Heather Denny has been with the U.S. Department of Education for three years and is currently a program officer with the Title I, Part D program. Prior to that she served in the Montana Office of Public Instruction with the EHCY, Title I, Part D, and Title I, Part A programs for ten years, as a school district homeless liaison, and as a classroom teacher for students in grades 6-12. Heather has a BA in History and Certification in Secondary Education from the University of Texas at El Paso, and a MEd in School Counseling and a MEd in Educational Leadership from Montana State University. She is currently pursuing an EdD in Educational Leadership at the University of Montana. Heather has focused her career on serving students experiencing homelessness and impacted by juvenile justice with an emphasis on rural students and students in poverty.

Bryan Thurmond is an education program specialist in the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. In this role, Bryan works on programs for students experiencing homelessness and students in foster care. Prior to joining the Department in 2014 as a Presidential Management Fellow, Bryan began his career as Pre-kindergarten teacher in Prince George's County, Maryland. Bryan holds a Master's degree in early childhood curriculum and instruction and a Juris Doctorate (JD).