Former National Distinguished Elementary Principal for Mississippi (2004) who led a school-wide Title I elementary school in Meridian, MS from low performance to the highest designation on the state’s accountability system. Provided oversight for ESEA, School Improvement (1003a and 1003g), Special Populations, and student support programs at the district level for 5 years. Provided oversight for ESEA, School Improvement (1003a and 1003g) and IDEA programs at the state level for approximately 10 years. Served as Deputy State Superintendent of Education in MS for approximately 8 years, with oversight for PK-12 Curriculum and Instruction; Compulsory Attendance; Alternative Education; State initiatives including MTSS, Early Childhood, Literacy, CCR Standards, CTE, Computer Science, Professional Development, Graduation Requirements, and High-Quality Instructional Materials. Project Lead and Co-author: Benton, K., Permenter, P., Richel, M., Sheley, P., Hartman, N., Layland, A. (2022). Supporting Students in Poverty with High Impact Instructional Strategies. Rockville, MD: National Comprehensive Center at Westat. Co-Author: Manian, N., McColskey, W., Benton, K., & Lipshie, N. (2021). Implementing Trauma-Informed Practices in Rural Schools. Rockville, MD: National Comprehensive Center at Westat. Benton, K., Butterfield, K., Manian, N., Molina, M., Richel, M. (2020). Returning to School Toolkit for Principals. Rockville, MD: National Comprehensive Center at Westat.

Lashanda Mickens has been in education for the past 19 years as a Special Education Teacher, School Testing Coordinator, Lead Teacher, and currently an elementary school Principal in the Noxubee County School District. Lashanda began as a substitute teacher, and her passion for education grew from there. Lashanda believes that great educators produce great students. In 2006, she was selected to be on the Title I team at her school, and that is where she learned how to work with the school district to provide all children with an equitable and high-quality education to close the education achievement gap. During this time, students in grades four and five saw academic gains in ELA and Math. As an administrator, she has implemented several initiatives to help close the achievement gap. For example, restructuring the PLC, building teacher leaders, ensuring ongoing professional growth, and aligning instruction and assessments. As she works closely with the school district, school leadership team, and school improvement coach, she provides effective leadership to the faculty and staff. During the 2022-2023, Earl Nash moved from an "F" rating to a "D" rating. Earl Nash Elementary increased from 288 accountability points during the 2022-2023 school year to 312 accountability points during the 2023-2024 school year using strategies from the Four Domains of Rapid School Improvement. She is implementing the High Impact Instructional Strategies by the Comprehensive Center Network to improve teaching and learning to increase student achievement.

Dr. Dana Williams is a seasoned educator with 25 years of experience. Currently, she is an educational specialist in the Federal Programs Department of the Alabama State Department of Education where she supports LEAs with Title I, Part A, Section 1003 (school improvement). Before joining the team, Dr. Williams was a district-level education specialist in the Office of Curriculum and Instruction. Her school-level experiences include principal, assistant principal, instructional specialist, and secondary ELA teacher. Dr. Williams' educational credentials include earned degrees from Alabama State University, Auburn University Montgomery, and Capella University.