Authors & Presenters

Ryan Siegle, EdD, serves as the principal of Cohasset Elementary in Minnesota. He is passionate about transforming school and classroom cultures and supporting both the whole child and the whole teacher.

Dr. Ryan Sikkes is an educational consultant and presenter with over 20 years’ worth of experience in teaching and administration in Canada’s Yukon Territory. He is passionate about supporting schools and systems in their efforts to improve assessment and grading practices.

Heather Silvia is a presenter with over 30 years of experience as an educational leader and inspirational keynote speaker. A Model PLC at Work® principal, she maintains laser focus on collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and leadership development.

Julia A. Simms, an author, is director of content and resources at Marzano Resources. A former classroom teacher, she and her team develop research-based resources and provide support to educators as they put them into practice.

Passionate about innovation, critical thinking, and deep learning, Shannon Simpson has been active in education for over 30 years, serving in various teaching roles and capacities.

Shawn Slakk, Chief Learning Officer for ABCDS&S Consulting, works with teachers, administrators, schools, and state agencies to offer strategies and support for multilingual learners and their classmates, in grades K–12 and adults.

Dena D. Slanda, PhD, is a research associate in the College of Innovation and Education at the University of Central Florida. She is also a professor in residence for the Teacher Quality Partnership grant project, which emphasizes mathematics and disciplinary literacy for preservice teachers.

Cara Slattery is an author, consultant, and teacher. She has also served as a magnet program coordinator, data and assessment coach, enrichment specialist, and technology integrationist.

Colin Sloper has been a teacher, assistant principal, and principal in government schools since 1983. In the course of his career, he has been involved in the establishment of five new state government schools.

Stephenie Smith is an assistant principal at Hazel Green Elementary School in Alabama. Previously, she served as instructional coach at Sparkman Middle School, a Model PLC at Work® school in Alabama that has earned Highly Effective Schools Accreditation. With a background as a middle school science teacher, she works with teachers, school administrators, and district leaders to implement effective professional learning communities (PLCs) and response to intervention (RTI) in order to close achievement gaps in key subgroups. Her focus is emphasizing teacher expertise and building collective efficacy through PLCs.