Our Team

“I go into every new experience and opportunity with a dedicated resolve to observe and absorb as much as I can from whatever I can. I don’t think there’s such a thing as useless knowledge and I think everyone and everything has knowledge to impart.”

Bio
Kali Alford joins the Digital Promise team after serving as a Digital Learning Coordinator for Cobb County Schools in Marietta, Georgia. Prior to that, he worked with Kennesaw State University’s iTeach Team, where he served as a Project Lead supervising Instructional Technology Coaches supporting several school districts. Kali also brings with him the experience of a classroom teacher, having taught both middle and high school Humanities courses. Kali received his Bachelor’s of Arts in History from Columbus State University as well as his Master’s and Specialist of Education in Instructional Technology from Kennesaw State University. He can be reached at kalford@digitalpromise.org.

“I learn best by watching, listening and then doing. I enjoy taking things apart, seeing how those things are connected to larger concepts.”

Bio

Comaneci Brooken brings 15 years of experience in digital learning, business development, client management, sales support, and professional development training. Prior to Digital Promise, she worked at Connections Academy, a large education management organization. There, she successfully launched three statewide virtual charter schools in South Carolina, Louisiana, and Georgia, expanding the organization’s portfolio of schools throughout the southeast region. Comaneci has in-depth knowledge of personalized and competency-based learning approaches to teaching and learning, and she has worked with various districts and state agencies across the country to outfit their blended and online learning programs. She was previously a dedicated educator for seven years, teaching various grade levels in grades K-8. A Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native, Comaneci holds a Master of Science in instructional technology from the University of Houston-Clear Lake and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Southern University and A&M College. She serves on many nonprofit technology advisory boards and has a passion for improving educational options for all children. You can reach her at cbrooken@digitalpromise.org.

“It’s great that we live in the world we do, where you can research virtually any topic and find all of the information, reviews, personal accounts, videos, diagrams, etc., you could possibly need and then some. We live in an age where ignorance can no longer be an excuse. A desire to learn paired with the tools to learn it breeds unlimited possibilities.”

Bio
Jennifer comes to Digital Promise with over 10 years of experience working in nonprofits. Previously, she organized scientific and educational programs and conferences in the U.S. and abroad for the International Council of Ophthalmology. She coordinated subscriptions and group sales for the San Francisco Ballet while serving as their assistant treasurer. She also has organized youth events for schools and community groups. Jennifer studied at CSU, Dominguez Hills where she attained her Master’s degree in Humanities. As a “lifelong learner,” she continues to take courses and enjoys learning new concepts and approaches in this ever-changing world. You can reach Jennifer at jcooley@digitalpromise.org.

“I have always been a social learner. I watch how other people delve into problems and love to see how they problem solve. Most recently, I have learned so much from my own children. Their curiosity and the way they address concerns offers me a new perspective and helps me appreciate things in a new way.”

Bio
Sara comes to Digital Promise from The Arizona K12 Center where she was the Technology Project Director, overseeing technology professional learning opportunities, technology conferences, and other leadership and learning events for educators across Arizona. Previously, Sara was a Standards Coordinator and Professional Development Coordinator for Maricopa County Education Service Agency (MCESA). She was also a 1st and 5th grade teacher as well as an Instructional Technology Specialist for kindergarten through 8th grade teachers in the Cartwright School District. Sara received her Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from Arizona State University, her Master of Education in elementary education and reading specialist endorsement from Northern Arizona University, and an Educational Doctorate in educational administration and supervision from Arizona State University. You can reach Sara at s.crawford@digitalpromise.org.

“When I was young I thought I could be really smart if I read every encyclopedia volume from A-Z. While that never happened, I later realized that my students had the equivalent of the encyclopedia and more at their fingertips with the Internet. That’s why I dove into the field of educational technology—so that students everywhere, no matter their zip code, can have the world at their fingertips and use technology to do good in it.”

Bio
Diane W. Doersch serves as a Technical Project Director at Digital Promise. She came from a career in public education, first as an elementary school teacher, then a middle school computer applications teacher, and finally director of technology in a Wisconsin school district with approximately 6,000 students. She then served as Chief Technology and Information Officer in one of the five largest school districts in the state. In that role, Diane helped develop a statewide data warehouse consortium for school districts, worked to transform her school district with laptops for educators and 1:1 devices for students, and earned her Certified Educational Technology Leader (CETL) certification. Diane is serves on the boards of the Consortium of School Networking (CoSN) and #EquityEDU, and is an officer of  Women in Technology (WIT) Wisconsin. She earned her bachelor of science degree in elementary education from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point and her masters degree in educational technology from Lesley University. You can reach Diane at ddoersch@digitalpromise.org. 

“I am a huge advocate for reading and listening to audiobooks, and it has allowed me to double my consumption for literature. I was also able to remodel a bathroom through watching YouTube videos and trying it out myself. There were a lot of failures but I just try and try again and eventually I will get it right.”

Bio
Dan Foreman is the Manager of Professional Learning for the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools initiative at Digital Promise. Dan has worked in education for ten years, starting his career as a Teach For America Corps Member in D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) and working for the Teach For America Summer Institute in Philadelphia as the Director of Technology. After leaving DCPS, Dan moved over the river to Alexandria City Public Schools (VA) to teach English before becoming a Technology Integration Specialist, where he helped manage and develop the 3,700 student 1:1 initiative at TC Williams High School and provide instructional technology leadership and pedagogical support to teachers and administration. Dan was then promoted to the District Instructional Technology Coordinator in charge of a team of 16 Technology Integration Specialists spread across the school district and broadened the 1:1 initiative to encompass the entire district’s 15,000 devices. Dan then moved to the private industry as an Education Consultant, helping manage and develop large-scale hardware and software technology implementations across the country for many K-12 school districts. Before his career in education, Dan was enlisted in the Marine Corps and was in charge of managing and coordinating the maintenance and fidelity of communications for 1st Marine Division during the Battle of Fallujah. Dan received his BA from Wittenberg University in Literature and Creative Writing, his Masters of Arts in Teaching from American University, his Masters of Education in Instructional Design and Development from George Mason University, and Administrative Leadership and Policy Certification from George Washington University. He can be reached at dforeman@digitalpromise.org.

“Curiosity and action always satiate my learning. I live by doing things than reading or listening to them. Be it riding a bike at 4, making my first line follower robot at 14, or learning how to code at 23, I have always learned the most by my failures and figuring out my way of doing things.”

Bio

Anshul first joined Digital Promise as an Education Pioneers Fellow, working on the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools initiative. He is excited to join the VILs team full-time to support the research and reporting as Project Director of Data & Analytics. Before joining Digital Promise, Anshul had three years of experience in education management. He ran the biggest test preparation division in Northwest India, as a senior manager and led a cross-functional team of 30 people. He has also taught competitive mathematics for two years. He has a Master of Business Administration and Master of Information Systems Technology from George Washington University, and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Delhi. You can reach Anshul at anshul@digitalpromise.org.

“As a child, I was teased as the little girl who actually read the encyclopedias from start to finish. That thirst for knowledge did not stop when technology/the Internet entered my life. I love looking things up, researching serious and fun topics, and learning what makes things work. I can do that a lot faster now with technology.”

Bio
Sharis M. Lattimore possesses a lifelong commitment to instructional technology. She has always had a passion for it and, affectionately, calls herself a “proud girl geek.” Sharis has served as a: systems engineer with IBM; high school mathematics and computer programming classroom teacher; districtwide K-12 technology resource teacher; budget and finance specialist in Career and Technical Education (CTE); an instructional technology specialist; and retired as director of the Computer Education Support department in Jefferson County (KY) Public Schools (JCPS).

Before joining Digital Promise, Sharis served as JCPS’s district point of contact for Verizon Innovative Learning Schools. JCPS is part of Cohort 5 and is the 29th largest urban district in the U.S. with over 100,000 students. Sharis received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Hampton University; her master’s from the University of Louisville (KY); and her doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, KY. She has been married to her college sweetheart for more than 30 years and they have two grown daughters. She can be reached at: slattimore@digitalpromise.org.

“I consider myself to be an experiential learner.  I start by gaining foundational knowledge from a publication or video, pick the brains of people knowledgeable on the subject, and create a process to accomplish what I want to learn or do.  Along the way, and at the end, I continue to reflect on my progress and make adjustments as needed.  I’ve learned to do many things, from building furniture to enterprise networks, and have come to appreciate that learning is the journey to accomplishment.”

Bio
Mike comes to Digital Promise from a fast-growing school district near Madison, Wisconsin. Working for 10 years as the Director of Technology, Mike guided the implementation of enterprise network systems and numerous innovations in digital media and learning, including interactive technology, mobile devices, and instructional gaming through a partnership with Filament Games. Major accomplishments include founding WISEdash Local, a data warehouse and dashboard system consortium of 20 school districts, and implementing 1:1 laptops to 5,000 students and teachers. Mike started his career in education as an English teacher, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in English and a Master of Science degree in Educational Media from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. He also earned his Doctor of Education degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an emphasis in technology staff development. A strong believer in the use of data and continuous improvement, Mike recently completed training in Lean/Six Sigma Greenbelt. Contact Mike at: mike@digitalpromise.org.

“As a naturally curious person, I like to gather as much information as possible on a subject. I love learning and always feel accomplished and excited when I learn something new!”

Bio
Sara manages operations for the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program. Prior to Digital Promise, Sara worked at the Urban Institute, where she developed project budgets and grant proposals in addition to managing the communications team’s pipeline, operations, and project management. Sara has experience in the nonprofit and consulting sectors and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia.

“After working closely with hundreds of school leaders, coaches, and teachers in school improvement initiatives over the last few years, I’ve learned something groundbreaking, yet so simple: Relationships are the nucleus for everything. Invest in people.”

Bio
Emily joins Digital Promise on the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools team. As an activist for innovative teaching and learning, she spent the last four years pushing thinking and being inspired by educators all over North America. Emily served as a mentor to 34 instructional coaches and their principals in the Dynamic Learning Project (another Digital Promise initiative). Prior to that, she partnered with K-12 school district leadership teams all over southern California while working at The Jacobs’ Institute for Innovation in Education at The University of San Diego. Originally from and currently residing in St. Louis, she has taught and coached for 12 years in the U.S., Trinidad, Guatemala, the United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia. Emily is passionate about globalizing the classroom, making learning meaningful, and giving students opportunities to make real differences in this world. She believes in strengths-based leadership and is energized when working with others. Emily received her Bachelor of Arts from The University of San Diego in Elementary Education, her Master of Science from Buffalo State University in International Education, and a Post-Master’s Certificate in Educational Leadership & Administration from The George Washington University. She can be reached at eroth@digitalpromise.org.

“I learn from a variety of experts who make their knowledge freely available. When I know what I want to learn I often learn by watching YouTube. I can then take what I’ve learned and apply it to the task or project. I learn the most from the people I’m surrounded by the most—my wife and kids. My kids all push my emotional range, demand engagement, and challenge my ability to react thoughtfully in the moment. My wife challenges me daily to approach life with a fresh perspective and with new knowledge. She is also a brilliant educator, compassionate mother, strong woman, and the lifeblood of our family.”

Matt Spears joins Digital Promise as an Associate Director of Professional Learning for Verizon Innovative Learning Schools. Though he has spent the last couple years on the West Coast, he spent the entirety of his previous years working and being educated in Chesterfield County Public Schools in Virginia. He spent three years teaching middle school math and coaching high school volleyball before moving into a role as an instructional technology coach, where he introduced iPod Touches to classrooms, presented at international conferences, and planned and executed the professional development for one of the largest (at the time) 1:1 rollouts of Chromebooks. After moving to California, Matt served as the Educational Content Manager at Google, where he helped the Google for Education team manage and grow the content on the Teacher Center and Certifications, as well as improve feedback, localize content, nurture relationships with vendors, and bring the best of Google’s products to educators across the world. Matt can be reached at mspears@digitalpromise.org.

“I look for lessons in everything and everyone. There is a purpose for every experience and I look for the meaning behind it all! Everyone has different experiences and I always welcome different perspectives; that is the only way one can grow.”

Bio
Dr. Courtney L. Teague is a Professional Learning Engineer with the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools initiative at Digital Promise. She is also an adjunct graduate professor for Thomas University. Dr. Teague, a Microsoft Innovative Education Expert, was recently named one of the Top 250 education tech people to follow on social media. Previously, she served as a technology trainer for Cobb County School District. She supported and informed the delivery of instruction in schools to create a rigorous, relevant, and engaging instructional program through targeted support and implementation of innovative technological solutions focused on high levels of student achievement. Prior to being a technology trainer, she was a middle school educator where she led a stem grant initiative and developed stem curriculum. She received her Bachelor of Science in Collaborative Teaching from Alabama State University; Master of Public Administration from Troy University; Educational Specialist in Brain Based Teaching from Nova Southeastern University; Educational Doctorate in Instructional Technology and Distance Education from Nova Southeastern University; and a social media marketing certification from Emory University. She currently lives in Atlanta with her Pomeranian, GoHan. You can reach Courtney at cteague@digitalpromise.org.

“I learn best by drawing, diagramming and taking hand-written notes about the subject I want to learn about. In my world there is little better than a well-sharpened #2 pencil (and a smartphone to take a photo of my drawings and diagrams to share with others).”

Bio
Kristin comes to Digital Promise from Verizon, where she was a Senior Manager for Education Programs within Corporate Social Responsibility and the Verizon Foundation. Kristin’s career in corporate philanthropy focused on establishing content and state partnerships to support educational programs, as well as national professional development models to scale professional learning. Prior to Verizon, Kristin taught visual art to middle school students, primarily in Loudoun County, VA. Kristin earned a B.F.A. in Visual Arts from Cornell University and an M.Ed. in Art Education from Pennsylvania State University. You can reach Kristin at: kristin@digitalpromise.org.

“I would like to learn a foreign language. Learning a new language opens up international opportunities to be able to collaborate with other cultures.”

Bio
Prior to joining Digital Promise, Shaun was an independent contractor for Discovery Education as an instructional coach. Shaun worked with school districts throughout the United States to build capacity of teachers/facilitators in technology-pedagogy integration to improve teaching and learning. Shaun has also served as a global professional development specialist in Cape Town, South Africa increasing the literacy rate amongst adult learners. She was also an elementary/middle school teacher. Shaun received her B.S. in elementary education from Morgan State University and her M.S. in educational leadership from Towson State University. Shaun can be reached at shaun@digitalpromise.org.

I want to learn a foreign language. I have traveled around Europe and marvel at how many people there can speak multiple languages. I also want to take a class in watercolor painting.

Bio
Betty comes to Digital Promise with 35 years of experience in K-12 education. She developed a passion for educational technology, and earned a Master of Science degree in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin with an emphasis on teaching and learning with technology. Betty most recently served as the Director of Technology for a mid-sized school district near Madison, Wisconsin for 12 years. In this role she served as a leader in the transformation of teaching and learning with technology, and led all aspects of the deployment of 5,000 mobile devices for all K-12 learners. As Director of Technology, Betty also was a leader in the planning, management and implementation of professional development that centered on personalized learning, continuous improvement and effective utilization of technology resources. Betty can be reached at: bwottreng@digitalpromise.org.

“As a social learner, I’ve always craved ways to connect to resources that fuel my interests. I’m naturally a curious person, so having the ability to connect to anyone on any topic via technology truly revolutionized my career.”

Bio
Prior to joining Digital Promise,Vanessa worked as a Verizon Innovative Learning Schools Coach in a K-8 school in the Cartwright School District for two years. During her time in that role, she had the opportunity to coach and develop sustainable systems that allowed for meaningful leveraging of technology, as well as mentor other VILs Coaches across the network of schools. Vanessa was recently awarded the Champion for Educational Technology by the Arizona Technology in Education Association, AZTEA, for her leadership and coaching expertise. She was also a 3rd, 5th, and 7th grade teacher as well as an English Language Development Technology Specialist for kindergarten through 8th grade teachers. Vanessa received her Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from Arizona State University and her Master of Education in curriculum and instruction from the University of Phoenix. She can be reached at vzurita@digitalpromise.org.