Jan G. Borelli
Position: Principal, Westwood Elementary School, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Education: B.S. and M.Ed., Auburn University; Ph.D., Vanderbilt University.
Career History and Highlights:Principal, Oklahoma City Public Schools, and currently district's elementary principal of the year; associate professor, educational leadership, University of Oklahoma; superintendent, El Reno (Okla.) Public Schools; executive director of curriculum, Darlington County (S.C.) School District. President, Oklahoma City Reading Council; editorial board, National Association of Elementary School Principals; national advisory committee for American Association of School Administrators for principal and superintendent preparation; grants review for National Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation; board member, Lanterns for Literacy and Oklahoma Lung Association.
ASCD and Affiliate Participation:ASCD member since early 1980s. Have written and spoken for ASCD with selected publications, including "How to Get on the Internet Without Looking Like an Idiot,"ASCD Technology Quarterly(1988); "How Does a School District Become a Leader in Technology?"ASCD Technology Quarterly(1999); "A Little Extra Time—Tiers of Support Help Students Succeed,"ASCD Express (2006). Presenter, "The Practical Internet," (1998 ASCD Annual Conference).
M. Jon Dean
Position: Principal, Harlan Elementary School, Birmingham Public Schools, Mich.
Education: B.S. and M.A., Wayne State University.
Career History and Highlights:Elementary principal (2000–present); high school math teacher (1995–2000); member, Michigan North Central Association (NCA) State Committee (2004–present); NCA visiting team chair for various schools (2004–present); presenter at Michigan NCA state conference (2005); presenter at national NCA conference (2006); trained teacher in the Michigan Literacy Progress Profile; trained trainer in assessment by the Assessment Training Institute; building-level special education director (2000–02); trained in Interest Based Bargaining; member of various collective bargaining teams; team leader of the Allen Park Report Card Team; mentor in various administrative mentoring programs.
ASCD and Affiliate Participation:ASCD member, (6 years); Michigan ASCD member (3 years). Author, "Can We Get Beyond Letter Grades,"Educational Leadership (May 2006); member of the ASCD Associates program (3 years); ASCD Advocate (1 year); attendee, national conference (2002 and 2006).
Teresa Dempsey
Position: Coordinator of professional development, Educational Service Center of Franklin County, Columbus, Ohio.
Education: B.S., University of Dayton; M.Ed., Loyola College; Ph.D., Miami University.
Career History and Highlights:Developed Ohio Understanding by Design Conference (2004–06); consultant,Authentic Education (2005–06); president, Staff Development Council of Ohio (National Staff Development Council affiliate, 2005); adjunct, Ashland University (2001–06). Published "Leadership for the Constructivist Classroom," Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, UCEA (2001); instructional specialist for science education, Prince George's County (Md.) Public Schools (1994–97).
ASCD and Affiliate Participation:ASCD member (11 years); affiliate member, (6 years). Presenter, Understanding by Design National Conference (2006); participant, Leadership for Effective Advocacy and Practice Institute's Emerging Leaders Program (2005); ASCD Associate (2001–05). Ohio ASCD executive board member (2001–06), secretary (2003–04); member, issues committee (2002–03 and 2005–06) and communications committee (2003–05).
Jennifer Valerie Doyle
Position: School supervisor, Ministry of Education, Trinidad and Tobago.
Education: B.A. and M.A., University of the West Indies.
Career History and Highlights:Ability to demonstrate leadership and good human relations skills at team and individual levels; copresenter, ASCD 2006 Annual Conference (Social and Emotional Learning Network); international participant at Harvard University Quality Education Programme.
ASCD and Affiliate Participation:ASCD member (9 years); affiliate member (9 years). Member, Leadership Council and former Board of Directors; attended annual conference exhibit shows (1998–present); demonstrated commitment to the ideals, beliefs, and diversity of ASCD international by attending and actively participating in affiliate leadership training sessions (1998–present); attended LEAP Institute (2005). President, Trinidad and Tobago ASCD (1999–2000, 2001–02, 2004–06); present executive director; chair, membership, professional development, and research committees; coordination of all professional development activities for educational stakeholders (1998–present); resource personnel for ASCD materials and personnel.
James Gallegos
Position: Assistant superintendent, principal, and special education director, Cimarron Municipal Schools, N.M.
Education: B.S., University of New Mexico; M.A., New Mexico Highlands University.
Career History and Highlights: I have a total of 18 years of education experience—2 years as an elementary teacher and 7 years as a middle school teacher. I have been a principal of a K–8 school for 9 years, 2 while also holding the position of assistant superintendent and special education director. I am currently the vice president of the New Mexico Coalition of School Administrators, an organization in which New Mexico ASCD participates.
ASCD and Affiliate Participation:ASCD member (7 years); affiliate member (9 years). I have served as secretary and president of New Mexico ASCD and am currently immediate past president. I have participated on the Leadership Council and in the Northwest/Southwest regional meeting for 3 years. I am currently serving on the ASCD Nominations Committee.
John S. Henderson
Position: Senior director of education, National Youth Leadership Forum and Congressional Young Leaders Conference, Washington, D.C.
Education: B.A., Kent State University; M.S., University of Pennsylvania.
Career History and Highlights: At the National Youth Leadership Forum and Congressional Young Leaders Conference, I lead the design and implementation of multiple experiential education programs for high-achieving high school students from around the world focusing on career exploration and leadership development. As a former regional director for ASCD, I worked with educators from around the world, including the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Germany, providing training on strategic planning, influence strategies, and other initiatives. My work at the Smithsonian Institution's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education included developing and implementing courses for educators using primary objects from the collections. In addition, I created the Language Minority Youth Intern program. As a former public high school teacher from the Philadelphia area, I taught various social science courses for students in grades 9–12. I have presented at multiple ASCD conferences and meetings.
ASCD and Affiliate Participation:ASCD member (4 years); previous member of California ASCD; former ASCD regional director.
Janet L. Jones
Position: Executive director of learning services, Mead School District, Wash.
Education: B.S. and M.S.T., Eastern Oregon University; Ed.D., Oregon State University.
Career History and Highlights:Twenty-eight years educational tenure as a teacher, counselor, vice-principal, author, curriculum consultant, professor, and executive director. Researched and authored two books on intellectual and academic freedom. Contributed to publications on mentoring and new teacher survival. Had articles on censorship, mentoring, and new teacher induction published in national and state journals. Currently conducting keynotes, action labs, and workshops on brain compatible instruction, literacies for the 21st century, building millennial minds, infusing bilingual education, and using Lexiles for differentiation and promoting constructivist-based classrooms. Adjunct graduate level professor (8 years) in educational counseling psychology. Educational leadership positions encompass contributions to mainline educational organizations' national and state legislative committees, conference planning teams, and state level standards design teams, including the World Affairs Council Sino-Bilateral Team. International workshop trainer (Germany, Canada, New Zealand) on highly capable parent participation, standards-based systems, and enticing "dinosaurs" into the digital age.
ASCD and Affiliate Participation:ASCD member and Oregon and Washington affiliate memberships since the mid 1980s. Association contributions include national and state level action labs and breakout presentations. Coplanner, affiliate receptions at two national conferences. Washington State ASCD bookstore conference sales assistant, affiliate regional workshop sponsor, 2006 program selection team.
Louis L. Lafasciano
Position: Principal, The Newton School, South Strafford, Vt.
Education: B.S. and M.Ed., Plymouth State University; CAGS, University of New Hampshire; Ed.D., University of Vermont. Additional studies in public policy, political science, and international relations, State University of New York, Oswego.
Career History and Highlights: I have been principal at The Newton School in Vermont for 11 years and will become the superintendent of the Saint Johnsbury, Vt., School District this summer. I am a native New Yorker who moved to New Hampshire, where I served as a teacher and administrator at the elementary and middle-high school levels for more than 15 years. I have spent the past 11 years leading an exemplary K–8 school in the Upper Valley of Vermont.
ASCD and Affiliate Participation:ASCD member (22 years); affiliate member (11 years). I currently serve on the Vermont ASCD executive board. The schools with which I have been associated are recognized for their excellence by educational and business communities in each state and by their respective communities. As school leader, I have received leadership awards of excellence by the New Hampshire ASCD Foundation and Vermont Principals Association.
Robyn MacKillop
Position: Business educator, Salem, Oreg.
Education: B.A, Linfield College; M.B.A., Willamette University; M.Ed., Western Oregon University. Currently working on dissertation in educational leadership at Capella University.
Career History and Highlights: I have been a business educator and a member of ASCD since 1999, building strong business courses integrated with technology for high school-age students. I partner with the local community college to articulate courses for dual credit, which provides invaluable opportunities for students. I hold teacher and administrator credentials in Oregon. Before entering the field of education, I was a human resource analyst with the State of Oregon. Upon legislative order, I developed a new state agency responsible for writing policy, hiring staff, and setting up board elections and assisting the board in all start-up elements. As a teacher, I teach and write high-level, rigorous business courses for face-to-face and online instruction. As a member of the Northwest Council for Computer Education Conference Committee, I assisted in the structure and set-up of the Portland conference. I am energetic and work hard and will be an asset to ASCD's Leadership Council, helping to carry out the goals in building alliances and actively augmenting knowledge of teaching and learning.
ASCD and Affiliate Participation:ASCD member (6 years).
Margaret MacLean
Position: Director of professional development, The Rural School and Community Trust; member of the National School Reform Faculty, Vermont Coordinator, Peacham, Vt.
Education: B.A., University of Keele; M.A., Johnson State College.
Career History and Highlights:Thirty years in education as a preK–6 teacher and administrator; 10 years experience in international education, including providing professional development to overseas schools; Vermont Principal of the Year (1996); founder of the Vermont Rural Partnership (a coalition of 18 small Vermont schools). Currently I provide a variety of professional development services to rural schools and their communities nationally. Specific interests include place-based learning, service learning, assessment, and the development of learning communities using critical friends groups.
ASCD and Affiliate Participation:ASCD member (17 years); affiliate member (17 years).
Susan Pecinovsky
Position: Area coordinator, Educational Services, Area Education Agency 267, Clear Lake, Iowa.
Education: B.A., University of Northern Iowa; M.S.E., Drake University; Ed.D., University of Northern Iowa.
Career History and Highlights:Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation (2006, University of Northern Iowa); provided leadership as a member of the Iowa Department of Education Design Team in the development of the processes and procedures for the Iowa Support System for Schools in Need of Assistance. These processes and procedures are now being considered as the continuous improvement process for other statewide initiatives. Participated as an invited member on the United States Standards Consortia, Mid-Continent Regional Educational Laboratory (McREL, 1999–2001); author of articles inIowa Educational Leadership (2002, 2005, and 2006); court-appointed special advocate for children adjudicated to the court system; Governor's Volunteer Award recipient (2002).
ASCD and Affiliate Participation:ASCD member (10 years); affiliate member, (10 years). Member, ASCD Leadership Council (2005–present), Leadership Evaluation Committee (2006–present); Iowa ASCD president (2006–07); member, School Administrators of Iowa (5 years).
Noni Mendoza Reis
Position: Chair, Department of Educational Leadership, College of Education, San Jose State University, Calif.
Education: B.A., University of California; M.A., San Jose State University; Ed.D., University of La Verne.
Career History and Highlights:Currently serve as the chair of the Department of Educational Leadership in the College of Education at San Jose State University. My work at San Jose State is focused on leadership development for equity for both teacher and future administrators. I have a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Organizational Management from the University of La Verne in Southern California.
Prior to coming to San Jose State, I was a bilingual teacher, mentor teacher, professional development coordinator, and elementary school principal. While a principal, I led my school to both national and state awards for a model professional development program with a focus on educational equity. Writings include a professional development series, Toward Equity: Building Multicultural Classrooms. All beginning teachers in California receive this professional development, which is intended to support them in becoming culturally responsive educators. My research focuses on leadership development and beginning teacher induction.
ASCD and Affiliate Participation:ASCD member (approximately 10 years).
John Schembari
Position: Principal and initiator, American History High School, Newark, N.J. (opening September 2006).
Education: B.A., Mary Washington College; M.A., Montclair State University; M.P.I.A., University of Pittsburgh; working toward a doctorate in educational leadership at Seton Hall University.
Career History and Highlights: I have developed schoolwide curriculum at History High School. I not only developed curriculum but also articulated college agreements while I was the law instructor at the Academy for Law and Public Safety in Morris County, N.J. Staff supervision at History High School, the law academy, and at the New Jersey Department of Corrections, where I was employed as an assistant education supervisor, is also part of my professional experience. I remain active in the community by sitting on two local genocide awareness boards, the Morris County (N.J.) Human Relations Commission, the Institute for Domestic and International Affairs, the international activities committee of the National Council for the Social Studies, the New Jersey State Task Force for International Education, and Leadership New Jersey.
ASCD and Affiliate Participation:ASCD member (3 years).
Jan K. Staples
Position: Principal, Rockport Elementary School, Rockport, Maine (grades K–4).
Education: B.S. and M.S., University of Southern Maine; M.Ed., Antioch New England Graduate School.
Career History and Highlights:Primary classroom teacher; K–5 teacher of gifted and talented students; K–12 director of gifted and talented program; K–12 director of curriculum and instruction; K–4 principal; president, Maine Educators of Gifted and Talented (two terms); adjunct instructor, University of Southern Maine; presenter at Confratute, University of Connecticut; hosted first "Odessey of the Mind" competition in Maine (1982); recipient, New England Gifted and Talented Award.
ASCD and Affiliate Participation:ASCD member (10+ years); affiliate member (10+ years). Member, ASCD Leadership Council (2003–05); Maine ASCD past president (2005–06), president (2004–05), president-elect (2003–04), vice president (2002–03); program committee chair (2002–03).