About Us

Dr. Woodson is a former principal of a high English learner (EL) enrollment Title 1 elementary school. A veteran in public education with over 35 years of service as a teacher, specialist, supervisor, district EL Program Director, and adjunct professor, Dr. Woodson specializes in empowering teachers to lead strategic improvement efforts through the development and delivery of deep and sustained professional learning in equity-focused leadership. An expert in second language acquisition and district-level program administration, Dr. Woodson’s current efforts focus on creating equitable conditions for ELs in schools, EL-centered school improvement strategies, and leadership coaching for teacher leaders and administrators.

Nina Khouri, a former Assistant Principal, has supervised the EL/World Languages and English departments and served a diverse community. As an educator for over thirty seven years, Nina had a variety of roles as a college adjunct English professor, EL teacher at the secondary level, district wide EL Coordinator, and school administrator. Having degrees in Teaching English as a Second Language, Nina is highly skilled in writing/implementing curriculum and assessments for ELs, assisting diverse students and their families in adapting to a new system of education, and training EL and content teachers in improving EL academic performance and social/emotional learning. Nina’s core beliefs center around equity and excellence in education, collaborative learning, and continuous growth.

Nina Khouri, a former Assistant Principal, has supervised the EL/World Languages and English departments and served a diverse community. As an educator for over thirty seven years, Nina had a variety of roles as a college adjunct English professor, EL teacher at the secondary level, district wide EL Coordinator, and school administrator. Having degrees in Teaching English as a Second Language, Nina is highly skilled in writing/implementing curriculum and assessments for ELs, assisting diverse students and their families in adapting to a new system of education, and training EL and content teachers in improving EL academic performance and social/emotional learning. Nina’s core beliefs center around equity and excellence in education, collaborative learning, and continuous growth.

Norka Padilla is currently a Coordinator with International Admissions & Enrollment in the office of School Support and Well-being in Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland, where she collaborates ensuring equitable access to standards aligned instruction and programming K-12. Previously, she served as a Learning and Achievement Specialist supporting 24 leadership teams with school improvement K-12. Norka has over 30 years of experience as an instructional specialist and teacher designing and facilitating professional development nationally. She also enjoys consulting for state, national, public, and private organizations on standards-setting and policy. Norka is a Nationally Board Certified specialist in English as a New Language K-12 with two master’s degrees and administrative certification from Trinity College, McDaniel College, and the University of Maryland. She is also certified in Educational Administration and Supervision I & II in Maryland.

Norka collaborates with several educational non-profit organizations: as an Equity Commissioner for The New Teacher Center, is GLEAM badged for coaching school leadership teams for UnboundEd, and standard setting with Dr. Webb’s team at WebbAlign.

Norka was born and raised trilingual as a Guatemalan-Norwegian-American in Washington, DC, and is the proud mother of three young men. She and her husband live in Friendship Heights where they enjoy traveling, urban walks, and hiking in nature.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/norka-padilla-edequity/

Ms. Sonja Bloetner is a twenty-eight year veteran in public education. In her role as a district level administrator, she supervises curriculum development, assessment development, professional development and school support to increase engagement and achievement for over 30,000 English Learners who are enrolled in Grades K-12. She works with her team to design, deliver and collaborate on districtwide professional learning projects for hundreds of teachers and administrators. Additionally, Ms. Sonja Bloetner is a co-founder of CREATE Solutions, LLC and has been providing consulting services for school systems and non-profit organizations. She and her team are passionate about shifting learning outcomes for diverse learners in the United States and in the global community. She recently completed an Urban Superintendent Academy program, sponsored by Howard University and the Association of Administrators and Superintendents (AASA) and is currently enrolled in a Education Policy Fellowship Program with the Institute of Educational Leadership in Washington D.C. She recently published two books: Formative Assessment Strategies for English Language Learners with Teacher Created Materials, Inc and Leading Success for Diverse Learners: Transforming the Matrix of Your School System.

Ms. Sonja Bloetner is a twenty-eight year veteran in public education. In her role as a district level administrator, she supervises curriculum development, assessment development, professional development and school support to increase engagement and achievement for over 30,000 English Learners who are enrolled in Grades K-12. She works with her team to design, deliver and collaborate on districtwide professional learning projects for hundreds of teachers and administrators. Additionally, Ms. Sonja Bloetner is a co-founder of CREATE Solutions, LLC and has been providing consulting services for school systems and non-profit organizations. She and her team are passionate about shifting learning outcomes for diverse learners in the United States and in the global community. She recently completed an Urban Superintendent Academy program, sponsored by Howard University and the Association of Administrators and Superintendents (AASA) and is currently enrolled in a Education Policy Fellowship Program with the Institute of Educational Leadership in Washington D.C. She recently published two books: Formative Assessment Strategies for English Language Learners with Teacher Created Materials, Inc and Leading Success for Diverse Learners: Transforming the Matrix of Your School System.

Susan Gordon is currently a Learning & Achievement Specialist for a major Mid-Atlantic metropolitan school district, where she collaborates with school and district leaders coaching for equitable access to standards aligned instruction and programming K-12. Susan regularly serves as consultant and facilitator for a variety of organizations on leading for multilingual learner success and standards aligned instruction for all learners. She also enjoys her role as adjunct professor for John Hopkins University and American University for the Urban Teacher Program in Washington, D.C. Susan has over 20 years of experience as a teacher of English learners, Curriculum Specialist, Learning & Achievement Specialist, Staff Developer, Teacher Leader Coach and Professional Learning Designer & Facilitator. She is certified as a specialist in English as a New Language, holds a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership, and possesses Educational Administrative I & II certification in Maryland. Susan grew up living all over Latin America and is fluent in Spanish, which sparked her passion for working with newcomer students, teaching English as a new language, and ensuring access and equity for all students.

Teresa Timmons Parrott has served in two different school districts over the past twenty years where she has built the capacity of staff around academic excellence, family well-being, and professional and operational excellence. Currently working in one of the top fifteen largest school districts in the country as a Learning & Achievement Specialist, Parrott uses her array of educational experiences that range from elementary to secondary to post-secondary, to support school districts in developing positive building climates that lead to educational equity and achievement for all students.

Certified in Administration I and II, ESOL, Special Education, and English Language Arts, Teresa’s current experiences center on the school improvement planning process with administration and community stakeholders to monitor school progress and collaboration with teams to build positive, solution-based work environments. Parrott has developed and led differentiated professional learning for district staff to build the capacity of administrators to analyze achievement data for improved instruction. She has a proven track record in coaching, staff accountability, and building staff capacity to improve teaching and learning in schools through modeling and encouraging innovative and effective instructional leadership supports.

Dr. Jennifer Craft is a seasoned educator passionate about teaching and instructional leadership. With over 27 years of experience, she has had various roles in the Maryland and North Carolina Public Schools Systems at the school (elementary, middle, high) and district levels. Currently, she serves as the Director of English Language Arts in the Baltimore County Public School District. Dr. Craft has devoted her professional journey to elevating equitable instruction by centering student strengths and identities. She has successfully applied her expertise to special education, multilingual learners, and implementing culturally and linguistically sustaining and inclusive curricula. Her approach is grounded in research and theory, ensuring rigor and equity.

In addition to her work in schools, Dr. Craft has contributed to the education field as an adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Education, instructing and mentoring both pre-service and in-service teachers at the master’s level. She is also a proud graduate of the Johns Hopkins School of Education, where her doctoral dissertation focused on examining and addressing the use of curriculum audits to create equitable curricular and instructional practices that honor the humanity and identity of all students.

Dr. Craft collaborates closely with administrators to observe the planning and implementation of the curriculum to ensure rigorous instruction that fosters a culture for learning. She adeptly uses student performance data to inform the written, taught, and assessed curriculum, instructional programs, and pedagogical approaches, offering recommendations for accelerating student achievement.