AMLE Board of Trustees



2022 Board of Trustees Election
Voting for the individuals who serve on the AMLE Board of Trustees is a privilege of School and Professional members. For the Fall 2022 election, members will vote for a slate of candidates at the Annual Business Meeting, which will be held in-person November 3 at 6:30pm ET in conjunction with #AMLE22, the 49th Annual Conference for Middle Level Education. Register to attend the Annual Conference.
If you are not able to attend the meeting and wish to cast your vote, download and return the absentee ballot by email, fax, or postal mail to the AMLE office. To be counted in this year’s election, your ballot must be received by 11:59pm Eastern Time, September 30, 2022.

The following candidates have been recommended for election to the AMLE Board of Trustees by the AMLE Elections Committee:
Sandy Cameli – Hawaii
Sandy currently serves as an Education Specialist for the Hawai’i State Department of Education. Sandy has pursued her passion for middle level education over a span of three decades, beginning as a classroom practitioner, transitioning to support new teachers in a district mentorship program, and now serving at the state-level in a role that allows her to elevate teacher leadership in Hawai’i schools. Sandy has been a frequent contributor to AMLE, both in presenting at AMLE conferences and writing for AMLE publications. She currently serves on AMLE’s Teacher Leader Committee.
Chandra Diaz – Nebraska
After twelve years as a middle level math educator, Chandra now servs as an Associate Profession in Teacher Education at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. In that role, she advises and teaches all middle level education majors. She also initiated and is the advisor for the University’s Collegiate Middle Level Association chapter. This will be Chandra’s second term on the AMLE Board of Trustees. During her first term, she chaired the Professional Preparation Advisory Committee and played an integral role in the revision of AMLE’s Middle Level Teacher Preparation Standards.
Maya Kratzke – Maryland
Maya currently holds several roles at The Siena School in Silver Spring, Maryland, including Middle School English Teacher, Middle School Advisor, and High School Dean of Students. Maya is passionate about establishing high expectations for students while providing a supportive learning environment. She previously chaired the School’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, and Belonging Committee and currently sits on AMLE’s Equity in Middle Grades Education committee.
Walter Lee – South Carolina
After teaching in Title I schools for more than five years, Walter now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina Upstate where he is also the coordinator of the University’s Call Me MiSTER program. Walter is a passionate advocate for equity-centered instruction and has written on the topic of self-concept development. He was a featured presenter at AMLE’s Successful Middle School webinar series, and a presenter at the 2020 and 2021 Annual Conferences.
AMLE Staff
Stephanie Simpson
Chief Executive Officer
ssimpson@amle.org
Derek Neal
Chief Operating Officer
dneal@amle.org
Katie Powell
Director for Middle Level Programs
kpowell@amle.org
Megan Mooney
Accounting Manager
mmooney@amle.org
Marcia Meade-Hurst
Senior Member Center Specialist
mmeadehurst@amle.org
Helen Polansky
Partnerships Manager
hpolansky@amle.org
Kristie Smith
CMLA East Chapter At-Large Advisor
Sarah Pennington
CMLA West Chapter At-Large Advisor
Dr. Lisa Harrison
Middle School Journal Co-Editor
Dr. Kathleen Brinegar
Middle School Journal Co-Editor
Dr. Ellis Hurd
Middle School Journal Co-Editor and CAEP Coordinator
Dr. David Virtue
Research in Middle Level Education Online Journal Editor
Past Presidents/Chairs
AMLE is grateful to the dedicated educators who have served as President/Chair and who have contributed to our rich history
2021 Lisa Harrison
2020 James Barnes
2019 Christine Thielen
2018 Nancy Rupert
2017 Pam Millikan
2016 Kathleen McCaffery
2015 Ashley Smith,
2014 Mike Muir
2013 Jeff LaRoux
2012 Nancy Poliseno
2011 Joan Jarrett
2010 Cathie Thibodeau
2009 Janet Vernon,
2008 Theresa Hinckle
2007 Mike Dietz
2006 Patti Kinney
2005 Kathy McAvoy
2004 Marc Ecker
2003 Linda Robinson
2002-2003 Deborah Kasak
2001-2002 Santo Pino
2000-20001 Fran Salyers
1999-2000 Marion Payne
1998-1999 Walt Grebing
1997-1998 Pete Lorain
1996-1997 Ross Burkhart
1995-1996 Jerry Adrian
1994-1995 Charlene Pike
1993-1994 Betty Edwards
1992-1993 Sue Swaim
1991-1992 Jeanette Phillips
1990-1991 Julia Thomason
1989-1990 James Garvin
1988-1989 Conrad Toepfer
1987-1988 Robert Shockley
1986-1987 Gerald Bourgeois
1985-1986 Ann Moniot
1984-1985 Ronald Johnson
1983-1984 Kenneth McEwin
1982-1983 Mary Compton
1981- 1982 Sherri Scott
1980-1981 John Swaim
1979-1980 Louis Romano
1978-1979 James Fox
1977-1978 Robert Malinka
1976-1977 Thomas Gatewood
1975-1976 Keith Brown
1974-1975 Glenn Maynard
1973-1974 Hal Gladdis
1972-1973 Gordon Vars