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University Faculty (adjunct) 

2024 Graduate School of Education, University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada

Co-taught capstone course titled Seminar on Educational Leadership to aspiring superintendents enrolled in a doctoral program.

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Consultant to the Superintendent

2020-2023 Denver Public Schools, Denver, Colorado

Provided executive coaching to the Superintendent in the areas of strategic planning, policy governance, and change management.

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Assistant to the Senior Deputy Superintendent 

2019-2020 Denver Public Schools, Denver, Colorado

Enlisted as a thought partner for senior leadership of the largest public P-12 school system in Colorado, served as the lead planner for (and facilitator  of) a 41-member team that was charged with undertaking the ground work needed to anchor development of a next-generation Denver Plan.

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Senior Non-Resident Fellow (pro bono)

2014-Jan. 2022 The Guinn Center for Policy Priorities, Las Vegas, Nevada

The Guinn Center is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank focused on advancing understanding of educational issues facing Nevada.  The Center uses independent research and analysis to inform public debate, expand citizen engagement, and advance solutions that benefit communities.

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Director, Principal Preparation Project

2016-2018 Regents Research Fund at the University of the State of New York, New York

Funded by the NYC-based Wallace Foundation, this project established partnerships among districts, universities, and third party providers that combine research and policy in ways that expand the quality and enhance the quality of school building leaders.

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Educational Researcher

2014-2015 The Lincy Institute, University of Las Vegas, Nevada 

Funded by the Windsong Foundation, conducted applied research on the ability of performance management techniques to inform public policy, enhance professional practice, and provide meaningful, measurable impact on student achievement. Efforts included: (a) implementing school ROI ratings that use value-to-cost ratios to gauge educational quality; (b) using a franchise approach to scale up successful school models; (c) using international bench-marking. Team with district leaders to deliver sustainable outcomes that produce greater value for taxpayer dollars.

 

Special Assistant to the Superintendent

2011-2014 Clark County School District, Las Vegas, Nevada

Funded by the UCLA DreamFund and the Lincy Foundation, led efforts to apply performance management tools in a district of 315,000 students. Coordinated launch of academic growth model. Stood up a School Performance Framework. Teamed with Superintendent to author reform road-maps (“A Look Ahead: Phase I, Phase II"). A year and a half after arrival, district results from state assessment improved in 11 of 14 areas assessed by the state. Graduation rate increased (59 to 70 percent). This occurred despite reduction of $550M over three years (operating budget = $2.1B). 

 

Head of Curriculum and Instruction 

2010-2011 Emirates National Schools, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Enlisted to provide advice to Ministry of Presidential Affairs on redesign and operation of a system of national schools within the United Arab Emirates. 

 

Deputy Commissioner of Education

2007-2010 Colorado Department of Education, Denver, Colorado

Instrumental in design of a system of accountability and support for a reform-minded state. Responsibilities included revising standards and assessments, initiating closing-the-achievement-gap project, launching online learning, promoting literacy development, and ensuring English language acquisition. Teamed with Commissioner to co-author reform roadmap (“Forward Thinking”) and position papers, (“Innovation and Choice”). Oversaw accreditation reform and development of a break-through model of academic growth.

• State accomplishment: Results from National Assessment of Educational Progress rank Colorado as one of the fastest-improving states in terms of improvement in grade 8 Reading (from 2009-2011)

• Innovation: Off-spring from Colorado’s ground-breaking growth model are now in use by 20 states.

 

Deputy Superintendent 

2001-2007 Academy School District 20, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Guided academics for high-performing district of 22,000 students adjacent to U.S. Air Force Academy.

Supervised learning services, human resources, and research. Coordinated administrator professional development and principal supervision. Directed planning and data services. District distinctions included:

• Return on investment: Third International Math and Science Study results in science for Academy students in grade 8 were as high as those from highest scoring countries in the world. At the same time, the district had the lowest per pupil expenditures ($4,767) of any participant in TIMSS.

• Achievement: For five years, district posted highest state assessment scores among state’s largest districts (6000+ students). In 2006, this included 70% of tests (all Writing, all Reading but 5th, all Science but 5th, and Math grade 5). Yet district was 164th of 176 districts on per pupil expenditures.

• International Baccalaureate: District was first in North America with a program of IB instruction that spans preschool to grade 12. One third of all district schools were IB authorized.

•  District accomplishment: In 2003 the district was featured on the Forbes Magazine web site. In Nov. 2002, CNN featured the district for providing exemplary educational value to consumers. 

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Assistant Superintendent

2000-2001 Academy School District 20, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Directed learning services for a high-performing district experiencing rapid growth. Responsibilities:

• Professional Development: Co-developed grow-our-own program for aspiring administrators.

• On Line Warehouse of Performance Results: Led effort to establish Achievement Information Management System (software solution producing performance reports to support accreditation). 

 

Executive Director

1996-2000  Adams County School District 50, Westminster, Colorado

Directed curriculum and instruction, staff development, and administrator supervision. Change efforts:

• English Learners: Coordinated standards-based staff development (97% of staff certified).

• Achievement Information System: Designed on line grade book (linked assessments to standards). 

 

Director

1994-1996 Adams County School District 50, Westminster, Colorado

Coordinated development and implementation of standards and assessments. Supervised principals. 

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Principal

1991-1994 Mark Twain Elementary, Littleton Public Schools, Littleton, Colorado

School was featured in Education Week (1993) and profiled in Measuring Up (1995). In 1992, "Twain was cited repeatedly when the Rocky Mountain News asked educators to name state's top schools." 

 

Assistant to the Superintendent 

1989 Melrose Public Schools, Melrose, Massachusetts 

Semester intern to superintendent David Driscoll (later Massachusetts Education Commissioner). 

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Director, College Assessment 

1989-1990  Lesley College, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Designed and conducted national study assessing the adequacy of college-wide services. 

 

Education

 

ED.D, ADMINISTRATION, PLANNING, AND POLICY

Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

 

ED.M, ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

 

M.A, CURRICULUM, ADMINISTRATION, AND SUPERVISION

University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado

 

B.S, EDUCATION

University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado