Margie Dorshorst

Margie Dorshorst has an extensive education career spanning 33 years, and has served as an elementary principal, speech-language pathologist, Able Learner teacher, and staff development facilitator in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, and has also presented at state and national conferences. Through her various roles, she has helped create systems that empower teachers and schools to design and implement innovative practices, and she is committed to supporting teachers and schools with the tools and systems that propel all children to academic and social success. Margie has served as a Responsive Classroom consulting teacher for Center for Responsive Schools for over 15 years. She enjoys traveling, meeting new people, family adventures, and learning.

Marty Kennedy

Marty Kennedy has had a variety of rich experiences as an educator of elementary school students through adult learners. Her passion as an educator is to explore and develop ways to support the needs and talents of an increasingly diverse population of learners. With this goal in mind, Responsive Classroom practices have been embedded in her instructional settings since 1998, and she has been a consulting teacher for Center for Responsive Schools for 15 years. Marty’s other roles include curriculum coordinator and classroom teacher at University School of Nashville, online coach of Project Zero courses at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, instructor of graduate courses on classroom management and differentiating instruction at Vanderbilt University, and long-term board member of Currey Ingram Academy, a school for students with learning differences. In 2016, University School of Nashville awarded Marty a four-year appointment as the Chair for Excellence in Teaching. In her spare time, Marty enjoys outdoor activities with her husband, two sons, and friends.

Mary Spohr

Mary Spohr is a lead teacher at New City Charter School in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mary has worked in the field of education for 19 years and has taught grades 1 through 6 in urban classrooms. In her current position, she especially enjoys developing and leading professional development sessions for her staff. Mary has facilitated Responsive Classroom workshops for 10 years, and she is thrilled to be supporting teachers with both practical and effective practices that create caring and joyful classrooms. In her spare time, Mary serves as an advisor to her husband and three children as they all paddle the gorgeous rivers of the Upper Midwest.

Maryellen Kueny

Maryellen Kueny is currently a Responsive Classroom Consulting Teacher after serving as a public school teacher and elementary principal for over thirty years. In retirement, Maryellen is proud to have become a presenter of the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching and learning, which she has used in her teaching and implemented building-wide in her role as rincipal. One aspect of Responsive Classroom that has been especially effective for her is Teacher Language. The book, <The Power of Our Words by Paula Denton, remains one of her favorites that is revisited regularly. As a novice teacher, Maryellen aspired to higher graduate work and was pleased to accomplish the goal of obtaining a Doctor of Education degree from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. Maryellen and her husband are blessed to have their four sons and daughters-in-law, and three grandchildren living close-by. As a Consulting Teacher, Maryellen has time to enjoy her family, reading and being outdoors.

Maureen Russell

Maureen Russell is currently a third grade teacher at Stony Hill School in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. While she has experience teaching grades 1 through 5, she spent much of her 25-year career teaching students with special needs in those grades. Maureen attended Westfield State (College) University where she earned her bachelor’s in elementary education and her master’s in special education. After her first two years of teaching, she was honored to be sent to her first Responsive Classroom workshop. After experiencing the sense of community and family that the Responsive Classroom approach builds, she began her training to become a consulting teacher the following year. She continues to present for Center for Responsive Schools and her school district, as she is passionate about providing the highest quality social, emotional, and academic education for her students. In her off time, Maureen loves to watch her kids play sports and relax on the beach.

Megan Florentine

Megan Florentine currently serves as a kindergarten teacher and a Responsive Classroom coach for teachers in grades K–8 at her school in Nashville, Tennessee. She has been in the field of education since 2003. Megan received her bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from Miami University and her master’s degree in elementary education from Vanderbilt University. In addition to teaching kindergarten and coaching teachers, she has experience as a pull-out reading specialist and a second grade teacher. Megan is thrilled to be a Responsive Classroom certified teacher and consulting teacher for Center for Responsive Schools because of her strongly held belief that teaching social-emotional skills is as important as teaching academic skills. When she’s not working, Megan enjoys traveling, hiking, and watching documentaries.

Megan Young

Megan Young was Pennsylvania’s Teacher of the Year Finalist in 2017. She is currently a first grade teacher in Lower Merion School District in Pennsylvania. She holds a master’s in elementary education, as well as her principal certification. She has over 10 years of teaching experience, in addition to chairing a preschool board while working with administrators on her district’s strategic plan. Megan is thrilled to work for Center for Responsive Schools and believes deeply in the Responsive Classroom philosophy that children should feel safe and valued every day. She knows firsthand that when learning is interactive, meaningful, and purposeful, children flourish. Responsive Classroom shaped the teacher and person she is today. Megan’s favorite children’s book is Barbara Cooney’s Miss Rumphius. She hopes to create devoted teachers in her trainings who can inspire children with contagious enthusiasm that supports and challenges all their needs and interests.

Melanie Barbas

Melanie Barbas is the lead teacher for Classroom Culture in the Colonial School District in northern Delaware, and a consulting teacher for Center for Responsive Schools. Melanie taught for 19 years in Maryland and Delaware before becoming an instructional coach focused on helping teachers develop positive classroom communities. Her passion for Responsive Classroom grew after seeing the impact of the teaching practices on her students’ social-emotional and academic growth. She now works to empower teachers to learn and implement the Responsive Classroom approach, and provide their own students with a safe, joyful, challenging classroom every day. Melanie lives in New Castle, Delaware, with her husband, Michael, and their two children.

Melissa Gheen

Melissa Gheen is currently an educator in Los Angeles, California, and has been in the field of education since 2005. She received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and later went on to pursue her master’s degree in child and adolescentlLiteracy. She has experience teaching kindergarten, first, and second grade in independent schools in the Los Angeles area. She has been practicing the Responsive Classroom approach since 2008. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time reading and relaxing at the beach with family and friends. She is thrilled to be supporting the mission of Center for Responsive Schools and connecting with educators.

Michaela Wisell

Michaela Wisell is currently a social-emotional learning coordinator in the Mount Abraham Unified School district in central Vermont. She has been a teacher for 14 years and holds a bachelor of science in physical education and health education, and a master’s in school leadership. She has been a Responsive Classroom consulting teacher since 2009, and has trained over 100 faculty and staff in her school district since becoming certified. Michaela was the recipient of the 2017 UVM Teacher of the Year award. She has a real passion for understanding how students learn best and fostering the skills necessary for them to thrive in their school setting. She believes that all students can learn and that schools should work to ensure they create the conditions for this to happen. In her spare time, she loves to hike and spend time with her husband and four children.

Michelle Benson

Michelle Benson is a professional development designer and consultant for Center for Responsive Schools (CRS), working with teachers and school districts throughout the United States and the international school community. She began her education career as a middle school English/language arts teacher. Prior to joining CRS full time, Michelle served as a secondary curriculum specialist for eight years in a rural school district in North Carolina. Her passion throughout 17 years in education has been ensuring all students receive a high-quality education through great teaching and learning. Michelle aims to inspire, empower, and transform teachers to understand the power and balance of academic, social, and emotional learning for students. When she is not training and coaching teachers in Responsive Classroom practices, Michelle likes to spend time with her husband and two children, relaxing on the beach and traveling with friends.

Mollie Bruhn

Mollie Bruhn is a consulting teacher for Center for Responsive Schools. She also teaches at Brooklyn Arbor Elementary School (PS 414) in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. She has been teaching in New York City since 2004 and has taught preschool, kindergarten, and second grade. Mollie has been nominated three times for the Big Apple Teaching Award and was a district finalist in 2018 and 2019. Mollie grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and eight-year-old son.

Natalie DiFusco-Funk

Natalie DiFusco-Funk is a third grade teacher at West Salem Elementary School in Salem, Virginia, and the 2016 Virginia state teacher of the year. Natalie earned both her bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degree as a reading specialist from Boston College. She began her career in Newton, Massachusetts, and moved to Virginia in 2010 after meeting her husband. In Virginia she served as a reading specialist for a year, and since 2011 has been a third and fifth grade classroom teacher. When Natalie was first trained in Responsive Classroom, she was thrilled to find an approach that aligned perfectly with her educational philosophy. In 2017, she became a Responsive Classroom consulting teacher and has enjoyed spending her summers training educators from across the country and world. Natalie also has a passion for writing and is a regular blogger for NWEA. Natalie’s love for learning is fueled by her young son, Frankie, who teaches her life lessons on a daily basis.

Natrisha Sanchez

Natrisha Sanchez is currently a special education teacher in Fairfax County, Virginia, and has taught in the field of education for 10 years. She received her bachelor’s degree at James Madison University and later pursued her master’s degree in special education through George Mason University. Natrisha is currently the lead mentor at her school and has led cohorts of new and experienced teachers in her county. As part of the leadership team in her middle school, she works hard to share her passion for Responsive Classroom with her colleagues. In her spare time, Natrisha can be found traveling, taking ski trips to Colorado, and being an aunt to her two adorable nieces. She is thrilled to support teachers in learning the Responsive Classroom approach.

Patricia Cano

Patricia Cano is thrilled to be part of the Responsive Classroom team, bringing over 20 years of bilingual education experience. She is originally from Colombia, where she taught English as a Second Language for seven years. Since 2002, Patricia has taught at an International Baccalaureate Spanish immersion school in Missoula, Montana. In her current role, she serves as the primary years program coordinator and second and third grade homeroom teacher. Patricia enjoys mentoring and coaching teachers while fostering a positive community at the school. She developed her passion for Responsive Classroom after attending a leadership conference and then seeing the profound impact of using the practices in her own classroom. Patricia strives to create a warm, joyful, and safe environment to help each child thrive in and out of the classroom. In her spare time, she enjoys practicing yoga, dancing, and exploring the outdoors with her husband and two children.

Patrick Shaw

Patrick Shaw recently retired as a Staff Development Specialist for the Onondaga-Cortland-Madison Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (OCM BOCES – Syracuse, NY) in July 2023 after 22 years of service. Regionally he has been known for his work in Responsive Classroom, Project-Based Learning and Instruction for All. Prior to OCM BOCES, Patrick taught 5th and 7th grades in the West Genesee School District (Camillus, New York) and 4th and 6th grades in the Marshfield School District (Marshfield, Massachusetts). He has been a Responsive Classroom consulting teacher since 2003 and has trained over 180 groups of educators in the “Responsive Classroom Core Course” alone along with training in other Responsive Classroom courses. Patrick has a true passion for his work with Responsive Classroom and is so excited to allow this work to continue to feed his soul into retirement. Patrick also motivates people physically with 5-6 Group Fitness classes he teaches each week at a gym in Syracuse, where he has been for almost 30 years! He holds a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education, a M.S. Degree in Reading and a C.A.S. Degree in School Administration from the State University of New York Cortland.