A Boutique Consultancy With the Reach of a Movement

Joe has over 40 years of experience in state and regional education leadership—including roles as Deputy Superintendent for the Wyoming Department of Education and Deputy Director of a federally funded Regional Comprehensive Center—he brings deep expertise in systems coherence and continuous improvement. A co-developer of the North Dakota School Renewal Guides, Simpson is known for connecting policy to practice and ensuring projects operate with precision, transparency, and accountability.

Cheryl has over 20 years in education and a decade of experience partnering with SEAs and REAs nationwide, she excels at translating improvement science into daily instructional practice. A former teacher, instructional coach, and senior consultant at McREL International, Abla brings deep expertise in data-driven improvement and direct experience supporting schools and districts.

Tamera is the Founder of Hahanna Consulting. She brings over 15 years of experience as a teacher, consultant, and school administrator, with a specific focus on working in Indigenous communities. She shapes culturally informed strategies that enhance learning environments and support sustainable school improvement, centering community partnerships, hands-on exploration, and Indigenous values to make learning meaningful and relevant.

Dr. Kapono Ciotti serves as a Cultural and Systems Design Specialist, helping schools and districts embed culturally responsive practices within their improvement efforts. With over 20 years of experience leading education systems across the U.S. and internationally, he specializes in project-based learning, culturally responsive pedagogy, and Improvement Science. His work centers on designing instructional systems that honor local culture, strengthen belonging, and create sustainable, community-driven results.

Dorothy Aguilera-Black Bear, founder of International Consultants, brings 20+ years of community-based action research and implementation of evidence-based practices with tribal nation communities, schools, and colleges. Her culture-based approach to school improvement uses reflective processes to explore and create innovative learning spaces that strengthen community connections and deepen student engagement.

Sara is an experienced educational leader and former Curriculum Director who specializes in using data and evidence-based practices to improve student outcomes. She has led district-wide efforts in curriculum development, assessment design, and professional learning, including new teacher induction programs and standards referenced grading. Through her work with the Region 11 Comprehensive Network, she supported literacy initiatives across Nebraska and Wyoming, helping schools strengthen instruction and close achievement gaps. She is especially skilled in partnering with educators to build effective systems for teaching, learning, and continuous improvement.

Kim is a senior education leader and improvement advisor with more than 35 years of experience supporting public charter schools, Waldorf and whole-child programs, and state accountability systems. He helps schools build coherence across governance, leadership, instruction, and performance through practical improvement systems that replace compliance stress with clarity and actionable evidence. His work is grounded in a developmental, culturally responsive approach that strengthens instructional quality while honoring school identity. goes here

Dr. Dorothy VanderJagt is an educational leader and consultant with 30+ years of experience supporting schools, districts, and universities. She founded an organization focused on accessible, high-quality professional learning and partners with universities to offer graduate credit. Her work centers on educator growth, leadership development, and school improvement. She has held leadership roles at Kent ISD, served as an elementary principal, taught as an adjunct professor, and presented and published nationally.

Spencer has dedicated his career to advancing educational research and evaluation among underserved communities across the United States, with a particular focus on the Pacific region. Dr. Scanlan has a robust background in educational research and evaluation, particularly in designing and implementing culturally relevant evaluation studies. His extensive experience in data management includes overseeing data collection, analysis, storage, and reporting processes. He has also been instrumental in providing technical assistance to researchers and educational practitioners, enhancing their capacity to utilize data to address practical challenges.