Educator

• Professional educator since 1972—from high school teacher, principal, and central office administrator to educational consultant
• Provides training in how to work effectively with individuals from all economic classes
• Has trained hundreds of thousands of professionals since 1996
• Has certified more than 7,000 trainers in A Framework for Understanding Poverty (see book of same name below)
• Mission: to positively impact the education and lives of individuals in poverty throughout the world
• Ph.D., educational leadership and policy studies, Loyola University, IL; M.A., English literature, Western Michigan University; B.A., Goshen College, IN

Speaker

• Expert on poverty and mindsets of economic classes
• Accessible, engaging style using humor, stories, and mental models
• Message relevant to business leaders, educators, and community and social service workers
• Helps find creative and practical solutions to challenges of working across socioeconomic lines and building sustainable communities
• Speaks extensively, with engagements including Australia Conference on Thinking and Learning; European League for Middle School Education; United Kingdom Department for Children, Families, and Schools; China and U.S. Conference on Educational Leadership; PBS; Harvard's Summer Institute for Principals; SCERT (Delhi, India); Tasmania Teacher Training; New Zealand; Slovakia; School Leadership Center of Trinidad and Tobago; National Conference of State Legislatures (U.S.); Annual Conference of Southwest Foundations; New York Superintendents Association; and Chief Officers of State School Departments (U.S.)

Author

• A Framework for Understanding Poverty, foundational work, 1996; 5th revised edition, 2013
  • Has sold more than 1.5 million copies
  • Teaches the hidden rules and mindsets of economic class
  • Teaches specific, resource-based strategies for overcoming poverty's obstacles
• From Understanding Poverty to Developing Human Capacity, 2012
• School Improvement: 9 Systemic Processes to Raise Achievement (co-author), 2010
• Research-Based Strategies: Narrowing the Achievement Gap for Under-Resourced Students, 2009
  • Two handy charts provide easy access to more than 50 research-based strategies
• Under-Resourced Learners: 8 Strategies to Boost Student Achievement, 2008
  • Assesses student resources to determine best strategies and interventions
  • More proven, practical strategies that can be used immediately
• Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities (co-author), 2001, 2006
  • Has led to a model for building sustainable communities
• Has writtten or co-authored more than a dozen books surrounding issues of poverty in areas of education, social services, business, communities, churches, relationships, and leadership

Business Owner

• Founded aha! Process, Inc. (formerly RFT Publishing) in 1995; current CEO
• Employs 25 full- or part-time staff; has a team of 50 consultant presenters
• Has published more than 125 books and video/DVD products; offers 45 workshops