Authors & Presenters

Laura Lipton, EdD, is an international consultant whose writing, research, and seminars focus on effective and innovative instructional practices and on building professional and organizational capacities for enhanced learning.

Mandy E. Lusk, PhD, is a lifelong special education practitioner who serves as an associate professor of special education at Clayton State University and has taught students of all ages with emotional and behavioral disorders across the United States.

Janet Malone is former director of professional development for the Poway Unified School District in California. She has experience as a teacher, principal, and central office administrator.

Thomas W. Many, EdD, works with teachers, administrators, school boards, parents, and other education stakeholders on organizational leadership, implementation and change, and Professional Learning Communities at Work™ strategies and concepts.

François Massé is a superintendent of education for several schools and has been working in collaboration with educators to transform the culture of these institutions into professional learning communities.

Mike Mattos is an internationally recognized author, presenter, and practitioner who specializes in uniting teachers, administrators, and support staff to transform schools by implementing response to intervention and professional learning communities.

Katherine McCluskey is the Assistant Superintendent of Teaching, Learning and Accountability at Glen Ellyn School District 41 in Illinois. A former K–12 teacher, she has worked with students and staff with a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds.

Maria Nielsen, educational speaker and author, specializes in supporting teachers and administrators in the areas of PLCs, RTI, school culture, curriculum design, the highly engaged classroom, and assessment systems. Her life’s work is to help schools build successful systems to ensure high levels of student learning.

Geri Parscale spent 28 years in education and has worked as a classroom teacher, principal, professional development director, and finally deputy superintendent of Fort Leavenworth Schools, USD 207. Her mode of operation was always the same: learning for all kids.

Garrick Peterson helps teachers and administrators become high-functioning PLCs with a specific focus on making the connection between assessment and intervention.