policy and Research Associate
Alliance for Excellent Education
Travis Reindl
Senior Program Officer, Postsecondary
Policy
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
D. Wayne Robinson
President & CEO
Student Veterans of America
Elizabeth Ross
Associate
HCM Strategists
Sandra Ruppert
Director
Arts Education Partnership/Council of Chief
State School Officers
Lizanne Sadlier
Senior VP
VOX Global
Deborah Santiago
COO & VP for Policy
Excelencia in Education
José Luis Santos
Vice President, Higher Education Policy &
Practice
The Education Trust
Nancy Segal
Executive Director of Government and
External Relations
Educational Testing Service (ETS)
Gene Sharratt
Executive Director
WA Student Achievement Council
Sarah Silverman
Program Director
National Governors Association
Nathan Smith
Director of Public Policy
GLSEN
Troy Smith
Public Policy Intern
The College Board
Dave Stevenson
VP, Government Relations
Amplify
Michael Usdan
Senior Fellow
Institute for Educational Leadership
Robin Vitucci
Associate
AFT
Alex Wirth
Cofounder
Quorum
Kate Walsh
President
NCTQ
WEST VIRGINIA
Gail Adams
2015 WV Teacher of the Year
Wheeling Park High School
Amelia Courts
President/CEO
The Education Alliance
Paul Hill
Chancellor
WV Higher Education Policy Commission
Lawrence Malone
Policy Director
West Virginia Governor's Office
Michael Martirano
WV - State Superintendent of Schools
West Virginia Department of Education
Dave Sypolt
Senator
WV State Senate
Melissa White
Counsel
WV Senate Education Committee
WISCONSIN
Luann Bowen
VP - Government Affairs
Renaissance Learning, Inc.
Diana Callope
8th grade mathematics teacher
Whitewater Middle School
Nick Hillman
Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Christopher Lohse
VP - Government Affairs
Renaissance Learning, Inc.
Paula O'Gorman
Senior Vice President of Government Affairs
Renaissance Learning
Jason Sutch
VP - Government Affairs
Renaissance Learning, Inc.
WYOMING
Jillian Balow
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Wyoming Department of Education
William Pannell
Supervisor, Standards, Learning &
Accountability
Wyoming Department of Education
James Rose
Executive Director
Wyoming Community College Commission
Rachel Rubino
Special Education Case Manager
Albany County School District
Dicky Shanor
Chief of Staff
Wyoming Department of Education
Brent Young
Wyoming Department of Education
Mark McNeil
Measured Progress