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Jorge Valenzuela is an education coach, author, and advocate. He has years of experience as a classroom and online teacher, a curriculum specialist, and a consultant. His work focuses on improving teacher preparation in project-based learning, computational thinking and computer science integration, STEM education, and equity- and SEL integration. Jorge is an adjunct professor at Old Dominion University and the lead coach at Lifelong Learning Defined. His book Rev Up Robotics: Real-World Computational Thinking in the K–8 Classroom is available from ISTE.
Featured workshops: Equity and SEL Integration MASTER CLASS Understanding and Mastering Difficult Emotions for Educators |
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Chris Fancher is an education consultant and former math and IB Design teacher from Round Rock, TX. He has taught every math course, from pre-algebra to calculus, as well as IB MYP Design and IB MYP Math (Year 5) in more than 25 years of public education.
He has taught mathematics in four states and two countries, as well as teaching college algebra and college statistics for the University of Maryland University College. Chris honed his project-based learning (PBL) skills at the nationally recognized Manor New Technology High School in Manor, TX. He then consulted for PBLWorks.Org, where he is now an emeritus National Faculty member. Prior to his last teaching position, Chris was an instructional coach for a middle school, where his focus was on helping teachers understand the PBL process and bring their project ideas to life. He has facilitated PBL trainings in 15 states, as well as in China and Australia. Featured workshop: Inquiry in the PBL STEM Classroom |
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Kristen Uliasz has been a special education teacher for over a decade, working in elementary, middle, and high school settings that were both segregated and inclusive. She is experienced in teaching marginalized students and passionate about their full and meaningful inclusion in their classrooms, schools, and communities. She currently works as an Inclusion and Resource Specialist at a project-based learning (PBL) high school in Davis, CA, where she has spent the last 6 years creating an inclusive school for students with a wide range of disabilities. She believes PBL is a transformative pedagogy that has the potential to engage and empower ALL students in authentic learning experiences that are relevant and important for their lives. Kristen also serves on the board for the CalTASH organization and is an Emeritus PBLWorks National Faculty member.
Featured workshops: Student-Led IEPs Inclusive PBL Basics |
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Erin Gannon is a passionate elementary school educator with 22 years of experience in both charter and public elementary schools in California and North Carolina. She is skilled in student-centered Project Based Learning, inquiry, arts integration and is an enthusiastic collector of books. An emeritus National Faculty member with PBLWorks, Erin contributes to the development of curriculum and assessments for Discovery Education, and lends her expertise to a variety of other projects as an independent education consultant.
Featured workshop: Rubric Design 101 |
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Michelle Spencer teaches classes that help connect learning to the real world in meaningful ways so that co-learning students and parents are empowered, engaged, and able to make an impact on their community and the world around them.
In 2002, after being a stay-at-home mom for several years, Michelle co-founded a charter school where students completed projects aligned to their interests and passions, with integrated content standards embedded into their individual project designs. Additionally, students had internships two days a week as part of their school day. Michelle went on to become principal of New Technology High School, the flagship school of the New Tech Network which now supports 200 schools. She created a 501c3 non-profit, the Center For Excellence training center, hosting over 1,000 visitors from around the world annually who wanted to better understand project-based learning. She is an emeritus National Faculty member with PBL Works, where she conducted professional development in the research-backed elements of project-based learning. She's helped thousands of parents and educators create and implement projects connected to a public product and purpose for their students. Currently, Michelle is CEO of Schools at Co-Learn Club, supporting parents with co-learning, homeschooling and emergency remote learning, and the founder and CEO of Clover Education LLC, providing school districts with PBL training, college dual enrollment partnerships, internship programs, accreditation self studies, and charter school applications. Featured workshop: Parent Partnerships for PBL Success |
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Mike Kaechele is a Project Based Learning and Social and Emotional Learning Teacher Consultant and an Emeritus PBLWorks National Faculty member, leading PBL workshops across the country. His passion is inspiring educators to create SEL infused PBL curriculum for all content areas and grade levels.
Mike's PBL teaching experience includes all secondary grades and core subjects. Over the course of 15 years, he has taught social studies, math, personal finance, STEM, and STEAM classes. He team-taught social studies with English, and math with science in integrated classes. He has taught online college classes and has international experience teaching English in China. Mike follows the old adage that “whoever is doing, is learning,” therefore his students direct their own learning through vigorous inquiry. Student “voice and choice” is at the heart of the authentic tasks that his students complete for the local community. They become critically thinking citizens, who question the status quo, solve complex problems, and bring justice and equality to the world. Mike is convinced that we don’t need to prepare students for “someday,” but that they should be doing meaningful work right now! Featured workshop: Transformative SEL: the Pulse of PBL |
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Randi Downs is a Teacher Trainer and Instructional Coach for Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES in Central NY. Much of her work is in the area of Restorative Practices, Project-Based Learning, Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning and Strategic Instruction to Engage All Learners. Randi is a licensed trainer for The International Institute for Restorative Practices and is an emeritus National Faculty member with PBLWorks. She has taught 7th grade -12th grade English in both New Hampshire and New York, and now coaches teachers from OCM's two New Tech High Schools, CTE, Alternative and Special Education programs within OCM BOCES. Randi also consults and coaches at the National level, hoping to inspire all educators as they support all learners.
Featured workshop: Restorative Practices to Support PBL Culture |
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Heather Wolpert-Gawron is an award-winning middle school teacher. She is a staff blogger for Edutopia.org and shares all things middle school at tweenteacher.com. She has been a proud member of the California Writing Project since 2008. She is the author of the following books: Just Ask Us: Kids Speak Out on Student Engagement, DIY for Project Based Learning for ELA and History, DIY for Project Based Learning for Math and Science, Writing Behind Every Door: Teaching Common Core Writing in the Content Areas and ‘Tween Crayons and Curfews: Tips for Middle School Teachers. Heather is passionate about project-based learning and believes the Maker Movement for teachers is in curriculum design. Heather believes curriculum design itself should tell a story, and she helps her students craft the tale. Heather lives with her husband and two boys in Los Angeles where they play Dungeons & Dragons every week, building their cross-over stories and adventures together.
Follow Heather on Twitter: @tweenteacher. Featured workshops: Student Engagement Strategies as the PBL "Glue" Between and During Units Project-Based Writing: Deepening the Writing (and Listening and Speaking) Process Throughout a PBL Unit |
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Cheryl Dobbertin, Director of Secondary Education at East Irondequoit CSD in New York, has been an English teacher, curriculum designer, literacy coach, and building administrator. Her current work involves supporting teachers working in a simultaneous, hybrid environment, focusing on connection, engagement, and student interest.
For nearly a decade, Cheryl worked at Expeditionary Learning/EL Education where she helped design, start up, and transform existing schools to focus on project-based learning, student-engaged assessment practices, teacher leadership, and school culture. She was also the lead designer of EL’s English Language Arts curriculum for grades 3-8 (available now on EngageNY), one of the first open source curricula to “green lit” by Ed Reports. Cheryl provided years of professional development and research on the impact of the EL curriculum and its associated practices in classrooms across the country. Cheryl is the author of Common Core Unit by Unit, published by Heinemann in 2013 and is a co-author of Transformational Literacy, published in 2014. Her work has also been published in ASCD’s Differentiation in Practice: 9-12, Rachel Billmeyer’s Strategic Reading in the Content Areas, ASCD’s Education Leadership and EdWeek. Featured workshops: Effective Literacy Practices in PBL Scaffolding PBL through Differentiated Instruction |
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Telannia Norfar is a mathematics teacher at a public high school in Oklahoma City, OK. She has taught all high school courses including AP Calculus AB since 2005. She has served as department chair and team lead for the 9th grade academy. She has used project-based learning as a core strategy in her classroom since she started teaching. As a former journalist and account manager, Telannia found project-based learning a viable method for teaching worthy mathematical concepts. Soon into her career, she became involved and known by several organizations including National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and International Society for Technology in Education. She has been recognized as Teacher of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and the 2017 Oklahoma Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
Featured workshops: Assessment-Driven Teaching and Learning in PBL Critical Thinking in PBL Social Justice in PBL |
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Education Background
B.A., Education | Miami University M.A., Curriculum and Instruction | Ashland University My Favorite Things About PBL Increases engagement of both students and teachers Brings community and classrooms together Fosters social and emotional growth in students Brings rigor and relevance to education Current Role Project Based Learning Consultant | Fairfield County Educational Service Center Teaching Experience Middle School English teacher Lead Teacher, Shanahan PBL team Cooperating teacher for pre-service teachers Mentor teacher TRECA R&D Teacher PBL Support Specialty On-site PBL Coaching PBL Implementation/Launch for teachers or teams Featured workshops: PBL Design Project Management: Managing the Messy Middle Assessment 101 Assessment 201 |
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From her formative years working on county fairs as a 4-H kid to her PBL-based doctoral dissertation, Teresa has been an ardent lifelong advocate of Project Based Learning and other deeper learning practices. Teresa currently serves as Director of Professional Learning and Leadership for the Fairfield County Educational Service Center and leads PBLMatters – a network of Ohio schools committed to the PBLWorks model for project design and teaching practices. In this role, she works with school leaders as a strategic thought partner in implementing PBL reform initiatives and works to network PBL educators across Ohio. She also led the annual PBL Ohio Institute from 2015-2020.
Teresa is passionate about expanding PBL learning beyond the "one-and-done" mentality. Her work with PBLWorks, where she now serves as an emeritus National Faculty member, inspired the growth of PBL Ohio's capacity to increase their program offering with initiatives such as the PBL Ohio Institute and in supporting higher education capacity to increase the pre-service PBL teacher pipeline. Teresa values PBL as a tool to address educational inequity and to empower youth furthest from opportunity. Her keenest interest is ensuring that ALL students have access to high-quality PBL. Featured workshops: PBL Design PBL Splash |
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Education Background
B.S. - Secondary Education, English and Reading Specialization, Miami University M.S. - Curriculum and Instruction, Miami University Current Role Training Center Coordinator at The Dayton Regional STEM School PBL Coach at The Dayton Regional STEM School High School English teacher at The Dayton Regional STEM School My Favorite Thing about PBL Student engaged in PBL develop agency and the belief that their voices and ideas matter. Teaching Experience Middle school teacher High school teacher Cooperating teacher for pre-service teachers Mentor teacher PBL Support Specialty PBL 101 PBL Coaching Featured workshop: PBL Plunge |
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