Our Team

Experienced Trainers

Our staff includes experienced trainers whose expertise is critical to today’s needs. Please read the descriptions below of our dedicated staff to learn more about how the Center for Educational Improvement works with a cadre of staff who have expertise in international education, differentiating instruction, early childhood education, special education, school leadership, school improvement planning, and improving reading and math instruction.

Executive Director

Dr. Christine Y. Mason, Executive Director, is a nationally recognized expert in the area of educational reform, teacher mentoring, and special education. Dr. Mason has made over 400 national, state, and local presentations. Her signature presentation is ”the Wow! Factor,” an approach that brings ambience, mystery, fun, and excitement to classes to encourage student interest  in learning. She serves as a consultant and project director for school improvement with several schools in Ohio and Washington DC, providing technical assistance and professional development.  She is a member of DC’s State Common Core Standards Committee (with the Office of the State Superintendent of Education) and is leading a team responding to a State Improvement Grant (SIG) initiative to improve student outcomes for students in Ohio. Dr. Mason is passionate about helping schools capitalize on their strengths and student interests.

• From 2005-2009, Dr. Mason provided technical assistance to schools and training and supports to teachers to improve the quality of teaching in urban charter schools in Washington, DC.
• In the Fall of 2009 Dr. Mason helped to establish student-centered learning at an international school in India. While there she also assisted the school in becoming prepared for Cambridge International Accreditation.
• Dr. Mason has experience directing and evaluating national projects; guiding strategic planning; designing Response to Intervention systems for schools; and researching and implementing reforms in the areas of student-directed IEPs, teacher mentoring, IDEA and services to youth with disabilities, school to work transition, HIV-AIDS prevention, secondary school leadership, teacher recruitment, universal design and adapting/assistive technologies, and inclusive education for all students.
• Dr. Mason has recently assisted Charter schools in Washington DC in implementing approaches to further standards-based education and data-driven instruction.
• Dr. Mason also has experience as a Senior Research Associate at the Council for Exceptional Children, a Senior Research Scientist at CESSI, and as a middle school resource teacher.
• Dr. Mason brings extensive, direct first-hand experience to the Center. She has either taught directly or supervised interns and teachers who teach all levels of students (prek-adults) and all types of exceptionalities – from severe disabilities and autism to learning and behavioral disorders to students who have exceptional gifts and talents.

Staff Spotlight

Suzan Mullane, M.S., Ed., Anchorage Alaska

Ms. Mullane is an expert in autism, gifted education and Special Education. She is certified k-12 and has over 20 years teaching experience at the preschool, elementary, middle and high school levels. Ms. Mullane is an Adjunct Professor of Education at the University of Alaska in Anchorage, has experience as a School Counselor for Anchorage School District, helped to develop and coordinate Anchorage’s STEM initiative, and has been a Gifted Education Coordinator, and a middle and high school English teacher. She has experience as a Suicide Prevention Counselor and has conducted numerous teacher workshops on topics related to at-risk youth, teacher mentoring, STEM. In 2011 she received the North Star Service Recognition Award for her work with at-risk youth in Anchorage. Here is what one recent workshop participant said about her training,”Suzan is an engaging presenter; her workshop on differentiation through STEM was outstanding, worthy of a credit class given the wealth of information. In fact, her presentation was the most helpful over the course of our four days of training.” A principal who participated in another of her workshops, said this: ”Your lesson on Rigor, Relevance, and Relationships through Differentiation was the best I’ve seen!”

Other CEI Staff

Lisa Stepney, M. Ed., Supervisor serves as a school psychologist in Cleveland, Ohio where she interprets test results and writes Multi-factored Evaluations (MFE) reports. She advises special education staff on operating standards determined by the Ohio Department of Education and facilitates Intervention Assistance Team (IAT) meetings, conducts academic, behavioral, cognitive testing and classroom evaluations (K-12) She also assists administration staff with conducting teaching staff evaluations and implementing academic and behavioral interventions, provides monthly professional development to teaching staff, conducts School-Wide Testing to all students in district and provides consultation services to special education staff. Ms. Stepney currently serves as a school improvement specialist conducting walk throughs, observations and teacher coaching in Cleveland and Columbus for CEI.

Shawna Woods received her B.S.A. in Special Education in 2005 from Cleveland State University and is pursuing a M.A. from Walden University in Mental Health Counseling. She currently works as a School Improvement Facilitator for the CEI. Her duties include school improvement, technical supports, demonstration, and coaching to secondary school teachers. She also works at the Present Urban League of Greater Cleveland as a College Access School Based Facilitator. Ms. Woods is cultivating a team teaching approach within PR-CB building with other facilitators. She has also developed and facilitated personal development, professional development and college access workshops for the Cray and Harvest Consulting Groups.

Deborah Bye, M.S. Ed, is currently an online educator, specializing in developing culturally authentic and sensitive material for grades 7 – 12, specifically Alaska Native students. Ms. Bye has experience developing online modules for Developmental English and History and infuses SMART Board and other technologies into education. She is highly qualified and certified in Alaska for social studies and English 7 – 12.  She is a Cherokee Indian with a special interest in Indigenous cultures and how best to nurture at-risk students in an engaging, culturally relevant environment, using differentiation and scaffolding to encourage success.  She has experience directing a Newcomer Center for ESL students, and presenting at ESL conferences; in 2006 she was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to visit Siberia to compare Native Peoples of Siberia and Alaska. She received her M.S. in Secondary Education- U.S. History, from Arizona State University in Flagstaff.

Ben Kinard received his Ph.D. in Educational Policy, Administration & Leadership from the University of Maryland. He currently teaches at Arundel Middle School, and has previous experience at Argosy University where he provided on-line instruction and advice to graduate students. Mr. Kinard also helped develop a technology integration program, as well as Distance Learning and Technology Management classes. His experience as a teacher also includes also includes time at Florida A&M University where he taught Introduction to Educational Technology and Computer Application in Business Education, as well as a period at Arizona State University where he taught Computer Literacy, Animation & Graphics, Evaluation of Computer Software, and Hypermedia. Mr. Kinard is an instructional designer and trainer specializing in standards-based training and program management. His responsibilities have included development of paper and computer-based training, processes for data collection and course evaluation, and stand-up training of light-technical topics, soft skills and team management.

Doranna Tindle is an Assistant Principal at Friendship Collegiate Academy, a public charter school in Washington DC. In her current position, Ms. Tindle leads curriculum development in English Language Arts and implements a school-wide literacy initiative. As an AP English Literature and AP English Language and Composition teacher, she has worked on bridging the gaps between high school and college  writing/thinking skills for the last six years. Her projects include working as a consultant for Bedford St. Martin’s Press, working as a College Board Commissioner to help revise the AP Language course and exam, and helping to write the College Ed curriculum. As one of seven members of the English Academic Advisory Committee, Doranna provides feedback for an array of CB initiatives such as Springboard and College Ed. In addition to her work with College Board, Ms. Tindle was a part of the feedback/validation committee for the Common Core ELA and Literacy standards. Doranna is a seasoned presenter at conferences with NCTE, AP National, Jobs for the Future, and the Woodrow Wilson Foundation. Her latest project has her collaborating with the University of Maryland (UMD) Director of Composition to craft a carefully scaffolded writing curriculum for an 11th grade dual enrollment research and writing course.

Jill  Kreider Suver has worked both in the national and international education field. Currently, Ms. Suver delivers customized presentations utilizing instructor-led, teleconferencing, and web-casting learning solutions. She also has experience training teachers and administrators with new software and usage of digital tools. Ms. Suver has instructed ESL students as well as consultant for non-native English speakers for twelve years. She also participated in “Teaching in Taiwan” and provided professional development to teachers grades third through sixth. Ms. Suver will serve as a Columbus team member and also be available statewide for implementation of technology or meeting the needs of ESL students.

Kathy Ward-Cameron, M.S., Supervisor, is a long time Ohio resident currently living in Virginia, Ms. Ward Cameron holds a Master of Science degree in Child Care Administration from Nova Southeastern University and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from East Carolina University. Ms. Ward-Cameron is also the owner/ founding president of the Early Literacy Institute (ELI), a cadre of trainers, evaluators and consultants who offer consultation, evaluation and training services to help early childhood programs provide scientifically-based early literacy and learning initiatives for young children. She served as a research consultant for the National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education (NCRECE) Professional Development Study team, My Teaching Partner, through the University of Virginia and is a certified instructor on the Early Literacy Classroom Observation (ELLCO) through the Education Development Center (EDC) and is a national presenter on the tool for Brookes Publishing.

Ms. Ward Cameron has served as the evaluator of a Head Start Early Literacy and Youth Development Initiative.  She later trained facilitators of HeadsUp! Reading, a 30 hour early literacy course broadcast via satellite to early childhood programs, libraries and universities nationwide, and was the Illinois state coordinator for HUR. Kathy’s work in early literacy is featured in the book, Conversations on Early Childhood Teacher Education: Voices from the Working Forum for Teacher Educators (Gibbons and Gibbs, 2009).

Grace McDaniels, M.Ed., holds a Master’s degree from and is currently a candidate for a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University, studying Early Childhood Education, Multicultural Education, Teacher Education. She was a member of the Academic Teaching Staff at Otterbein College, as well as working as a Data Use Trainer and Introduction and Awareness Trainer for Learning Point Associates.

Dr. Maria O’Connell is currently serving as the evaluator for CEI.  Dr. O’Connell is co-director of Research and Evaluation, and Instructor, at the Program for Recovery and Community Health, Yale University, School of Medicine. Dr. O’Connell is currently Director of Evaluation for the Mental Health Transformation- Systems Infrastructure Grant. She completed an NIMH National Research Service Award postdoctoral fellowship in Intervention and Disability Research at Yale in 2004. Dr. O’Connell has been involved in local and national recovery-oriented system transformation efforts.

Sharlen Smith is intern at CEI and is currently pursuing a BA from George Mason University in Global Affairs and Conflict Analysis and Resolution. She is also receiving a minor in Japanese Studies and in the Spring of 2010, Sharlen spent five months studying at Momoyama Gakuin Daigaku in Osaka, Japan. Sharlen would like to work in the education field and non-profit field upon graduation and is pleased to be working with Dr. Mason and others who are extremely experienced and accomplished.

Carolyn S. Lieberg, M.A., CEI Wow! Education editor, is an award-winning author and editor. Ms. Lieberg has taught English Composition online for the Thomas Edison College of New Jersey since 2007. She also teaches persuasive writing, effective essays, and business writing for Axia College. In 2009, she taught rhetorical analysis of nonfiction writing, and English Composition for Kaplan University. Ms. Lieberg has experience as an adjunct English professor at the University of Iowa where she also served as an Associate Director for the Center for Teaching. She has also served as an editor, researcher and writer at The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Princeton, New Jersey. She has published numerous books and articles, including: Teaching Your First College Class: A Practical Guide for New Faculty and Graduate School Instructors, (Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing LLC) in 2008.

Melissa Robinson serves as Regional Auditor and Consultant for the Educational Resource Consultants of Ohio. Ms. Robinson conducts site review audits of overall school district functions, gather and analyze information about school district in written report, ensuring they adhere to all state rules and regulations and that schools are managed properly. Her duties include evaluating the academic, fiscal performance, the organization, and operation of educational facilities, as well as reviewing and verifying contractual, local, state and federal compliance in regards, but not limited to, the following matters:  facilities, medical records, health training and prevention, safety, student welfare and attendance, educational program/plan and accountability, fiscal operations, governance and administration, student academic, assessment, accountability, and Special Education. She also  conducts research into school district areas, community resources.

Zoe Brown, M.A., currently holds a Masters of Arts in Organizational Psychology and Diversity Management Specialization. She worked at Booz Allen Hamilton as a Project Manager, where she crafted a vision for a statewide training office and transformed program objectives into a fully operational office within six months of contract, created an on-boarding system within 45 days of position assignment to support new hires to work on a new contract. As a result of the system, the team successfully performed initial assignments and became fully acclimated to their new roles. She also managed all aspects of a training and technical assistance contract for the Department of Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, and Office of Head Start by leading a team of four training specialists through the design, development, delivery, and evaluation of classroom and online training. Zoe Brown also established a standard project approach to instructional design to ensure consistent and effective training delivery. The team designed over 25 training projects in the areas of management, professional development, school readiness, Early Head Start, oral health, and homelessness. In addition, she designed and delivered an online training for the national network of training offices on stimulating interaction strategies, and PowerPoint presentations that enhance web conferences and virtual meetings. Participants reported that the strategies improved their web conferences and virtual meetings significantly. Prior to this, Ms. Brown coordinated and conducted organizational and training needs assessments as well as strategic planning sessions. In this position, she formulated comprehensive training plans for a caseload of 14 federally funded grantees.

Kevin Simpson, M.Ed. is a Global Education Consultant with (KDSL) Know Do Serve Learn who partners with organizations working to increase student achievement and teacher knowledge. He has worked in a variety of teaching, administrative, and consultant capacities at parochial, public, charter, and international schools located in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Michigan, Virginia, Laos, Qatar, and Dubai. Mr. Simpson is available to facilitate training in math at the middle school and high school levels. Mr. Simpson has been assisting Dr. Mason with training for the past four years and is a gifted trainer and change facilitator.

E. Yvonne Knab, M.Ed., holds her Master’s in Elementary Education from The Johns Hopkins University with a concentration in reading. She is also a CLASS Trainer for Teachstone, Inc. She provides CLASS training programs to educators and researchers, coordinates training events and logistics with clients and Teachstone event staff. She has also worked as a research assistant at the National Center for Research on Early Childhood Education Center for the Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning at the University of Virginia. She provides intensive consultation to Pre-K teachers as part of a national research project, which helps teachers focus on improving their practice by guiding them through the teaching dimensions as outlined by the CLASS Assessment Scoring System based on teacher-student interactions.  Ms. Knab utilizes state-of-the-art technology including video editing, for web-based consultation model.

Ms. Knab has presented at various National, State and District conferences including the following: International Reading Association Convention in April 1991, the Dayton Public Schools Administrative Retreats in June, 1992 and 1993, the School wide Chapter 1 State Conference in September 1994, the Ohio Early Childhood Education and School Age Child Care Conference in October 1994, and the Ohio School Boards Association Capital Conference in November 1994.

Reem Labib, M. Ed., has more than 12 years experience in urban education primarily working with students with special needs in Washington DC. Reem is currently an independent consultant focused on school improvement and school reform efforts both in the United States and the Middle East. Reem has participated as a team member in school quality reviews for six years evaluating schools serving students in grades PreK-12.  She has served as head of schools supervising multiple principals, principal of an inclusive arts-infused elementary school and also as deputy director of professional development for a school district. Reem has a master’s in education with a specialization in curriculum and instruction with a focus on multicultural education. She is currently part of a team implementing a School Improvement Transformation model for a charter school in DC and is co-teaching workshops with Dr. Mason in Washington, DC.

Dr. Mary Thormann, Director of International Education, Center for Educational Improvement. Dr. Thormann has extensive international experience, especially in developing countries, with a focus on teacher training, program evaluation, and access to quality education for all students. She has lived abroad and worked extensively with USAID and other NGOs in India, Ghana, Bangladesh, Thailand, Burma, Kazakhstan, Saudia Arabia, Nepal, Nigeria, Syria and China. She has experience developing policies and assisting organizations and ministries of education  and colleges and universities internationally with teacher development, early childhood, autism spectrum disorders, arts integration, communities of practice, conducting focus groups, and curriculum alignment.

Dr. Kevin Green,“Math Made Simple.” Dr. Green is an engineer with 10 years experience teaching math to high school students and through the University of Phoenix. He has coauthored chapters on teaching and improving math skills. He is also CEO of Live Minds. He has has developed a tailored and customized educational strategy that is targeted towards students who fear math, suffer from math anxiety, and are performing poorly in their math classes, and teachers who want to be more effective in teaching math and be successful in passing the math component of their teacher certification exams (e.g., Praxis I and II).

Jacque Hayden, M.Ed, currently teaches high school English and serves as English Department Chair in Washington, D.C. She delivers professional development workshops to teachers in the Metropolitan Washington area focusing on teaching models (inductive, deductive, project based learning, problem based learning), classroom management, effective teaching strategies, writing across the curriculum, and new teacher induction. Ms Hayden has also worked for the past five years with new and struggling teachers providing support as a mentor and coach.

Dr. Elizabeth Anne Robertson-Tchabo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Development, College of Education, University of Maryland College Park. She is interested in the effects of the cultural context on students’ cognitive development and academic achievement and has extensive experience delivering professional development, particularly related to child development and teacher professionalism.

Dr. Sheri Melton,Professor, Department of Kinesiology, West Chester University, Pennsylvania provides technical assistance and training to implement and improve physical education programs. She recently completed a Fullbright at Guru Nanak University in India to design a course in Exercise Physiology and Sports Nutrition. The course covers exercise testing, blood chemistry, biochemistry, obesity level, prescription and biomechanics.

Dr. Jay Shotel is a Tenured Professor of Special Education and Former Chair (1998-2008) of the Department of Teacher Preparation and Special Education at George Washington University. Over the past 20 years, Dr. Shotel has created numerous partnerships with local school systems designed to prepare both regular and special educators and is currently the principal investigator on three such projects. In addition he was an American Council on Education Fellow in 1989-90 and the “Teacher Educator in Residence” at the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) in 1998-99. He was a member of the Committee on Research and Information of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) from 1997-2003. He currently serves on the Board of Examiners of NCATE, as a team chair and cadre leader, having served on more than 35 NCATE BOE teams and chairing more than twenty-five. Dr. Shotel’s current interests include performance based teacher education, teacher recruitment and retention issues (including alternative licensure programs), technology applications in teacher education and an ongoing interest in inclusive special education practice with particular emphasis in early intervention. He recently completed a national study sponsored by AACTE focused on federal, state and accreditation mandates and their influence on teacher education practice and is currently the PI on a five year federally funded Teacher Quality grant program.  Dr. Shotel currently teaches the required Legal Issues and Public Policy courses at GW. He will supervise GW interns on specific projects.

Dr. Marco Clark has educational and work experience in diverse educational settings including working as a Principal in Baltimore City School System and Washington DC Public Charter Schools.  Dr. Clark is adept in researching, reporting, and presenting information and being an innovative, visionary, ethical, and competent professional He believes in being a student centered educator and educates with consistency and firmness in his decision-making. He has skills in budgeting and finance as well as urban school reform. Lastly, he served as a K-12 curriculum writer, state assessment proctor and evaluator.

Nadia Torney, M.S.W. and doctoral candidate. excelled for many years of experience in both the legal and academic needs of special learners and is currently completing an Ed.D. with a focus on Organization Leadership.  A former teacher and school director, Ms. Torney has worked with students of all ages and has provided supervision to large numbers of adults. She is a successful Founder of a District of Columbia  Charter School, and has supervised related services providers for the DCPS Office of Special Education. Ms. Torney mobilized Maryland Charter Schools Network’s Advocacy campaign. Distinguished achievements  include: Secured over $ 20  million in grant funding ( 2007-2009), Principal of the year (2003), lead school in making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) (2007 ) (2009).  Ms. Tornery has made media appearances at FOX, WHUR, Washington Parent Magazine and Washington Post.  [B.A. Psychology and Early Childhood Education; M.S.W.; US Department of Education Fellow ; Ed.D. Educational Administration and Policy (in progress), Howard University]