PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES:
AJ Adams
For nearly 25 years, AJ Adams has dedicated his life to serving the nation’s 5th largest school district, the Clark County School District. Throughout his career, he has been afforded a multitude of opportunities including lobbying legislators, teaching special education, an Associate Superintendent, and holding principalships at all three levels.
As the current President of NASA, AJ has extensive experience working with the community, local government municipalities, and state legislators to develop meaningful partnerships in order to provide cutting edge leadership development integrated with his passion of coaching and mentoring leaders. AJ is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Public Education Leadership Program, an alumni of the PEF Executive Leadership Academy, an alumni of NASA’s CEEI, and most recently he obtained a Certificate in Educational Finance through Georgetown University and is a Certified Executive Mindpower Coach. Additionally, he is a Nationally Certified NAESP Principal Mentor and serves on the CCASAPE Board. Currently, he is the instructional leader of a large, urban high school in Las Vegas, and he has two children of his own who both attend schools in Clark County
Amanda Arceo has been serving as Nye County’s Learning Coordinator for Math and Science since December of 2019. With over fifteen years of K-12 experience, she has served as a teacher in Hawaii, Indiana, and Washington and an administrator, in both private and public schools, in those same states as well as Nevada. Since taking her position with Nye County School District, she has been a strong advocate for improving academic opportunities for underserved and underrepresented populations. She holds three masters degrees: a M.S. in biology from the University of Toledo, a M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction from Chaminade University, and a M.S.Ed. in Education Administration from Purdue University. This year Amanda serves as a Digital Ambassador for the Nevada Digital Learning Consortium focusing on professional development for families and teachers.
Kevin Baird (MBA, ALEP) serves as Chief Academic Officer for Achieve3000. Kevin is a noted leader in college and career readiness content, strategies, and standards. He has participated in educational research on every continent save for Antarctica, consulted with governments to create college & career readiness initiatives, and has served as trainer and consultant for states and districts across North America. Mr. Baird has served as Chairman and Senior Faculty at the non-profit Center for College & Career Readiness. He creates graduate-level programs in College & Career Readiness for school administrators, and is a sought-after speaker around the world. An expert in the use of predictive analytics and artificial intelligence in education, he has helped to create a variety of K-12 and higher ed technologies. Mr. Baird has collaborated with Achieve3000 for more than 15 years and also contributes as a member of our Educator Leadership Council.
Reva Brandt holds two Masters in Education and in 2021 awarded by GFEL a top 100 Visionaries in Education award for her founding non-profit Leaders Act. Brandt’s 9 year career in education spans from the private sector to the public.
Gerry Born is the Principal of Odyssey Charter Elementary School: a 4-STAR, Title I school that has been practicing blended learning for over 10 years.
Mr. Born taught Theatre at the Las Vegas Academy, Biology and Biotechnology at West Career and Tech Academy, served as a Project Facilitator for School Improvement, and worked as a Dean of Students at Cheyenne High School.
Mr. Born often teaches and writes curriculum for The Digital Leadership Institute at The Leadership Institute of Nevada. He also writes and directs theatrical performances for The Nevada Thespian Society and several Las Vegas high schools.
Richard A. Carranza is the Chief of Strategy and Global Development for IXL Learning. Having most recently served as the Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, the largest school system in the nation, where he was responsible for educating 1.1 million students in over 1,800 schools.
During Carranza’s more than three decades in education, he has served in virtually every role. Prior to New York City, he was the superintendent of the Houston Independent School District, the largest school district in Texas, and the seventh largest in the United States. Before that, he served the San Francisco Unified School District, first as deputy superintendent and then as superintendent. Before moving to San Francisco, Carranza was the Northwest Region Superintendent for the Clark County School District in Las Vegas. He began his career as a high school, bilingual social studies and music teacher, and then as a principal, both in Tucson, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada. The son of a sheet metal worker and a hairdresser, Carranza credits his public school education for putting him on a path to college and a successful career. He believes that a great education not only changes lives, but also saves lives.
Carranza is the past chairman of the Board of Directors for the Council of the Great City Schools, where he served as a national spokesperson on significant issues facing urban school districts. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents, the National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future, the American Association of School Administrators Executive Committee, and the K to College Advisory Board. Education Week profiled Carranza as a national “2015 Leader to Learn From.” He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary education from the University of Arizona and a Master of Education with distinction in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University. He completed his doctoral coursework in educational leadership through Northern Arizona University and Nova Southeastern University. Carranza is a fluent Spanish-speaker and an accomplished mariachi musician.
Sarah Cranford brings a broad range of educational experience to her role as District Partnership Specialist. Sarah began her career in education as a high school teacher of leadership and AP U.S. History before serving as an assistant principal and principal at a large suburban high school in California. Prior to joining IXL, she was a district-level administrator for a county office of education, supporting schools that serve the most at-risk student populations. Sarah is passionate about building educational systems that are responsive to the needs of each learner. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Masters in Education from the University of California, Davis.
Dr. Debi Crimmins - As a former Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for Orange County Public Schools in Orlando, Florida, Debi Crimmins has supervised and coordinated the district’s curriculum and instruction initiatives, secondary language arts department, intervention implementations, and professional development services for elementary, middle, and high schools.
Previously, she coordinated literacy and intervention design, language arts curriculum writing, and literacy leadership institutes as Orange County’s Secondary Language Arts Director. In addition to her administrative experience, Debi has taught graduate and undergraduate literacy education programs in colleges throughout Florida, where she has worked with beginning to veteran educators, pulling from her classroom experience as a language arts, literacy, and intervention reading teacher and administrator in the intermediate, middle, and high school setting.
Debi’s passion for literacy instruction and blended learning, coupled with a rigorous commitment to improving professional development for teachers, is modeled throughout her contemporary, research-based workshops, keynotes, seminars, and institutes around the country, as she utilizes best practice from her teaching experience as well as her Ph.D. in Literacy Intervention Instruction. Her research has been published in the English Journal, Phi Delta Kappa, ASCD, International Reading Association, and within literacy instruction books by Christopher Gordon Publishers.
Eric Cross is a full-time middle school STEM teacher, grade level lead, and Digital Learning Innovator for Albert Einstein Academies, International Baccalaureate schools. He is also Adjunct Professor in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego, a Google Certified Innovator, CUE Lead Learner, and Keynote speaker. Eric earned a B.S. from Azusa Pacific University and M.Ed from the University of San Diego. Prior to teaching he spent 10 years in the private financial sector where he helped grow two startup companies. During this time he spent several years working with at-risk and underserved youth both nationally and internationally. By building relationships with students, colleagues, and the community, he has become an empowered leader in and out of the classroom. Through his meaningful learning experiences centered around student agency, STEM has become accessible and relevant to students through the thoughtful integration of digital tools into engaging culturally responsive teaching.
Dr. Theresa Corry has been in education for 29 years as a teacher, instructional coach, and administrator in multiple grade levels and two districts. Her passion for growth for teachers has been enhanced through facilitating preservice teachers at the university level, mentoring new teachers across the district, and guiding seasoned teachers to make additional gains in their craft or content knowledge. When she started getting students more involved in their learning through active student engagement, all students made two or more years of growth in nine months. Her teaching and training has been adjusted ever since!
Dr. Ruben F. Cortez is an educator with over 25 years of experience as a secondary teacher and administrator before transitioning to training, consulting, and coaching for Catapult Learning. As an administrator, Ruben worked with low-income minority students raising their achievement levels in reading and math. As an administrator in a school classified as failing, he doubled enrollment and restructured instructional practices to raise awareness and student achievement. As a Professional Development Specialist with Catapult Learning, Dr. Cortez presents nationally and internationally, trains secondary and elementary school administrators on managing organizational change and coaches teachers and instructional leaders as they implement instructional strategies and advance student achievement. Recognized for his work in ensuring school cultures that encourage continuous improvement and a desire for lifelong learning in both teachers and students, with a focus on students from diverse and historically underrepresented backgrounds. Dr. Cortez possesses a systematic and results-driven approach with an ability to foster meaningful relationship within the school community. Ruben has a reputation for being a passionate leader, mentor, and motivator for teachers, students and leaders. Dr. Ruben Cortez is native Los Angeleno and is married with three children and two grandchildren. Ruben recently earned his doctorate from USC in the area of Organizational Change and Management.
Specialized Training:
· Equity Literacy
· Recognizing implicit Bias and Striving for Cultural Competency
· Understanding Structural Racism
Research:
· How Teachers Respond to Bullying
· Misrepresentation of Minorities in Special Education
Dr. Yun-En has been a researcher in machine learning and educational technology for over 10 years. He earned his B.A. in Computer Science from Princeton, and his M.A and Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Washington. During the course of his career, he has designed or worked on algorithms, games, and software used by millions of students, and is particularly passionate about classroom and software instructional designs that give students the chance to engage with the beauty and creativity of doing math and science. In his spare time, he performs as a violinist and circus artist, while serving as executive chef of the food charity service TABLE.
Tam Larnerd, Director of Education - HOPE Squad
For 27 years, Mr. Tam Larnerd served as a Health Educator, varsity coach, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, and finally, Principal with the Clark County School District. His last assignment, before retiring in June 2021, was serving as the principal of Spring Valley High School, the only AVID National Demonstration School in Nevada. In his last six years as principal at Spring Valley, Mr. Larnerd guided the school through the authorization processes to become an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program, Diploma Program, and Career-related Program world school. In his last year at Spring Valley, despite every student being at home, learning online, the school implemented a highly successful HOPE Squad with over 40 Squad members. In August 2021, Mr. Larnerd accepted the position of HOPE Squad's Director of Education. In this capacity, he serves as a Master Trainer, onboards new schools, presents at conferences, and supports HOPE Squads throughout the country. tam@hopesquad.com
Dr. Gregory A. Hudnall is a former high school principal and associate superintendent with the Provo City School District. He has been involved with suicide prevention for the past thirty years. He is nationally sought after for his expertise in postvention.
Dr. Hudnall is the founder of Hope4Utah, a non-profit, community-based organization dedicated to suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. The school-based program, Hope Squad, has been responsible for over 5,000 students referred for help and over 1,000 hospitalized. The Hope Squad program is now in over 950 schools around the world. For over fifteen years Dr. Hudnall has led a state-wide volunteer suicide crisis team that has responded to over fifty youth suicides.
Dr. Hudnall has presented at over 100 national and state conferences on suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. He also presents on bullying, connectedness, community collaboration, and school safety. Dr. Hudnall was invited to testify before the United States Surgeon General on suicide in Utah. He has presented to the U.S. Department of Health and at the national conferences of the American Psychiatric Association and the American Association of Suicidology. Dr. Hudnall was also invited to participate in a webinar on African American and suicide by the White House.
Under Greg’s direction, over 60,000 people nationwide have been
trained in suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. Hehas presented across the United States and to many countries around the world on suicide prevention, including to the Minister of Education for Madrid, Spain.
Dr. Hudnall is considered one of the leading experts in community and school-based suicide prevention, intervention and postvention. He lives by the mantra, “while it takes a village to raise a child, it takes an entire community to save one.”
Awards
Dr. Hudnall has been an adjunct professor for Brigham Young University for 15 years and was named as adjunct professor of the year in 2013. He has been recognized for his work with youth including receiving the “Silver Beaver” from the Boy Scouts of America for training over 750 scout leaders in suicide prevention. He also received the “Utah County” medal of honor for his work in making Utah
a better place to live. As a high school principal, Dr. Hudnall was named as “Educator of the Year” in Utah and recognized as one of the top administrators in the country.
Patrick Leonard is the Chief Operating Officer of MIDAS Education. He brings over three decades of experience in K-12 Education. He started his career as a high school English teacher and basketball coach before becoming an education technology executive. Patrick has as served as a VP of Curriculum Development, VP of Business Development, Regional Manager of Sales, and Director of US Sales. In every role, he has held one, very basic belief: kids are individuals, and teachers know them best. The goal is to provide the resources, training, and tools to help teachers help kids!
Joni Mason
After a 25-year career in sports marketing, Joni Mason joined the OnToCollege team seven years ago in order to use her sales and marketing skills to help spread the word about the OnToCollege mission, which is to help create more two- and four-year college graduates with minimal debt. Her passion for responsible personal finance -- and the fact that she had three children approaching college age -- made the “minimal debt” part of the mission her priority. Motivating students is the first step to achieving the OnToCollege mission by giving them a "Why to Try".
Punam Mathur
Currently, Punam serves as Executive Director of the Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation, a private foundation that exists to advance fundamental change, primarily related to equity, civil rights and conservation. She also operates her own business as a speaker, trainer and writer.
From 2009-2012, she was an officer of NV Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NVE), a vertically-integrated statewide electric utility with 2,700 employees, serving as vice president of people resources and as vice president of employee and community engagement.
She joined NV Energy following 13 years in the gaming industry, most recently serving as an officer and senior vice president, corporate diversity and community affairs, for MGM MIRAGE, now MGM Resorts Int’l (NYSE: MGM).
During her tenure, MGM MIRAGE received numerous awards in her areas of responsibility, including being ranked among the "Top 50 Companies for Diversity" by DiversityInc magazine, one of the "Top Corporations in the U.S." for multicultural businesses by DiversityBusiness.com and as one of the “Most Admired Companies in America” by Fortune magazine. Additionally, under her leadership the Company’s philanthropy program, including its centerpiece employee-directed foundation, set new standards for strategic philanthropy and employee engagement within the gaming industry.
Prior to joining the gaming industry in 1996, she had been with the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce for six years, holding a variety of management positions, the last of which was Senior Vice President of Government Affairs.
Education
Mathur attended the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, studying elementary and special education, from 1979-1983.
Community Involvement
Mathur has received appointments to statewide leadership positions by Nevada’s last four Governors:
- Governor Brian Sandoval (R) appointed her to the Common Core Steering Committee in 2013 and to the Board of Jobs for America’s Graduates in 2014.
- Governor Jim Gibbons (R) appointed her to the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Education Reform in 2010.
- Governor Kenny Guinn (R) appointed her to the Commission on Tourism in 2002.
- Governor Bob Miller (D) appointed her to the Welfare Reform Task Force in 1994.
A champion and advocate for public education, she has a long history of involvement with the Clark County School District, the fifth largest district in the nation, having served on a lengthy list of committees and special task forces over the years, including the Superintendent’s Equity & Access Commission in 2019.
She also works closely with the NV Department on Education in a variety of roles to advance the ball on education reform in Nevada, including an appointment in 2019 to serve on the Commission to Reform Nevada’s 52-year-old K-12 Education Funding Formula.
In 2020, in response to the pandemic, Mathur co-founded Delivering with Dignity, an innovative emergency management solution, in which delicious meals made by independently-owned restaurants were delivered by volunteer Food Heroes to the most vulnerable members of the community. Her introduction to food insecurity occurred 12 years earlier, as the founding board chair for Three Square, a non-profit organization dedicated to eradicating hunger in southern Nevada. She has served on the Board of the United Way of Southern Nevada for over two decades and is active with Communities In Schools, serving as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors.
She is also active in a number of organizations to improve the effectiveness of the child welfare and foster care systems.
Awards and Recognition
She has received numerous awards including the inaugural Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson Yours in Service Award (2020) and the inaugural Athena Award from the Nevada Women’s Chamber of Commerce (2004), induction into the Nevada Women’s Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Hall of Fame (2005), “Humanitarian of the Year” by Junior League (2012), “Achievement Award” by Las Vegas India Chamber of Commerce (2013), as a Woman of Distinction by Nat’l Association of Women Business Owners (2006), a Platinum Achievement Award by the Cooperative Development Energy Program by Fort Valley State University (2011), A Lady of Distinction by Olive Crest, an organization advocating for needs of children in the foster care system (2009) and Woman of the Year by The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada (2009).
She was named among “Top 100 Influential Women in Las Vegas” by MyVegas Magazine in 2014 and 2015.
Mathur resides in Las Vegas with her three amazing sons and one spectacular daughter.
Dr. Imani Masters Goffney currently works as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Maryland- College Park. She earned her PhD in Mathematics Education and Teaching and Teacher Education from the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on mathematics instruction and on interventions designed to improve its quality and effectiveness, especially for Black and Latinx students. Her research expands our understanding of how issues of race, culture, and social class intersect with students’ opportunities for learning mathematics. She currently manages her own research projects with funding from NSF and private foundations. She is actively involved with EF+Math, as Co-PI on three projects, as the equity-in-action consultant for the EF+Math Leadership team and two additional applied research projects. She recently co-edited a book published by NCTM entitled, Re-humanizing Mathematics for Black, Indigenous, and Latinx Students (2018).
Greg Manzi was recently appointed as the Assistant Superintendent of the Assessment, Accountability, Research, and School Improvement Division (AARSI) of the Clark County School District (CCSD). The AARSI Division provides service and support to schools, departments and divisions, the community, the Nevada Department of Education, and the federal government. The division ensures fidelity of assessments and accuracy in data reporting, as well as manages local, state, and federal accountability monitoring and compliance. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Manzi served as the Director of the Student Record Services Department in the CCSD. During the time with the department, he worked proactively to identify and implement efficiencies including the processes for creating, storing, and producing student records. Mr. Manzi is a strong administrative professional with a Master of Education (MEd) focused in Educational Leadership and Administration from Touro University, Nevada.
Laurie McDanel has an Ed.S in School Administration and a Masters in Special Educations. She has 20 years of special education classroom experience and 10 years of leadership experience at the district level. Her innovative leadership led to significant closure of achievement gaps for students with disabilities in her district. Laurie is a co-founder and application designer for Dot It Software tools. She has served on multiple boards including ARC of Buncombe County, Family Support Network, and NC TASH.
Susan Millones has consulted with districts and trained thousands of teachers across the United States in MTSS and special education. She has presented at National Conferences including National Title 1 and has worked on federal grants for MTSS implementation. She is a graduate of the Learning Forward Academy for professional learning. She has worked with leaders in hundreds of schools to close achievement gaps, ensure authentic compliance, and improve the quality of educational experiences for students on the margins. Susan is a co-founder and systems developer for Dot it software tools.
Brandon L. Moeller
Since 1998, Brandon L. Moeller has worked with children, families, community members, and Clark County School District staff throughout the Las Vegas valley. Mr. Moeller completed his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nevada Las Vegas in Criminal Justice and Psychology and his master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Mr. Moeller started his career as a Juvenile Supervisor for the Clark County Department of Family Services for neglected and abused children at Child Haven. He has taught at Bracken and Tate Elementary Schools. He has served as a Literacy Specialist for the Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program. Also, he served as the Theme Coordinator for Jo Mackey Magnet Elementary School and Project Facilitator in recruitment for the District’s Human Resources Division, Support Staff Personnel Services. Currently, Brandon L. Moeller is the Clark County School District’s (CCSD), Equity and Diversity Education Department, Director. Mr. Moeller actively supports the District’s initiatives on equity, culturally responsive practices, and inclusive learning environments. The Equity and Diversity Education Department provides customized professional learning sessions districtwide to cultivate the attitudes, knowledge, and skills required for a culturally inclusive learning environment for all students, staff, and community members. Mr. Moeller’s commitment to education has led to multiple awards such as Teacher of the Year, CCSD Rave Reviews, and the Clark County School District Hall of Fame – Excellence in Education. Educational Background Doctor of Education Student, with a focus in Organizational Leadership with an Emphasis in K12 Leadership (2020-2023) National Certification, Intercultural Development Research Academy (2018) Executive Certificate, Educational Leadership, and Management, Georgetown University (2017) Certification, Cultural Competency, National Academic Education Partners (2016) CCSD Administrative Leadership Program (2007) Master’s in Educational Leadership, University of Nevada Las Vegas (2005) Urban Teaching Partnership Program, University of Nevada Las Vegas (2000) Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice, University of Nevada Las Vegas (1994) Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology, University of Nevada Las Vegas (1994)
Miadora Nelson has served in public education for the past seventeen years serving Title 1 and at risk populations. During her experience in the Clark County School District, she has been a teacher, learning strategist, and school administrator. Through her leadership work, she co-created a research based rubric designed to coach and build teacher efficacy in student engagement aligned with the Nevada Educator Performance Framework.
Dr. Yvette Nishikawa is a former classroom ELL teacher and district level administrator who currently works for BrainPOP in partnership development. She began her teaching career in Southern California but migrated north to Bend, Oregon where she resides now. She is a parent to four teenagers and two canines.
Dr. Greta Peay joined the Clark County School District (CCSD) in 1987, following eight impressive years of service within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System, Charlotte, North Carolina. She has dedicated thirty-nine years of service to the education profession. Her career is best described as a change agent and an advocate for social justice, and equitable opportunities. Greta Peay is locally and nationally known for her professional development skills to educate others about best practices in the areas of literacy, language acquisition, differentiated instruction, cultural competency, diversity, equity, inclusion, and matters related to educational and organizational equity. She retired from the Clark County School District as the Chief, Instructional Services Officer, where she was responsible for divisions such as:
Assessment, Accountability, Research and School Improvement
Adult Education and Alternative Education
Athletics and Fine Arts
CCSD Charter Schools
College and Career Readiness
Curriculum and Professional Development
English Language Learner Programs
Equity and Diversity Education
Grants Department, Inclusive of Title I and Title II Federal Grants
Indian Education Opportunities Program
Magnet Schools
Student Services Division, Special Education
Throughout her career, Greta Peay has served as an elementary and a middle school teacher; a Title 1 Language Arts Learning Strategist, an English Language Learner Specialist, a Literacy Specialist, a Regional Professional Development Literacy Trainer for Southern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program, a special education middle school teacher, an elementary level school site principal, a CCSD Northeast Region Coordinator, a Director of Support Staff and Teacher Recruitment, Director of Equity and Diversity, Multicultural Adjunct Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a community advocate.
She is a licensed certified educator in two states, North Carolina, and Nevada. She completed 80-hours of curriculum earning a cultural diversity diploma from the Intercultural Research Development Academy and she is certified via the Cultural Intelligence Center on cultural competency and bias. Greta is an active board member on the following Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Boards- Discovery Children’s Museum, McGraw- Hill Publishing Company, and the Nevada Association of School Administrators. Currently, she is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of her own consulting business; Infinity: Diversity Matters, LLC.
Zoran Popovic is Director of the Center for Game Science at University of Washington and founder of Enlearn. Trained as a computer scientist, his research focus is on creating interactive engaging environments for learning and scientific discovery. His laboratory created Foldit, a biochemistry game that produced five Nature publications, and award-winning math learning games played by over five million learners worldwide. He focuses on engaging methods that can rapidly develop experts in arbitrary domains, especially K-12 mathematics. His Algebra Challenges conducted in Washington, Minnesota, and Norway, showed 96% children demonstrating mastery of key algebra concepts in 1.5 hours. He founded Enlearn to apply his generative adaptation work towards the goal of achieving full mastery by 95% of students. His contributions to the field of interactive computer graphics have been recognized by several awards including the NSF CAREER Award, Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship and ACM SIGGRAPH Significant New Researcher Award.
Dr. Yesmi Rios has been a K–12 Coordinator of English Language Learner Services in the Clark County School District for the past 17 years, supporting over 300 K-12 schools. She also serves as an educator council member and provides expertise in math curriculum and instruction as it pertains to working with Black, Latinx students and students living in poverty. She has served as a high school administrator, a math department chair, a director of technology in construction management, a math lecturer, and a consultant to school districts. She has received awards from professional associations and school districts for her commitment and contributions to education. Dr. Rios has undergraduate degrees in Math and Spanish from the University of California, Davis, an MA in Education Administration from San Francisco State University, an MA in Education in Math from Harvard University and completed a Ph.D that focused on assessments and language proficiency.
Dr. Zachary Robbins serves as principal at Cheyenne High School, where he has had a profound impact. In his first year of leadership, Cheyenne High School earned (and has maintained) the highest graduation rate in its history. More students participate in Advanced Placement classes and take dual enrollment classes than at any point in the school’s history.
Dr. Robbins is the author of the book "Restorative Justice Tribunal and ways to Derail Jim Crow Discipline in Schools," published by Routledge Education Press. Dr. Robbins and his Cheyenne team established the first restorative justice program in Nevada, successfully reducing suspension and expulsion rates.
Dr. Robbins is the 2021 City of Las Vegas African-American Trailblazer in Education Award Recipient. He has served on the Governors’ School Safety Committee and serves on the state superintendent's principals advisory committee. Dr. Robbins is the President-Elect of the Secondary School Principals Association of Nevada.
Greg Roush is a retired high school principal with 28 years of educational experience. Mr. Roush has completed 6 years as a high school principal, 5 years as an elementary principal, and was a middle school director for two. He began his educational career as a middle school math teacher in 1992. His success and experience as an administrator led to a Distinguished high school award in 2016 and an elementary school title of Proficiency in 2009. He received his bachelors, and two masters degrees from Eastern Kentucky University.
Patrick Staley - An expert in the field of online and blended learning, Patrick Staley has studied, published, and designed blended learning models that integrate instructional technology to accelerate student growth. He began his education career as a teacher, coach, and trainer in Chicago. There he helped launch one of the first school-wide adoptions of the “flex” blended learning model. Moving to a more national focus, he worked directly with districts across the country to create implementation models and teacher professional learning plans. His current mission is to support Achieve3000’s largest district partnerships, including Clark County School District in Nevada.
Brittany Varao currently serves as the GATE and ELL Coordinator for Nye County School District, and is an educational consultant that presents nationwide. She has taught gifted curriculum at the university level and is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in administration.
Tracy Viscosi is the current Director of the Student Information System in the Technology and Information System Services Division (TISS) of the Clark County School District (CCSD). In this role, she is responsible for assisting in guiding the state-wide implementation of Infinite Campus, including the protection of student data through business rules, product design, and user rights recommendations. Mrs. Viscosi first started in education after receiving a degree in Biological Science, deciding to change her path and become a teacher in Nevada. After falling in love with the classroom, she completed a professional degree in secondary science education and became a licensed teacher. Since then Mrs. Viscosi has spent more than 20 years working in the CCSD serving as a secondary science teacher and building level administrator. Mrs. Viscosi is a licensed administrator with a Master of Education (MEd) focused in Educational Leadership and Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Educational Technology.
Dr. Chandra Walker, Director of Leadership Development, for Gwinnett County Public Schools, received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University in 1997, Master’s Degree in Counseling from University of West Georgia in 2000, and a Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership from Clark Atlanta University in 2006.
With more than 23 years of experience in public education, Dr. Walker maintains a passion and commitment to improving student outcomes. Since joining Gwinnett County Public Schools in 2003, she has served in the roles of Executive Director of HR Staffing, Principal, Assistant Principal, and School Counselor. Key outcomes of her work include the design and implementation of comprehensive processes to identify, recruit, and retain school teachers and leaders that ensure educational equity and improve student learning. Her expertise in targeted leadership training, coaching, and mentoring is consistently leveraged to build the instructional capacity of school leaders and leadership teams to effectively map, monitor, and measure school improvement processes that lead to school success.
As a 2009 graduate of Gwinnett County Public Schools’ Quality-Plus Leader Academy - Aspiring Principal Program, Dr. Walker understands that leadership matters. During her tenure as an elementary principal, she created a high-performance culture that met the needs of students, staff, parents, and school community. As a result, her school was awarded a Distinguished Performance Level Score from Vanderbilt Assessment in Leadership in Education (VAL-ED) and the 2011 Platinum Award-CRCT Greatest Gains from the Georgia Governor's Office of Student Achievement. Dr. Walker currently serves as Director of Leadership Development in the Division of Human Resources and Talent Management, effectively supporting the district’s 180,000 students achieve college and career readiness.
Ms. Young is a mother of two beautiful children, KaPreace (25, UNR Graduate) and Anthony (20, UNR Sophomore). She is an advocate for families, community, young women, and education. As a resident of the Reno/Sparks community for over 25 years, she has been a spokesperson for the community, diversity and equitable practices, student achievement, and community and economic development. She is a public speaker, trainer, business owner, workshop facilitator and community collaborator at heart.
Ms. Tiffany Young has been named the new Program Director for the High Sierra Starbase program, and is the former Director of Equity and Diversity for the Washoe County School District (WCSD). Her work is within systems to support and clarify the role of Equity and cultural competency interwoven into all schools, departments, and systems. Ms. Young leads work around programs and policies that must addressed through an equitable and culturally responsive lens, as well as creating and facilitating professional learning around Equity and Cultural Competency and owns her own consulting business, Tiffany Young Consulting LLC. Ms. Young is a Fulbright Specialist with U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
Ms. Young holds a M. Ed. and B.A. from the University of Nevada Reno where she is also an Adjunct Professor in the Human Development and Family Studies Department. Ms. Young has served the WCSD Parent Involvement Committee as a member chair. Ms. Young has been a Commissioner for the Nevada Equal Rights (NERC) Commission since January 2006, and has participated as a Peer Mentor for the Department of Justice Community Capacity Development Office (formerly the Executive Office for Weed and Seed). She has served as the M.C. for the Northern Nev. Human Resources Assoc. Conference in addition to facilitating workshops on Diversity, and Community Involvement. She is the current past President of the N. Nv. Black Cultural Awareness Society (NNBCAS). She previously served as a Board Member for Join Together Northern Nevada (a drug prevention coalition), the Impartial Policing Advisory Committee, and the Human Services Network. She was awarded the Education Service Award by the African American Clergy Council of Northern Nevada (AACCONN), and was appointed to the Commission on Minority Affairs from 2013 to 2014. Awarded a Community Service Award by the local chapter of the Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club, and served as the Keynote speaker for the National Negro Business and Professional Women’s Club conference held in Reno in 2012.
In 2019, Tiffany traveled to Zambia to co-facilitate a Training of Trainers model for girls under the age of 25 from peri-urban areas including Garden, Kamwala, Matero, Mutendere and Chawama. The Training of Trainers will guide volunteers of She Entrepreneur to integrate into trainings, lessons that address the social needs of young mothers, mostly adolescents who are part of She Entrepreneur program. Secondly, to incorporate lessons on diversity, inclusion and equity into the She Entrepreneur’s program.
Yong Zhao is a Foundation Distinguished Professor in the School of Education at the University of Kansas and a professor in Educational Leadership at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education in Australia. He previously served as the Presidential Chair, Associate Dean, and Director of the Institute for Global and Online Education in the College of Education, University of Oregon, where he was also a Professor in the Department of Educational Measurement, Policy, and Leadership. Prior to Oregon, Yong Zhao was University Distinguished Professor at the College of Education, Michigan State University, where he also served as the founding director of the Center for Teaching and Technology, executive director of the Confucius Institute, as well as the US-China Center for Research on Educational Excellence. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Education and a fellow of the International Academy of Education.
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Yong Zhao, Ph.D.
Foundation Distinguished Professor
School of Education
University of Kansas
Professor in Educational Leadership
Melbourne Graduate School of Education
Recent Books:
Teaching Students to Become Self-Determined Learners (ASCD, 2020), An Education Crisis is a Terrible Thing to Waste: How Radical Changes Can Spark Student Excitement and Success (Teachers College Press, 2019), What Works Can Hurt: Side Effects in Education (Teachers College Press, 2018). Reach for Greatness: Personalizable Education for All Children (Corwin, 2018), Counting What Counts: Reframing Education Outcomes (Solution Tree, 2016), Never Send a Human to Do a Machine's Job: Correcting Top 5 EdTech Mistakes (Corwin, 2015), Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon: Why China has the Best (and worst) Education in the World (Jossey-Bass, 2014), World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students (Corwin, 2012).
