Authors & Presenters

Linda Bowgren has 25 years of experience in education. She has been a high school physical education teacher and coach, an elementary teacher, a literacy specialist, and a professional developer.

Dr. Nathan Boyd is a leadership coach specializing in creating healthy culture and bolstering strong leadership within schools. With over 20 years of experience, his award-winning work led a school to receive the Blue Ribbon Award for sustained excellence.

Amanda Boyer, EdD, currently serves as the director of special services in the Neosho School District in southwest Missouri. She has over 18 years of experience in various roles, including special education teacher, early childhood director, early interventionist and behavior specialist.

Carla Braun, EdD, currently serves as the director of continuous school improvement and professional learning in Westmont, Illinois, a K–12 school district. She is an experienced principal, professional development provider, interventionist, and elementary teacher.

Larry Brendtro, PhD, is director of The Resilience Academy and professor emeritus at Augustana University. He has rich, practical experience as a teacher, principal, and psychologist—including 14 years as president of Starr Commonwealth.

Diane J. Briars, PhD, a mathematics education consultant, is president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. She was mathematics director of Pittsburgh Public Schools for 20 years.

MaryAnn Brittingham helps educators working with students at risk. She is an instructor and supervisor of student teachers at the State University of New York at New Paltz.

Dr. Karen Johannesen Brock has been an educator and educational presenter for more than three decades. She has assisted more than 100 schools (K–12) and districts with implementing school improvement plans. Her work with schools and districts focuses on instructional coaching and design as well as professional learning plans, school-improvement plans, English learners and multilingual students, and literacy.

Dixon Brooks, PhD, has spent more than 30 years as an educator working to maximize learning opportunities for students, as well as district and school staff members, by leading cultural and systemic change processes that result in exceptional student achievement.

Dr. Lisa A. Brooks is a senior lecturer in the School of Teacher Education at the University of Central Florida. She has experience in public and private K–8 school settings, including in teaching, mentoring, and coaching. She is an award-winning author of such titles as Making Sense of Mathematics for Teaching Grades K–2 and Making Sense of Mathematics for Teaching the Small Group, and she has published work in national and international education journals as well. Dr. Brooks provides professional development for educators, instructional coaches, and administrators.