Susan Ballard, MLS Director, Library Services and Partnership Development
Susan is recognized internationally as a leader in the role school librarians can and must play to enable underserved learners to develop the literacy and media literacy skills they need to thrive in a digital society and economy. Past president for the American Association of School Librarians, Susan remains active and much in demand in a wide range of publishing, professional development and policy setting initiatives.
Susan is recognized internationally as a leader in the role school librarians can and must play to enable underserved learners to develop the literacy and media literacy skills they need to thrive in a digital society and economy. Past president for the American Association of School Librarians, Susan remains active and much in demand in a wide range of publishing, professional development and policy setting initiatives.
Dr. Ethel Gaides, Director, Technology Support Capacity Development
Ethel comes to NCDE having served as assistant superintendent of schools, overseeing curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development, and serves as Title 1 project manager for her district, comprised of seven NH schools. She brings experience as an elementary educator, library media specialist, technology educator, and elementary school principal. She has become proficient in the steps needed to develop GenYes programs and other initiatives that build school and community capacity to provide tech support for learners and their educators and families.
Ethel comes to NCDE having served as assistant superintendent of schools, overseeing curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development, and serves as Title 1 project manager for her district, comprised of seven NH schools. She brings experience as an elementary educator, library media specialist, technology educator, and elementary school principal. She has become proficient in the steps needed to develop GenYes programs and other initiatives that build school and community capacity to provide tech support for learners and their educators and families.
Jenelle Leonard, Director, Impact Assessment
Jenelle is a nationally recognized leader in directing and assessing large scale educational technology initiatives. Her decades of experience as program officer for the U.S. Department of Education included directing ED's Office of School Support and Rural Programs, the Technology Innovation Challenge Grant Program, the State Technology Grants Program, and serving as acting director for the Office of Indian Education. During her tenure, she oversaw the disbursement and evaluation of several hundred million dollars in innovative educational programming.
Jenelle is a nationally recognized leader in directing and assessing large scale educational technology initiatives. Her decades of experience as program officer for the U.S. Department of Education included directing ED's Office of School Support and Rural Programs, the Technology Innovation Challenge Grant Program, the State Technology Grants Program, and serving as acting director for the Office of Indian Education. During her tenure, she oversaw the disbursement and evaluation of several hundred million dollars in innovative educational programming.
Dr. Robbie Melton, Director, Educational Apps and Open Educational Resources
Robbie is known globally as a visionary leader in emerging learning technologies, educational apps, and open educational resources. She envisioned and created Appapedia, an exceptional compendium of thousands of educational, productivity and workforce development apps across the curriculum for learners of all ages. Having served as assistant vice chancellor for online learning and emerging technologies for the Tennessee Board of Regents, she is now co-principal investigator for a national initiative enabling faculty and administrators across the nation's historically black colleges and universities to replace expensive textbooks with high quality open educational materials.
Robbie is known globally as a visionary leader in emerging learning technologies, educational apps, and open educational resources. She envisioned and created Appapedia, an exceptional compendium of thousands of educational, productivity and workforce development apps across the curriculum for learners of all ages. Having served as assistant vice chancellor for online learning and emerging technologies for the Tennessee Board of Regents, she is now co-principal investigator for a national initiative enabling faculty and administrators across the nation's historically black colleges and universities to replace expensive textbooks with high quality open educational materials.
Dr. Robert McLaughlin Executive Director
Bob conceived the effort to persuade federal policy makers to give federally insured banks credit toward meeting their Community Reinvestment Act requirement to invest in economic opportunity in low and moderate income communities, by providing grant and in-kind support for digital equity. He co-founded the National Collaborative, and brings to this work several decades of experience in education, STEM educational reform, educational policy analysis and innovation, and designing and leading large-scale technical assistance initiatives. Bob chaired the Association of Teacher Educators' National Commission for Technology and the Future of Teacher Education, administered the evaluation and approval of New Hampshire's educator preparation programs, and for nearly a dozen years conceived and led a nine-state consortium of state and local educational leaders undertaking systemic STEM educational reform and education technology integration at the school and preparation program levels.
Bob conceived the effort to persuade federal policy makers to give federally insured banks credit toward meeting their Community Reinvestment Act requirement to invest in economic opportunity in low and moderate income communities, by providing grant and in-kind support for digital equity. He co-founded the National Collaborative, and brings to this work several decades of experience in education, STEM educational reform, educational policy analysis and innovation, and designing and leading large-scale technical assistance initiatives. Bob chaired the Association of Teacher Educators' National Commission for Technology and the Future of Teacher Education, administered the evaluation and approval of New Hampshire's educator preparation programs, and for nearly a dozen years conceived and led a nine-state consortium of state and local educational leaders undertaking systemic STEM educational reform and education technology integration at the school and preparation program levels.
Gary Obermeyer, Coordinator, Professional Learning Community
Gary is a highly regarded "virtual community organizer", having led online professional learning communities since the dawn of the digital age. In addition to masterfully facilitating online resource sharing and community building,Gary brings to the National Collaborative a deep understanding of participatory systems change and knowledge management.
Gary is a highly regarded "virtual community organizer", having led online professional learning communities since the dawn of the digital age. In addition to masterfully facilitating online resource sharing and community building,Gary brings to the National Collaborative a deep understanding of participatory systems change and knowledge management.
Dr. Paul Resta, President and Co-Founder
Paul is known worldwide for his deep and broad understanding of policies and strategies that foster effective uses of learning technology for educational opportunity and success. Paul was founding president of the International Society for Technology in Education, the world's largest educational technology organization. He currently holds the Ruth Knight Millikan Centennial Professorship in Learning Technology for the University of Austin-Texas. For several years, he served as founding chair of the National Commission for Technology and the Future of Teacher Education and, more recently, for several years he chaired UNESCO's international jury on best practices in learning technology.
Paul is known worldwide for his deep and broad understanding of policies and strategies that foster effective uses of learning technology for educational opportunity and success. Paul was founding president of the International Society for Technology in Education, the world's largest educational technology organization. He currently holds the Ruth Knight Millikan Centennial Professorship in Learning Technology for the University of Austin-Texas. For several years, he served as founding chair of the National Commission for Technology and the Future of Teacher Education and, more recently, for several years he chaired UNESCO's international jury on best practices in learning technology.
Bonnie Bracey Sutton, Director, Digital Equity Resource Research and Dissemination
Bonnie is known internationally for her leadership in identifying and sharing digital equity strategies and resources. She has served as a George Lucas Fellow, member of the National Information Infrastructure Advisory Council, and co-founder of the digital equity network for the International Society for Technology in Education. She has presented about game-changing educational technology resources in dozens of countries and is widely regarded and beloved as the single most knowledgeable person in the world regarding amazing learning technology resources which underrepresented students and their educators most need to know about.
Bonnie is known internationally for her leadership in identifying and sharing digital equity strategies and resources. She has served as a George Lucas Fellow, member of the National Information Infrastructure Advisory Council, and co-founder of the digital equity network for the International Society for Technology in Education. She has presented about game-changing educational technology resources in dozens of countries and is widely regarded and beloved as the single most knowledgeable person in the world regarding amazing learning technology resources which underrepresented students and their educators most need to know about.