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
- Collectively advocate for more equitable, student-centered education systems
Dr. Carmen Coleman
Chief of Transformational Learning and Leading
Ohio Valley Education Cooperative
Louisville, Kentucky
Dr. Brenda Diaz
Dual Executive Principal
Nashville Big Picture High School and Metro Nashville Virtual School
Nashville, Tennessee
Hector Estrada
Teaching & Learning Coordinator (Secondary)
Mesa Public Schools
Mesa, Arizona
Dr. Jeni Gotto
Superintendent
Westminster Public Schools
Westminster, Colorado
Christina Guevara
Teacher Apprenticeship Educational Specialist
Utah State Board of Education
Salt Lake City, Utah
Robert Knisely
Principal
Perry Middle School
Perry, Ohio
Casey Lefler
Instructional Integration Specialist
Rock Hill School District
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Ian McDougall
History Teacher and EdTech Coach
Yuma Union High School District
Yuma, Arizona
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
Kristen Watkins
Director of Personalized Learning
Akiba Yavneh Academy
Dallas, Texas
Erin Yates
CTE Coach
Olmsted Academy South
Jefferson County School District
Louisville, Kentucky
Lead for Learners Working Groups
During the 2023-24 school year, the Lead for Learners Steering Committee identified the need for a sustainable approach to increasing educator involvement in leadership development and advocacy initiatives. This sparked the formation of two Lead for Learners Working Groups.
Bringing together more than 50 educators from 18 states, Lead for Learners Working Group members will collaborate with the Lead for Learners Steering Committee on resource development projects, professional learning strategies and national advocacy efforts.
Leadership Development and Learning
Members of the Leadership Development and Learning Working Group support the development of professional learning opportunities and resources for those leading systems change through personalized, competency-based learning.
2024-25 Working Group Members
- Elysa Arroyo, Nevada Department of Education (NV)
- Dillon Booker, Clark County School District (NV)
- Peter Boyle, Center for the Future of Arizona (AZ)
- Amy Brennan, Mason City Schools (OH)
- Emily Brokaw, Dallas Independent School District (TX)
- Rob Collins, Kentucky Department of Education (KY)
- Wanda Colon-Diaz, Clark County School District (NV)
- David Cook, Learning Ecosystems Design (KY)
- Erica Crane, Arizona State University / Audacious Learner LLC (WI)
- Sarah Giddings, WAVE/Washtenaw Educational Options Consortium (MI)
- Amy S Harker, Education Service Center of Northeast Ohio (OH)
- Evan Krawiec, Ed.D., Arts at the Capitol Theater/EASTCONN (CT)
- Travis Lape, Harrisburg School District (SD)
- Nicole Ledbetter, York School District 2 (SC)
- Kristen Logan, South Carolina Department of Education (SC)
- Dr. Betty Jo Malchesky, Perry Local Schools (OH
- Carrie Mann, York School District One (SC)
- Brenda Martin, Westminster Public Schools (CO)
- Lisa McCray Cannon, Arizona State University (AZ)
- Andrea Moreno-Hewitt, Ector County Independent School District (TX)
- Jamie Phelps, Jefferson County Public Schools (KY)
- George Philhower, Eastern Hancock Schools (IN)
- Sarah Skretta, Kettle Moraine School District (WI)
- Erin Spies, Lakes County Service Cooperative (MN)
- Cory Steiner, Northern Cass School District (ND) *
- Lauren Tavarez, Ector County Independent School District (TX)
- Vincent Williams, West Fargo Public Schools (ND)
- Arturo Wong, Yuma Union High School District (AZ)
Advocacy
Members of the Advocacy Working Group will co-design advocacy initiatives aimed at promoting the adoption and expansion of personalized, competency-based learning systems.
2024-25 Working Group Members
- Susan Bell, Mastery Transcript Consortium (MA)
- Scott Bess, Indiana State Board of Education (IN)*
- Amy Dasinger, Perry Local Schools (OH)
- Margaret Delgado Chernick, Twinsburg City School District (OH)
- Lacey Eckels, Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (KY)
- Tia Fuentes, Hurst-Euless-Bedford Independent School District (TX)
- Mandy Hinojos, Ector County Independent School District (TX)
- Deanna Holman, Muskegon Area Intermediate School District (MI)
- Mary Holsclaw, Nevada State Public Charter School Authority (NV)
- Rosebell Komugisha, Jefferson County Public Schools (KY)
- Brian Kosena, Westminster Public Schools (CO)
- Dagoberto López, Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District No. 35 (AZ)
- Megan Margerum, Northern Cass School District (ND)
- Danielle Mariano, Commonwealth Charter Academy (PA)
- Autumn Moss, Dallas Independent School District (TX)
- Lucy L Payne, University of St. Thomas (MN)
- Cassie Quigley, University of Pittsburgh (PA)
- Felicia Rutledge , University of Nevada, Reno (NV)
- Mark Siegel, Delphian School (OR)
- Amy Swann, Matchbook Learning (FL)
- Heather Townley, Education Service Center of Lake Erie West (OH)
- Kailey Uhl, Shaker Heights City School District (OH)
- Adrienne Usher, Bullitt County Public Schools (KY)
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.
