Office of School Improvement
Office School Improvement
Staff
SREB’s Office of School Improvement has spent decades investigating what works to build and sustain lasting capacity for change in schools nationwide.
Our staff have deep expertise as classroom teachers, school, district and state education leaders, research and evaluation specialists, and policy analysts.
Dale Winkler
Vice President, School Improvement
Dale Winkler was named vice president of school improvement in April 2018. He joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2015 as special assistant to the senior vice president of the organization’s school improvement team, where he brings more than 19 years of experience working on issues related to leadership and policy in the area of college and career readiness.
Jason Adair
Program Director, Literacy and Mathematics
Jason Adair is the program director for Literacy and Mathematics in the instructional programs division. He leads a team of content coaches as they develop and deliver high quality professional development to teachers, instructional coaches, and school and district leaders. Jason joined SREB’s school improvement team in 2011, bringing more than 10 years of experience in the public education sector. He was a middle school and high school mathematics teacher and instructional coach in Florida for eight years before leading K-12 mathematics in Gaston County, North Carolina.
Advanced Career
Co-designed with state leaders, postsecondary educators, employers and master teachers to meet workforce demand in high-tech STEM fields, SREB’s exciting, out-of-the-box Advanced Career curricula help students master readiness standards and cultivate the critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and applied academic skills employers value. Contact us to learn more about adopting AC.
Ivy Alford
Director, State & District Partnerships
Ivy Alford is the director of state and district partnerships with the Southern Regional Education Board, where she leads the work in effective implementation of the High Schools That Work and Technology Centers That Work initiatives in Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
Shawn Bender
School Improvement Leadership Coach
Shawn Bender is a school improvement leadership coach at SREB, where he works with principals, assistant principals, and instructional leaders to better the conditions for teaching and learning within districts and schools. He joined SREB in 2018, bringing more than 17 years of experience in the public education sector. He was an elementary school teacher in New York and Georgia for four years before transforming teaching practices as principal at Perkerson Elementary school in Atlanta.
Steve Broome
Executive Director, School Improvement
Steve Broome is executive director for school improvement. He joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2006 as the director of state development for high schools and middle grades for High Schools That Work, He brought more than 15 years of experience working on issues of education policy and practice in the public education sector. Steve has worked with state and local leaders in 32 states through HSTW.
Jenn Carter
Contract and Grant Coordinator
Jenn Carter is the contract and grant coordinator for school improvement. She joined the Southern Regional Education Board in 2003 as a graphic designer/editorial assistant in school improvement. From 2008 to 2017, she worked in human resources as administrator and later project manager. In 2017, she returned to school improvement as a data management coordinator and then accounting coordinator. Prior to joining SREB, she designed jewelry and was an inventory manager at an international gold marketplace distributor.
Leslie Eaves
Program Director, Project Based Learning
Leslie Eaves leads the project-based learning program at SREB, where she designs professional learning experiences for teachers to implement PBL. She joined SREB in 2016, bringing more than 16 years of experience in the public education sector. She holds both a technology education and 9-12 math license. Prior to SREB, Leslie taught high school engineering courses in North Carolina. She joined North Carolina New Schools in 2011 as a math content coach and a general instructional coach, where she implemented school-centered learning strategies and STEM practices.
Paula Egelson
Division Director, Research and Accountability
Paula Egelson is the division director of research and accountability. She joined the Southern Regional Education Board in September 2010 as director of research to the school improvement team. She brings more than 35 years of experience as a K-12 educator, director of reading and school improvement, and senior research analyst. While at SREB, Paula has co-authored research and policy publications on preparing principals to be more effective and improving the quality of career and technical teacher preparation.
Shelly Flygare
School Improvement Leadership Coach
Shelly Flygare joined SREB in 2017, bringing 15 years of experience in the public education and post-secondary sectors. She was an elementary teacher and instructional coach in New Mexico and South Dakota before moving into administration in New Mexico. She has served as a central office administrator within the instruction department and as an elementary principal. In addition, she has taught post-secondary courses in reading and early childhood education.
Judy Frank
Program Director, Making Middle Grades Work
Judy Frank is the program director of the Making Middle Grades Work initiative. She joined SREB in 2015 as a school improvement consultant to the organization’s High Schools That Work/Making Middle Grades Work initiative, bringing more than 33 years of experience working on issues of education policy and practice in the public education sector. In her current role, she coordinates middle grade services across the organization and supports leadership and content coaches in school redesign.
Betty Fry-Ahearn
School Improvement Leadership Coach
Betty Fry-Ahearn is a school improvement leadership coach. She began working with the Southern Regional Education Board in 2001 as a school leadership consultant.