Exponential Learning InitiativeTeam
Staff
Samantha Artukovich, Partner, Resources & Dissemination
Deme Banks, Associate Director, Operations
Daniela Bocanegra, Coordinator, Communications and Development
Ashley Fellows, Managing Director, Learning Products & Programs
Lacey Gonzales, Associate Director, Communications
Michael Ham, Partner, Research, Measurement, & Policy
Beth Holland, Managing Director, Research, Measurement, & Policy
Jin-Soo Huh, Partner
Nate Kellogg, Partner
Rae Lymer, Partner, Research, Measurement, & Policy
Brittany McCullough, Chief Operating Officer
Kathleen Poliski, Coordinator, Programs
Beth Rabbitt, Chief Executive Officer
Samantha Artukovich, Partner, Resources & Dissemination
Samantha Artukovich is a Partner, Resources & Dissemination, at The Learning Accelerator. Her multi-faceted background in psychology, education, and communications converged to bring her to organizations committed to enhancing the educational experience for students. Samantha works to maximize TLA’s reach and impact among education leaders, practitioners, and other stakeholders through effective resource development, engagement, and dissemination.
Prior to joining TLA, Samantha worked for Capital Region BOCES, where she collaborated with rural and suburban K-12 districts in New York to manage and tailor communications practices, drive community engagement, and plan accessible websites and digital materials. Samantha also brings a background in higher education to the team, having worked around the country in areas ranging from alumni relations at Pitzer College to student counseling at the University of La Verne and communications at St. Lawrence University. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from St. Lawrence University and a master’s degree in the same field from the University of La Verne.
Samantha is based in the Los Angeles area, and in her time outside of TLA, she and her husband can be found doting on their dogs and engaging with their friends in all sorts of nerdy pastimes.
Personal pronouns: she/they
Deme Banks, Associate Director, Operations
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
Daniela Bocanegra, Coordinator, Communications and Development
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
Ashley Fellows, Managing Director, Learning Products & Programs
Ashley Fellows is the Managing Director, Learning Products & Programs, at The Learning Accelerator (TLA). 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 young 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
Lacey Gonzales, Associate Director, Communications
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
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 for Programs at TLA 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
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 up and down 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
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
Nate Kellogg is a Partner at The Learning Accelerator, where he leads the organization’s networked learning efforts. With over a decade of experience working in schools, Nate is an expert in innovation, design, and system improvement.
Nate has served as a teacher, administrator, consultant, and board member. Prior to joining TLA, Nate spent four years as Director of Personalized Learning for ReNEW Schools, a charter network in New Orleans. In this role, he led all personalized and blended learning initiatives, from implementing the state’s first Summit Learning Program to designing competency-based professional learning programs and managing the network’s one-to-one laptop initiative. Beyond ReNEW, Nate organized teachers across the city of New Orleans through collaborative professional learning, including co-founding New Schools for New Orleans’ Personalized Learning Teacher Fellowship. Before joining ReNEW, Nate spent six years teaching in public, charter, and independent schools, beginning as a Teach for America corps member in DC Public Schools.
Nate earned his Bachelor’s degree in rhetoric from Bates College and his Master’s degree in special education from George Mason University. Nate lives in Middletown, RI, with his wife and two young sons.
Personal pronouns: he/him/his
Rae Lymer, Partner, Research, Measurement, & Policy
Rae Lymer is a Partner, Research and Measurement, 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-elect of the professional learning nonprofit, Maryland Educators of Gifted Students, and on 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, and an M.S.Ed. in Urban Education and an Ed.D. in Urban Education Leadership from the Johns Hopkins University. Rae is based in Baltimore and enjoys woodworking, tropical plants, and paddle boarding.
Personal pronouns: they/them/their
Brittany McCullough, Chief Operating Officer
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 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 puppy Giavanna!
Personal pronouns: she/her/hers
Kathleen Poliski, Coordinator, Programs
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
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.
Personal pronouns: she/her/hers
Advisors & Fellows
Jilliam Joe, Senior Research Advisor
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.
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.