OUR EXPERTISE
We Believe
WE BELIEVE that meaningful change cannot take root in schools where individuals do not feel they truly belong.
WE BELIEVE that when we nurture a culture where everyone feels valued and supported, success becomes inevitable.
WE BELIEVE that if teachers are expected to personalize and individualize learning for students, teachers and leaders should receive personalized and individualized learning themselves.
WE BELIEVE that true transformation begins with the belief that every person matters, and it is this belief that strengthens our efforts, ensuring lasting change and growth for both staff and students.
WE BELIEVE that without a foundation of belonging, our efforts remain incomplete.
WE BELIEVE that with a foundation of belonging, we have the power to shape a brighter future for all.
Areas of Expertise
STAFF SATISFACTION IN INCLUSION & BELONGING
With experience in teaching inclusion, belonging, and leadership development at various levels, including higher education and district administration, we can help you build a team where educators feel proud to choose and stay in education.
HIGH IMPACT INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES
We specialize in helping schools implement high-impact instructional practices that lead to measurable gains in student learning. Grounded in research and tailored to each school’s unique context, our approach equips educators with the tools and strategies that make the greatest difference, boosting engagement, deepening understanding, and closing achievement gaps.
IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT
We support schools in implementing high-impact instructional practices by working directly with instructional leaders to create the conditions where great teaching can thrive. From building a shared vision to providing targeted coaching and feedback systems, we help leaders move from theory to practice, ensuring that research-based strategies aren’t just introduced but embedded into daily instruction and sustained over time.
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
We help school leaders harness the power of transformational leadership to improve student outcomes and strengthen staff retention. By cultivating a shared vision, building strong relationships, and intentionally developing systems of support, leaders create the kind of school culture where educators feel valued and students thrive. Our approach turns leadership into a force for equity, stability, and sustainable growth.
TEACHER LEADERSHIP
We have successfully developed and led year-long teacher leadership cohorts focused on student outcomes and relationships, receiving excellent feedback and results.
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA)
We help teams analyze IDEA indicators to identify strengths and areas for growth, turning data into actionable steps that drive progress for students with disabilities. With over 20 years of experience in the disability field—as a teacher, technical service provider, and special education director—we specialize in connecting local efforts to broader systems. Our focus is on creating meaningful, collaborative solutions that support at-risk students and make a lasting impact.
MAKING SENSE OF DATA
With over 20 years of experience leading data-driven conversations at the classroom, district, and state levels, I specialize in making data meaningful and actionable. We help teams use school data to identify strengths, address challenges, and set clear priorities for improvement. From analyzing IEP data to driving system-wide initiatives, my work has included serving as a district administrator, director of a statewide grant, and member of four governor appointed committees. Together, we can use data to build a shared vision and take strategic steps to improve outcomes for students and communities.
IMPROVING POST-SECONDARY OUTCOMES
We help teams analyze data to understand the factors influencing post-secondary outcomes, especially for at-risk students. By building partnerships with outside agencies and aligning local efforts with statewide systems, I create sustainable strategies to improve opportunities and long-term success. With a background in educational equity research, including a dissertation on IDEA and post-secondary quality of life, I bring years of expertise in data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and advocacy. Currently, I’m serving my second term as an Employment First Oversight Commissioner for Kansas, advising the Governor and legislators on disability employment initiatives.
We Not Me: Inclusion in Action Podcast
The We Not Me: Inclusion in Action podcast was born from a simple but powerful belief—no meaningful change happens in isolation. As educators, leaders, and advocates, we’re better when we learn from one another. This podcast is our way of celebrating the incredible work happening in schools around the world and shining a light on the educators who are making inclusion real, every single day.
It’s a space for authentic conversations, bold ideas, and shared wisdom. Each episode invites you to learn from people who are doing the work, those who know that progress comes through connection, collaboration, and a deep commitment to moving forward together. Because when we lead with “we,” everyone wins.
To nominate yourself or someone else to be featured on the podcast, please use this form, we would LOVE to hear from you!
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
WHY DISTRICTS HIRE US
STAFF
Picture the teacher who feels unseen in staff meetings, whose innovative ideas are dismissed, or who feels like a cog in the machine rather than a vital part of the team, all in spite of the best efforts of the leadership team’s teacher retention strategies.
Districts come to us when they realize that their most dedicated educators feel unseen—like their voices don’t matter in staff meetings, their ideas are dismissed, and their role has become more about compliance than creativity. These teachers are burned out not because they don't care—but because they care deeply and feel like cogs in a system that isn’t built to support them.
We help districts build cultures where teachers feel empowered, heard, and valued. Through intentional leadership development, inclusive practices, and systems that foster psychological safety, we help schools transform from the inside out. That same teacher now walks into their classroom with renewed energy—not just to teach, but to lead. When inclusion and belonging are prioritized, retention improves, morale rises, and student outcomes follow. That’s why districts choose us.
STUDENT
SYSTEMS CONCERN
You’re a school leader reviewing your data. Year after year, you’ve seen an increase in special education referrals. At the same time, your test scores have remained flat—or worse, declined. You’re starting to ask the hard question: What if the root cause isn’t the students, but how we’re delivering instruction?
Now, imagine this instead:
A team of empowered, collaborative educators who can clearly differentiate between Tier 1, 2, and 3 instruction. A staff who not only understands—but confidently applies—the difference between accommodations, modifications, and specially designed instruction. A system where general education interventions are timely, intentional, and effective.
What kind of shift would that create for your students?
What would that mean for your outcomes—and your budget?
This is the work we do. We help schools build capacity from the inside out—strengthening instruction before overidentification becomes the norm.
DATA OVERWHELM
You are a school leadership team. You look at your data, but you never really feel like you're having meaningful conversations about it. You're overwhelmed by the day-to-day demands of running a school, and there’s never enough time to dig deep into the trends that matter. Meaningful change feels out of reach. Despite your best efforts, you keep doing the same things—rolling out the same interventions, referring more students for special education, watching test scores stagnate, and feeling the weight of teacher burnout grow heavier.
Now imagine something different. Your leadership team has the tools and shared language to make sense of your data—and act on it. Your staff understands the difference between Tier 1 instruction, targeted interventions, and specially designed instruction. They know when to accommodate, when to modify, and when it’s time for a referral. Instead of reacting to problems, you’re proactively strengthening instruction, reducing unnecessary referrals, and improving outcomes for all students. That’s the shift we help schools make—turning data into a driver for equity, clarity, and lasting change.
Think of the student sitting alone in the cafeteria, wondering if anyone notices them. Or the child whose learning style doesn’t fit traditional methods, who begins to believe they’re “not smart enough.”
Student success starts with belonging. Districts hire us when they realize too many students are slipping through the cracks—the child sitting alone in the cafeteria, unsure if anyone notices, or the learner whose needs aren’t met by traditional instruction and begins to believe they’re not smart enough. These students often disengage, and over time, that disconnection shows up as chronic absenteeism, missed instructional time, and widening opportunity gaps.
We help schools build environments where every student feels seen, valued, and motivated to show up—not just physically, but emotionally and academically. Through inclusive practices, equity-centered leadership, and a focus on belonging, we help schools send a different message: “You belong here. You matter. And we see your potential.” When students feel that connection, attendance improves, confidence grows, and outcomes shift—for life. That’s why districts choose us.
COMMUNITY
Consider a parent who hesitates to attend school events because they feel their voice doesn’t matter.
Or a community member who wants to contribute but doesn’t feel welcomed.
Now imagine these individuals not just attending, but actively engaging—feeling that their presence and perspectives shape the school’s success. Schools that nurture belonging become pillars of their communities, creating ripples of positive impact far beyond their walls.