Meet SOLVED

Albert believes in strong relationships and high expectations. He encourages students to think flexibly through a process-driven approach in literacy and math. He strives to build excellent habits in students and educators. As a former school leader, he helps create systems of accountability. He believes joy and motivation are essential elements in a thriving classroom community.

Since becoming a consultant, Albert is proud of the incredible growth that his partner schools have achieved, and the great friends he’s made along the way. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and three young children.

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Angela brings over 30 years of diverse experience as an acclaimed classroom teacher, respected teacher-leader, and seasoned coach. Her extensive expertise encompasses instructional leadership in mathematics, English Language Arts, cultural proficiency, and board advisory. Hailing from New York, Angela has garnered numerous accolades, including being on the Dean’s List at Brooklyn College and Walden University, and serving as the President of the sorority group for Walden’s Chapter of Exceptional Children from 2010 to 2011. She has been recognized as a Presidential Awardee in 2015, a Big Apple Teacher Finalist in 2016, Teacher of the Month, Model/Demonstration Teacher, and Peer Collaborative Teacher for the Department of Education. Angela's guiding motto, "A master was once a beginner who failed many times before perfecting their craft," emphasizes the importance of perseverance and continuous growth. She believes that each individual is a unique ingredient in the recipe of success, and encourages a mindset of confidence and self-belief in achieving one's potential. Angela sees feedback as an opportunity for growth, highlighting the transformative power of embracing challenges and learning from every experience.

Christina is a seasoned public school educator with over 20 years of experience in the NYC Department of Education. She holds a Bachelors Degree in English Literature from Washington University, dual Masters in English Education and Educational Theater from NYU, and her Supervisory and Administrative Certificate through the NYCDOE’s Leadership in Education Apprentice Program/Baruch College.

Throughout her career, Christina has served in various roles such as Teacher Team Leader, Master Teacher, Peer Mentor/Coach, and Founding Principal, specializing in coaching teachers, teacher leaders, and administrators at both middle and high school levels. She excels in areas including student-centered classroom culture, curriculum planning, data-driven practices, and supporting special education partnerships to enhance instructional strategies and student success.

Christina believes in a collaborative coaching process that meets educators where they are in their practice. She sees coaching as an opportunity for mutual learning and critical friendship, supporting the development of tools, skills, practices, and perceptions that lead to achievement and well-being for students, families, colleagues, and communities.

Christina Wallace brings over 24 years of invaluable experience as an educator, mentor, and accomplished school leader. Specializing in Adolescent Literacy, English Language Arts, and Social Studies for grades 4 to 12, Christina has successfully elevated student achievement in ELA and enhanced graduation rates for numerous schools and districts under her guidance. Beyond her impressive academic background and extensive certifications in education and coaching, she is a distinguished National Board certified teacher and a seasoned Danielson Trainer, further showcasing her commitment to professional excellence. 

Christina thrives on fostering collaborative relationships with teachers and school leadership to enhance instructional practices. By implementing her coaching strategies and tailored professional development initiatives in classrooms, Christina empowers educators to cultivate a more engaging academic environment where students can flourish and showcase their unique talents

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Denise has 29 years of experience as a classroom teacher and coach. She is driven by her belief that all students can learn, want to succeed and deserve teachers that can support them to excel. She believes it is our jobs as educators to tap into each student’s interests, strengths, personalities and cultural identities to ensure their success.

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Denise has worked with new and experienced teachers. In that time, she is most proud of instructional change she helped facilitate that led to English Learners making accelerated progress.

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Denise relocated to New York from San Francisco in 2014 where she had to leave her beloved San Francisco Giants and is still in search of a new MLB team to call her own.

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Deon’s career in education spans nearly three decades as a classroom teacher, assistant principal and principal. She is committed to supporting teachers and administrators in providing quality instruction in every classroom. As a Department of Education Talent Coach she has trained principals and assistant principals in using the Danielson Framework as a lens through which to develop pedagogical practices. She believes improvement of instruction begins with coaching and supporting instructional leaders. As school principal for a decade, she has led professional development workshops, established teacher instructional and data inquiry teams, trained assistant principals in leading instruction and supported principals in instructional decision-making.

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Dr. Murray began her educational career as a high school mathematics teacher in Georgia. After leaving the classroom to pursue her Ph.D. in mathematics education, Dr. Murray has had opportunities to work as a middle school math coach, teach undergraduate mathematics and secondary STEM methods, and engage in meaningful educational research in several areas directly related to teachers' preparation and professional development. At the core of her interests is the desire to understand how to best prepare and support STEM teachers along their professional continuum. Her work helps educational stakeholders develop, understand, and implement the aspects of professional development and undergraduate education that allow teachers to make generative changes in their practice.

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Having started her career in education in 2008, Evelyn brings her expertise as a paraprofessional, national award-winning ELA educator, Peer Collaborative Teacher, and instructional coach and mentor to all of her projects. Her approach to problem-solving is holistic and considers all stakeholders involved with a focus on the most important ones–the students. Regardless of the subject area, Evelyn’s interpersonal approach to coaching and instruction has resulted in improved classroom management, higher state assessment pass rates, and enhanced student-teacher relationships.

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In 2016, Evelyn was invited to the White House to share her thoughts on the state of education with Federal Education Senior Policy Advisor, Mario Cardona. Since then, she has thought-partnered with schools across the country to improve student experiences and outcomes. Her areas of expertise include innovative school models, ELA instruction, curriculum design, asynchronous learning, blended-learning, educator mentorship and coaching, and fostering and maintaining a nurturing classroom culture.

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When she isn’t cultivating relationships with her teacher-mentees, you can find Evelyn weight-training, and spending all her money on cats and her son.

In Frances Levine’s journey as a leader in K-12 math education, she has always been driven by the belief that every student deserves access to high-quality math experiences. With her background in Special Education and Math Leadership, she understands the importance of creating inclusive and supportive environments where all students can thrive. Through her work in math coaching, mentoring, and collaboration, Frances aims to disrupt the traditional patterns of failure in math education and pave the way for engaging and relevant learning opportunities for students.

One of the key pillars of Frances’ approach to elevating K-12 math education is mentoring and coaching teachers. She believes that teachers are the backbone of any successful math program. Frances endeavors to create a ripple effect that benefits all students by providing teachers with the support and guidance they need. Through personalized coaching sessions, Frances works closely with teachers to enhance their instructional practices, develop innovative teaching strategies, and leverage technology to create dynamic math learning experiences.

Frances received her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Pace University, a Master’s degree in Special Education from Fordham, and her second Master’s degree in Mathematics Leadership from Bank Street College of Education. When Frances is not working with math educators, she enjoys globetrotting.

Dr. Geillan Aly is a math educator whose work centers the socioemotional factors that contribute to success in mathematics. She holds the fundamental assumption that learning math is both an emotional and cognitive endeavor. A former award-winning university faculty member who has taught for over fifteen years, Dr. Aly transforms math classrooms through engaging professional development and student-focused workshops that center emotions while establishing a culture of engaging with rigorous mathematics. She received her PhD in Teaching and Teacher Education and Master’s in Mathematics from the University of Arizona. Underlying Dr. Aly’s work is a dedication to equity and social justice.

She enjoys traveling and seeing live music and is an avid chef, wife, and mother to a beautiful boy.

Helene Alalouf brings decades of urban classroom experience and informed commitment to collaborative and collegial coaching. She was one of the first National Board Certified teachers and currently is an instructional coach for teachers and leaders in multiple content areas and grades.

Since attaining her Masters from Teachers College, Columbia University, Helene has implemented an inquiry approach to build teacher proficiency. Using strategic professional learning, individual and team coaching, Helene has enabled teachers to use standards-based unit and lesson design with effective feedback to  raise student achievement. 

She enjoys knitting and reading with her two grandchildren.

John Schembari, Ed.D., coaches nationally on issues related to teacher quality and school improvement. Prior to serving as a consultant, John had various roles in education such as founding principal, district director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, and national director of teacher/leader development within a large charter school network. He enjoys serving regularly as a thought collaborator in K12 education online and at conferences. John strongly believes that, for students to thrive academically, students also need to be seen holistically and, as such, supported socially and emotionally.  

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Dr. Joshua Taton is a recognized expert in curriculum-use, coaching, and educational leadership (with a focus on mathematics instruction). After earning a bachelor's in mathematics, he worked as an actuarial consultant for a number of years. Having a long-standing passion for education and mentoring, he pivoted and taught middle and high school mathematics; confronting a number of practice-based questions, he then attended graduate school and worked as an educational researcher, administrator, and consultant in education. He has now worked in education and educational leadership for more than two decades. He aligns and integrates partnerships and programs to reverse trends of declining academic achievement and establish pathways of continued growth. Dr. Taton also serves on boards with other prominent leaders, speaks at conferences, and publishes on his research and leadership. He holds an undergraduate degree from Yale University, as well as a Master's in Education (with a focus on educational technology) and a Ph.D. in teaching, learning, and leadership (with a focus on teacher learning and curriculum and its use) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Latoya S. Massey is a seasoned educational leader with over 20 years of experience in improving systems within education institutions to enhance student performance, particularly among marginalized groups. She holds a Master of Science in Teaching from Pace University and is a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership.

As a thought leader and advocate for educational progress, diversity, and social equity, Latoya serves as an influential educational coach, engaging diverse audiences in discussions on meeting the needs of students effectively. Committed to youth mentorship and advocacy, she collaborates with organizations such as Oliver Scholars and the Sherrie-Ann Gordon Foundation to shape the educational landscape positively for future generations.

Latoya looks forward to establishing impactful partnerships with educators and organizations to nurture an abundance mindset in children and empower them to design their educational paths.

Mandy Vadnai draws on over two decades of experience as a school leader and a classroom teacher across private and public schools in NYC, including special education settings. She has also worked as an educational consultant, helping families of neurodiverse and neurotypical students find the right schools with her in-depth knowledge of schools and institutions.

She is a NYC native who received her undergraduate degree in Political Science from The University of Wisconsin, Madison and her dual masters in Special and General Education from The Bank Street School of Education.  She enjoys supporting administrators, teachers, students, and families in attaining and surpassing their goals. Additionally, her approach to education is about meeting the individual learner where they are. 

She is raising two teenage daughters who attend school in the NYC public school system. She enjoys spending time with friends, family, and her dog. She loves cooking (well, eating), crosswords, playing tennis, and watching movies.

Martin is a career educator with expertise in leadership development and instructional coaching for English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science spanning grades K-12.  From the foundational skill days of Kindergarten to twelfth grade Calculus, Martin has a proven track record of doing whatever it takes to see kids and teachers succeed. Martin’s background is in geophysics and global environmental policy with a unique passion for addressing geologic disaster risk mitigation in developing countries. 

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Teachers and Admin alike would best describe Martin as having an undying amount of energy directed and supporting and collaborating with schools. He prides himself on being a great listener (although his Mother would disagree) who prioritizes advocating for teachers and students above all. Martin most enjoys working with teachers to create student-led classrooms that merges beautifully with his philosophy that the one doing the talking is doing the learning. 

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Martin moonlights as a yoga instructor in his off time, loves eating at new restaurants in NYC, and you can definitely ask him for recommendations. He has plenty. Most importantly, his happiness is truly found at home, traveling, or outdoor days with his partner and two dogs.

Harriette E. Grosvenor (Ria) is a Caribbean-American educator born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. A graduate of Vassar College and Manhattan College, Ria has worked in both the private and public school systems since 1991.  Her experience as an educator includes teaching English and Social Studies to students in grades 5-12,  and working as both an assistant principal and principal at the middle and high school levels. 

Ria’s educational philosophy is built upon the premise that—to whom much is given, much can be expected— and centers around the belief that students benefit most from an education that challenges their intellect, develops their abilities, captures their imagination, awakens their spirit and encourages them to change their world.

Ria’s expertise includes  developing standards-based, inter-disciplinary ELA and Social Studies curricula; supporting culturally responsive teaching and effective learning strategies that benefit all students, designing project based assessments that allow students to make meaning based on their personal and educational experiences,  instructional and transformational leadership and supporting districts, leadership teams, faculty, and staff members with building efficacy.

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Ronald Morris is a respected educator and administrator with a distinguished career spanning over three decades. Beginning as a middle school substitute, his passion for teaching paved the way for impactful roles in education. With 15 years of experience as a high school math teacher, Ronald transitioned seamlessly into administration as a math department assistant principal and chairman, successfully revitalizing struggling departments. Committed to student success beyond the classroom, he actively participated in a collaborative program promoting academic growth. Ronald's extensive teaching experience spans 22 years in college settings, where his expertise in various subjects benefits diverse learners. As a successful coach specializing in school revitalization, his transformative leadership has led to positive academic environments.

Susan Midlarsky brings a rich background and deep experience to her coaching. With real-world experience in math, science, and professional writing, she helps make education meaningful and relevant to the people she works with locally and internationally. She brings a research base to all that she does and encourages a growth mindset in her coaching. In addition to her book, The Art of Teaching Math: A Manual for Success, she has co-authored curricula and created many online courses. 

In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature, reading, and all kinds of creative pursuits.

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Wayne Edwards has over 26 years of experience in education serving as a middle school and high school math teacher, K-12 director of mathematics, college instructor, and math consultant. Wayne holds a Masters degree in Math Education from Brooklyn College and Bachelors in Pure Mathematics from City College. As a consultant, Wayne provides job-embedded professional development serving district and charter schools across New York City and Nassau County. His work focuses on curriculum development, increasing teacher capacity and instructional coaching.  

Wayne also serves as a mentor to young men, enjoys reading, trading stocks, playing golf, and cooking on his grill.