Professional Learning

Amy Oelschlager is the Manager of Professional Learning based out of St. Paul, MN. She taught elementary school for several years before getting her Master’s Degree in Instructional Technology and becoming an Instructional Coach.

She also worked as a Personalized Learning Coordinator for an urban district in the Twin Cities creating and coordinating professional development and effective implementation of instructional technology in K-12 classrooms.

In addition to her teaching and district leadership, she has worked at MIND as an Education Success Manager supporting the implementation of ST Math in districts and schools across the country. She loves training and coaching teachers to use ST Math as an instructional tool to transform their math instruction.

ShaKeitha Green is a Professional Learning Lead based out of Los Angeles, CA. She has been in the field of education for over 13 years. ShaKeitha was a Lab Tech at an elementary school for 7 years where she monitored and implemented the school’s technology programs including ST Math. During that time she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development and a Master’s Degree in Technology Based Education. 

Additionally, she has worked at MIND as an Education Success Manager supporting schools and districts with the implementation of ST Math for the past six years. She discovered a great joy for presenting and the importance of connecting with the audience.

Vivian Doughty is a Professional Learning Specialist with MIND Research Institute. Vivian has worked with MIND since 2012 supporting schools and districts within California and beyond. A Minneapolis native, she has made Long Beach, California her home for nearly all of her adult life while working in vocations that have honed her creative, out-of-the-box thinking, intuition, and grit.  Her kind nature is always a positive impact. Vivian taught in the private and public sector for many years, working the entire spectrum of education, from young children to adults of all ages. She holds multiple degrees from CSULB along with a clear, professionalized, California teaching credential and ELA1 certification. Vivian enjoys performing at a high level to ensure the vibrancy and success of your professional learning process and delivery.

Krista is a Professional Learning Specialist based out of Denver, Colorado. She has a Master’s Degree in Education, and was a teacher for 10 years in New York City, Chicago, Iowa, and most recently, Denver, where she was also an instructional math coach. Krista is passionate about giving educators and students the confidence to become successful problem solvers through the use of ST Math.

Michelle Junkin is a Professional Learning Specialist located in Tampa, FL with her husband and 2 sons. Michelle has lived and taught in several states – Louisiana, Connecticut, Virginia, Oklahoma and Florida. She is currently living in Tampa, FL with her husband and 2 sons. She graduated with her Bachelor’s degree from The University of New Orleans and holds her National Board Certification in EYA Mathematics. Michelle has been teaching for 21 years – from elementary through Algebra 1 and has been a math coach for 6 of those years at the elementary and middle school levels. She is an out of the box, innovative thinker with a passion for providing high quality mathematics for all learners. When not working, Michelle is an avid reader and cook. She enjoys being outside with her family and 2 dogs whether being at the beach, kayaking, exercising, or just enjoying the Florida sunshine.

Hannahrose Laidlaw is a Professional Learning Specialist at MIND Research Institute. She has a Master’s Degree in Education and is based out of New York, New York. She graduated with a degree in Sociology and Pre-Law but fell in love with education while volunteering with various organizations in college and her two years as a Teach for America Corps Member in South Louisiana.
Hannahrose brings her expertise from the last nine years as classroom teacher, instructional coach, curriculum developer, and Dean into her role as a Professional Learning Specialist. Hannahrose is passionate about K-8 education and loves to bring her high energy to all trainings where she helps support educators to use ST MATH as an instructional tool to transform their math instruction.

Janna McIntyre is a Professional Learning Specialist based in Austin, serving districts across the state of Texas. Janna completed her undergraduate degree in Asheville, NC and then moved to Milwaukee, WI to attain her Masters in Education. After braving the cold she moved closer to her New Orleans roots and settled in Texas. Janna has taught for eight years and was most recently an instructional coach and elementary math lead. During this time, Janna developed a deep love of DEI in education, conceptual thinking, and implementing research-based mathematical practices. 

Janna is excited to join the MIND team and continue the work towards removing barriers for all kids!

In her spare time, Janna is most likely hiking with her dog, Gumbo, or trying new restaurants with her fiancée, Liz.

Allison Ross serves as a Professional Learning Specialist for the great state of Texas and resides in Fort Worth. Prior to joining MIND this year, she spent six years as an elementary educator in Birdville ISD and nine years in the roles of Middle School Educator and Curriculum Coordinator & Coach at independent schools serving gifted and talented learners. Throughout her teaching journey, she honed her skills in differentiation for the gifted and talented population, developed several Project-Based Learning units, and revitalized her school’s service-learning and applied research programs. Additionally, she presented on topics related to executive functioning, digital citizenship, prosocial gameplay, giftedness & perfectionism, and Project-Based Learning. Allison holds a Bachelor’s degree Early Childhood Education from Texas Christian University and her Master’s degree in Gifted Education from Hardin-Simmons University. She has a passion for math, enjoys encouraging learners who possess or lack confidence in the subject matter, and supporting teachers as they do the same.

Jenna is a Professional Learning Specialist based in Minneapolis. She recently completed her Educational Leadership degree in addition to a Master’s in the Arts of Teaching. Jenna worked as a middle school math teacher for 7 years in Louisiana and Minnesota where she developed a learning environment with deep conceptual thinking, mathematical discourse, and a whole lot of fun.

Jenna is excited to be a MINDer due to her commitment to building problem solvers. Math is just an exciting puzzle waiting to be solved! 

In her spare time, Jenna is most likely at the dog park running around with her dogs Finn + Zoey, playing video games with her partner, or in the kitchen trying a new TikTok recipe.

Rebekah Ames is an Education Success Manager based in Salt Lake City, Utah. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Anthropology and a Master of Arts in Elementary Education. She has worked in education for fifteen years and spent many of those years as a classroom teacher teaching kindergarten, third grade, and fifth grade. Additionally she has worked as an instructional coach, helping teachers refine best practices and find new ways to reach all learners. She is passionate about education, especially math education. Rebekah enjoys working with teachers and school leaders to show them how ST Math can transform the way their students feel about math. When she’s not solving math problems with JiJi she can be found cooking, gardening, and enjoying time with her family.

Jim deBerjeois is an Education Success Manager located in the Atlanta, GA area. He spent 20 years as a teacher and administrator in various schools in NY, NC, and Ga.  He has extensive experience in delivering training and classroom support to educators throughout the country. Prior to becoming a ESM, he served as a Professional Learning Specialist at MIND, delivering PL on-site and virtually to ST Math customers  in various schools and districts. In his spare time, Jim enjoys reading, playing tennis, and following college sports, especially basketball.

Melissa is an Education Success Manager based in Southern California.  She graduated from Chapman University with her B.A., then later earned her teaching credential from Cal State Los Angeles. Melissa is a dynamic education ambassador who has served students as a HS Math Teacher, Tutoring Center Director, Regional Manager of After School Programs, and as an Assistant Principal. In her current role, she enjoys sharing her passion for ST Math’s neuroscience based approach to teaching mathematics with Administrators and Teachers. She is a married mama of two who relaxes by soaking up sunshine & sipping sweet-tea.

Zaynab is an Educational Success Consultant based in Milwaukee, WI. She is very passionate about educational equity, especially for marginalized populations. Zaynab is the founder of ZB Consulting which aims to help schools, districts and organizations meet their educational goals. She was an advisor at Escuela Verde charter school for 6 year which is a Project-Based, student-centered, environmental focused high school.  She has international teaching and administrative experience working in England and Kuwait. Zaynab’s approach to math is rooted in social justice, this is evidenced by her research roles in Diversity in Mathematics Education (DiME) at UW-Madison, Matrix Project evaluation at UNC-Chapel Hill and her thesis work on culturally relevant mathematics for Latino students. MIND/ST Math allows Zaynab to continue to utilize her math interest along with educational advancement. In her spare time Zaynab loves to be outside in nature, riding her bike and trying out new restaurants. Zaynab is also multilingual.

Tori is an Education Success Consultant based out of Hampton, VA. She has over 5 years experience as a Math 8 and Algebra 1 classroom teacher, curriculum developer, and trainer for district and school level professional development. She recently earned her Master’s in Educational Leadership degree with a certification in Administration & Supervision because her true passion lies in mentoring educators to reach their highest potential. One thing she regrets is not having access to ST Math when she was a teacher! Tori is super excited to be a part of the MIND team because she greatly aligns with MIND’s mission to develop critical thinkers and problem solvers for the next generation. When Tori isn’t spreading the word on ST Math, she enjoys attending concerts, traveling with her husband, and growing her sneaker collection!

Monique is an Education Success Consultant based out of Chicago, Illinois. She has worked as an elementary teacher, middle school math and science teacher, as well as an instructional technology coach. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Psychology and fell further in love with education during her commitment as a Teach for America corps member. She has since gone on to earn her M. Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction and her Ed. S in Educational Leadership. Monique loves bringing her passion for education and neuroscience together and making education accessible to all learners. She loves helping others see that everyone can be a math person! In her spare time, Monique likes to practice yoga and spend time outside with her husband, daughter, and golden retriever.

Jason resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. He graduated from Bowdoin College and received his MA in Education from Loyola Marymount University. He’s had various roles in the field of education: software developer, editor, curriculum manager, and teacher. He’s excited to be working for Mind because he feels inspired at how ST Math transforms students’ attitudes toward learning.

Megan is an Education Success Consultant based out of Oceanside, CA. She has worked in a variety of school settings up and down the east coast, specifically in Maine, Massachusetts, and Virginia, but is excited to be able to now explore and partner with schools on the west coast. With over 8 years in the classroom and a masters degree as a reading specialist, Megan has experienced many success stories with students, but her favorite experiences revolve around using ST Math in the classroom. As much as she loves to read and help students to enjoy it as well, math has always been a love for her. She is excited to share her knowledge with others as they start their JiJi journey!

Allison Morgan is an Education Success Consultant based out of Austin, TX. She worked as a teacher in New York, New Hampshire, and throughout Texas. Allison graduated from The University of North Texas with a degree in Elementary Education and SUNY Plattsburgh with  her M. Ed. and Literacy. Allison’s passion for DEI and closing the achievement gap for ALL learners  is what drew her to MIND. She loves continuing to work in the education field, helping teachers any way she can.  In her spare time, Allison loves spending time with her partner and two kids, experiencing all that Austin has to offer. She loves going to sporting events , walking trails, and visiting new restaurants.

Candace is an Education Success consultant based in Dallas, TX. Candace has a Master of Arts in Teaching and 6 years of experience in the education sector. She has worked in diverse communities across Texas and North Carolina as an early education teacher, a middle school after school program leader, and as a 2nd grade math and science teacher. She discovered her love of teaching math when she became a math teacher! Candace is excited to join the MIND team because she has seen first hand how their ST Math programming can revolutionize a math classroom and empower students to love math and she wants to give that opportunity to as many teachers and students across the country as possible. In her spare time, Candace enjoys reading, baking delicious treats, and hanging out at her parents’ farm.

Maria Rojas is an Education Success Consultant in Northern Kentucky, and is originally from Santiago, Chile. She has worked with ST Math in diverse communities as an Elementary teacher in Kindergarten and Fourth grade. Maria is very passionate about MIND’s work of fostering a deep understanding and love for math in students. As an English Language learner, Maria knows first-hand how powerful ST Math can be in transforming the math experience for all students. Maria loves to travel and hopes to one day visit each continent. She also enjoys spending time with her family and two wonderful dogs.

Molly Russell is an Education Success Consultant based near Minneapolis, MN. Moly holds a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education & Learning Disabilities and a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction. She has over 15 years of teaching experience, which includes elementary education, secondary special education, and co-teaching both 8th and 9th grade English. Molly is excited to help teachers change the way both they and their students feel about math. In her spare time, Molly likes to spend time with her two children, do yoga, and be outside.

Jamie Rynda is an Education Success Consultant located in Minneapolis, MN.  Jamie has her elementary and middle school education degree from the College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University and her Masters in Educational Leadership from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.  She has over 10 years of teaching experience in both elementary and middle school math.  Jamie has both a passion for mathematics and technology integration and is excited to bring these two passions together at ST Math.  Jamie loves to spend time being active with her two young children, knitting and trying new foods to eat!

Angela Schanke is an Education Success Consultant based in Cheyenne, Wyoming. She taught middle school mathematics for nearly a decade around the state. She earned her Master’s degree in 2014 with a thesis on gamification, which she then incorporated into her classroom. Currently, she is finishing up a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education with a dissertation on the influence of productive failure on mathematical affect. Her research has been in gamification, mathematical creativity, and self-efficacy. The work MIND and ST Math are doing to change how students feel about math is a perfect combination of her interests and she is very excited to get involved! In her free time, she likes to read novels, walk her husky in the snow, and overanalyze movies.

Michelle Theurer is an Education Success Consultant based in Utah. She received a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education and a Masters of Science in Education. She taught elementary school for 10 years and math was always her favorite subject. While teaching, she had the opportunity to use ST Math in her classroom and witnessed firsthand the powerful impact it had on her students. She is thrilled to be a part of the team at MIND Research Institute so that she can support other teachers and students as they strengthen critical thinking and problem solving skills. In her spare time, Michelle loves to spend her time in nature and visiting as many National Parks as possible.

Chelsea lives in Oak View California with her husband Sam and their new dog Boba and tortoise Big mama. Before joining MIND she taught Math at the Middle School and High School level for 7 years. She is passionate about encouraging and supporting students to shift their mindset about mathematics. She wants all students to feel belonging in mathematics and build confidence in both problem solving and growth mindset. Chelsea took a year off of teaching to travel the world with her husband and went to 24 countries! She is so excited to be working with MIND because the mission and goal of the organization align with her dreams for all students. Chelsea enjoys hiking with her dog and also enjoys teaching and practicing yoga and meditation.

Michelle Young is an Education Success Consultant Michelle knows that early success and conceptual learning in math builds enthusiastic and lifelong learners. This is her 17th year in the field of education and her 5th year as an education consultant. So far, the favorite part of her job at MIND is working with other team members who are passionate about math and helping teachers and students succeed! Michelle has worked as a classroom educator and Associate Principal, with broad experience in developing, reviewing, and administering education assessments. She loves to learn about all things EdTech.

JiJi oversees student success and is responsible for crossing the screen as math puzzles are solved. JiJi is an accomplished world traveler, and has led over two million students to the next challenge as they play ST Math. JiJi is not great at jumping, but excels at waddling around classrooms in pursuit of giving students and educators alike a high “flipper”. JiJi is currently studying all mathematical subjects in grades PreK-8.