Authors & Presenters

Following his time as a classroom teacher, Brian Thorne worked as a high school assistant principal, an elementary principal, and a middle school principal. He is currently the principal of Rocky Mountain Middle School in Heber City, Utah.

Kara Tidemann has successfully served for over 25 years in education. As a building leader she successfully led an underperforming school to high performance, earning Model PLC at Work® school status for demonstration of exceptional academic achievement over time.

Mona Toncheff, an educational presenter and author, has over 30 years of experience in public education. Mona works with educators and leaders nationwide to build collaborative teams and ensure all students receive high-quality mathematics instruction.

Katy Sue Traicoff is an experienced educational leader with a deep understanding of the value of collaborative decision making within professional learning communities and a passion for fostering collaborative environments and supporting the professional development of educators.

Matthew Treadway, EdD, is the former principal of Freedom Elementary School in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, where he led his staff in developing a collaborative culture centered on the three big ideas of a professional learning community.

Jessica Tucker is an MTSS behavior specialist for a Model PLC at Work® district in Phoenix, Arizona. She has served as an elementary and middle school classroom teacher, a behavior coach, and a dean of students.

Eric Twadell, PhD, is superintendent of Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois. He has been a social studies teacher, curriculum director, and assistant superintendent for leadership and organizational development.

Jonathan G. Vander Els specializes in supporting teachers and administrators in schools and districts across the country in developing, sustaining, and enhancing structures to support all learners.

Angela Veatch, a National Board Certified Teacher with over 25 years in education, serves as an instructional specialist for Fort Smith Public Schools. She is passionate about visible learning, learning by doing, and strengthening teacher efficacy through the PLC process.

Eddie Velez is the former principal at Kennedy High School in Fremont, California. He specializes in building leadership capacity, building PLC culture, implementing RTI, and coaching collaborative teams. He has a genuine connection and care for every school he serves and is respected for his ability to meet schools “where they are” without compromising the end goal of creating equitable opportunities for all students.