Kristen Fett is currently a first grade teacher in Bloomington, Minnesota, and has been in the field of education since 2002. She received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and communications and her master’s in curriculum and instruction. She has experience teaching kindergarten, first, third, and fourth grades, but her passion lies in working with primary-aged students. Kristen quickly developed a passion for Responsive Classroom practices after attending a one-day workshop in her school district and seeing the positive impact the approach had on her students and their families. She has been a consulting teacher for Center for Responsive Schools since 2014. In her spare time, she loves being with her husband and two young children, trying new Minneapolis/St. Paul restaurants, traveling, and watching movies.

Kristen Kaelin started teaching at age nine when she removed all of the clothes and shoes from her bedroom closet, converted it into a classroom, and persuaded her younger sister to be her first student. She went on to pursue a more formal career in education after getting her bachelor of education at Smith College and her master’s in special education at Bank Street College of Education. She’s taught for 14 years in public, charter, and private schools in New York, New Jersey, and Italy. Kristen currently teaches fourth grade at the Brooklyn New School (P.S.146), is a consulting teacher for Center for Responsive Schools, and adjuncts at Bank Street. She strongly believes in the importance of creating classroom communities in which students are cared for and valued holistically. Kristen is grateful for the opportunity to share her passion for Responsive Classroom with other educators around the world.

Lauri Pepe Bousquet is currently a Professor of Practice in the Department of Education at the Purcell School for Professional Studies at Le Moyne College and a Responsive Classroom consulting teacher. Prior to teaching at Le Moyne, Lauri served as assistant director of professional development, a staff development specialist, a reading specialist, a writing consultant, and a teacher of English and French. Involved with the Responsive Classroom approach since 1991, Lauri has taught the Responsive Classroom Course, the Responsive Classroom Advanced Course, and the Presenter’s Seminar, and has engaged in certification coaching. Lauri is passionate about ensuring that every child is taught by transformational educators who foster joyful, captivating, caring learning communities that empower students to develop their unique gifts. In her 40 years of teaching, she has yet to encounter a student who would not grow or develop in such an environment. In her spare time, Lauri facilitates study groups for the nonprofit organization Heartlight Center for Inner Peace, in which participants explore the transformative potential of the principles of Attitudinal Healing.

Leah Carson has been a dedicated educator in New Jersey public schools since 2000. She currently works with diverse learners as an instructional support teacher in South Brunswick, New Jersey. She earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and went on to pursue a master’s degree in special education. Leah attended her first Responsive Classroom training as a novice teacher and immediately connected with the philosophy. She continues to learn and grow as a Responsive Classroom practitioner, using this approach in both general education and special education settings. Eight years ago, Leah became a part-time consulting teacher for Center for Responsive Schools. She now uses her classroom experiences to bring the Responsive Classroom approach to life for educators across the country and shared her expertise as a co-author of Doing Social Studies in Morning Meeting. When she is not working, Leah is proud to donate her time to Crisis Text Line as a volunteer crisis counselor.

Leah Nelson is an experienced educator currently teaching second grade in San Francisco, California. In her fifteen years of teaching, she has taught students in second, third, fourth, and sixth grades. Previously, she taught at Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. Leah received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and later went on to pursue her master’s degree in curriculum studies with an emphasis on Aloha ʻĀina education and leadership. As a National Board-certified teacher and Responsive Classroom presenter, Leah is passionate about partnering with teachers to create effective learning environments that foster student success. When she’s not in the classroom, Leah enjoys spending time outdoors in redwood forests, vineyards, and seaside towns. Her love of nature and adventure is a reflection of her belief in the importance of experiential learning and the role it plays in shaping young minds and hearts.

Linda Berger is a consulting teacher for Center for Responsive Schools. Through her 25 years in education, she primarily taught K/1 and recently landed in fourth grade in Santa Clara, California. Linda discovered Responsive Classroom 17 years ago and it expanded the way she taught. She believes Responsive Classroom supports a positive and productive learning community at every age. She sees the way short- and long-term growth occurs in a student-centered learning environment when explicit attention is given to things like teacher language, Interactive Modeling, positive conflict resolution, and productive collaboration. A constant learner, Linda is a “big picture” thinker and insatiably curious. A recent fellowship in educational technology allows her to explore ways to combine her passion for Responsive Classroom and strategies like Google Tools and Design Thinking to enhance and customize student and adult growth. When she needs to get out of her head, yoga, exercise, and live music help bring her back to earth…for a while.

Linda Hagan is a newly retired teacher of thirty-one years. She spent all of those years as an elementary teacher for Ann Arbor Public Schools in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and later received her teaching certificate and master’s degree in reading from Eastern Michigan University. In 2022 she became the building liaison for the district’s teaching learning network. The work included action research using the Responsive Classroom approach to increase student engagement and feelings of belonging. Linda has used this approach in her classroom for more than twenty-five years. Some of her favorite Responsive Classroom resources are The Power of Our Words, The First Six Weeks, and Yardsticks. But it was The Morning Meeting Book that kick-started her journey with Responsive Classroom. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys knitting, reading, and spending time with her family in Michigan’s Leelanau Peninsula.

Linda Izzo is currently a mentor teacher in the Victor Central School District, a suburb outside of Rochester, New York. In this role, she has the unique opportunity to work with educators across grade levels and content areas, preK-12. Prior to entering the field of education, she was a human resource director. This experience has complemented the work she does in her school as well as her work as a Responsive Classroom consulting teacher. When entering the classroom as a teacher 15 years ago, Linda quickly realized the positive impact using Responsive Classroom strategies and practices had on her students and families. Her passion for using and sharing these ideas has spread throughout her district, preK-8. When Linda is not working in her district or providing professional development, she likes to spend time reading, biking, visiting her family, and traveling.

Lindsey Danhoff is currently an educator in the Columbus, Ohio, area and has been in the field of education since 2012. She has experiences ranging from teaching kindergarten to third grade in a variety of settings and has both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in education from Ohio State University. Implementing the Responsive Classroom approach has transformed the way that her students learn and think together in community. Lindsey values supporting teachers in their individual journeys toward creating optimal learning environments for every student, every day. Outside of her work life, Lindsey enjoys paddleboarding, hiking, and watching documentaries.

Lisa Dewey Wells has taught preschool through middle school for nearly thirty years in Massachusetts, New York, and Maryland.  For the past eight years, she has partnered with public and independent schools as a consultant and coach for the Center for Responsive Schools as both a Professional Development Designer and Presenter. Participants find her relatable, insightful, and a skilled facilitator of adult learning.   She has published several articles and co-wrote the forthcoming book from CRS, Empowering Educators, A Comprehensive Guide to Teaching K, 1, and 2.  Lisa holds an M.Ed. in early childhood education and is a certified health and wellness coach and registered yoga and mindfulness teacher.

Lisa Garsh is a second grade teacher and a Responsive Classroom consulting teacher. Lisa has taught at Broadmeadow Elementary School in Needham, Massachusetts, for 16 years. She began in first grade and is currently teaching second grade. Lisa quickly developed a passion for Responsive Classroom teaching practices after picking up The Morning Meeting Book in graduate school and attending her first workshop. In her current role, Lisa enjoys working with students, colleagues, and educators around the country promoting safe, challenging, and joyful learning environments. When she’s not working, Lisa enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and cooking.

Lisa Gibbs has worked in various roles in public education for over 20 years, serving on her town’s school committee for 10 years. Currently an adjustment counselor in Wilmington, Massachusetts, she has plenty of opportunity to utilize the Responsive Classroom approach across the school day. Lisa first learned of the approach at a four-day Responsive Classroom workshop and was instantly hooked! She later became a consulting teacher and has since enjoyed traveling the country to spread Responsive Classroom’s powerful message. Lisa received a “Stick Your Neck Out Award” in recognition of her work as the co-founder, with her husband Rob (also a public school teacher), of the nonprofit organization Samantha’s Harvest. The accolade was especially meaningful because she was nominated by middle school students in her hometown of Reading, Massachusetts. Lisa lives with her husband and three children, Douglas, Alec, and Samantha. Her family looks forward to their time together at their summer home on Cape Cod each August where they can re-energize and reset before each school year begins.

Elizabeth “Liz” Debrey has been a Responsive Classroom consulting teacher since 2002. Throughout her years with Center for Responsive Schools, she has presented the Responsive Classroom Course, Responsive Classroom Advanced Course, and several one- day workshops around the United States. She was also a teacher in an elementary school in South Minneapolis where she implemented Responsive Classroom practices from 1999 to 2016. In her most recent role as a teacher on special assignment in the Minneapolis public school district, she works as a social-emotional learning coach and an instructional coach at a diverse International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme school. She coaches teachers about the importance of building authentic relationships with students and applying the principles and practices of Responsive Classroom to all students everywhere, every day. She lives just outside the city with her husband and two sons where they enjoy bike riding and camping in the northern Minnesota summers.

Lori Peters-McCartney has completed 28 years in education. She began teaching at Hayshire Elementary in York, Pennsylvania. Lori’s passion for and implementation of the Responsive Classroom approach began at Hayshire in 1993. While there, she taught first grade and a grade one/two looping class, and completed her consulting teacher training for Center for Responsive Schools. Her most recent role as an educator has been as a first and fourth grade teacher at Oakview Elementary in Stoneboro, Pennsylvania. While at Oakview, Lori was excited to develop and implement a writing curriculum for grades K-2. She received a degree in elementary education from York College and a master’s in curriculum development and reading from Penn State University. When she is not working, Lori enjoys training retired racehorses for dressage competitions and decorating her house with heirlooms. She spends time visiting her two daughters, both educators, and her son, who serves in the Army National Guard.

With over 12 years of experience teaching middle school language arts in a fully inclusive classroom and having recently finished his educational leadership degree, Luke Mason is thrilled to be taking the next step in his career as the instructional coach at Randolph Middle School. While witnessing the powerfully positive results of the Responsive Classroom approach for middle school in his classroom, Luke is eager to pass along his knowledge of social and emotional learning to his colleagues, thus affecting a wider range of students. Luke has a passion for building strong reading communities with his students and is looking forward to fostering those beliefs with the stakeholders he is interacting with. When he is not in the classroom, Luke can be found outdoors either coaching on the lacrosse field or enjoying a bike ride or a hike with his family.

Lyn Fiez-Vandal is a consulting teacher for Center for Responsive Schools and a third grade teacher at an international school in Surrey, England, where she leads the implementation of Responsive Classroom in the lower school and the implementation of school values and social-emotional learning school-wide. Lyn has been teaching for twenty-one years and using the Responsive Classroom approach for eighteen. She has taught in international schools in Japan and the United Kingdom as well as in public schools in New York City and rural Vermont in the United States. Lyn has a master’s degree in literacy education and has served as a teacher for grades 1, 2, and 3 as well as a literacy specialist and coordinator for K–12. Lyn’s love for the written word has resulted in a self-published book; in her spare time, she continues to write, enjoy theatre, and travel from her superconvenient hub in London, where she lives with her twelve-year-old son, husband, and pet tortoise.