Authors & Presenters

Tom Hierck has been an educator since 1983, and his career has spanned all grade levels and many roles in public education. He has presented to schools and districts across North America with a message of celebration for educators seeking to make a difference in the lives of students.

Garnet Hillman is an educator, author, presenter, and learner. She has served as an instructional coach at Caruso Middle School and as a Spanish teacher at Lockport Township High School, both in Illinois.

Chris Jakicic, EdD, an author and a consultant, was principal of Woodlawn Middle School in Illinois from 1999 to 2007. She began her career teaching middle school science.

As an author and a leader in the field, Sharon V. Kramer, PhD, emphasizes the importance of creating and using quality assessments as a continual part of the learning process. Dr. Kramer served as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction of Kildeer Countryside School District 96 in Illinois.

With more than 35 years of experience as an educator, Peter Marshall most recently served as a school administrator and in a central office position as the principal for leadership and staff development.

Ken Mattingly is a retired classroom teacher with 27 years of experience. He has implemented classroom assessment for student learning for the past 15 years.

Jadi Miller, EdD, is director of assessment for Elkhorn Public Schools in Elkhorn, Nebraska. She has experience as a teacher and an administrator at the elementary, secondary, and district levels.

Maria Nielsen, educational speaker and author, specializes in supporting teachers and administrators in the areas of PLCs, RTI, school culture, curriculum design, the highly engaged classroom, and assessment systems. Her life’s work is to help schools build successful systems to ensure high levels of student learning.

Dr. Susannah Holbert O'Bara is a deputy superintendent for the Denton Independent School District in Texas. She previously served as principal of Mildred M. Hawk Elementary School for nine years. Susannah has been an elementary administrator for more than 15 years.