Authors & Presenters

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.

Dr. Anisa Baker-Busby served as the principal of Lindsey Elementary since February 2016 and was appointed principal of Shirley Hills Elementary in July 2022. She has over twenty years of educational experiences serving as an elementary teacher and administrator. Her passion is to help schools build systems of support for collaborative teams that will ensure high levels of learning for all students.

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.

Tim Brown, a consultant, has 30 years of experience in education. As principal of elementary, middle, and high schools in Missouri, he led each to become a successful professional learning community.

Dawn Caruso, EdD, is a former district administrator of assessment and accountability in Florida. She also served as a virtual school administrator as well as a literacy coach at the state and school level.

Dr. David Chiprany is currently the deputy superintendent for the Bartow County School System in Georgia. He specializes in developing PLCs at every level, and has served as a K-12 principal as well as a college educational leadership coach.

Lori Cooper, PhD, serves as the assistant superintendent of student achievement in the Fountain–Fort Carson School District in Colorado. She has served in public education for 30 years.

John Darnell holds valid Kentucky certificates as a social studies teacher, school principal, and superintendent. He earned his bachelor’s in history from Transylvania University and also earned master’s degrees in instructional leadership and teaching.

Eileen Depka, PhD, has a background in assessment, common assessment design, rubric development, standards-based assessment, question design, classroom questioning practices, positive practices in grading and reporting, and the implementation of standards-based grading and reporting.

Nicole Dimich works with elementary and secondary educators in presentations, trainings, and consultations that address today’s most critical issues, all in the spirit of facilitating improved support of student learning.