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PJ Caposey’s has had a wide range of educational experiences throughout his career. Mr. Caposey’s educational career began by receiving the Golden Apple Scholarship in high school which supports students pursue their dream to teach by providing scholarship money and training in return for a commitment to teach in a need-based area. Mr. Caposey did just that after completing his studies at Eastern Illinois University by teaching at Percy Lavon Julian High School in the inner-city of Chicago.

Maria Walther is a seasoned educator, author, and literacy consultant with over three decades of experience teaching first grade. Her practical, yet engaging approach to classroom instruction has made her a trusted partner for educators seeking effective teaching strategies. With a doctoral degree from Northern Illinois University, Maria is an avid researcher who continues to further her knowledge of literacy instruction.

Dr. Jeffrey S. Beaudry is a Professor of Educational Leadership at University of Southern Maine. Dr. Beaudry spends his time focusing on high impact classroom assessment and leadership strategies. He is passionate about the use of visual thinking and assessment for learning. Since 2009 he has co-authored numerous publications, books and articles about critical thinking, visual representations and concept mapping.

Dr. Anita Stewart McCafferty is Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Southern Maine and serves as Department Chair. She also serves as Co-Director of Southern Maine Partnership, a university-preK-12 consortium of 30-plus districts and the USM Educational Leadership Department. Anita is passionate about professional learning done well.

Although Jane’s career took her into the marketing and communications world, she was always fascinated by the field of education and the seeds of potential in every individual—especially when one of her own sons had difficulty reading and thus became “a problem to be solved.” She has worked on numerous communications projects for educational institutions and has taught at the college level.

Julie M. Wilson is a coach and advisor to school leaders, educational institutions, and foundations whose mission is to shape the future of K-12 education. She has over 15 years experience building effective learning environments that unlock human potential and enable organizational culture to adapt and grow during times of change. 

Olivia Amador Valerio, EdD, was a bilingual teacher in an elementary school, as well as a principal, in San Diego. She holds teaching and administrative services credentials in California and earned her doctoral degree in educational leadership from San Diego State University.

Justin Stygles has served readers as an intermediate and middle grades teacher for nineteen years. For many years he taught grades 4-6 in rural and coastal Maine schools. His other experiences include working in summer literacy programs in rural, suburban, and private schools. He currently teaches fourth grade in Portland, Maine.

Jenna Evans is a teacher in the Pocono Mountain School District with over seventeen years of experience in the classroom. Jenna has extensive knowledge of best practices in Early Childhood Education and she prides herself on delivering innovative, developmentally appropriate instruction that reaches all learners alike.

Valerie Saxton Sharpe currently works as an educational consultant in the areas of cognitive disabilities, executive functioning, and teacher preparation.  Val and Roberta co-founded Project Boost, a program to help students use metacognitive strategies to boost their executive function skills.  They wrote and co-taught a curriculum that provides executive function skill training for students K-12 by building skills through a 7-Step Model.

SHIRLEY CLARKE (M.ED., HON.DOC) is a world expert in formative assessment, specializing in the practical application of its principles. Many thousands of teachers have worked with Shirley or read her books and, through them, the practice of formative assessment is continually evolving, developing and helping to transform students’ achievements.