Professional Learning Communities

Hillary Woest is a presenter, staff developer, and practitioner with over 24 years of experience in public education. She specializes in supporting Professional Learning Communities at Work® and Response to Intervention at Work™ in schools by helping them assess, refine, and optimize current systems of support for special populations and challenging demographics.

Dustin Hunt is the superintendent of Hot Springs County School District #1 in Wyoming. He specializes in the professional learning communities process from the district perspective, which includes the school board.

Racheal Branch serves as the principal of Huntsville Intermediate in Huntsville, Texas. She has worked to create a culture of collaboration by embedding the professional learning communities process to grow student performance and build teacher capacity.

Amanda Hathhorn, district math specialist and mentor for the Aspiring Instructional Coaching Academy at Pasadena ISD, has over 20 years of experience in education. Notably, she played a pivotal role in successfully implementing the Professional Learning Communities (PLC) at Work® process and subsequently earning a Model PLC at Work school distinction at V. W. Miller Intermediate.

Cathy Padilla has served as an elementary education teacher, assistant principal, and principal at the intermediate and elementary levels. She specializes in developing and supporting leaders in professional learning communities, family engagement, categorical programs, migrant education, and English language development.

Sarah Hays, a seasoned educator with 30 years of experience, currently serves as the PLC Administrative Coach for the Bozeman School District. Sarah served as the principal of Emily Dickinson Elementary School in Bozeman, MT. She has also held various educational roles, including high school assistant principal, district curriculum director, and high school English and math teacher.

Kyle is the principal of Powell Middle School in Powell, Wyoming. Prior to administration, he was an elementary teacher where he developed the passion for professional learning communities and the power behind building a strong culture and teamwork in a school.

John Gaskell is a science educator with over 20 years of classroom, leadership, and professional learning community implementation experience nationally and internationally, having spent the past 12 years in Singapore.

Alvin Thomas, EdD, is a principal in a school district in Georgia and a part-time professor at Kennesaw State University and Georgia State University. He has 17 years of experience as an assistant principal, student behavior program specialist, and teacher.

Kristina Leckliter is an innovative educational leader who has served as an elementary teacher, instructional coach, reading specialist, and induction mentor specialist. She is also a professional learning community trainer for a Model Professional Learning Community at Work® district in Phoenix, Arizona.