Authors & Presenters

Greg Kushnir is a full-time educational consultant working with schools and districts to develop Professional Learning Communities. An educator for more than 30 years, he is a former high school and middle school teacher, middle school assistant principal, and K–6 principal.

David LaRose is an education coach and presenter specializing in PLCs, RTI, leadership, and organizational culture. He is former superintendent for Culver City Unified School District in California.

Kristi S. Langley, EdS, is the PLC director of a school district in Phoenix, Arizona. She has previously taught in elementary and middle schools and served as a principal at the pre-K, elementary, and middle school levels.

Brig Leane, a consultant, has over 20 years of experience in education as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal in a variety of settings.

Cheyana Leiva is a transformational leader who understands the challenges schools are facing and the strategies necessary to improve. As a principal, she led her high-poverty school to an A rating in three years.

Pamela Liebenberg, EdD, has been an educator for more than 25 years. She has served as an award-winning teacher, assistant principal, principal, regional director, and district director supervising 35 schools in the Tuscaloosa County School System.

Paula Maeker is an educator, consultant, and advocate for learner-centered education. She has more than twenty-three years’ experience as an elementary teacher, literacy specialist, instructional coach, Title 1 program coordinator, campus administrator, director of elementary literacy, and director of instructional design.

Michael J. Maffoni, an educator since 1987, has a diverse background that includes experience as a teacher, principal, and central administrator in a variety of districts in Colorado. He also teaches courses in educational leadership as an affiliate faculty member at Regis University.

Michelle Marrillia has 17 years of experience as an educator and is currently an assistant principal of Fern Creek High School in Louisville, Kentucky. As an instructional coach, staff developer, and PLC coordinator at Fern Creek, Michelle helped move the school from a persistently low-achieving school in 2010 to a proficient school in 2015.

Mary Mazariegos has worked in a variety of education roles, including English teacher, instructional coach, ELL facilitator, secondary English curriculum coordinator, and principal. She was integral in the work at U.S. Grant High School in Oklahoma City.