Protected: 2025 Annual Summit – Agenda

Ana-Paula Correia, Ph.D., is a professor of Learning Technologies and the Director of the Center on Education and Training for Employment (CETE) at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. She has over 25 years of experience in learning design and educational technology, focusing on online learning and teaching, mobile learning, collaborative learning, and human-computer interaction. Dr. Correia has presented at more than 150 academic conferences worldwide and has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters in English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Numerous grant agencies have recognized her expertise in educational technology, human-computer interaction, and e-learning. This has resulted in invitations to present at international professional meetings and committees in various countries, including Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands, Brazil, Turkey, Uganda, and China. Dr. Correia also leads the Learning & Experience Design Research Group, a group dedicated to investigating learning design processes and pedagogies.

Barbara Boone, Ph.D., is the Program Director for Family Engagement Programs at The Ohio State University, Center on Education and Training for Employment and is the Director of the federally funded Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center. In this role, Barbara leads a team conducting family engagement initiatives creating professional development and tools, providing technical assistance, and conducting research to promote high impact family engagement for all Ohio students. Barbara has enjoyed helping thousands of families and educational professionals grow, and her own family of five, and local schools too. A New Jersey native, Barbara is an avid hiker and beekeeper. You can reach her at boone.32@osu.edu, and find her on Twitter at @boonebbuzz.

Director
Ohio Department of Education and Workforce

Preparing students for success means understanding the connections between the classroom, real-world experiences, and the knowledge, skills, and opportunities needed for a bright future. With more than 40 years working in multiple educational settings, Stephen D. Dackin has amassed extensive experience in state education policy, instructional leadership, postsecondary education, and workforce readiness.

Director Dackin’s career has been guided by a personal focus to work in service to children and families. Prior to being appointed as director of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Director Dackin served in roles ranging from a classroom educator, school and district leader, and at the former Ohio Department of Education, the State Board of Education, and in higher education.

At the local level, Director Dackin worked in central Ohio school districts to advance achievement opportunities for all students. During his time in Reynoldsburg City Schools, he worked as a high school principal, assistant superintendent, and the district superintendent. Under his leadership, the district markedly improved student performance, including performance among minority and economically disadvantaged students, while reducing spending. During his tenure, the district developed one of the nation’s largest science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs, which served more than a third of the district’s students. He led a districtwide transformation of Reynoldsburg’s large, comprehensive high school into four, grades 9-14 college and career academies, each aligned to clusters of careers that are important to Ohio’s economic development plans.

Director Dackin understands the challenges and opportunities our young people and their parents and guardians face in effectively navigating the educational and workforce systems for their children. He brought this expertise to his position as superintendent of school and community partnerships for Columbus State Community College. He bolstered initiatives to grow a number of Columbus State Community College partnerships and programs originating from the Central Ohio Compact, a regional strategy initiative focused on a goal that 60% of central Ohio adults hold postsecondary degrees or credentials by 2025.

He continues to elevate the role partnerships play in achieving statewide goals, and is a member of several education, community, and workforce boards.

Education is part of the fabric of the Dackin family. Director Dackin’s wife, Susan, is a retired educator and they are the proud parents of two daughters, one of whom is an educator and the other an attorney, both in Central Ohio. Director Dackin enjoys golfing, cycling, and spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren.

Tali Horowitz is the East Coast Education Director at Common Sense Media, where she partners with state-level organizations, school districts, and community organizations to develop positive school cultures, grounded in digital citizenship and the development of students’ social, emotional and academic development. She provides educational leadership through consultations, professional development (both in-person and virtual), and conference presentations. Tali has been an educator for over 20 years. Her passions include helping educators and families effectively navigate the digital world and building cultural competency. She has worked in a variety of educational settings, including as an elementary school teacher in the New York City Department of Education and the San Francisco Unified School District. In 2013, she received a Fulbright Fellowship to research culturally responsive pedagogy in New Zealand. In her free time, she loves face-to-face interactions with friends and family, including her kids.

Stephen is a 1990 graduate of Lorain Admiral King High School and Ashland University where he earned his Degree in Education, and a Master’s Degree in Administration. Eventually, he earned a, Educational Doctorate in Educational Leadership. He started his teaching career in 1996 as a special education teacher. The positions that he has served in include Building Administrator, Assistant Principal, Small School Principal, High School Principal, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Assistant Superintendent, Chief of Staff for the Sandusky City Schools and now the Executive Director for Wraparound Services. In 2016, Stephen retired as a Captain in the Ohio Army National Guard after serving for more than 22 years as an enlisted soldier and as an Officer. He deployed to support Operation Noble Eagle in 2002, deployed to Iraq in 2009 as a platoon leader, and deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 as a company commander. Also, he supported various humanitarian mission in Louisiana to include Hurricane Katrina and Rita.

Joshua Preece has over 25 years of experience in education. During his career, he has served as an elementary, middle, & high school teacher and principal. He has enjoyed working with students with varying abilities and forming meaningful partnerships with families. Currently, he serves as the PBIS and Family/Community Engagement Educational Consultant of the State Support Team – Region 2 (SST2). In this position, he enjoys educating, coaching, consulting, and partnering with school and district personnel to help support the implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) and strengthening partnerships with families and community to constantly improve educating the academic and social/emotional needs of each student. Josh is also the regional leader in the State PBIS Network, Family & Community Partnerships Network, and the National Network for Partnership Schools.

Bunmi Esho is a STEM education consultant and Family Engagement Advisor for STEM Next Opportunity Fund. She has over 20 years of experience in corporate, education and nonprofit sectors in the US and abroad. Bunmi’s previous roles were VP of Programs at Endless, California Executive Director at Techbridge Girls and STEM Program Director at Kids City Asia. Bunmi believes in the critical intersection between community, education, and STEM, and in addition to her work, she advises RightOn! Education, co-chairs the Steering Committee for the National Academy of Engineering’s Pathways into Engineering which leads EngineerGirl and is part of the External Advisory Council of the University of Texas’ McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering. She has a bachelor’s in chemical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a master’s in education from the University of Arizona.

Sarah DeShon joined the Center on Education and Training for Employment as a Family Engagement Learning Coordinator with the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center. As a learning coordinator, her primary role is designing and facilitating research-based professional development for out-of-school-time personnel and other family-facing professionals. She seeks to build their capacity for family engagement for all students and families. As a former classroom teacher, Sarah has learned and experienced the important role all families, schools, and communities play in the success of student achievement and wellness.

Donna Villareal is a dedicated program specialist for English Learner programs in the Office of Literacy Achievement and Academic Success at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. She has been shaped by her experiences as a language learner and educator with training as an intervention specialist and English to Speakers of Other languages. She received a Ph.D. Applied Behavior Analysis and Special Education at the Ohio State University and her masters in Multicultural Education from the University of Akron.

For thirteen years Dr. Jackson provided community-based prevention and intervention services provided by community-based agencies, juvenile courts, faith-based organizations, local school districts, and before/afterschool and summer programs. Dr. Jackson has nineteen years’ experience in K-12 education providing whole child support as an Education Program Specialist for the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Office for Whole Child Supports. In this position, she serves Ohio’s schools, and students through education policies, practices and resources that promote family and community involvement, school safety, violence prevention and early intervention services. Dr. Jackson earned a bachelor’s degree in interpersonal and public communication with a minor in marketing from Bowling Green State University. She holds a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs from The Ohio State University and a doctorate in Organizational Psychology from Capella University.

Ruth Haines is the Director of English Language Development for Painesville City Local Schools. She oversees all aspects of the ELD program as well as the district’s Family Resource Center. In addition she serves on the board for Lake-Geauga United Head Start. She taught ESL in Arlington, VA for nine years and started teaching in Painesville’s ELD department in 2003 before taking on the role of director in 2010. She and her team collaborate with many community partners in order to fulfill the needs of the students and families in Painesville.

Zack is a Ph.D. student in Learning Technologies at The Ohio State University. He is a member of the Learning and Experience Design research group that investigates learning design processes and pedagogies to create deep learning in applied contexts. He received his M.Sc. in Human-Computer Interaction from Iowa State University on a Fulbright Scholarship and holds a Bachelor’s in Information Technology. His current research interests include entrepreneurship in learning technologies, applications of emerging technologies in education (AI/AR/VR), human-computer interaction (HCI/UX/UI/IxD), and the UX of AI. Zack is a seasoned user experience (UX) designer and researcher skilled in crafting user-centered digital products and experiences, along with hands-on involvement in building and managing startups. He is a Forbes Mongolia 30 Under 30 listee, Fulbright Scholar, Rumsfeld Fellow, LEAD Mongolia & Bhutan Fellow, and World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers alumnus.

Hadley Bachman, Ph.D., is a Research Administration Management Consultant at the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center, where she spearheads efforts to advance research, professional development, and the acquisition of grants and sponsored projects. In her role, she manages and implements large-scale professional learning projects of state, national, and international significance. Hadley holds a Ph.D. (2023) in Educational Studies specializing in Educational Administration from The Ohio State University. Before joining Ohio State, she was an English teacher and principal, serving in these roles for 14 years. When she’s not working, Hadley spends time outdoors with her husband, daughter, and dog. 

Holly Kreider, Ed.D., directs NAFSCE’s Center for Family Math, leading efforts to build a nation-wide family math movement. Strategic activities include family math research, practice, field building, and communications. Previously, Holly led family engagement investments at the Heising-Simons Foundation, as well as investments in local community empowerment, organizational effectiveness, and democracy reform. Her early career focused on family engagement research, evaluation, and practice at the Harvard Family Research Project and Raising A Reader. She has authored/edited over 50 articles and books on family engagement. She holds an Ed.D from Harvard Graduate School of Education. Alecia Foley Murray serves on NAFSCE’s Center for Family Math Parent Advisory Committee. She started her childhood education advocacy as an Ohio Head Start Parent Ambassador and transitioned to an active parent advocate at Ohio Parent Advocacy Network (OPAN). She is a committed parent advocate with United Parent Leaders Action Network (UPLAN).

Alecia Murray started her childhood education advocacy as an Ohio Head Start Parent Ambassador and transitioned to an active parent advocate at Ohio Parent Advocacy Network (OPAN). She is a committed parent advocate with United Parent Leaders Action Network (UPLAN), serving on the Parent Advisory Committee for Family Math, and a family leader for Groundwork’s Ohio. She enjoys teaching her 4 children, watching them grow and learn and strives to ensure all children have the best start through early childhood education.

Lacy Wood is a founding board member of the National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement (NAFSCE) and co-chairs its policy committee, advancing family engagement policy at the state and federal levels. She previously served as a Principal Technical Assistance Consultant at the American Institutes for Research and brings over 25 years of expertise in family and community engagement. As Associate Director for the U.S. Department of Education’s Statewide Family Engagement Center (SFEC) program, she led technical assistance design and implementation, supporting grantees in applying evidence-based practices. Wood also directed engagement and dissemination for the Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest, translating high-leverage research into practice for partnerships across Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and New Mexico.

As SITG! Communications Manager, Quentin works to amplify the work of the Network, its partners, and its districts. From social media management, graphic design, and branding; to marketing, media relations, and event planning, he works to share the powerful impact of the Network with the world. He assists his coworkers in their day-to-day functions and supports all Network needs.

Chris Yaluma is a dedicated researcher with a passion for data science and causal inference. His work focuses on public policy analysis and evaluation, with a particular emphasis on education policy and AI governance. As Senior Research Associate at PDG, Chris manages research projects on the governance and management of AI and advanced analytics within private and public organizations. He earned his Ph.D. in Public Policy and Management from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University.

Gigliana Melzi is a Professor of Applied Psychology at New York University, affiliated with the Latinx Project and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Her research examines how cultural and linguistic practices shape early development and learning, especially among U.S. Latine families. Using mixed methods and culturally grounded approaches, she studies how caregivers support children’s learning through everyday interactions, focusing on language, storytelling, and school readiness. Her recent work highlights the role of families in supporting early STEM learning. As part of the DREME network, she develops math resources for Spanish-speaking educators and childcare providers that build on the strengths of Latine communities. In one NSF-funded project, she examines how storytelling across genres and modalities supports early science learning. Her work bridges research, practice, and policy to promote equity in early childhood education.

Meredith Wellman, Ph.D., is a Program Manager at the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center, which is housed within the Center on Education and Training for Employment at The Ohio State University. Since 2014, she has worked on the family engagement team to develop and share resources for strong family, school, and community partnerships, presenting to national, state, and local audiences. She received her doctorate in Community and Prevention Research in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2016, and her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Miami University in Ohio. Dr. Wellman lives in Westerville, OH.

Gina M. Wilson, MSW, LSW Network Implementation Manager

As the Implementation Manager, Gina works closely with our districts across the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network. From facilitating peer-to-peer professional development sessions to providing individualized data coaching, Gina helps schools develop strategies to meet their attendance goals and strengthen their engagement within the network. Previously, Gina served as Supervisor of Pupil Service at Garfield Heights City Schools where she led the districts SITG! initiative for several years. In this role she coordinated and enhance school-family-community programs, guided strategic service delivery and fostered collaboration among district leaders, school staff and community partners. Gina holds a master’s degree in social work from Cleveland State University and brings over a decade of experience at the district level. Her deep knowledge of educational systems and commitment to students’ success position her to effectively support schools throughout the Network.

Stacy Springer, MS, OTR/L, ATP, is the Program Director for the AT&AEM Center at OCALI. Stacy leads initiatives that enhance access to assistive technologies and accessible educational materials across Ohio and beyond. She has over 20 years’ experience as a special educator, occupational therapist, and assistive technology professional. Her career includes leadership in multiple school districts, state-level roles, university instruction, and consultation across five states, along with contributions to international projects and published work on disability adaptations. Stacy collaborates with local and national educational organizations to advance accessibility. Her work is also focused on integrating Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and multi-tiered support systems (MTSS) into educational frameworks. Stacy was an inaugural mentor for the Joy Zabala Fellowship in AT&AEM. She currently serves as an ATIA Strand Advisor and is a member of the Quality Indicators of Assistive Technology (QIAT) Leadership Team.

As Director of the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network, Susan manages the collaboration of lead partner organization, oversees strategic growth and daily network operations; and guides the network and staff to reaching network goals and meeting district/school needs. She worked with the Cleveland Browns to envision SITG! and joined the effort as its permanent director at Battelle in 2024.

A nationally recognized leader in education policy and practice, Bodary has extensive experience working with governors, state education leaders, non-profits, and education-focused philanthropy across the country. She recently retired as a partner/owner from Education First, one of the nation’s premiere education strategy and consulting firms. Susan has worked with Battelle over the years to develop and assess the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network, STEMx. A dedicated Ohioan, she has also served as the Education and Workforce Advisor to former Ohio Governor Bob Taft and supported education work in three other Ohio gubernatorial administrations, founded EdVention (now, Learn to Earn Dayton), and served as a founder of the Dayton Regional STEM School and STEM Professional Development Center at the Montgomery County ESC.

As a Family Engagement Research Associate, Wesley leads and supports research-based professional development for out-of-school personnel and other family-facing professionals, and leads the Center’s family leadership program. In his professional career, he has worked with youth and families in recreation, sports, and educational settings. Prior to joining the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center, he taught Physical Education and later became the enrollment coordinator and community liaison at a K-8 school in Columbus, OH.

As the Director of Research and Evaluation, Annie seeks to extend the legacy of Fred Rogers by learning from and working with educators to support their everyday interactions with children, families, and communities. She leads and contributes to ongoing research and professional learning efforts across developmental contexts, including early childhood education, out-of-school learning, higher education, school, and others. In addition, Annie works with student researchers at the Institute’s research lab, Incubator 143. Annie previously ran an extended day program for children ages 3-9 and was a research fellow at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh. Annie holds a Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, a Masters in Applied Developmental and Educational Psychology as well as a BA in Elementary Education and Human Development from Boston College.

Thomas Capretta, MPA, is a family engagement researcher and project coordinator at the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center, part of The Ohio State University’s Center on Education and Training for Employment. He leads the Ohio Family and Community Engagement Network, a statewide community of practice supporting family-facing professionals. Capretta’s work centers on family-school partnerships, education policy, attendance, student voice, and collaboration with families of students with disabilities. A PhD student in Educational Studies, he specializes in the philosophy and history of education, with emphasis on ethics and political philosophy. Previously, he worked at the Ohio Department of Education, advancing systems to support students in foster care and coordinating efforts to embed family engagement in schools. A Cleveland native, Capretta holds a BA from Seton Hall and an MPA from Ohio State’s Glenn College. A former teacher, he lives in Columbus with his partner and their three cats.

Yesenia Alvarez Padilla, Ph.D., is a Program Coordinator at the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center, part of the Center on Education and Training for Employment at The Ohio State University. Since joining the Family Engagement Center team in 2020, she has led initiatives to enhance research, professional development, and practical resources focused on family engagement and family financial literacy including Ohio Family Roadmap and the Money Talks project.

Dee Marks is, first and foremost, a mother of 2 adult children with disabilities. Today she joins us in her role as an Ohio Parent Mentor for Dublin City Schools. As a Parent Mentor, she helps families navigate the special education process, provides trainings to empower them, and connects families to community resources. Miss Marks has also previously provided specialized education services for adolescent students in a mental health treatment center and was an adjunct professor for several years at Ohio Dominican University teaching future Intervention Specialists about IEPs and transition.
She currently sits on three boards focused on services and inclusive opportunities for those with disabilities, including the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities (OCECD), Greenleaf Job Training Service and We R One Community (WeROC)

Family and Community Engagement Liaison

Elizabeth Perera de Passarinho is the Family and Community Liaison at Columbus Bilingual North Academy, bringing over 45 years of experience in K–12 education. Originally from Venezuela, she began her career teaching students with learning disabilities across all grade levels. After immigrating to the United States in 2018, Elizabeth joined Columbus Bilingual North Academy as a bilingual aide, where she quickly became a valued member of the school community. In 2024, she transitioned into her current role, continuing her lifelong commitment to supporting students and families. Elizabeth is passionate about building strong connections between schools and communities, especially within bilingual and multicultural settings. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her four children and grandchildren, and finds peace in nature, especially at the beach.