Authors & Presenters

Brian M. Stack is a superintendent of schools in New Hampshire and a former principal who specializes in supporting teachers and administrators in developing, sustaining, and enhancing structures to support all learners.

Mandy Stalets is a teacher and learner who is passionate about sound assessment and grading practices, as well as standards-based learning. Along with her consulting work, she is currently a high school mathematics teacher at Illinois State University’s laboratory schools.

Rebecca Stobaugh, PhD, is an assistant professor at Western Kentucky University. She teaches assessment and unit-planning courses, supervises first-year teachers, and consults with school districts on critical thinking, instructional strategies, assessment, technology integration, and other topics.

Erica Strick is the principal of Floyd L. Bell Elementary, a Model PLC at Work® school in the Windsor Central School District. With over a decade of experience, Erica continuously implements systematic strategies that effectively address the achievement gap.

Becky Symes specializes in educator wellness, supporting new teachers, curriculum development, effective instruction, and professional learning communities. She has experience as a new teacher induction coordinator, literacy coach, instructional facilitator, curriculum developer, and presenter.

Andrea Thompson is the principal of Shell Lake Middle/High School in Shell Lake, Wisconsin, and has previously served as a director of curriculum and instruction, district assessment coordinator, summer program coordinator, and gifted and talented coordinator.

Amy Tollefson is the district-level principal with Osseo Area Schools in a diverse suburb of Minneapolis. Over more than 20 years, she has also served as a secondary school principal, secondary social studies teacher, district office coordinator, and assistant principal.

Matt Townsley, EdD, is an associate professor of educational leadership at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He is a former district administrator and teacher in Solon Community Schools, also in Iowa, where he led curriculum, assessment, and school-improvement initiatives, all under the umbrella of a professional learning community philosophy.

Adrienne Turner has 15 years of experience as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, instructional technology coach, and new teacher coordinator. She is currently the English language arts coordinator for grades preK–12 at Deer Creek Schools in Edmond, Oklahoma. Adrienne works to support teachers primarily in the areas of instruction, assessment, and wellness.

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.