Authors & Presenters

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.

Renee Tristan is an English language arts content specialist for Tomball Independent School District in Northwest Houston, TX. As an instructional leader and literacy coach, her work focuses on the implementation of standards-aligned teaching and higher levels of literacy for all 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.

Mark Van Clay, EdD, is an educational presenter who specializes in aligning school systems. He also works with the Consortium for Educational Change and has 30 years of experience in education.

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.