Professional Learning Communities

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. In her 25-year career as an educator, she has served as a science teacher and department chair, assistant principal intern, and assistant principal for five different high schools.

Kimberly Salomonson provides coordination and professional development for state and district work in continuous quality improvement efforts. She served seven years as the director of pupil personnel services with the Sanger Unified School District.

Dr. Amy Williams is a program manager for California Education Partners. She has 24 years of experience in education as coordinator of inclusive services and supports, K-8 principal, special education program manager, school psychologist, and teacher.

Dan Swatek is the elementary principal at Cardinal Elementary School in Nebraska, which he helped lead to Model PLC status in 2018. Throughout his nearly twenty-year career as an educator, he has also served as an assistant principal, middle school teacher, and head coach.

Kim Monkres is the principal of Snow Canyon High School, located in St. George, Utah. She began her career 22 years ago as a high school English and communications teacher and has coaching experience as well.

Cheyana Leiva is a transformational leader who understands the challenges schools are facing and the strategies necessary to improve. As a principal, she led her high-poverty school to an A rating in three years.

Cheri Stevenson is the executive director of secondary schools for Washington County School District in Utah. She is passionate about sharing solutions she successfully implemented as a teacher, building administrator, and district director engaged in the PLC process.