Authors & Presenters

Jay McTighe brings a wealth of experience developed during a rich and varied career in education. He served as director of the Maryland Assessment Consortium, a state collaboration of school districts working together to develop and share formative performance assessments.

Jeanetta Jones Miller has been an educator since 1986. Throughout her award-winning career, she has taught American studies, senior projects, and a variety of English courses, and served as department chair.

Charity Marcella Moran is a former high school project-based learning teacher, New Tech Network school development coach, and a middle school alternative programs instructional specialist. Charity’s focus areas include strategic program development, culturally responsive teaching, educating and empowering Black males, STEM, 21st century skills, project-based learning, literacy, language, and equity.

Rachel E. Morris is an instructional coach in the Linn-Mar Community School District in Marion, Iowa. Her expertise in instructional strategies, data analysis, and collaborative problem-solving has empowered educators to enhance their teaching practices and improve student outcomes.

Barbara Moss, PhD, is a professor at San Diego State University, where she teaches courses at the credential and master’s levels. She has worked as a teacher at every grade level from 1 to 12 over the course of her career.

Roxanne (Roxy) L. Mourant, MEd, has been an educator since 1987 and has worked in a variety of school settings. She is currently chief education officer of Educating for Leadership, Inc., in Alaska.

Kristen Nelson is an elementary school principal for the Capistrano Unified School District in California. She also serves as a college professor, leadership teacher, educational consultant, author, and leader of her district’s Spanish dual-language immersion programs.

Dr. Molly Ness is a former classroom teacher, a reading researcher, and a teacher educator. She spent 16 years as an associate professor of childhood education at Fordham University. She has extensive experience in reading clinics, consulting with school districts, leading professional development, and advising school systems on research-based reading instruction.

LeAnn Nickelsen, an author and a former teacher, is an expert on brain research strategies, best practices in literacy, and other high-impact tools that close and prevent gaps in high-poverty schools.

Peter Nilsson is an educator, writer, and musician, whose work bridges education, creativity, and technology. A former head of school and award-winning teacher, he cofounded Athena Lab and edits The Educator’s Notebook, a newsletter on innovation in learning.