Leeann Kerst Davidson, M.A. Email and Phone Number

Accomplished program and project manager with over 14 years of experience in learning experience design and strategic planning. I have successfully led the training of over 5,000 educators and am passionate about creating high-quality instructional materials and innovative learning environments that promote equity, inclusion, and professional excellence.In my current role as Director of Consulting and Academics at TNTP, I oversee strategic initiatives and manage a team of senior managers and directors, collaborating with various educational bodies such as the Texas Education Agency, New Jersey Department of Education, and Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. I drive organizational improvements by enhancing teacher training models, fostering culturally responsive teaching, and aligning programs with district and organizational goals.I have a proven track record in managing large-scale projects, including a major curriculum change for Pasco County Schools and overseeing the largest teacher preparation program in the U.S. I excel in coaching and developing district-level staff, designing innovative learning solutions, and promoting high-quality instructional practices across multiple educational settings.

In the Senior Manager position at TNTP, I set the vision for, prepared, and executed innovative initiatives for teacher training, academic strategy, curriculum implementation, and leadership coaching.My duties in this role included designing, executing, and iterating on new teaching residency models across diverse settings, including a top east coast university, a regional Massachusetts program, the NYC Department of Education, and a large New England school district. Cumulatively, these programs have trained almost 5,000 teachers throughout my tenure.Through my work leadership coaching, I currently advise on and implement a premier personalized learning platform throughout their expansion to over 300 schools and districts nationally. I also support a portfolio of schools in Florida as they implement Illustrative Math and ultimately increase student learning and close the opportunity gap for all children.Through my work at the NYC Teaching Fellows, I trained over 200 staff members and 1,000 Fellows each year while directly recruiting 35+ host schools every summer. We iterated and innovated on the training model annually to create stronger new teacher experiences, staffing model efficiencies, and greater alignment between the program, org-wide, and district-level initiatives on equity and Culturally Responsive Teaching.

As a Senior Effectiveness Coach, I worked with a team to run the NYC Teaching Fellows. I trained over 200 staff members annually to transform the lives of 1,200 Fellows and their students, in addition to recruiting 35+ DOE schools to host us every summer. I iterated and innovated on our training model to create stronger experiences for Fellows, efficiency in our staffing models, and greater alignment between our program, org-wide, and district-level initiatives on equity and culturally responsive teaching.

As an institutional leader, I collaborated with fellow teachers, team leaders, and administrators to ensure that all parties’ needs were met while supporting the execution of exceptional academic programming. I evaluated teachers formally and informally to ensure that all personnel were performing all KPIs and deliverables on time and within budget. I also directly led 10 teachers and provided them within informal and formal tools and resources to proactively address and enhance their ability to sustain student achievement. Through exceptional program development and intricate data analysis, I led the first and second place performance of the institution (out of 12 other institutions), collaborating with teachers, horizontal grade level partners, other teachers and administrators, and 90 students. I encouraged and effectively achieved all levels of engagement in the program and its subsequent goals. I continuously analyzed assessment and other student data to sustain a year-over-year growth of 6% regarding Network Interim Assessments without sacrificing quality in the student educational experience and diversity of learning tools. I also directed 8 teachers to ensure the seamless transition of scholar students from the elementary to middle school environment in both an academic and social-emotional setting, facilitating programming that was relevant to their needs and prior academic experiences.

I facilitated and led a five-week intensive summer training program for 12 incoming teachers, confirming that they received and could analyze, determine, and subsequently utilize the tools and resources necessary to provide equitable and culturally responsive training for their students. I ensured that over 90% NYC Teach for America teachers received a proficient or above-proficient scores on the TAL rubric.I developed professional development programming and communicated this information with teachers while facilitating a collaborative environment rooted in personnel engagement. I provided information and tools throughout program execution regarding classroom management and curriculum development for up to 40 personnel in addition to creating high school history lesson plans and subsequent programming that implemented throughout the entirety of the institution, supporting a executive focused initiative.

As a Corps Member Advisor, I coached 12 incoming Teach for America Corps Members during an intensive summer training program to develop lesson planning and classroom management skills and create a culturally responsive classroom focused on achievement in NYC summer schools. In this role I led full-group professional development on classroom management and lesson planning for up to 40 people.

As a teacher, I collaborated with other personnel to create the campus as well as its programs and services and serve as an inaugural teacher trainer, sustaining a 93% passing score on state assessments. This achieved a subsequent second place ranking across the network (6 other school). I supported and led 120 students with Teacher for America Rio Grande Valley Corps Members.

As an educator, I taught 80 students daily, developing all program, daily lesson plans, curriculum, and assessments. I continuously analyzed student performance and achievement through a variety of formative and summative assessments, adapting and modifying curriculum and instructional practices as appropriate to enhance not only student achievement but student intrinsic motivation. Under my tenure, 82% of students obtained and surpassed individual growth goals that were designated by Teacher for America.

I coordinated all program logistics to support the timely execution of mission trips while working with 75 volunteers weekly across 13 urban volunteer sites to distribute information and recruit volunteers for in-house and external service opportunities. I ensured that all instructional tools, programming, and subsequent materials were readily available for individual mission trips, collaborating with program participants, leaders, and clients to ensure that all deliverables and goals were consistently met and exceeded. I also performed operation management and ensured the urban volunteer sites were adequately staffed and consistently addressed client needs in both the short- and long-term.