Authors & Presenters

Mandy Barrett, EdD, currently serves as an elementary school principal in northwest Arkansas. She has over 20 years of experience working in high-poverty schools and schools with large ESL populations.

Kristen Bordonaro is the director of programs and services for the Exceptional Learners Collaborative in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Her work focuses on supporting special education teams of member districts.

Heather Friziellie is currently superintendent of schools for Fox Lake Grade School District 114, located in the suburbs northwest of Chicago. She previously served as both an elementary principal and a middle school principal.

Amy Gluck is assistant superintendent of teaching and learning in Grayslake CCSD 46 in Illinois. Her work focuses on ensuring all students achieve high levels of learning.

Alex Hughes is the principal of Central School in Madison County, Alabama, where he ensures that all students under his care learn at high levels. Alex previously served as a special education aide and teacher, coach, and assistant principal.

Brandon Jones, an author and consultant, works with educators to implement the Professional Learning Communities at Work® and RTI at Work™ processes. As a practitioner, he has served as a high school teacher and assistant principal, as well as a principal at the elementary, middle, and secondary level.

Paula Maeker is an educator, consultant, and advocate for learner-centered education. She has more than twenty-three years’ experience as an elementary teacher, literacy specialist, instructional coach, Title 1 program coordinator, campus administrator, director of elementary literacy, and director of instructional design.

Jane Pedersen, EdD, is the director of student services in Fremont School District 79 in Illinois. She has previously served as assistant director of educational services, an elementary school assistant principal, and a school psychologist for Kildeer Countryside School District 96 in Illinois.

Kimberly Salomonson provides coordination and professional development for state and district work in continuous quality improvement efforts. She served seven years as the director of pupil personnel services with the Sanger Unified School District.

Julie A. Schmidt recently retired as superintendent of schools for Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96 in Illinois. The district began its professional learning community (PLC) journey 22 years ago, and all seven schools have been recognized as Model PLC at Work® schools. Woodlawn Middle School in District 96 was the 2018 DuFour Award winner.