Team

David Andrews serves as both Chancellor of University of Massachusetts Global and Chair of the Board of NLET.  Andrews is a lifelong educator committed to equity and access through personalized, student-centric approaches. Prior to joining NLET, he served as President of National University, California’s second-largest, private non-profit university. During his five-year term as President, National…Read more…

Freedman served as VP, Global Education Strategy for eLearning leader Blackboard, Inc. from 2005 until 2012. In this position, he visited 18 countries and met with numerous leaders in government, higher educations, schools, research institutes and related associations. He also helped create, as well as led, the Blackboard Institute, which concentrated on K-through-College progression in…Read more…

Ken is an independent consultant, who recently served as Senior Executive Vice President of Educational Results Partnership.  Ken led statewide and national initiatives that provide actionable data to public schools, districts, colleges and universities leading to improved academic, college completion and workplace outcomes for students through his leadership of CalPassPlus.  He also served as the primary liaison…Read more…

Richard Rasiej is a Visiting Research Scholar at the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education where he works on both finding ways to improve the quality of K-5 math instruction, and also to help produce better outcomes for students in math at the community college and undergraduate level. He also currently teaches at…Read more…

Melodie Baker Ph.D. is the Executive Director and Founder of ImpactSTATS Inc., a nonprofit committed to fostering equitable policies in mathematics education. Dr. Baker, an experienced leader in strategic planning and coalition building, has made significant contributions to education reform. A recognized authority in the educational sector, Dr. Baker’s research and advocacy work have produced…Read more…

Richard has an entrepreneurial passion for transforming innovative technology teams into successful businesses, bringing to startups his extensive, hands-on business management experience in the semiconductor industry. He has been actively involved in numerous high-tech startups and is a co-founder of the Silicon Catalyst Angels investment group for early-stage semiconductor companies and is a co-founder, board…Read more…

Maria Johanna Posey is the founder and CEO of Viking Impact Advisors, a social consulting firm dedicated to strengthening workforce development systems, expanding economic mobility, and improving public services through strategic planning, performance management, and innovative funding approaches. She specializes in workforce policy, particularly the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and has deep expertise…Read more…

Ferdinand “Ferdie” Rivera, Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at San Jose State University, conducts research in school-based mathematical cognition, in particular, the emergence of structural thinking in children and adults. Rivera’s research program falls under the category of psychology of mathematics education with a focus on the development of mathematical cognition in…Read more…

Storm is the Associate Director of School and Community Engagement at Georgia Institute of Technology’s Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC).  He is the former Interim President and CEO/Chief Innovation and Education Officer at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy where he provided executive leadership and vision in the areas of Educator…Read more…

A veteran education technology executive with 30+ years of leadership in software, services, and customer success, James has spent the past two decades driving innovation in higher education. He has held key leadership roles in customer success and services at WebCT, Blackboard, Wimba, and several startups, working closely with institutions to enhance student outcomes. From…Read more…

Patti J. Dieck brings 30 years of teaching experience to her work with NLET.  As philosopher-practitioners who are still full-time teachers, Dieck and business partner Christopher Sarlo believe that the “process of learning” should always be at the center of mathematics instruction, with an emphasis on foundational math. Outside of the classroom, Dieck and Sarlo…Read more…

Susie Freedman is a dedicated professional with twenty-five years’ higher education experience in program development and management across apprenticeship, workforce development and landscape analysis. Her work in skills acquisition and job/career opportunities for women, veterans, their spouses, and often overlooked populations includes training modalities from pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship, to non-degree credential programs, continuing education and community…Read more…

Barbara Illowsky retired after 30 years as a mathematics and statistics professor at De Anza College (CA). She was on loan to many statewide projects and offices, including the California Community Colleges’ (CCC) Online Education Initiative, the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges Executive Committee, and the CCC Chancellor’s Office. Barbara is co-author of Introductory…Read more…

Julia Phelan is the co-founder of To Eleven an innovative education consultancy firm specialized in using evidence-based principles and approaches to develop, evaluate, and improve learning experiences. At To Eleven she works on collaborative projects both to create new research-based learning experiences and to integrate new technologies and approaches into existing experiences (both in-person and…Read more…

Christopher M. Sarlo brings 20 years of teaching experience to his work with NLET.  As philosopher-practitioners who are still full-time teachers, Sarlo and business partner Patti Dieck believe that the “process of learning” should always be at the center of mathematics instruction, with an emphasis on foundational math.  Outside of the classroom Sarlo and Dieck…Read more…

Dr. Shade T. Shutters is the Director of Economic Transformations at Arizona State University’s Decision Theater. He is also the founding director of the Laboratory for Regional Dynamics and Development, a unit in the university’s School of Complex Adaptive Systems. His research and outreach focus on theoretically grounded methods of identifying a region’s ideal targets…Read more…

Dr. Valenzuela-Mumau is a groundbreaking educational leader with proven success in supporting the professional growth of teachers and administrators. He brings over 20 years of educational experience serving as a teacher and as a site and district administrator at both elementary and secondary levels. He most recently served as the Superintendent of Alta Public Schools…Read more…