The Teaching Lab team is dedicated to building a non-profit, teacher-led network that leverages grassroots organizing and research-based professional learning to serve all students, no matter their background or zip code.
We believe that an equitable education system can be built by collaborating with communities that educate traditionally underserved students. Teaching Lab works to build local leadership and content expertise to develop the capacity of communities to sustain growth and development.
Teaching Lab envisions a teaching profession where teachers, in collaboration, own and drive a culture of learning and continuous improvement in their instructional practice, impacting student achievement in disadvantaged communities in significant and measurable ways.
Rene has more than a decade of experience serving as a teacher-leader, curriculum writer, and literacy instructional coach. As a member of Teach For America, Rene taught 10th grade writing & AP Language in Charlotte, North Carolina for four years. After leaving Charlotte, Rene was a Manager, Teacher Leadership and Manager, Institute support for five years on the Teach For America Dallas- Ft. Worth and national teams. She has an MA in Magazine, Newspaper, and Online Journalism from Syracuse University and a M. Ed with a concentration in Literacy Intervention and Executive Coaching from Southern Methodist University. Rene lives by the quote, “Service is our rent for being on this earth,” and her service is rooted in supporting teacher training and providing excellent educational opportunities for children. She resides in Dallas, TX with her best friend (Shih Tzu/ Lhasa Apso mix), Sharobi.
Kristen joins Teaching Lab with over a decade of experience in the field of education. She has served as a secondary ELA and Special Education teacher, school leader, network special education leader and curriculum professional development specialist. As a Special Education leader she streamlined systems to dramatically improve Special Education compliance, expand services and improve academic outcomes for students in special populations. She deeply believes that all students can succeed, and it’s our role as educators to set the conditions for them to thrive. Kristen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Morgan State University and a Master of Education degree in Secondary Education with a Special Education certification from Chestnut Hill College. She lives in Bronx, NY.
Ryan comes to Teaching Lab after several years of teaching middle and high school mathematics. While her undergraduate majors were in Neuroscience and Africana Studies, her focus has always been the intersection of race, class, and education. After completing her graduate study with the Boston Teacher Residency, Ryan taught math at the Jeremiah E. Burke High School in Boston. Working with a team of dedicated educators, the school became the first in Massachusetts’s history to successfully exit turnaround status. She’s mentored in-service teachers through BTR, served as her school’s head for the math and Special Education department, and she organized her school’s first PLC. Ryan brings to Teaching Lab her a love for mathematics, respect for the profession of teaching, and dedication to educational equity.
Lindsey has over a decade experience working in the education, non-profit, and talent industries leading diverse & values-driven teams to advance organizational mission through results and partnership. As a former educator, teacher trainer and coach, and head of program, Lindsey deeply believes in the potential of all people to self-determine and live a life of their dreams. In her most current role as regional Head of People for Teach For America Dallas – Fort Worth, Lindsey designed a human capital management program focused on diversity, inclusiveness and equity. Lindsey graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelors Degree in Integrated Strategic Communications and Spanish. Currently, Lindsey resides in Dallas, Texas with her spouse, Ryan and their son, Atles.
Mandy Flora is a Teaching Lab fellow, serving two districts (Shelby County Schools in Memphis, TN and Allen Parish, Kinder Louisiana) through lab cycles around K-2 and 6-8 EL content. Mandy brings experience as an active Core Advocate and writer for aligned ELA materials such as Read Aloud Alignment Project, and Text-Sets Project through Student Achievement Partners.
Cara joins the Teaching Lab team with over a decade of experience working in the field of education. Cara began her career as a Teach for America corps member in Phoenix, where she taught special education. She also mentored and supported early career special education teachers to transform the educational opportunities of the students they served. As a former educator, instructional coach, and school administrator, Cara fundamentally believes that high quality professional learning is what transforms teacher practice and creates equitable, excellent learning opportunities for all students. Cara earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and English from Marquette University, and Masters Degrees in Special Education and Educational Leadership from Arizona State University. Currently, Cara resides in New Lenox, Illinois with her spouse Jeff, and their sons, Rory and Nolan.
Nichole Herring joins the Teaching Lab team with over 10 years of operational expertise. Previously, Nichole worked as the Development Manager for UnboundEd and Special Projects Manager for City Year Inc. She began her career as an Senior AmeriCorps Volunteer, serving in East New York Brooklyn schools. Since serving in AmeriCorps, Nichole has built operations and support systems for a variety of teams and organizations in New York, Boston, and Washington DC. Nichole holds a Bachelors of Arts in Theatre Arts and English Literature from the University of Pittsburgh, which imbues her with boundless creativity and energy.
After serving as the organization's board chair, Sarah joined Teaching Lab from the Overdeck Family Foundation, where she created and managed the Exceptional Educators Portfolio, a set of investments focused on improving teaching and learning nationwide. Sarah also held leadership roles at the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) under the Deputy Chancellor for Teaching and Learning. In her roles, she managed strategy for a 600-person division, implemented a continuous improvement strategy across 1000 schools and oversaw policy for the city’s teacher development and evaluation system serving over 70,000 teachers. Before her work at the NYCDOE, she was a high school science teacher and founder of a social justice student leadership program in Washington, DC and Oakland, CA. She has a Doctorate in Education Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, an M.A.T. from American University, and graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Neuroscience from Emory University.
Vaishali has nearly 15 years of experience as a teacher, curriculum and program designer, and instructional leader in the field of education. She began her career as a fourth grade teacher in Baltimore City through Teach for America. She went on to become a founding teacher at Southwest Baltimore Charter School, where she taught first and third grades, served as a literacy instructional coach and mentor teacher, and served on the the School Leadership Team. She also mentored and supported new and aspiring teachers as a literacy instructor and resident advisor with the Baltimore City Teaching Residency. Vaishali then moved to the Boston area, serving as the inaugural Lower School Academic Dean at Codman Academy Charter Public School and leading a team of curriculum writers for EL Education to design and write comprehensive, integrated literacy curriculum for grades K-2. She is thrilled to return to the Maryland/DC Metro area and serve as Teaching Lab's Director of Content Design. Vaishali holds a B.A. in International Relations and Music from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an M.Ed in Literacy Education from Loyola University of Maryland, and a Doctorate in Education Leadership (Ed.L.D) from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.
Addie Kelley has 10 years of classroom experience in diverse settings and has mentored student-teachers for several years while leading grade-level and content-specific PLC’s. Most recently, as a Louisiana Teacher Leader Advisor, Addie worked with the Louisiana Guidebooks to publish Virtual Book Club training modules to support teachers’ early implementation of the curriculum. She then authored two nationally published third grade units on the LearnZillion platform. Addie has presented about the Guidebooks and the Teacher Leader model of teacher leadership and professional development at the district, state, and national level.
Sheena joined Teaching Lab from UnboundEd where she was Director of Mathematics, and she led the development and effective production of math content for the Standards Institutes, and where she curated and adapted OER curricula with a focus on supporting students with unfinished learning and increasing language access for English learners. Sheena has worked in education for over a decade, with a focus on high quality instruction in urban schools. She is a former elementary mentor teacher, teacher leader, and workshop facilitator. Sheena began her career as a Teach For America teacher in Connecticut, where she taught in the charter sector. She was awarded KIPP's MVP Teacher Award in 2015, which commended her focus on student achievement and going above and beyond to serve the students in her care.
Octavia Nixon has 10 years of experience working in different capacities within the field of education. She has served as an ELA and special education teacher, virtual and school-based instructional coach, and curriculum designer. Octavia has experience creating and revising literacy based curricula in addition to developing standards-aligned curriculum material for the Office of the State Superintendent of Education in Washington, D.C. Octavia earned a Bachelor's Degree in English with a minor in psychology from the University of Massachusetts-Boston, a Master's Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, and an Educational Supervisor Certification from Kean University.
Spencer joined Teaching Lab as a Fellow in 2018, facilitating professional learning, designing tools and resources for facilitators, and researching the impact of specific components of teachers’ visions on their classroom outcomes. Prior to that, Spencer was a kindergarten and first grade teacher in Houston, TX. As a teacher, he found joy in watching students learn to read texts without picture support, write neat(er) letters on the lines, and show their work in math, even when incorrect. During his summers, he coached teachers who were new to the profession in classroom management, culture, and instruction. Spencer lives in Houston, TX, with his partner and son. He is a proud graduate of Amherst College.
Adrianne Sublett joins the Teaching Lab team with 18 years of experience working with students, families, and educators from Shelby County Schools in Memphis, Tennessee. She served in several school leadership and district positions during her tenure; her most recent work centered on curriculum writing and school turnaround. Adrianne is passionate about advocating for educational equity through high quality learning experiences for all students. Her passion has led her to facilitating, creating, implementing, and reviewing state and national professional development and resources. Adrianne believes all students should receive a high quality education, so she has dedicated her time and service to organizations such as Student Achievement Partners, Reconstruction, EdReports, and Achieve, Inc. Adrianne holds a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and an education specialist degree in Administration and Supervision along with both teaching and administration certifications for the state of Tennessee.
Mandi Van Dellen is a Partnership Manager who works closely with every level of district employee to increase educator capacity through coordination of district initiatives, high-quality learning experiences, and individualized support. She brings over 10 years of experience as a teacher, instructional coach, professional development specialist, and educational consultant. Her expertise is built upon a foundation of experience with small, rural communities to large urban school districts. Mandi believes that establishing and fostering relationships is crucial to educator success. She currently lives in Nevada with her family.
HaMy brings 15 years of experience as a teacher, data analyst, education researcher, and research project manager in education. She began her career as a middle school math teacher in Philadelphia and New York City. Prior to joining Teaching Lab, HaMy served as Senior Director, Research and Design at UnboundEd, supporting the alignment of programs to organization goals and leading efforts to measure program efficacy. Prior to that, HaMy oversaw data analysis, data reporting, and policy recommendations at the Regents Research Fund and the New York City Department of Education. She holds a B.S. in Policy Analysis and Management from Cornell University and an M.A. in Urban Education Policy from Brown University. She lives in the greater Philadelphia area with her family.
Tamala joins Teaching Lab with 19 years of experience teaching, coaching, and leading. In her most recent role she served as math instructional coach with University Preparatory Schools. She also developed and served as program director for “Math Explorer”, a project designed to provide at-risk students with an opportunity to engage and explore their interest in STEM. Tamala has spent her entire career dedicated to improving the outcomes for students in the urban setting. She believes whole-heartedly in the adage, “victory lies in the classroom” and has dedicated her career as a mathematics teacher, instructional coach, and leader mentoring teachers and improving the educational outcomes for all students. She believes being strategic about what we teach and how we teach is critical to the success of teachers and students, spending the last few years creating and writing national curriculum training materials for new math teachers. Tamala graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Masters Degree in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College. Tamala currently resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Adrienne Williams brings 8-years of teaching, coaching, and leading experience with Center City Public Charter Schools in Washington, DC. There, Adrienne served as a teacher-leader and curriculum manager supporting instruction in literacy and math in grades K-3. In 2016, she won the Center City Excellence Award for achieving the highest student performance in reading with 85% at or above grade level, 70% being advanced. Outside of her charter-based worked, Adrienne has promoted and provided professional learning and collaboration around literacy instruction and standards alignment in both the District and around the country. She came to education through Urban Teacher’s four-year program and completed a Teaching Lab fellowship that gave her firsthand knowledge of the potential of putting the power of change in the hands of teachers.
"As a first-grade teacher and later a coach, my relationships with my peers were integral to improving my practice. Through sharing ideas, lesson plans, student work and practicing together, I was able to get better faster. Not only did my practice improve, but my relationships with my colleagues helped get me through the challenging first years of being a teacher. They helped build my resilience to stay in the game and keep showing up for my kids when it would have been easy to burn out. Having a team to support you and stay focused on the right work was crucial."
Gwen Baker is Bellwether Education Partners’ Chief Operating Officer and serves as a senior adviser with the Strategic Advising practice area. She has over 15 years of experience in education reform and focuses primarily on the uses of technology to advance ambitious goals. Before joining Bellwether, Gwen was CEO and Co-Founder of CoreSpring, Inc., a nonprofit whose mission is to provide the field with access to high-quality formative assessment content and digital authoring tools. Prior to CoreSpring, Gwen worked at NewSchools Venture Fund, where she led the organization’s portfolio data collection and analysis efforts as well as its community of practice work. Before NewSchools, Gwen served as Director of Knowledge Management at New Visions for Public Schools, the largest school reform organization in New York City. Gwen also worked at Teachscape, Inc., where she served as Vice President of Teaching and Learning and Senior Vice President of Operations. She began her career at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture), working with clients to build performance-based and simulated learning solutions. Gwen holds a master’s degree in Learning Sciences from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in Corporate Communication from Ithaca College. She lives in New York City.
Rachel Etienne is the Executive Vice President of Professional Learning at Student Achievement Partners. As an ELA/literacy specialist, Rachel created and curated online curriculum and professional learning resources and facilitated large-scale training and communities of practice for instructional leaders and teachers across the country. Prior to joining the team, Rachel had a range of experience in literacy education as an elementary classroom teacher and literacy coach in a large K-12 school district, parochial and charter school networks, and adult education programs. Rachel holds a bachelor's degree in Education from Eastern Michigan University.
Jenny currently serves as Chief Operating Officer at Teach For America – Bay Area. Prior to that role, she served on the founding team at a new education philanthropy, the Schusterman Foundation; helped replicate high-performing charter schools in roles at Aspire Public Schools and Brooke Charter Schools; and partnered with non-profits as a strategic consultant at The Bridgespan Group. Jenny holds an M.B.A. and Master's in Education from Stanford University and a B.A., magna cum laude, from Harvard University. Jenny lives in San Francisco with her husband.
Bryan brings 15 years of public and private sector management experience. He has been recognized nationally as an expert in implementing complex management and technology reforms and for his expertise in the development and implementation of the Stat performance management processes. His engagements have included leading the development of performance management processes with school districts in Baltimore and Paterson, NJ, and state education agencies of New York, Rhode Island, and the District of Columbia. He has also served as an adviser to the US Department of Education on performance management and to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on personalizing teacher training, performance management, and education technology. Bryan led work in the Rhode Island Department of Education to develop seven inter-dependent data systems in parallel as part of the state’s Race to the Top Initiative.
As the Director for California Initiatives at the Center for the Future of Teaching & Learning at WestEd, Robert Sheffield focuses on strengthening implementation of the new content standards in California. Previously, Sheffield served as Executive Director for District Implementation at the College Board. During his tenure, he led efforts to grow the reach and effectiveness of the SpringBoard program through school and district leader professional learning and coaching. Sheffield also led advisory councils and focus groups to ensure that teacher voice was reflected within the program’s design and delivery. Sheffield received a BS in educational studies and U.S. history from Vanderbilt University and an MS in curriculum, instruction, and technology from Nova Southeastern University.
Dr. Anika Warren is responsible for driving organizational effectiveness to maximize impact on Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation’s portfolio and optimize team performance, productivity and culture. She also provides principal support for talent recruitment and development. Before joining Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, Anika was Founding President and CEO of the Warren Group LLC (established in 2011), providing strategic consulting, executive coaching, career counseling, and psychological services to corporations, universities, nonprofits, and individuals domestically and internationally. From 2013 through 2017, Dr. Warren served as Senior Associate Vice President of Foundation and Corporate Relations in the Office of Institutional Advancement at Drexel University. Prior to working at Drexel, Anika functioned as a Senior Director of Research and Global Member Services at Catalyst Inc., the leading global non-profit organization focused on gender diversity and workplace inclusion. Dr. Warren also served as graduate-level faculty in the Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University for six years. As a mental health professional, she has worked with hundreds of patients with a broad range of issues and diagnoses. Dr. Warren has a B.B.A. in Finance from Howard University; an M.A. and an M.Ed. in Psychological Counseling from Columbia University, specializing in organizational, school, and multicultural psychology; and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Boston College.
In his role at Aspen, Ross leads professional learning networks for urban school district leaders and senior Congressional Education staffers. The program assists policymakers and education leaders in strengthening human capital systems, supporting implementation of Common Core State Standards, and strategically reallocating financial resources. From 2002 to 2009, Ross worked as policy director and then as vice president for program and policy at the Education Trust, a national, non-profit organization dedicated to raising standards and closing achievement gaps in public education. Prior to Education Trust, Ross served as a trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Educational Opportunities Section.
Teaching Lab works with states, districts, and schools across the United States to create high-performing, continuously improving school systems nationwide.
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