WESTED - Key Persons

Adam Young

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Superintendent, White Pine County School

Adela Jones

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Superintendent, Sanger Unified School

Aimee Evan

Job Titles:

Senior Research Associate

Aimee Evan is committed to equity in education for all students. As a Senior Research Associate and School Improvement Specialist at WestEd, Evan works at the intersection of research, evaluation, and technical assistance. Evan designs and leads evaluations, program reviews, and successful technical assistance projects with schools, districts, authorizers, and states to expand their capacity to use data and research to improve outcomes. She developed a series of technical assistance solutions for teachers and leaders, including an onsite learning lab for effective data use, with training and coaching, for teachers and administrators. Evan has co-authored the adaptation of the federally funded Center on School Turnaround's Four Domains for Rapid School Improvement to the charter sector and, through the National Charter School Resource Center, leads a portfolio of research to identify early indicators of charter school distress. Recently, Evan led a case study on the impact of best practices leading to school improvement efforts in charter schools, creating a

Alberto Heredia

Job Titles:

Senior Research Associate
Title / Senior Research Associate

Alberto Heredia, a Senior Research Associate, has been with WestEd since 1999. In conducting evaluations of diverse K-12 educational initiatives, he brings a unique perspective of practical K-12 teaching experience and policy analysis to investigations of educational program design, implementation, and efficacy.

Aleata Hubbard Cheuoua

Job Titles:

Senior Research Associate
Cheuoua Is a Senior Research Associate in WestEd 's Learning and Technology Team

Hubbard Cheuoua is committed to improving the learning and teaching of computing. Her research focuses on documenting and understanding the knowledge that K-12 educators develop around how to teach computing. She also conducts program evaluations for organizations focused on informal and alternative pathways into computing and professional learning for high school and community college instructors. Some of her publications include "Confronting Inequities in Computer Science Education: A Case for Critical Theory" (SIGCSE, 2021); "Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Computing Education: A Review of the Research Literature" (Computer Science Education, 2018); and "Professional Learning in the Midst of Teaching Computer Science" Hubbard Cheuoua received a PhD and an MA in learning sciences from Northwestern University, and a BS in computer science and French and Francophone studies from Carnegie Mellon University.

Alejandro Castillon

Job Titles:

Program Assistant
Program Assistant With the Center for Child & Family

Castillon previously served as an administrative analyst at the California Institute on Human Services at California State University, Sonoma. He received a BA in graphic design from California State University, Sacramento.

Alexander Jacobson

Job Titles:

Senior Research Associate
Senior Research Associate With the Comprehensive School

Alex Jacobson is a Senior Research Associate with the Comprehensive School Assistance Program at WestEd. In this role, he serves on research projects related to education finance, strategic resource allocation, and cost modeling. Jacobson has designed and implemented comprehensive education finance studies and policy analyses, supporting all stages of the analysis process. His research projects at WestEd have included several state adequacy studies employing cost function analysis, a replication study of returns to teacher experience, and policy analysis of state funding formulas in several states. Jacobson also provides collaborative, research-based capacity building to education practitioners, including direct organizational improvement assistance and facilitating stakeholder engagements. This includes supporting state education agencies across the U.S. through Regional Comprehensive Centers at WestEd. Prior to joining WestEd, Jacobson worked as a researcher and technical assistance provider for the American Institutes for Research (AIR). During his tenure at AIR, he contributed to the work of the Center on Great Teachers and Leaders, the Midwest Comprehensive Center, the Great Lakes Comprehensive Center, and the Southeast Comprehensive Center. Through these engagements, he provided direct support to state education agencies to improve with respect to educator quality and equitable access to excellent educators. In this role, he also co-authored research reports including two educator supply and demand studies and a comprehensive cost study. Jacobson has a Masters of Public Policy from Georgetown University and has experience working in a variety of public policy settings, including the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent, the U.S. Department of Education, and in a congressional office.

Alexandria Harvey

Job Titles:

Program Associate, Special Education Policy and Practice

Alexandria Harvey joined WestEd in 2020, working with the National Center for Systemic Improvement (NCSI) to focus on equity, race, and disability work. She leads the Race X Disability Thought Leaders Conversation Series for NCSI, facilitating conversations with national leaders centered on the intersection of race and disability. Harvey recently earned her PhD in Special Education from the University of Florida where she focused on culturally relevant education. Her dissertation was on the self-efficacy of preservice teachers and their ability to enact culturally responsive classroom management practices. She began her career in education as a varying exceptionalities teacher in Alachua County Public Schools in Florida. During her time at the University of Florida, Harvey was a graduate assistant for the CEEDAR Center, providing technical assistance for the states of Tennessee, New York, and Florida. She also facilitated a Topical Action Group for Culturally Relevant Education, which aligns closely with her research agenda of culturally relevant education, with a tight focus on culturally responsive classroom management.

Alexandria Wright

Job Titles:

Senior Research Associate
Senior Research Associate for Economic Mobility, Postsecondary

Wright has been engaged in the field of regional economic development and labor economics for 15 years, emphasizing resilient communities and workforce development. She has served as director for economic and workforce development divisions at three community college districts where she provided economic & labor analysis for academic program review, employers, and economic development partners; designed high-impact adult education IET and IELCE programming using pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship models to increase access for underserved populations; and expanded entrepreneurial education through the Small Business Development Centers. Wright specializes in strategic planning to build strong economies in rural America and American Indian Nations, and the design of key performance indicators across economic, social, and environmental dimensions of a community. Alexandria publishes in the field of regional sciences and currently serves as adjunct faculty in Economics at Cal Lutheran University. She holds an extended BS in Economics, a MA in Public Policy and a Ph.D. from the School of Politics & International Affairs at Northern Arizona University.

Alexis Stern

Job Titles:

Research Associate With WestEd 's Justice & Prevention Research Center
Title / Research Associate

Stern is part of a research team evaluating a leadership network for juvenile justice professionals. She also provides support for a study of school-based law enforcement in Texas. She received a BA in anthropology from Grinnell College and a master's degree in urban education policy from Brown University.

Anand Marri

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Dean, Teachers College

Andrea Rorrer

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Associate Dean, College of Education, University of Utah / Salt Lake City, UT

Andrew Latham - CEO

Job Titles:

Senior Managing Director
National Leader

Andrew Latham, a national leader in educational assessment for more than two decades, is the Senior Managing Director responsible for WestEd's assessment design, development, research, and innovation portfolios. Latham works closely with national organizations, states, schools, and districts to develop innovative solutions for assessing and setting standards for students and teachers.

Angela Minnici

Job Titles:

Director, Institutional Development

Ann Edwards

Job Titles:

Director, Mathematics and Carnegie Math Pathways

Ann Marie Bordes - CFO

Job Titles:

Director of Finance
Director of Finance With the Accounting and Finance Department at West

Ann Marie Bordes is the Director of Finance with the Accounting and Finance Department at WestEd. Prior to joining WestEd, Bordes was a Finance Associate at JPMorgan Chase in the Investment Bank where she supported the Interest Rate Derivatives business. Bordes received a BS in psychology and a minor in sociology and economics from New York University.

Ann O'Brien

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors

Annette Gregg

Job Titles:

Director, English Learner and Migrant Education Services

Anthony Petrosino

Job Titles:

Director, Justice and Prevention Research Center

Arlene Paxton

Job Titles:

Director, Infant - Toddler Care

Ayele Dodoo

Job Titles:

Director, Educational Leadership and System Design

Baron Rodriguez

Job Titles:

Director, Information Technology and Privacy

Bernice Stafford

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Member of Board of Directors and Consultant, Inflexion / Long Beach, CA

Beverly J. Hurley

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Director of Academic Alliances ( Retired ), Grand Canyon University / Phoenix, AZ

Brian Zeiszler

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Department Chair, Teacher Education Program, Great Basin College

Bryan Hemberg

Job Titles:

Director, Assessment for Learning

Catherine Goins

Job Titles:

Division Director
Division Director at West

Catherine Goins is a Division Director at WestEd and a member of the agency's senior leadership team. She is responsible for strategic business development for a diverse $45+ million portfolio of projects across such content areas as infant and toddler care, and resilient and healthy schools and communities. She leads and supports a 260+ person team focused on fulfilling a range of early care and K-12 education needs to improve outcomes for all learners. Catherine served most recently as Assistant Superintendent of Early Childhood Education at the Placer County Office of Education (PCOE). She managed California Department of Education, Head Start, and Family Child Care programs focused on child development, family engagement, health, nutrition, and safety. She also implemented high-quality early learning programs and developed whole-child and family programs to advance equity and ensure that all learners have the foundation for success in school. Before her work with the PCOE, Catherine served as President of the Child Development Policy Institute, where she convened early care and education professionals twice each year to discuss research-based strategies for creating and improving policies to improve outcomes for young children and families; provided research-based policy analysis; and testified at Senate and Assembly hearings. She has also served as a Senior Policy Advisor for First Five California. As a diversity and equity educator, Catherine's presented a variety of research-based, engaging, and informative workshops and trainings at various conferences, including the National Head Start Association, California Association for the Education of Young Children, and the Association for California School Administrators. She's an accomplished speaker and has spoken around the country on LGBTQ+, race, gender, and culture issues, as well as anti-bias education and equity in early care and education. She is a contributing author to the revised edition of Anti-Bias Education published in 2020 by the National Association of the Education of Young Children. As a consultant for Warner Brothers, Catherine advised on diversity, equity, and inclusion in children's programs. Her honors include being named The California State University Sacramento College of Education's Educator of the Year and the Sacramento County Children's Coalition's Child Care Provider of the Year. She contributes to education equity through her board service, including tenure as Chair of the Sierra Joint Community College Early Childhood Advisory Committee, and her many years teaching at the community college level. Catherine holds an MPA from the University of San Francisco and an MA in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College. She is completing her doctorate in International and Multicultural Education at the University of San Francisco.

Catherine M Walcott

Job Titles:

Chief Development Officer

Chad Sampson

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Vice President, Academic Affairs and Institutional Analysis, Arizona Board of Regents / Phoenix, AZ

Christian Holden - CCO

Job Titles:

Director, Communications

Daniel Corr

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
President, Arizona Western College / Yuma, AZ

David Verdugo

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Superintendent, Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District No. 35 / Rio RIco, AZ

Deb Cooksey - Chief Legal Officer

Job Titles:

General Counsel

Donald Easton-Brooks

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Dean, College of Education and Human Development, University of Nevada, Reno / Reno, NV

Ed Sullivan

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Assistant Vice Chancellor, Institutional Research and Analyses California State University Office of the Chancellor / Long Beach, CA

Elizabeth Magruder - CEO

Job Titles:

Senior Managing Director

Enikia Ford Morthel

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors

Felicia Ortiz

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
President, Nevada State Board of Education / Las Vegas, NV

Frances Contreras

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Dean, School of Education, University of California, Irvine / Irvine, CA

Francisco Escobedo

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Executive Director, National Center for Urban School Transformation ( NCUST ), San Diego State University / San Diego, CA

Gail Hudson

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors

Glen H Harvey - CEO

Job Titles:

Chief Executive Officer
Member of the Board of Directors
Chief Executive Officer / San Francisco, CA
Down As CEO

As a national leader in research, development, and service, WestEd is reimagining solutions to a more equitable society by taking on the most demanding and enduring challenges in education and human development. Our staff work collaboratively systemwide to provide a broad range of services - research and evaluation, professional learning, technical assistance, and policy guidance - that are tailored to the needs of our clients. A nonpartisan partner, we generate knowledge and apply evidence and expertise to improve policies, systems, and practices. A steadfast commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion is central to our work to advance equitable opportunities, increase well-being, and promote positive outcomes for all children, youth, and adults.

Gretchen Weber - CEO

Job Titles:

Senior Managing Director

Gretchen Wright

Job Titles:

Director of Strategic Communications

Guilbert C. Hentschke

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Dean Emeritus, Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California / Los Angeles, CA

Jacob Moore

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Vice President, Special Advisor to the President on American Indian Affairs, Arizona State University / Tempe, AZ

James R. Bryce

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Board President, Arizona School Boards Association / Safford, AZ

Jannelle Kubinec

Job Titles:

Chief Administrative Officer

Jason Willis

Job Titles:

Director, Strategic Resource Planning and Implementation

Jhone Ebert

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors

Joanne Jensen

Job Titles:

Director, Assessment Design and Development

Jodi Davenport - CEO

Job Titles:

Senior Managing Director

John Arthur

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Grade Six Teacher, Meadowlark Elementary School / Salt Lake City, UT

Jonathan Dolle

Job Titles:

Director, Improvement Science

Jonathan Hilpert

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Interim Associate Dean of Research and Sponsored Projects, University of Las Vegas / Las Vegas, NV

Jonathan Mills

Job Titles:

Director, Property and Facilities Management

Jonathan P. Moore

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Deputy Superintendent of Student Achievement, Nevada Department of Education / Carson City, NV

Joseph Guzman

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Associate Superintendent, Accountability, Research & Evaluation, Arizona Department of Education / Phoenix, AZ

Kelli Bernard

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Managing Partner, Lighthouse Public Affairs / Los Angeles, CA

Kenneth M. Coll - Chairman

Job Titles:

Chairman of the Board

Kevin Perks

Job Titles:

Director, Quality Schools and Districts

Kimberly A. White-Smith

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Dean, School of Leadership and Education Sciences, University of San Diego / San Diego, CA

Kirk Walters

Job Titles:

Senior Managing Director, Mathematics and Improvement Science

Kirsten Daehler

Job Titles:

Director, Science and Engineering

Lauren E Wrotniak

Job Titles:

Technical Assistance Director, Justice

Leonard D. Burton

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
President, Center for the Study of Social Policy / Washington, District of Columbia

Leslie Fox

Job Titles:

Director, Early Childhood Intervention, Mental Health and Inclusion

Leslie Hamburger - CEO

Job Titles:

Senior Managing Director

Lexi Cunningham

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Directors
Utah School Superintendents Association, Executive Director, Utah School Board Association, Associate Executive Director / Sandy, UT