Conference on English Leadership

Announcing Cohort 14, 2024–2026

Mentee: Kathleen Bateman, Confluence Academies, St. Louis, Missouri
Mentee: Kelly Metz-Matthews, San Diego Community College District, California
Mentee: Christopher Mazura, Guilderland Central School District, New York
Mentor: Keisha Smith-Carrington, Princeton Public Schools, New Jersey

Mentee: Jennifer Cline, Ewing Township Board of Education, New Jersey
Mentee: Danielle Case, Highland CUSD 5, Illinois
Mentee: Casey Andrews, Watertown Public Schools, Massachusetts
Mentor: Stacy Young, Montgomery Township School District, New Jersey

 

ELF Program Participants

Cohort 13, 2023–2025

Mentee: Megan Langman, Cherry Hill Public Schools, New Jersey
Mentee: Tammy McBride, Lexington Public Schools, Massachusetts
Mentee: Rhonda Lancaster, Project Write, Virginia
Mentor: Jill Davidson, Anglophone West School District, Fredericton, New Brunswick

Mentee: Sawsan Jaber, District 207, Illinois
Mentee: Katharine “Kate” Hertz, Sycamore High School, Illinois
Mentee: Kimberly Gwizdala, Glenbard West High School, Illinois
Mentor: Cathline Tanis, North Plainfield School District, New Jersey

Mentee: Patrick Buschman, Charlotte Country Day School, North Carolina
Mentee: Kanika Chopra, Franklin Township Public Schools, New Jersey
Mentor: Jessica Cavalier, Loudoun County Public Schools, Virginia

Mentee: Kristen Schaefer, Glen Cove City School District, New York
Mentee: Petrina Plunkett, NJ Department of Education, New Jersey
Mentee: Kelli Dunston, Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District, New Jersey
Mentor: Matthew Helmers, Ransom Everglades School, Florida

Cohort 12, 2022–2024 

Mentee: Jane Bean-Folkes, K-12 ELA Supervisor, The School District of South Orange & Maplewood, Maplewood, NJ
Mentee: Jordan Gribbin, K-5 Literacy Coach, Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public Schools, Scotch Plains, New Jersey
Mentee: Lindsay Barna, K-12 Supervisor of Language Arts and Literacy, Somerset Hills School District, Bernardsville,NJ
Mentor: Heather Rocco, K-12 Supervisor of English Language Arts, School District of the Chathams, Chatham, NJ 

Mentee: Ariel Maloney, English teacher and English Department Chair, Newfound Regional High School, Bristol, NH
Mentee: Rhyannon Jovan, Network Lead English Content Coach, Acceleration Academy, Henderson, Nevada
Mentee: Shawn Towner, Secondary ELA Curriculum/Instruction Specialist,  Savannah-Chatham County Schools, Savannah, GA
Mentee:: Kelly Murphy, Academic Coordinator for the English Department; Emerson Public Schools, Emerson, NJ
Mentor: Matt Parrilli, Associate Principal, Maine West High School, Des Plaines, IL 

Mentee: Sarah Townsend, Supervisor of English and Media 6-12, Parsippany-Troy Hills School District, Parsippany, NJ
Mentee: Beth Steinen, Supervisor of English and Social Studies, Mainland Regional High School, Linwood, New Jersey
Mentee: Anna Schultes, Instructional Supervisor of English, Glenbrook North High School, Northbrook, Illinois
Mentee: Jacqueline McCarthy, Supervisor of Humanities, High Point Regional High School District, Sussex, New Jersey
Mentor: Helena Hitzeman, Department Chair, Communication Arts, Naperville North High School, Naperville, Illinois 

Cohort 11: 2021–2023 

Focus: Secondary Curriculum
Mentee: Adam Schoenbart, Assistant Principal, Horace-Greeley High School, Chappaqua, NY
Mentee: Carly Lacombe, English Curriculum Leader, Lake Park High School District 108, Roselle, IL 
Mentee:  Amy Marshall, 6-12 Literacy Subject Coordinator, Anglophone School District South, Saint John, NB, Canada
Mentor: Sara Schumacher, English Department Chair, Glenbard East High School, Lombard, Illinois 

Focus: Elementary LIteracy and Instructional Coaching
Mentee: Amie Reed, Literacy Coach, O’Fallon District 90, O’Fallon, IL
Mentee: Jacqueline Epler, Instructional Coach, Humanities, Randolph Township School District, Randolph, NJ
Mentee: Danielle Saucier, Elementary Literacy Specialist, Maine Department of Education, Augusta, Maine
Mentor:  Christina Nosek, Lucille Nixon School, Palo Alto Unified School District, Stanford, CA 

Focus: Job-alike Secondary Department Chair
Mentee: Matthew Helmers, Upper School English Coordinator, Ransom Everglades School, Miami, Florida
Mentee: Catelyn Boze, English Department Chair, QI Roberts Jr-Sr High School, Florahome, Florida
Mentee: Jonna Kuskey, Department Chair, John Marshall High School in Glen Dale, WV
Mentor: Tim Pappageorge, English Department Chair, Maine West High School, Des Plaines, Illinois 

Cohort 10: 2020–2022 

Mentee: Nicole Conter, Teacher-Leader and Director of Writing Center, Cranford HS, Cranford, NJ
Mentee: Donte Tates, Dept Chair, Westover School, Middlebury, CT 
Mentee: Jessica Thomas, Dept Chair, Metea Valley HS, Naperville, IL 
Mentor: Liz Lietz, ELA Consultant, Macomb Intermediate School District, Macomb, MI 

Mentee: Jamie Abercrombie, Literacy Specialist, Cabarrus Public Schools, NC  
Mentee: Kristine Lize, Director English Education, UW Milwaukee, WI
Mentee: Alison Quijano, ELA Specialist, Santa Barbara Unified, CA
Mentee: Amelia Wright, Humanities Supervisor, Randolph HS, Randolph, NJ
Mentor: Elsie Olan, Associate Professor, School of Teacher Education, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 

Mentee: Adam Davison, Dept Chair, Elmont Memorial HS, NY 
Mentee: Marty Frazier, Dept Chair, Hathaway Brown School, Shaker Heights, OH 
Mentee: Cathline Tanis, Dept Chair, Piscataway HS, Piscataway, NJ
Mentor: Mary Luckritz, English Department Chair, Rolling Meadows High School, Rolling Meadows, IL 

Cohort 9: 2019–2021 

Mentee: Ellenar Harper, College Program Chair, Tallahassee, FL
Mentee: Abby Welsheimer, Director HS ELA, DC Public Schools
Mentee: Andrea Zellner, Literacy Consultant District, Waterford, MI
Mentor: Breckan Duckworth 

Mentee: Karen Davidson, English/ELL/Media Chair, Indian Hills, NJ
Mentee: Rachel Miller, Dept Chair HS, Hamilton, NJ
Mentee: Ian Schwartz, Humanities Supervisor 6-12, Oakhurst, NJ
Mentor: David Lange 

Mentee: Kelly Bridges, Literacy Coach HS, Leonardtown, MD
Mentee: Kristen Bruck, Rdg Specialist & Coach, Bethlehem, PA
Mentor: James Hultgren  

Mentee: Bryan Arbut, Lead Teacher HS, Kalamazoo, MI
Mentee: Lauren Wilkie, Cluster Lead Teacher CPS, Chicago, IL
Mentor: Katie Cubano 

Cohort 8: 2018–2020 

Mentee: Jessica Cavalier, James Wood Middle School, Winchester, VA
Mentee: Abigail Crane, Olathe West High School, Olathe, KS
Mentee: Jessica Miller, Richland Two School District, Columbia, SC
Mentor: Julie Pantano, Allen D. Nease High School, Vedra Beach, FL 

Mentee: Jennifer-NeToi Claiborne, Friends Community School, College Park, MD
Mentee: Lisa Lenihan, Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville, NJ
Mentee: Katie Dixon, Midtown International School, Atlanta, GA
Mentor: Susan Sylvia, Greater New Bedford Regional High School, MA 

Mentee: Stephanie Fearn, Caloosa Middle School, Cape Coral, FL
Mentee: Allison Romano, Sebastian Middle School, St. Johns County, FL
Mentee: Samantha Bahna, Carteret Middle School, Carteret, NJ
Mentor: Matthew Parrilli, Maine South High School, Park Ridge, IL  

Mentee: Brandon Hubbard-Heitz, Hamilton County DOE, Chattanooga, TN
Mentee: Breanne Huston, Hart County Charter System, Hartwell, GA
Mentee: Heather Fletes, Prosper ISD, Prosper, TX
Mentor: Kristie Ennis 

Cohort 7: 2017–2019 

Mentee: Chris Drew, Indiana State University, Terra Haute
Mentor: Nicole Sieben, SUNY College at Old Westbury, NY 

Mentee: Lucy Arnold-Steele, Union County Public Schools, Monroe, NC
Mentee: Elizabeth Lietz, Macomb Intermediate School District, Clinton Township, MI
Mentee: Kelly Shaw, Hamilton County Dept of Education, Chattanooga, TN
Mentor: Susan Ritter, Cranford High School, Cranford, NJ 

Mentee: Roshaunda Henson, Woodland School District 50, Gages Lake, IL
Mentee: Kelly Seefeldt, Stevens Point PSD, P.J. Jacobs Jr. High, Stevens Point, WI
Mentor: Helena Hitzeman, Naperville North High School, Naperville, IL 

Mentee: Nicholas Emmanuele, Millcreek Township School District, Erie, PA
Mentee: Rebekah McCauley, Dallastown Area School District, Dallastown, PA
Mentee: Tracy Sebastian, Downers Grove South High School, Downers Grove, IL
Mentor: Helen Gallagher, Oak Park and River Forest High School, Oak Park, IL 

Cohort 6: 2016–2018 

Fellow: Anais Marie Campa, Partnership to Uplift Communities (PUC) Schools, Burbank, CA
Fellow: Erin Miller, Ames Community Schools, Ames, IA
Fellow: Faiza Siddiqui, Research Triangle High School, NC
Mentor: Elizabeth Crooks, New Britain High School, CT 

Fellow: Kristie Hofelich Ennis, Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, KY
Fellow: James Hultgren, Glenbard East High School, Lombard, IL
Fellow: Amanda Melchor McCown, Midland Independent School District, TX
Fellow: Sara Schumacher, Glenbard East High School, Lombard, IL
Mentor: Chris Bronke, Downers Grove North High School, Downers Grove, IL 

Fellow: Nicole Martone, Shepaug Valley School, Washington, CT
Fellow: Alana Rome, Pascack Valley Regional High School District, Montvale, NJ
Fellow: Cheryl Tucker, Westborough Public Schools, MA
Mentor: Susan Sylvia, Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical HS, MA 

Cohort 5: 2015–2017 

Fellow: Oona Abrams, School District of the Chathams, Chatham, NJ
Mentor: Emily Meixner, The College of New Jersey, Ewing 

Fellow: Erin A. Buchanan, Mother McAuley High School, Chicago, IL
Mentor: David Lange, Hinsdale Central High School, Hinsdale, IL 

Fellow: Linette Chaloka, Glenbard South High School, Glen Ellyn, IL
Mentor: Janice Schwarze, North Downers Grove High School, Downers Grove, IL 

Fellow: Kathryn Cubano, Hightstown HS/East Windsor Regional SD, Ewing, NJ
Mentor: Katie Baker, Southern Regional High School, Manahawkin, NJ 

Fellow: Johnna Graff, Lincoln Southeast, Lincoln, NE
Mentor: Lola Moss, Sunrise Mountain High School, Las Vegas, NV 

Fellow: Anne Katz, Armstrong State University, Savannah, GA
Mentor: Nicole Sieben, SUNY College at Old Westbury, NY 

Fellow: Brennan Lawler, Muchin College Prep, Chicago, IL
Mentor: Chris Bronke, Downers Grove North High School, Downers Grove, IL 

Fellow: Tina Marchiano, Pascack Valley Regional High School, Hillsdale, NJ
Mentor: Edie Weinthal, Pascack Valley High School, Montvale, NJ 

Fellow: Christina Nosek, Palo Alto Unified School District, Palo Alto, CA
Mentor: Maydie Bombart, Consolidated School District of New Britain, CT 

Fellow: Julie Pantano, St. John County School District, St. Johns, FL
Mentor: Anne Padilla, Bowling Green Sr. High School, Bowling Green, KY 

Cohort 4: 2014–2016 

Fellow: Bailey Herrmann, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI
Mentor: Anna J. Small Roseboro, Grand Rapids, MI 

Fellow: Genevieve Munson, Lancaster Country Day School, Lancaster, PA
Mentor: Edie Weinthal, Pascack Valley High School, Montvale, NJ 

Fellow: Darlene Parks, Southern Regional School District, Manahawkin, NJ
Mentor: Mary Hassenplug, Sparta High School, Sparta, NJ 

Fellow: Jennifer Raskauskas, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL
Mentor: Susan Levine-Kelley, Glenbrook South High School, Glenview, IL  

Cohort 3: 2013–2015 

Fellow: Chris Bronke, District 99, Downers Grove North HS, Downers Grove, IL
Mentor: Karen Delbridge, Laramie County School, Cheyenne, WY 

Fellow: Nina Johnson-Davis, Guilford County Schools, Greensboro, NC
Mentor: Anna J. Small Roseboro, Grand Rapids, MI 

Fellow: Courtney E. Russillo, Notre Dame Academy, Hingham, MA
Mentor: Michelle Albana  

Fellow: Gina Sipley, Buckley Country Day School, Roslyn, NY
Mentor: Heather Rocco, School District of the Chathams, Chatham, NJ 

Fellow: Julie Warner, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Savannah, GA
Mentor: Tracy Recine, Pascack Valley High School, Hillsdale, NJ 

Cohort 2: 2012–2014 

Fellow: Pam Doiley McCormack, Middle School, Dorchester, MA
Mentor: Anna J. Small Roseboro, Grand Rapids, MI 

Fellow: Scott Filkins, Champaign CUSD #4, Champaign, IL
Mentor: Tom McCann, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 

Fellow: Ashley Jorgensen, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls
Mentor: Susan Levine-Kelley, Glenbrook South High School, Glenview, IL 

Fellow: Elizabeth Pegram, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
Mentor: Betsy Kahn  

Fellow: Karen Raino, Lyons Township High School North, La Grange, IL
Mentor: Anne Marie Quinlan, Lincoln Southeast High School, Lincoln, NE 

Fellow: Tristan Sipley, Kew-Forest School, Forest Hills, NY
Mentor: Rudy Sharpe, Lancaster County Day School, Lancaster, PA 

Cohort 1: 2011–2013 

Fellow: Bethany Miller, Jim Hill High School, Jackson, MS
Mentor: Liz Spencer, Brookfield High School, Brookfield, CT 

Fellow: Joan Witkus, Glenbard East High School, Lombard, IL
Mentor: Janice Schwarze, Downers Grove South High School, Downers Grove, IL