Meet the Team

Alicia Peletz specializes in progressive education, assisting school districts and schools in rethinking ways to provide equitable services to students and families. She has a Master's Degree in History and a Certificate of Advanced Study in District and Building Leadership. Her work has been instrumental in helping many districts establish and maintain learner-centered school environments that prioritize constructivist pedagogy. Alicia's expertise includes instructional and leadership coaching, restorative practices, project-based learning, culturally relevant curriculum design, and facilitation. She additionally has co-authored three books with her ACP team. Based in Rochester, NY, Alicia brings a thoughtful and collaborative approach to every project. She enjoys spending time with her family, chasing her son, and remodeling.​

Cheryl is a seasoned educator with extensive experience as an English teacher, curriculum designer, literacy coach, and school administrator. Her career has focused on fostering professional learning, literacy development, and strong support for secondary content areas. A passionate advocate for ensuring that all kids get what they need, Cheryl co-led a county-wide project through which students dove into compelling local history and spearheaded efforts to create a safe and welcoming environment at East Irondequoit CSD.  She spent nearly a decade with EL Education, co-designing their renowned ELA curriculum for grades 3-8 and promoting project-based learning, teacher leadership, and a positive school culture. She is also the co-author of Common Core Unit by Unit and Transformational Literacy and has shared her expertise in leading journals, including ASCD's Educational Leadership and EdWeek.

Christine Trahms is an educator who has worked in K-12 and higher education, curriculum development, and data analysis and research. She has a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Rochester and currently works in generative AI and data analysis. She has taught in classrooms and lecture halls in the United States, Ecuador, and Chile. Christine enjoys writing about education and considering how data can best drive educational policy, especially for students who speak languages other than English at home. When she isn't working or writing, she enjoys curling up with a good book and spending time with her spouse, two cats, and dog.

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Dr. Gina Olabuenaga is driven by this question, “How can we make education, and learning broadly, about practicing success not reinforcing failure?” In service of this quest, her work focuses on developing effective professional learning for educators on student-centered practices and 21st-century learning in service of educational equity. She previously oversaw the development of project-based learning content and professional learning services for teachers, leaders, and coaches at an industry-leading non-profit. When she isn’t wearing her educator hat, she enjoys poet things and art projects with her kids.  Journaling, hummingbird watching, and podcast listening are snuck in when they can be.

Dr. Jacqueline Arce began her education with a Bachelor's Degree in English Teaching & Spanish, as well as a Masters Degree in Education from the University of New Hampshire. Many years later, she undertook her most fruitful educational journey to earn a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Wilkes. She has been the Middle School Principal at Worcester Academy in MA for the past two years. Prior to that, she enjoyed a 14-year career as an overseas educator and leader in Thailand and Paraguay. She writes and consults about leadership and pedagogy and is always an English teacher at heart. She lives with her husband and two darling daughters, who keep her very busy. 

Kristy Lathrop's journey started in the middle school science classroom. Her passion to help and equip has led her into educational consulting where she develops and facilitates professional development for educators in the United States and internationally. Kristy’s areas of expertise include adult learning, science, STEM, constructivism, inquiry, coaching, and Project Based Learning. She believes that school should empower every learner to be successful in life. Kristy lives in Colorado with her family, and enjoys traveling, biking, skiing, and convincing her family to join her on outdoor adventures.

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Tara Harvey is an Innovation and Learning Coach with a rich background in instructional coaching, curriculum design, and professional learning. She collaborates with teachers to integrate real-world learning goals and leads professional development across her district, including online learning initiatives and instructional strategies. Tara has supported new teachers, designed credit recovery programs, and enhanced district-wide instructional practices. She holds an Education Specialist degree in Administration and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. She is married to an educator, has two children, and enjoys traveling, reading, and walking her dogs.