Meet the Leadership Team

For Educators, By Educators.

Meet the Leadership Team

The Lead for Learners network is facilitated by KnowledgeWorks in partnership with district administrators, principals, teachers, instructional coaches and other instructional leaders who are advancing systems change in classrooms, schools and school districts across the U.S. Through our steering committee, educator facilitator roles and network working groups, KnowledgeWorks is committed to ensuring that Lead for Learners remains educator-driven.

Lead for Learners Steering Committee

Representing a broad range of learning communities in ten states, Steering Committee members work together to set priorities, identify challenges and design solutions for the Lead for Learners Network. Current priorities include:

  • Design programs and resources that support current and emerging leaders in personalized, competency-based systems
  • Grow and sustain a national professional learning community focused on leading in personalized, competency-based systems
a portrait of Amy, a white woman with chin-length curly brown hair, wearing a necklace, sea green top and a gray blazer over it. She's leaning against a white railing of a bridge overlooking a stream of water lined by trees.

Dr. Amy Brennan

Deputy Superintendent
Mason City Schools
Mason, Ohio

Portrait of Josh, a white man with short, spiked brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a pale blue button-up. He's in front of pine trees.

Dr. Josh Ecker

Learning Design Coordinator
Chester County Intermediate Unit
Downingtown, Pennsylvania

A portrait of Heather, a light-skinned woman with dark red, straight hair to her shoulders and brown eyes, smiling at the camera. She's wearing a necklace and a red patterned shirt and is standing in front of a cream colored wall.

Heather Madrigal

Assistant Principal
Yuma Union High School District
Yuma, Arizona

Portrait of Brenda, a white woman with wavy auburn hair down past her shoulders, wearing black rimmed glasses, pearl necklace and earrings, a black shirt and a purple blazer over it. She's smiling and standing in front of a gray background.

Brenda Martin

Director of Schools
Westminster Public Schools
Westminster, Colorado

Portrait of Kate, a white woman with shoulder length wavy blond hair, smiling at the camera, wearing a purple tee

Dr. Kate O'Leary

Visiting Assistant Professor
College of Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina

Portrait of a white woman with light hazel eyes and white hair, wearing a black shirt and blazer over it. She's crossing her arms and smiling in front of a window with plants in the sill.

Jennifer Echols

Administrator on Assignment
Mesa Public Schools
Mesa, Arizona

portrait of Beth Head, a young white woman with long wavy auburn hair and blue eyes, wearing black-rimmed glasses, a speckled black and white top and a light gray blazer over it

Beth Head

Director of Personalized Learning
Northern Cass School District
Hunter, North Dakota

Briana Morales

2023 Illinois State Teacher of the Year
English Teacher
Gorden Bush Alternative Center
East St. Louis District 189
East St. Louis, Illinois

Laura Jeanne Penrod

2024 Nevada State Teacher of the Year English Teacher
Southwest Career and Technical Academy
Clark County School District
Las Vegas, Nevada

Portrait of Donald, a young Black man with black hair, short on the sides and longer on top, pulled back in rows, and a five o'clock shadow. He's wearing a black shirt and black blazer over it, smiling at the camera in front of a gray background.

Dr. Donald Rucker

Regional Teaching and Learning Coach
KIPP Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia

Lead for Learners Working Groups

The Lead for Learners Steering Committee identified the need for a sustainable approach to increasing educator involvement in network initiatives. This sparked the formation of Lead for Learners working groups.

Leadership Development and Learning

Bringing together close to 40 educators from 17 states, the Leadership Development Working Group supports the development of professional learning opportunities and resources for those leading systems change through personalized, competency-based learning.

2025-26 Working Group Members

  • Aaron Francher, Clark County School District (NV)
  • Adrienne Usher, Bullitt County Public Schools (KY)
  • Amy Harker, Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio (OH)
  • Brenda Diaz, Nashville Big Picture High School and Metro Nashville Virtual School (TN)*
  • Casey Lefler, Rock Hill School District (SC)*
  • Christina Guevara, Utah State Board of Education (UT)*
  • Deanna Holman, Muskegon Area ISD (MI)
  • Elizabeth Dean, The Village School (VA)
  • Elizabeth Nordgren, Spring Lake Park Schools (MN)
  • Emily Barrington, Walden School of Liberal Arts (UT)
  • Erin Spies, Lakes Country Service Cooperative (MN)
  • Estrada, Mesa Public Schools (AZ)*
  • Evan Krawiec, Arts at the Capitol Theater/EASTCONN (CT)
  • Haley McLaughlin, California Area School District (PA)
  • Jamie Phelps, Jefferson County Public Schools (KY)
  • Javonne Donaldson, Center for Achievement / Richland School District Two (SC)
  • Kelley Layton, Westminster Public Schools (CO)
  • Kelly Muic Lombard, Central Greene School District (PA)
  • Kimberly Flewallen, Freedom Preparatory Academy (UT)
  • Kristen Logan, Lexington District One (SC)
  • Kristen Watkins, Akiba Yavneh Academy (TX)*
  • Kyle Jones, The Prichard Committee (KY)
  • Lacey Eckels, elevatED studios @ Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (KY)
  • Linzee Prescott, Mesa Public Schools (AZ)
  • Marcella Minogue, Jefferson County Public Schools (KY)
  • Mark Siegel, Delphian School (OR)
  • Megan Padilla , Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District 35 (AZ)
  • Nicki Slaugh, Weber School District (UT)
  • Rachel Albright, elevatED studios @ Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (KY)
  • Rebecca Knighton, Colorado Department of Education (CO)
  • Robert Knisely, Madison Local Schools (OH)*
  • Sarah Skretta, Kettle Moraine School District (WI)
  • Shannon Treece, Charlotte County School District (FL)
  • Shantele Sajdowitz, Yuma Union High School District (AZ)
  • Shiniqua Brooks-Mays, Newberry County School District (SC)
  • Tony Campbell, Washington County School District (UT)
* Former Lead for Learners Steering Committee Member

Online Community Facilitator

Ian McDougall

History Teacher and Edtech Coach, Yuma Union High School District, Yuma, Arizona

Ian McDougall, a history teacher and edtech coach from Yuma, Arizona, serves as a part-time online community facilitator for the Lead for Learners Community, an online hub connecting  learner-centered educators from across the country. Ian helps educators connect with peers and resources and facilitates virtual meetups and cohort-based learning opportunities. Ian also serves on the Lead for Learners Steering Committee.

Network leadership alumni

Since 2020, KnowledgeWorks has convened educators from across the country to co-design network programs and peer-to-peer learning opportunities to support local education transformation. 

READ MORE

Facilitated by KnowledgeWorks, Lead for Learners is a national network of education leaders dedicated to systems transformation through personalized, competency-based learning.

Linkedin Facebook Youtube

Stay in the loop.

©2025 KnowledgeWorks Foundation. All rights reserved.