Authors & Presenters

Maria C. Grant, EdD, is a professor in secondary education at California State University, Fullerton. She has authored numerous publications centered on science literacy, formative assessment, and reading.

Gayle Gregory, a former teacher, has extensive experience as a staff developer and administrator. She has taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels as well as in university settings.

Gavin Grift is a best-selling author and is founder and CEO of Grift Education. His passion, commitment, humor, and highly engaging style have made him one of Australia’s most in-demand PLC presenters. His leadership in the education industry fueled the development of PLC networks across Australia and culminated in the establishment of the Centre for Professional Learning Communities, a cohort informed by the work and legacies of Richard and Rebecca DuFour.

Kate Grunow, MA, is an instructional technology consultant and Schoology implementation lead for Macomb Intermediate School District in Metro Detroit. She has more than a decade of experience in education as a K–12 digital media specialist and English teacher.

Jody Guarino, EdD, is manager of the Teaching, Learning and Instructional Leadership Collaborative at the Orange County Department of Education and a School of Education lecturer at the University of California, Irvine (UCI).

Alexandra Guilamo is an expert in the implementation, education, and effective leadership of dual-language, bilingual, and language-learner education. She has previously served as a teacher, academic coach, elementary school principal, and district-level educator.

Kourtney Hake is an English teacher at Sparta Lincoln School in Sparta, Illinois. She is also a member of the National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE), the Illinois Reading Council (IRC), and the Illinois Association of Teachers of English (IATE) since 2014.

Nathaniel Hansford has taught every grade from preK to 12 in many interesting and diverse locations—from South Korea to the subarctic of Quebec. He specializes in using meta-analysis research to help teachers implement proven methodologies.

Dr. Patrick B. Hardy is the current principal at Hinsdale South High School in Illinois and has enjoyed a distinguished 26-year career in education. Notably, Dr. Hardy was principal at Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois, which became the first certified Marzano Academy in the nation. Dr. Hardy’s work has focused on school transformation and innovation, leadership development and coaching, equitable education, and personalized competency-based education.

Orinthia Harris, PhD, has extensive experience in classroom and extracurricular settings. She is the founder of STEMearly LLC, an organization dedicated to reigniting teaching passions so educators and students can thrive.