Starts Right Here believes all kids deserve a chance to rise above the circumstances they were born into and to reach their mental, emotional, physical and economic potential. We work with urban youth who have been touched by real challenges. Their childhoods have been lived against a backdrop of poverty, substance abuse, neglect and violence. We give them a chance to choose a different future – empowering them to change their mindset to one of hope, purpose and determination, and providing access to resources that support their goals.

K20Connect offers a wide range of concierge consulting and networking services with the necessary tools and expertise to help your business better support education or to help your district more effectively utilize technology. We partner with our clients from start to finish, focusing on their needs while producing new ideas, developing effective strategies and designing high quality and scalable solutions.

BSG Strategies was founded to be a resource to both educators and industry. In order to transform education, we know that all must be at the table together engaging in the same the conversation, not talking past each other. It is critical for districts to understand how policy impacts ideas and innovations, and industry to understand how to speak to districts. We know how to speak the language, whichever side of the conversation you are on. Contact us today to see how we can help you with your goals in education technology!

In my role as Deputy Executive Director for Content, I lead the Center's content. This includes establishing the editorial calendar for Converge and stories, managing and writing for our blog, promoting via social media, and bringing our community together for events. We work every day to transform education through the use of technology and by creating a space for district leaders and industry partners to come together.

As Policy Manager, I provided technical assistance to lawmakers on how to create competency-based, blended and online learning environments that give way to personalized learning for all students. I also wrote papers and blogs to help clear confusion in the field, and offered recommendations to policymakers on how to best ensure that all students have access to the education they deserve. I worked with both federal and state policy.

I was responsible for tracking legislation in 13 states regarding consumer protection and market issues. My tasks include watching for any bill movement, talking with staff and members of the statehouses to predict any bill movement, and studying client issues.

My issue areas for the Senator included Military, Veterans' Affairs, Social Security, Retirement, and Welfare. My tasks included getting written policy responses back to constituents who had policy concerns within my portfolio. It was my job to know these issues thoroughly. I was sometimes also responsible for taking constituent meetings and writing speeches and memos for the Senator, as well as some preparations for committee hearings.

I worked for Representative Ross Paustian at the Iowa Statehouse. My tasks included getting responses to constituents, scheduling subcommittee and committee meetings, taking minutes for any committee my boss Chaired, talking with lobbyists on my boss' behalf, and updating his schedule at all times, along with any other various task he needed to be completed.