Professional Learning Communities

Cody Mothershead has worked with the White River School District for over 15 years and has been involved in implementing PLCs as a teacher, team leader, assistant principal, and now currently leads the work as a principal.

Janet Nuzzie is a published author with over 28 years of experience in mathematics education, including curriculum and leadership roles at the district, regional, and state level. She specializes in supporting campus leaders and teachers in the implementation of professional learning communities and has facilitated her district’s implementation of a multitiered system of supports for mathematics intervention.

Michelle Garlick is a former classroom teacher and instructional coach and currently serves as assistant principal at Woodlawn Middle School for Kildeer Countryside School District 96 in suburban Chicago.

Kendra Bell, PhD, retired from Peoria Unified School District in Arizona in 2022 after serving as chief academic officer for the district. Throughout her career, Dr. Bell has emphasized the importance of continual improvement through professional learning communities.

Dr. Sanchioni serves as the superintendent of the Tiverton Public Schools in Tiverton, Rhode Island. He has a wide array of educational experiences including serving as the superintendent in Natick, Massachusetts (10 years) and in Millis, Massachusetts (three years). In addition, Dr. Sanchioni served as a principal for 10 years.

Keri Rathbun, EdD, is the director of Coordinated School Health and Career Counseling for Fort Smith Public Schools, Arkansas. She has worked in education for more than 20 years and served as an administrator at the middle and high school levels.

Jennifer Dickson is an educator and presenter with a passion for working with preK–5 educators to ensure all students learn at high levels. With more than 25 years of experience in public school education, she loves to work with teams all over the country to implement and improve professional learning community practices.

Blake Clark brings a wealth of experience from various educational settings, including schools, districts, and charter schools across North America. He is a firm believer that schools can achieve their fullest potential through collaborative efforts centered on intentional learning.

Kimber Fessler serves as the principal of Clark Elementary in Evanston, Wyoming. An educator for nearly 20 years, she has experience in classroom teaching both primary and intermediate grades, instructional coaching (K–6), and administration.

Luke Francois, EdD, is superintendent of Waterford Union High School in Wisconsin. He specializes in the continuous improvement process to support the work of PLCs in small rural and large suburban districts.