Professional Learning Communities

Paula Maeker is an educator, presenter, and advocate for learner-centered education. She has more than 23 years’ experience as an elementary teacher, literacy specialist, instructional coach, Title 1 program coordinator, campus administrator, director of elementary literacy, and director of instructional design.

Nathaniel Provencio is associate superintendent in Prince William County, Virginia. Under his leadership, Minnieville Elementary School was recognized as a Model Professional Learning Community and was the 2019 winner of the prestigious DuFour Award.

Josh McMahon, EdD, is the assistant superintendent of education programs for Morton District 201 in Illinois. Previously, he served as principal of Morton West High School.

Jon-Eric Ziaer is the principal of Reedy High School in Frisco, Texas. Previously, he served as associate principal at Liberty High School in Frisco ISD, which he helped lead to Model PLC status. He was previously a curriculum director and a high school social studies teacher.

Mary Shay, EdD, is a Colorado-based educational leader, practitioner, and researcher with almost 30 years of experience in public education. She specializes in effective leadership to maximize the collaborative capacity of teams, thereby enhancing student achievement and learning.

Whitney K. Freije is an elementary school principal at A.F. Palmer Elementary, a Model PLC at Work® school in the Windsor Central School District, located in upstate New York. She specializes in empowering teachers with effective instructional practices to promote high levels of literacy and mathematics.

Barbara Phillips is an educational presenter and researcher from upstate New York with over 20 years of experience in public education. She specializes in effective instruction and leveraging teacher strengths to maximize student achievement and learning.

Rusty Taylor has been a professional educator since 1997, serving as a science teacher, middle school assistant principal, and principal at both the middle and high school levels.

Bo Ryan is principal of the Ana Grace Academy of the Arts Elementary Magnet School in Bloomfield, Connecticut. He is passionate about building and sustaining professional learning communities (PLCs) and has led two different schools to Model PLC at Work® certification.

Dr. Julia “Jai” Wilson is an assistant principal for Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Kentucky. She has been an educator for 27 years and specializes in building PLCs from the ground up, relationship building, and school culture.