Professional Learning Communities

John D. Ewald, EdD, is a former superintendent, principal, adjunct professor, and teacher. He has been an administrator and teacher at the elementary, middle, high school, and college levels.

Amy Moore leads Deer Valley Unified School District’s PLC vision and mission as the professional learning manager. In May 2021, Deer Valley Unified School District was recognized as a model PLC district.

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.

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.

Pamela Liebenberg, EdD, has been an educator for more than 25 years. She has served as an award-winning teacher, assistant principal, principal, regional director, and district director supervising 35 schools in the Tuscaloosa County School System.

Kim Nichols, EdD, is former assistant superintendent in Ringgold, Georgia. Under her leadership, Catoosa County Schools was named the first Model PLC District in Georgia and twelve schools have become Model PLCs.

Robert Mountjoy is the former principal of West Side Elementary School in Rossville, Georgia, where he led his staff in developing a collaborative culture centered around the three big ideas of a professional learning community (PLC). He is passionate about equity, data-driven practices, and schoolwide systems.

Paula Maeker is an educator, consultant, and advocate for learner-centered education. She has more than twenty-three 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.

Toby Arritola is the principal at Mountain Vista Elementary School in Aurora, Colorado. With more than 20 years of experience as an educator, Toby specializes in and advocates for developing PLCs and a healthy school culture.

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.