Meet the
Team
Our team consists of experts committed to transforming education through innovative practices, research, and strategic initiatives.

Meet the Team

Meet the dedicated professionals behind The Learning Accelerator. Our team consists of experts committed to transforming education through innovative practices, research, and strategic initiatives. Each member brings a unique set of skills and experiences, ensuring we effectively support educators, leaders, and policymakers.
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Deme Banks

Associate Director, Operations
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Megan Benay

Megan Benay

Partner, Learning Products & Programs
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Daniela Bocanegra

Coordinator, Communications and Development
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Ashley Fellows

Managing Director, Learning Products & Programs
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Lacey Gonzales

Associate Director, Communications
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Michael Ham

Partner, Research, Measurement, & Policy
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Beth Holland

Managing Director, Research, Measurement, & Policy
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Jin-Soo Huh

Partner
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Rae Lymer

Partner, Research, Measurement, & Policy
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Brittany McCullough

Chief Operating Officer
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Kathleen Poliski

Coordinator, Programs
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Beth Rabbitt

Chief Executive Officer

Advisors & Fellows

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Jilliam Joe

Senior Research Advisor
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Catherine Atkinson

Researcher

Meet the Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors comprises leaders from various sectors who guide TLA’s strategic vision and ensure we achieve our mission. Their expertise and leadership are instrumental in driving the organization’s efforts to foster educational innovation and equity.
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Al Motley

Chair
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Beth Rabbitt

CEO
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Sandra Licon

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Cary Matsuoka

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Nikolaus Namba

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Matt Noble

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Danny Rojas

Get Involved

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Support Our Work

Join us in our mission by supporting our efforts to drive educational innovation and equity. Your contributions help us create meaningful change.

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Get in Touch

Have questions or want to learn more? Contact us to find out how you can get involved.

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Opportunities

Explore career opportunities and requests for proposals to collaborate on transformative projects.

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    Deme Banks

    Associate Director, Operations
    She/her/hers

    Deme Banks is the Associate Director of Operations at The Learning Accelerator. In this role, Deme leverages her extensive experience in strategic operations and project management to drive organizational efficiency.

    Before joining TLA, Deme held various leadership roles that honed her expertise in operations and program management. At Instruction Partners, she served as Program Operations Lead, where she was instrumental in overseeing program services, enhancing cross-functional collaboration, and developing leadership pathways. Deme also gained valuable experience as a Data Analyst, conducting detailed evaluations to inform program improvements, and as a School Operations Manager at KIPP: New Orleans, where she managed key aspects of school operations including budgeting, human resources, and facility maintenance.

    Deme holds a bachelor’s degree from Xavier University of Louisiana and is currently pursuing a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification to further hone her skills. She is also committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, actively incorporating these principles into her work.

    Based in New Orleans, Louisiana, Deme is married to Dale and is the proud mother of two teenagers: Dillon and Dakota. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, gardening, outdoor activities, reading, and vacationing. Deme is deeply passionate about ensuring equitable education access for all students and brings this commitment to her work every day.

    Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

    Megan Benay

    Megan Benay

    Partner, Learning Products & Programs
    She/her/hers

    Megan Benay is a Partner on the Learning Products & Programs team at The Learning Accelerator.

    Immediately prior to joining TLA, Megan worked as an education consultant, collaborating with the New York State Department of Education, Literacy Academy Collective, Educator Preparation Program (EPP) leaders, and other key stakeholder groups to transform literacy instruction. Her focus was ensuring EPPs provide effective, culturally responsive evidence-based literacy instruction grounded in the science of reading to all students. 

    Previously, Megan served as the Senior National Director of Data & Research at the Great Oaks Foundation. In this role, Megan led work to build data and research systems to drive continuous improvement efforts across the organization. She also led initiatives to support schools across the Great Oaks network to improve social, emotional, and academic outcomes for students with diverse learning needs as the Director of Inclusive Education. Megan has served in many positions in education throughout her career, including as a Teaching Assistant for Johns Hopkins University’s education doctoral program, as a Program Analyst at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, as a special education and music teacher in New York City Public Schools, and as an English teacher in Chile as part of the United Nations Development Programme.

    Megan holds an Ed.D. in Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education from Johns Hopkins University, an Ed.M. in Organizational Leadership Technology, Innovation, and Education from Columbia University’s Teachers College, an M.S. in special education from Hunter College, and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Vermont Honors College. 

    Megan is based in a small New York town just north of NYC where she lives with her husband Jeremy, her threenager Miles, and golden retriever Bel. Outside of work, you can find Megan engrossed in elaborate craft projects, singing/performing anywhere that will let her, and perfecting her chocolate chip cookie recipe.  

    Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

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    Daniela Bocanegra

    Coordinator, Communications and Development
    She/her/hers

    Daniela Bocanegra is a Communications and Development Coordinator at The Learning Accelerator. With experience supporting public policy initiatives, non-profit organizations, and government teams, Daniela is committed to supporting educational outcomes through TLA’s communication, development, and external relations work.

    Before joining TLA, Daniela was a Program Associate for the Education Policy team at the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative. At this national philanthropy, she managed grants, maintained relationships with grantees, and supported dynamic projects working towards equity in education. Daniela also has experience in local and state government affairs, working as a Policy Analyst at Florida’s Department of Education, supporting the state community college system.

    Daniela earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Florida and a master’s degree in Education Policy and Leadership from Florida State University. She is based in Miami and enjoys staying active, reading, and exploring local coffee shops.

    Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

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    Ashley Fellows

    Managing Director, Learning Products & Programs
    She/her/hers

    Ashley Fellows is the Managing Director, Learning Products & Programs, at The Learning Accelerator. Since joining TLA in 2022, Ashley has supported the organization’s programmatic work, ensuring learning services and products result in shareable, applicable learnings for the education sector. An experienced educator and school leader, Ashley brings valuable skills and perspective to the field as we work to create the next chapter in American K-12 education.  

    Prior to joining TLA, Ashley was a High School Director in Training at the Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST). In this capacity, she coached both teachers and school leaders, supported strategic planning, conducted professional development, played a key role in day-to-day operations, and led her school’s pandemic response. Before working at DSST, Ashley served as a sixth-grade math teacher and coach in Phoenix, AZ, followed by a role in which she designed training materials for Teach for America’s national teacher preparation team.

    Ashley earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver and a master’s degree in educational leadership (M.Ed.) from Arizona State University. She lives in Denver, CO with her husband and two sons. As a woman of color and a first-generation college student, she is deeply committed to disrupting inequitable outcomes for students and brings that passion to her work at TLA.

    Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

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    Lacey Gonzales

    Associate Director, Communications
    She/her/hers

    Lacey Gonzales is an Associate Director, Communications, at The Learning Accelerator, leading TLA’s communications, marketing, and storytelling strategies. Lacey works across the TLA team to maximize the organization’s impact, reach, branding, and visibility to fuel individual, organization, and sector learning.

    Before joining TLA, Lacey held various roles in communications for government and nonprofit organizations, in addition to experience as a journalist and in publishing. In journalism, she was an economic development reporter at the Yale Daily News and a copyeditor at the Hürriyet Daily News. Lacey also brings experience in media relations to TLA as a former media relations intern at the Center for Women and Families. She also served as a communications intern for the New Haven, CT, Office of Public Information. Previously, Lacey was a marketing intern at Yale University Press.

    Lacey graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree in political science. While at Yale, she volunteered as a community health educator.

    Lacey is based in St. Louis, MO, and outside of her time at TLA enjoys long-distance running and cooking adventurous vegetarian meals. She is excited to bring her commitment to all students receiving an equitable education to TLA.

    Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

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    Michael Ham

    Partner, Research, Measurement, & Policy
    He/him/his

    Michael Ham is a Partner at The Learning Accelerator, leading policy initiatives to foster equity-driven innovation in K-12 education. He collaborates with sector leaders nationwide to create conditions that enable transformative learning and equitable access for all students.

    Michael’s career in K-12 education began in high-need Title I public schools, where he scaled impactful instructional practices alongside school and district leaders. His passion for human-centered systems improvement and leveraging technology evolved into leading broader systemic change efforts. As a Partner of Research, Measurement, and Policy at TLA, he works with state and federal leaders to implement programs that scale evidence-based practices, focusing on sustainable models that prioritize equity and empower students.

    Before this role, Michael served as an Associate Partner on TLA’s  Programs team and a Fellow at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology, where he contributed to national digital literacy and blended learning efforts. His career started in Jacksonville, Florida, where he taught middle school math and was recognized for his innovative approaches to teaching and school improvement.

    Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, he enjoys training for open-water marathon swims, practicing yoga daily, and traveling with friends in his spare time.

    Personal pronouns: he/him/his

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    Beth Holland

    Managing Director, Research, Measurement, & Policy
    She/her/hers

    Beth Holland is Managing Director of Research, Measurement, & Policy at The Learning Accelerator. Since joining TLA in 2020, she has expanded the organization’s initiatives, building research partnerships with districts, systems, and other organizations to engage in program evaluation as well as specific areas of interest. She is a nationally recognized expert and thought-leader in the edtech and digital equity space, recently serving on a Technical Working Group to author the 2024 National Educational Technology Plan (NETP). 

    Prior to joining TLA, she completed a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Rhode Island, where she worked on a project funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Ready to Learn Initiative, and served as the Digital Equity and Rural Project Director at the Consortium of School Networking (CoSN). Beth also worked for six years as an instructor with EdTechTeacher, where she designed and implemented professional development workshops and blended learning courses with K-12 educators and leaders across the country and abroad. In addition, she served as the Director of Academic Technology at St. Michael’s Country Day School in Newport, RI. From these experiences, she brings both a rigorous academic background and practical experience to the team’s research efforts.

    Beth is also a prolific author and public speaker. She has previously published regular columns for Getting Smart and EdWeek and has had her work featured on Edutopia, MindShift, and EdSurge, as well as in scholarly journals. She holds an Ed.D. in Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education from Johns Hopkins University, an Ed.M. in Technology, Innovation, and Education from Harvard University, as well as a B.S. in Communications from Northwestern University.

    Currently based in Newport, RI, Beth lives with her husband and two crazy canines. When not working, she can be found sailing her boat “Fidget” or stand-up paddling along the East Coast. Beth’s lifelong dream is to someday be a Muppet. She believes that nothing could be more rewarding than dedicating her life to educating the world’s children – and being a furry monster would be fun, too.

    Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

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    Jin-Soo Huh

    Partner
    He/him/his

    Jin-Soo Huh is a Partner at The Learning Accelerator. He is an experienced educator and school innovation leader and has expertise in school design, education technology, professional development, and student-centered learning. He believes strongly in the power of collaboration and works to share resources and connect people in the education space to solve challenges collectively. 

    Prior to joining The Learning Accelerator, he spent over a decade as a math teacher and school system leader. He supported the implementation and scaling of models that incorporated student-centered learning and blended learning at innovative school networks including KIPP Chicago and Distinctive Schools. As a teacher in Prince George’s County Public Schools, he served on the teacher leadership team that supported the implementation of one of the country’s first schoolwide 1:1 iPad programs. He also co-founded the Data Whiz community of practice that convenes school-based data practitioners from across the country to share best practices and collaboratively tackle pain points. He shares learnings and insights about innovation in schools as a columnist for EdSurge.

    Jin-Soo earned a B.A. from Duke University in Public Policy and Political Science and a M.Ed in Elementary Education from George Mason University. Jin-Soo is based in Chicago and enjoys watching musicals, playing tennis, and exploring the city’s restaurant scene.

    Personal pronouns: he/him/his

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    Rae Lymer

    Partner, Research, Measurement, & Policy
    They/them/their

    Rae Lymer is a Partner, Research, Measurement, & Policy, at The Learning Accelerator. They are a seasoned education leader with expertise in advanced learning, innovation, and leveraging research to disrupt education inequities and propel systems change.  

    Prior to joining The Learning Accelerator, they spent over a decade as an educator and district administrator for Baltimore City Public Schools. In their tenure, they led the expansion of the CTY Baltimore Emerging Scholars Program (now Bright Minds Academy), developed and scaled instructional tools to accelerate learning, and launched The Analogy Project, which closes opportunity gaps for early learners to more accurately identify students for advanced learning. Rae also serves as the president of the professional learning nonprofit, Maryland Educators of Gifted Students, and as a chair of the Gifted and Talented Advisory Council for the Maryland State Department of Education.

    Rae earned a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Linguistics and Gender and Women’s Studies, an M.S.Ed. in Urban Education, and an Ed.D. in Urban Education Leadership from Johns Hopkins University. Rae is based in Baltimore and enjoys woodworking, tropical plants, and rowing.

    Personal pronouns: they/them/their

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    Brittany McCullough

    Chief Operating Officer
    She/her/hers

    Brittany McCullough is the Chief Operating Officer of The Learning Accelerator (TLA). She leads the development and implementation of operational strategies, building and managing strategic processes to drive communications and development functions, and overseeing both financial and talent management.

    With over a decade in education operations, Brittany is committed to her belief in the importance of education and that strong operations are critical in transforming the education system. Most recently, Brittany served as the Managing Director of Growth and Operations at Educators for Excellence (E4E). Brittany led fundraising operations and training, including implementing a new CRM to support fundraising activities. She also helped lead the organization’s growth initiatives to identify fee-based service options. 

    Prior to working at E4E, Brittany was the Director of Operations at Instruction Partners. She served as the project manager for the organization’s largest cross-district event, leading talent recruitment, logistics, communications, and scaling across states. Additionally, Brittany led nationwide operations for the partnership team. 

    Brittany also helped found a school in her hometown of Nashville, TN. As the Founding Director of Operations at Purpose Preparatory Academy, she led all business and school-based operations. During her time at Purpose Prep, the school was recognized as a Tennessee Reward School and remains within the top 5% of schools in Tennessee for academic performance. Brittany currently serves on the Board of Directors for Encompass Community School.

    Brittany graduated from Belmont University with a B.B.A. She holds an MBA from Trevecca Nazarene University.  In her spare time, Brittany spends time in church, listening to music, reading, cooking, watching television and movies, and hanging with family, friends, and her pups!

    Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

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    Kathleen Poliski

    Coordinator, Programs
    She/her/hers

    Kathleen Poliski serves as a Coordinator on the Programs team at The Learning Accelerator, where she plays a crucial role in managing and enhancing our online resources and tools, supporting program reporting, conducting research, leveraging social media for program promotion, and fostering partnerships. Before joining the team, Kathleen held the position of Instructional Technology Coordinator at Continued, a provider of higher learning and CEU accreditation for Speech Pathologists and Physical Therapists. Her expertise also extends to her time at Jefferson University, where she served as a Medical Media Specialist, offering media production services and valuable support to distance learners, professors, students, and medical staff.

    Kathleen earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Arts from Neumann University. She furthered her education by completing a Master’s in Mass Communication from South Dakota State University. 

    Based in Philadelphia, Kathleen finds joy in immersing herself in the city’s local music and restaurant scene. Her passion for media and diverse technology experiences in education excite her about contributing to The Learning Accelerator’s Programs team.

    Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

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    Beth Rabbitt

    Chief Executive Officer
    She/her/hers

    Beth Rabbitt is Chief Executive Officer of The Learning Accelerator (TLA). She is a nationally recognized expert in education innovation and improvement, with over 20 years of experience in the K-12 nonprofit, philanthropic, and private sectors. 

    Prior to becoming CEO in 2016, Beth was a Partner on TLA’s start-up team, leading the organization’s work to develop educator training systems and research on emerging teaching and learning models and practices. She also was a Doctoral Resident and Director of Human Capital at a start-up school system in Newark, NJ, an Associate Partner at the NewSchools Venture Fund, a consultant to and with Education Resource Strategies, and the founding Doctoral Fellow at the Harvard Innovation Lab. 

    Beth is a Pahara-Aspen Education Fellow and serves on the board of several nonprofits, including Catalyst:Ed, GiveThx, and Portland Parks Conservancy. She earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College and a doctorate (Ed.L.D.) from Harvard University, where she was an inaugural cohort member in the University’s Doctor of Education Leadership program. 

    Beth is based in Portland, Maine, where she lives with her husband and two daughters. As a parent and educator, she is inspired daily and urgently to create school experiences that better meet the needs of every child, everywhere.

    Personal pronouns: she/her/hers

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    Jilliam Joe

    Senior Research Advisor
    She/Her
    As a researcher and field leader, Dr. Jilliam Joe provides critical advising and ongoing support for TLA’s design of measures and evaluation approaches to ensure continuous improvement of teaching and learning and the advancement of equitable K-12 education solutions. She is an experienced psychometrician and program evaluator with a demonstrated history of working in nonprofit and startup environments. Jilliam is the founder and president of the consultancy Measure by Design and has served as the Vice President of Learning Insights at Leap Innovations and an Associate Research Scientist at ETS. She earned her Ph.D. in Assessment and Measurement from James Madison University, an M.S. in Urban Studies from the Strome College of Business, and a B.S. from Old Dominion University.
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    Catherine Atkinson

    Researcher
    She/her/hers

    An experienced classroom teacher, curriculum designer, presenter, and technology coach, Dr. Catherine Atkinson continues to advocate for meaningful learning with technology in K-12 education through her research and fieldwork. Catherine brings her expertise with qualitative data analysis to the TLA research and measurement team as they work to address the digital equity gap. Her passion for qualitative research stems from her desire to understand the lived experiences of teachers, students, and families, especially as it relates to technology’s role in the classroom. Catherine earned her Doctorate in Education with a specialization in Technology Integration in K-16 Education from Johns Hopkins University, an M.S. in Educational Technology from California State University, Fullerton, and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

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    Al Motley

    Chair
    He/him/his

    Al Motley is a technology thought leader and also the founder and CEO at Techademics, a technology company focused on innovation in education, social impact, philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector. Al is a nationally recognized expert in the intersection between responsible and innovative use of technology to deliver online learning for K-12, higher education and workforce for adult learners. Al supports many organizations through his CIO & CTO as a service model where he embeds himself in organizations in a part-time role to build the internal capacity for a high-level technology executive or department. An example of this service is his role as the Chief Technology Officer Lead for Gallaudet University, a university for deaf and hard of hearing students in Washington DC. He also has served as CIO for Philanthropi a national Fin-Tech platform that seeks to democratize Donor Advised Funds. Al is a partner or part-owner of several companies located in The United States, Canada, Argentina, and Botswana in Africa. 

    A mission-driven leader with extensive experience in executive management, Al has served as chief technology officer for Matchbook Learning, a national education management company, and has provided information technology leadership for Philadelphia’s Mastery Charter Schools, technology services for government clients, and venture investment analysis for various tech companies and young entrepreneurs. He also served as a key technical advisor for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation from 2013-2016 and as the Vice President of Technology Systems & Data for The United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern NJ.

    Al is also a Pahara Aspen Institute Fellow and holds a certification in Agile CSM project management. In addition, Al serves on the board of trustees as chair for The Learning Accelerator and also serves on the board of The Education Law Center in Pennsylvania. Al also has served as an instructor and mentor for the University of Pennsylvania’s Capstone Education Entrepreneurship Masters Program at the Graduate School of Education.

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    Beth Rabbitt

    CEO
    She/her/hers

    Beth Rabbitt is Chief Executive Officer of The Learning Accelerator (TLA). She is a nationally recognized expert in education innovation and blended and personalized learning. Prior to becoming CEO in 2016, Beth was a Partner on TLA’s start-up team, leading the organization’s work to develop educator training systems and research on emerging teaching and learning models and practices. 

    Beth brings over 20 years of experience in the K-12 nonprofit, philanthropic, and private sectors, having worked as a teacher, consultant, researcher, and funder. Most recently, prior to joining TLA, Beth was a Doctoral Resident and Director of Human Capital at a start-up school system in Newark, NJ, an Associate Partner at the NewSchools Venture Fund, a consultant to and with Education Resource Strategies, and the founding Doctoral Fellow at the Harvard Innovation Lab. 

    Beth is a Pahara-Aspen Education Fellow and serves on the board of several education nonprofits, including Catalyst:Ed and GiveThx. She earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College and a doctorate (Ed.L.D.) from Harvard University, where she was an inaugural cohort member in the University’s Doctor of Education Leadership program. 

    Beth is based in Portland, Maine, where she lives with her husband and two elementary-age daughters. As a parent and educator, she is inspired daily and urgently to create school experiences that better meet the needs of every child, everywhere.

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    Gwen Baker

    She/her/hers

    Gwen Baker has over 20 years of experience working in K-12 and focuses primarily on the uses of learning and technology to advance ambitious goals.

    Gwen has held a number of roles in the field and currently serves as a Venture Advisor to The LearnerStudio. Her most recent role was Chief Learning Officer at Mursion and before that, she was Chief Operating Officer and Partner on the Strategic Advising Team at Bellwether.  Gwen was CEO and Co-Founder of CoreSpring, Inc., a nonprofit whose mission is to provide the field with access to high-quality formative assessment content and digital authoring tools. Prior to CoreSpring, Gwen worked at NewSchools Venture Fund, where she led the organization’s portfolio data collection and analysis efforts as well as its community of practice work. Before NewSchools, Gwen served as Director of Knowledge Management at New Visions for Public Schools, the largest school reform organization in New York City. Gwen also worked at Teachscape, Inc., where she served as Vice President of Teaching and Learning and Senior Vice President of Operations. She began her career at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture), working with clients to build performance-based and simulated learning solutions.

    Gwen holds a master’s degree in learning sciences from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree in corporate communication from Ithaca College. She lives in New York City.

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    Helayne Jones

    She/her/hers

    Helayne Jones is an Education Consultant specializing in education strategies in Innovation, Personalized Learning, Scaling and Sustaining nonprofits, and Leadership.   She served as a Sr. Strategy Advisor to New Profit, a national venture philanthropy fund. Prior to that, she served as a Senior Program Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation developing and implementing the Innovation & Personalized Learning strategy. Prior to joining the foundation, Jones was the President & CEO of the Colorado Education Initiative (CEI). As the leader of CEI, a dynamic, growing organization, Jones drew on 15 years of expertise gained as an education consultant, her experience as a college professor, and her previous work as a marketing executive. Her consulting experience includes working with for-profit & not for profit education firms, school districts, and education foundations in Colorado and throughout the country to focus on systems change resulting in improved student outcomes for all students. She also has extensive experience with private-sector and nonprofit organizations to facilitate strategic planning, board governance and communications, and managing the impact of change.

    Jones has been an active philanthropist and community leader. She currently serves on the national boards of Throughline Learning, EdsUp, and the Keystone Policy Center. Past board involvement includes The Aurora Institute, Boulder Valley School Board for 8 years, 4 of those years as Board President, past trustee of the Rose Community Foundation, and past chair of the Health and Education Committees. She served as a member of Governor Hickenlooper’s Education Leadership Council and a board member of the Boulder Community Health Foundation. She has served on the board of ETown, Dairy Center for the Performing Arts, and Impact on Education. 

    Prior to consulting, Jones spent three years as an adjunct professor at Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y., and 12 years in the technology industry, including several executive marketing positions at Wang Laboratories.

    She received her doctoral degree in educational administration from the Columbia University Teachers College with an emphasis on school reform. She received a master’s degree in English from the University of Massachusetts and a bachelor’s degree, Honors College, from the University of Michigan.

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    Sandra Licon

    She/her/hers

    Sandra Licón is an educator and advocate dedicated to empowering kids and families from underserved communities. She has worked as a classroom teacher, non-profit leader, and funder, developing strategies and new ideas to improve public education in the U.S. and globally. She is an experienced bilingual facilitator and coach with a proven track record of building highly effective teams and forging partnerships across sectors and cultures.

    As a consultant, Sandra partners with a variety of funders, non-profit, and system leaders, coaching them on strategy, program development, and impact. Most recently, Sandra served as Vice President of Global Learning at the National Geographic Society, building partnerships to help build the next generation of young leaders. Previously, she spent more than a decade in various roles at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where she managed grant portfolios focused on improving college readiness and teacher effectiveness. She also worked at Teach For All, supporting social entrepreneurs in Latin America and Southeast Asia to launch social enterprises to address educational inequity. Sandra has received several fellowships recognizing her leadership, including the Eisenhower Zhi-Xing China Fellowship, the Graduate Congressional Hispanic Caucus Policy Fellowship, and Aspen Ideas Festival Fellow. She proudly started her career as a bilingual second-grade teacher in Los Angeles. Sandra holds a master’s degree in International Education Policy from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.

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    Cary Matsuoka

    He/him/his

    Carry Matsuoka is retired after a 40-year career in education, having served as superintendent of the Santa Barbara Unified School District. Matsuoka has been a lifelong learner in both formal and informal settings. He studied nutrition science at UC Davis and also received his teaching credential there. He earned his master’s degree in educational administration from San Jose State University. Along the way, he taught himself computer science and cabinetmaking, mostly by tinkering and learning-by-doing. He has a passion and talent for design and has applied those skills to the design of creative learning spaces in schools and the structure of school organizational systems.

    In addition, Matsuoka is a lifelong educator. He spent 17 years as a teacher, mostly in a high school setting, and 23 years in administrative leadership roles. He taught chemistry, physics, and AP computer science at Saratoga High School in the Silicon Valley area. After he went into administration, he served as a high school assistant principal, district coordinator, high school principal, and superintendent of three school districts. He served 14 years as superintendent of Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District (5 years), Milpitas Unified School District (5 years), and superintendent for Santa Barbara Unified School District (4 years).

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    Nikolaus Namba

    He/him/his

    Nik is a Managing Partner at Transcend. He has spent his entire career in education as a teacher, academic coach, principal, and leader in school districts and charter organizations focused on personalizing learning using a competency-based systems approach. Nik maintains a strong track record of successful and committed leadership focused on serving learners first. Prior to Transcend, he was the Director of 21st Century Learning for Lindsay Unified School District, where he was engaged in the system-wide transformative work of building a learner-centered, performance-based system. At Lindsay, Nik led several exciting projects focused on defining personalization, increasing staff capacity to deliver personalized curriculum, refining the community’s WiFi project to ensure Lindsay families were provided access, hardware, and installation free of charge, and developing and future-visioning the district’s learning management system. Prior to this leading role at Lindsay, Nik served as the principal of a K-8 school for the district.

    Before his time at Lindsay Unified, Nik worked as Chief Academic Officer of Ingenium Schools, a charter management organization in the Los Angeles area, where he led a grassroots development of a system-wide, personalized, and competency-based learning approach. Prior to this, he was an academic coach and a teacher in the Westminster 50 school district in Colorado. Nikolaus holds a Master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Colorado at Denver and a Bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from California Lutheran University. Nik currently lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife, son, and daughter.

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    Matt Noble

    He/him/his

    Matt Noble has more than two decades of leadership experience in student enrichment and experiential learning. He is CEO of Galileo Learning, a national organization that runs STEAM-focused summer programs for K-8 students at more than 75 locations in partnership with schools, districts, and local communities. Galileo’s mission is to develop innovators who envision and create a better world, which it does through its award-winning Galileo Innovation Approach: a proven pedagogy combining mindset, process, and knowledge.

    Prior to joining Galileo, Matt held a variety of leadership roles within EF Education First’s educational travel group, including heading up business units in the U.S. and Canada that served educators and students in both the K-12 and post-secondary segments. 

    Matt worked in a number of education-focused startups beginning in the late 1990s. He was an early employee at Revolution Prep, where he managed the development and growth of Revolution’s e-learning offerings addressing SAT/ACT preparation, California High School Exit Exam intervention, Algebra Readiness support, and more. He worked closely with districts, schools, and educators in systematically underserved communities to implement some of their earliest edtech efforts with a focus on adoption, educator support, and student outcomes.

    Matt holds a bachelor’s degree in Government from Harvard University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

    Danny Rojas Headshot

    Danny Rojas

    He/him/his

    Danny Rojas is the Executive Director of All Star Code, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to creating economic opportunities for young men of color by developing their entrepreneurial mindset, skills, and networks needed to succeed in a technological world. Since joining All Star Code in May 2018, Danny has spearheaded the organization’s strategic growth, program development, and operational excellence.

    Under Danny’s leadership, All Star Code has achieved financial resilience and significant growth. Since taking the helm as Executive Director, Danny has increased the organization’s revenue by securing $11 million in multi-year commitments from strategic donors. He has also managed the organization’s finances responsibly, navigating economic downturns and ensuring long-term sustainability. Danny has led All Star Code through transformative changes, including adapting to the challenges of the pandemic, advancing racial justice initiatives, and transitioning to digital-first program delivery. His efforts have expanded the Alumni base to 1,600 Scholars, with 325 Scholars securing meaningful employment in tech.

    Prior to All Star Code, Danny held several senior leadership roles at General Assembly, where he managed enterprise tech talent pipeline solutions for Fortune 100 clients and pioneered accelerated training models for underrepresented communities in tech. His career also includes serving as Principal, Strategic Advising at Bellwether Education Partners, Senior Manager at Deloitte & Touche LLP, and roles at Deutsche Bank, Bloomberg, and General Electric.

    Danny’s commitment to social justice and community empowerment is reflected in his board memberships with The Learning Accelerator, New Immigrant Community Empowerment, and Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He is a lifetime member of ALPFA and was elected as a Council Member for Community Education Council District 30 in New York City.

    Danny holds a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Boston University and has completed the Senior Leaders Program for Nonprofit Professionals at Columbia Business School’s Tamer Center for Social Enterprise. His core values guide his mission to create a more equitable and inclusive society, making a lasting impact on the communities he serves.

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    Office 403
    Portland, ME 04101

    The Learning Accelerator is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization under 

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