Meet the speakers. Learn more about their sessions here.
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Jerry PriceSocial Studies Program Supervisor Jerry Price is the OSPI Social Studies Program Supervisor. Previously, he spent 25 years teaching US history and Washington State history and government, primarily in Yelm, Washington. Jerry was a member of the Social Studies Cadre and worked on the revision of the Social Studies GLEs. Additionally, Jerry was lead middle-level writer and trainer for OSPI’s “Since Time Immemorial” Tribal sovereignty curriculum, and teacher-education consultant for Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian’s Native Knowledge 360°. |
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Dr. Jewell Parker RhodesVirginia G. Piper Endowed Chair of Creative Writing Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes is a New York Times bestselling author and educator. She is the author of six books for children including Ghost Boys and Black Brother, Black Brother, both named Amazon’s Best Children’s Books of the Year. Her other books include Towers Falling and the Louisiana Girls Trilogy: Ninth Ward, Sugar, and Bayou Magic. |
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Mary Jane TopashAssistant Director of Cultural Education Mary Jane has spent the last 10 years educating students and the public about Coast Salish culture with a focus on providing accurate representation of Native American histories and culture. |
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Pamela MaldonadoMobile Program Manager Pamela aims to create spaces for curiosity, free-choice learning, and inclusive experiences for learners of all ages. She leads the outreach program that visits schools and communities across the state and is currently designing and teaching virtual programs. |
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Devin LeathermanBurke Box Program Manager An educator for 10 years and museum professional for five, Devin’s passion is using museum outreach programs to disseminate high quality, hands-on informal learning experiences to learners across the nation. |
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Mary RobertsTeacher Seminar Leader Mary Roberts is a teacher seminar leader for UW East Asia Resource Center. She has taught East Asian seminars and co-led travel study tours. She now facilitates a writing group and gives seminars on Asian literature. |
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Leslie HeffernanHistory Teacher Leslie Heffernan has been an educator for 20 years. She teaches high school history for the Central Valley School District and has worked with K-12 teachers on curriculum development for many years. |
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Amber AndersonCurriculum Developer K-2 Amber Anderson is an elementary curriculum developer for Bellevue School District and has taught and coached in Title I and LAP schools for 20 years. She is currently serving her first year on the WSCSS Board and is passionate about ensuring relevant and rigorous social studies instruction for our youngest learners. |
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Dr. Anna LeesAssociate Professor, Early Childhood Education Anna Lees, EdD (Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians descendant) began her career as an early childhood classroom teacher in rural northern Michigan. Now, an associate professor of early childhood education at Western Washington University, she partners with schools and communities to prepare teachers for the holistic needs of children, families, and communities. Anna is committed to developing and sustaining reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities to engage community leaders as co-teacher educators, opening spaces for Indigenous values and ways of knowing and being in early childhood settings and higher education. |
