expertise
Our staff is the pillar upon which we build custom professional development for you! Meet us here:
Annie Hicks
Program Director
Annie Hicks has a Master of Science in Equity and Diversity in Education, along with experience in both K-12 and higher education contexts. She is passionate about supporting educators and administrators in their pursuit of equity and inclusion through effective school-family partnerships and culturally responsive teaching. She strives to provide collaborative, strengths-based professional learning and coaching that empowers educators and administrators to become educational agents of change within their unique context.
Program Director
Annie Hicks has a Master of Science in Equity and Diversity in Education, along with experience in both K-12 and higher education contexts. She is passionate about supporting educators and administrators in their pursuit of equity and inclusion through effective school-family partnerships and culturally responsive teaching. She strives to provide collaborative, strengths-based professional learning and coaching that empowers educators and administrators to become educational agents of change within their unique context.
Jennifer Puentes
Administrative Assistant
Jennifer Puentes has had 24 years experience in customer service. She strives to provide exceptional administrative support working alongside the Program Director and Professional Learning Leaders of the PDP.
Administrative Assistant
Jennifer Puentes has had 24 years experience in customer service. She strives to provide exceptional administrative support working alongside the Program Director and Professional Learning Leaders of the PDP.
Tom Browning, Ph.D.
Professional Learning Leader
Tom Browning is passionate about helping teachers create inspiring learning communities and seeks to promote core reflection, equity literacy, and inquiry learning. He has 20 years of teaching experience across a variety of contexts, including seven years as a high school science teacher in a nontraditional learning community for at-promise youth.
Professional Learning Leader
Tom Browning is passionate about helping teachers create inspiring learning communities and seeks to promote core reflection, equity literacy, and inquiry learning. He has 20 years of teaching experience across a variety of contexts, including seven years as a high school science teacher in a nontraditional learning community for at-promise youth.
Stephanie Carsrud
Professional Learning Leader
Stephanie Carsrud has a deep love of learning. In particular, she has a love of literacy and the science
behind improving literacy. As such, she has previously served as a District Dyslexia Strategist and
Reading Strategist. She has worked with a variety of learners ranging from PK through college.
Although there are many high-leverage instructional practices, her favorite is the use of discourse in all
instructional settings. Whether discourse is written or done orally, she has personally seen the positive
outcomes it has had on her student’s performance. She believes that teachers can reach their goals
through self-reflection, research and a commitment to application.
Professional Learning Leader
Stephanie Carsrud has a deep love of learning. In particular, she has a love of literacy and the science
behind improving literacy. As such, she has previously served as a District Dyslexia Strategist and
Reading Strategist. She has worked with a variety of learners ranging from PK through college.
Although there are many high-leverage instructional practices, her favorite is the use of discourse in all
instructional settings. Whether discourse is written or done orally, she has personally seen the positive
outcomes it has had on her student’s performance. She believes that teachers can reach their goals
through self-reflection, research and a commitment to application.
Darl Kiernan, Ph.D.
Professional Learning Leader
Darl Kiernan is passionate about literacy. She has served as a special education and elementary
grades teacher, literacy specialist, university instructor, coach, high school coordinator for the
Striving Readers Grant Initiative and provided oversight statewide for K-12 English Language
Arts. Darl is a lifelong learner who strives to support educators by providing dynamic
professional learning and coaching opportunities.
Professional Learning Leader
Darl Kiernan is passionate about literacy. She has served as a special education and elementary
grades teacher, literacy specialist, university instructor, coach, high school coordinator for the
Striving Readers Grant Initiative and provided oversight statewide for K-12 English Language
Arts. Darl is a lifelong learner who strives to support educators by providing dynamic
professional learning and coaching opportunities.
Holly Marich, Ph.D.
Professional Learning Leader
Holly Marich (NBCT, Technology, ELA) is passionate about empowering teachers through motivational professional development experiences. She is an advocate for effective technology integration to maximize student learning and a proponent for teaching with a process approach that gives learners voice and choice through authentic experiences.
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Professional Learning Leader
Holly Marich (NBCT, Technology, ELA) is passionate about empowering teachers through motivational professional development experiences. She is an advocate for effective technology integration to maximize student learning and a proponent for teaching with a process approach that gives learners voice and choice through authentic experiences.
Treena Parker
Professional Learning Leader
Treena Whaley has experience working with students Pre-K through post high school. She loves to learn and is passionate about...whatever she is learning about. She has a deep regard for educators and hopes to make a positive difference by providing pivotal practice-changing professional learning experiences for teachers.
Professional Learning Leader
Treena Whaley has experience working with students Pre-K through post high school. She loves to learn and is passionate about...whatever she is learning about. She has a deep regard for educators and hopes to make a positive difference by providing pivotal practice-changing professional learning experiences for teachers.
Connie Thomson
Professional Learning Leader
Connie Thomson has been in the field of education for 20+ years working within the Elko County School District as a middle school teacher and currently serving as the K - 12 mathematics and computer science learning specialist with the Northeastern Nevada Regional Development Program based in Elko, Nevada. Connie is a National Board Certified Teacher (Mathematics, Early Adolescence). Connie received a Certificate for Applied Educational Neuroscience from Butler University and is passionate about utilizing applied educational neuroscience to inform practice and nourish the potential in every student. Connie graduated from Sierra Nevada College and received her Master of Science in Mathematics Education from Walden University.
Professional Learning Leader
Connie Thomson has been in the field of education for 20+ years working within the Elko County School District as a middle school teacher and currently serving as the K - 12 mathematics and computer science learning specialist with the Northeastern Nevada Regional Development Program based in Elko, Nevada. Connie is a National Board Certified Teacher (Mathematics, Early Adolescence). Connie received a Certificate for Applied Educational Neuroscience from Butler University and is passionate about utilizing applied educational neuroscience to inform practice and nourish the potential in every student. Connie graduated from Sierra Nevada College and received her Master of Science in Mathematics Education from Walden University.
Natalie Trouten
Professional Learning Leader
Natalie Trouten (MS in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment) has 19 years of teaching experience in K-6 and adult settings, primarily within elementary school classrooms. She is passionate about all things STEM, and focuses on empowering teachers to grow through reflection and discourse, fostering a positive and enriching learning environment.
Professional Learning Leader
Natalie Trouten (MS in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment) has 19 years of teaching experience in K-6 and adult settings, primarily within elementary school classrooms. She is passionate about all things STEM, and focuses on empowering teachers to grow through reflection and discourse, fostering a positive and enriching learning environment.