Introducing the
Harmony Educator Advisory Group
Meet our group of distinguished educators and school leaders from across the nation who will share their expertise and provide feedback for Harmony content and resources. We look forward to partnering with our Harmony Educator Advisory Group (EAG) members, who bring diverse perspectives and a broad range of teaching experience. They have taught and served as leaders in elementary schools up to high schools, and across small rural communities to large urban school districts. Many of the EAG members will also serve as facilitators in our new online Harmony educator community. Stay tuned to learn more about these inspirational educators during upcoming webinars and at national educator conferences!
Aimee Gallant
First Grade Teacher & SEL Lead
Hopewell City Public Schools
Hopewell, Virginia
Aimee Gallant is passionate about providing high-quality SEL instruction for her students and the entire school. She has been the SEL lead for the school for the last four years and is currently teaching 1st grade. This is her 23rd year in the classroom. Aimee is originally from New York but has called Virginia home for 22 years. She loves to travel with her husband, daughter, and son.
Alejandro Diasgranados
Fourth Grade Teacher
Whitlock Elementary
Washington, DC.
Enhancing students’ social and emotional well-being through innovative resource access drives Alejandro Diasgranados’ work and passion. As an elementary educator at Whitlock Elementary School in Washington, D.C., for the past 10 years, he has secured a school laundry grant from the Washington Commanders and collaborated with Drew Barrymore to provide 265 laptops during COVID-19. Alejandro has been recognized as the D.C. Teacher of the Year and National University Teacher of the Year.
Allison Robb
Dean of Academics
Sonoran Science Academy
Tucson, Arizona
Allison Robb brings over a decade of dedicated experience in education. With seven years in special education and three years in administration, Allison is committed to fostering a well-rounded approach that supports and develops the unique needs of all stakeholders. Allison looks forward to collaborating with Harmony to learn more about this beacon of innovative and inclusive education.
Ana Navarro De Ruiz
Bilingual Student Support Specialist
IQ Academy LA
Los Angeles, California
Ana Navarro De Ruiz has served as a bilingual student support specialist at a virtual school in Los Angeles, California for nearly five years. She has a background in engineering and holds an MBA degree. She found her love for education thanks to her children who were homeschooled. Her passion for SEL and its implementation comes from providing every child with the tools to reach their full potential and thrive as active members of their communities.
Anderson Manuel
First Grade Teacher
Sudbury Public Schools
Sudbury, Massachusetts
Anderson Manuel, an elementary teacher in Massachusetts for the past 27 years, holds a master’s in early childhood education. He has taught Kindergarten through third grade and currently teaches first grade. Anderson mentors new teachers through the New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP) and serves on his school’s Instructional Leadership Team. He is an avid reader, researcher, singer, and writer in his spare time.
Ashley Rhoads
Transformative Social-Emotional Learning Facilitator
Long Beach Unified School District
Long Beach, California
Leading with asset-based practices, Ashley Rhoads’ core values are around equity and inclusivity. For the last 24 years, she has been employed by the fourth-largest urban school district in California. In Long Beach Unified School District, she has held a range of leadership positions including a special education teacher, an inclusion and special education curriculum coach, and now, a transformative social emotional learning facilitator. Ashley currently resides in Southern California with her husband and two amazing children.
Claudine James
Middle School English Language Arts
Malvern Middle School
Malvern, Arkansas
Claudine James is a national board-certified teacher who teaches 8th-grade English in Central Arkansas. Her recognitions include the 2018 National University Teacher of the Year (Arkansas), 2019 Henry Ford Innovation Nation Innovative Teacher, and 2023 Grammar Educator of the Year. She also has an ESL endorsement and was the 2021 TESOOL Educator of the Year for her state. Dubbed as “Social Media’s Favorite English Teacher”, she uses her language skills to teach grammar lessons to her over 5.7 million followers on TikTok and 155,000 subscribers on YouTube, which led her to receive the 2023 AdColor Influencer of the Year award.
Connie Michael
Fifth Grade Teacher
Crow Agency Public School
Billings, Montana
Building relationships and offering high-quality SEL opportunities for students drives Connie Michael’s classroom community. Connie has taught elementary K–5th for 34 years. Inspired by her love for science, Connie threads social and emotional strategies through collaborative work and exploration activities. She’s originally from Washington State, but she has worked on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana for the last ten years.
Cristy Fernandez
Fourth-Eighth Grade Teacher
Washoe County School District
Reno, Nevada
Cristy Fernandez has been working in the educational field for over 18 years. Cristy is a skillful teacher whose dedication to and energy for supporting students, families, and colleagues is inspiring and warming to many people. In Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), Cristy has become a “go-to” educator in her district. She has supported the district-wide implementation of SEL by translating her site-based leadership and experience to in-service course offerings for educators, speaking to visitors and distinguished guests who want to learn more about SEL in a school setting, and supporting the design of district-wide SEL Implementation Guides for teachers.
Daryl Williams Jr.
Associate Director of Diversity Planning
Charlotte Country Day School
Charlotte, North Carolina
Daryl Williams Jr. began his career in education as a middle school math teacher for six years before becoming an instructional coach. His hard work resulted in him garnering a National Board Certification, two Teacher of the Year awards, and his master’s degrees from Johns Hopkins University and the University of North Carolina, respectively. He currently serves as an assistant principal and continues to make strides toward supporting educators who want to elevate their classroom practices and enhance student growth.
Emily Gasca
Multilingual Reading Specialist & MTSS Lead
Sadlowski Elementary
Chicago, Illinois
Emily Gasca is a passionate multilingual reading specialist and a multi-tiered system of support lead at Sadlowski Elementary in Chicago Public Schools. Prior to her current role, she spent over 15 years working as a kindergarten teacher. Emily has a passion for literacy and the social and emotional well-being of all her students and colleagues. Emily received a 2023 Meritorious Service Teacher Award, and her work has been recognized at the national level. Emily is married and has three children who love to go on adventures and find new spots to enjoy as a family.
Esther Deth
School Wellness & Transformative SEL (TSEL) Coordinator
Long Beach Unified School District
Long Beach, California
As the TSEL coordinator for Long Beach Unified School District, Esther Deth supervises curriculum and instruction for TSEL, health, and physical education. Last school year, she co-led an effort to implement Harmony curriculum across 50+ elementary and TK–8 schools and supported the use of CASEL’s 3 Signature SEL practices in secondary content areas. She also oversees the implementation of the Local School Wellness Policy through the district’s School Wellness Council. She previously worked as a principal, assistant principal, and as a National Board-Certified teacher in Los Angeles.
George Villarreal
Teacher & Coach
Northside Independent School District
San Antonio, Texas
As a middle school teacher and a coach with over 20 years of experience with Northside Independent School District, George supports students’ and teachers’ social and emotional well-being across various learning environments. George commits to collaborating with colleagues to create programs that prioritize social and emotional learning (SEL) as a tool to build and sustain positive relationships.
Kara Burnett
Third Grade Teacher
Bronx, New York
Kara Burnett is a dedicated elementary educator in New York with over 12 years of experience. Her focus is on nurturing students’ social and emotional well-being through engaging lessons and strong personal connections. She is passionate about creating joyful, memorable learning experiences for her young learners. Outside of her profession, Kara enjoys spending time with her two daughters, husband, and golden retriever.
Jennifer Wienke
Program Development Coordinator
21st Century CCLC Afterschool Programs of Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
Jennifer Wienke is the current program development coordinator for Out-of-School Time (OST) programming in the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District after ten years as an OST coordinator in North Pole, Alaska. In her off time, she is the owner and director of the trauma-informed theater company, Fairbanks Academy of Children’s Theater.
Jessica Martinez
Fifth Grade Teacher
Cajon Valley Union School District
El Cajon, California
Jessica Martinez has been teaching using SEL strategies for over six years since she was first introduced to Harmony Academy. She believes that every child needs to be met right where they are and encouraged to grow in their knowledge of themselves and those around them. With the SEL content and grade-level standards, she is teaching the Whole Child and helping them to become compassionate citizens of the world.
Josie McClain
Second Grade Teacher
Paloma Elementary School District 94
Gila Bend, Arizona
Originally from Michigan, Josie McClain earned her bachelor’s degree in special education from Hope College in 2016 and earned her Master of Arts in Social Emotional Learning from National University in 2021. Josie is passionate about SEL, culturally responsive practices, and brain breaks. She has shared her research on culturally responsive practices and brain breaks at multiple educational conferences and published a book about the benefits of brain breaks in the classroom. In 2023, she was named a top ten finalist for the Arizona Rural Teacher of the Year.
Kendrick Kumabe
Assistant Principal
Legacy Traditional Schools
Las Vegas, Nevada
Kendrick Kumabe is the author of “Coaching Young Champions: Social Emotional Learning Considerations for the Virtual/Hybrid Educator.” He has championed the role of social and emotional learning inside the classroom. As an education consultant with over 20 years of experience in the field, Kendrick has enjoyed traveling around the country, supporting principals, teachers, and students as they plan and implement SEL lessons into their school culture and curriculum.
Lee Eisen
SEL and Restorative Justice Coordinator
East Flatbush, Brooklyn
Lee Eisen facilitates his SEL lessons within the restorative circle setting, giving students a platform to check in with each other and reflect on their own self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. In his spare time, you will find him on his bike and playing all genres of music.
Mary Seidman
SEL Facilitator/Family/Community Liason
Layfette Elementary School
Long Beach, California
As the SEL facilitator at Lafayette Elementary School, Mary Seidman has led the schoolwide implementation of Harmony by building the capacity of the teachers. Mary is originally from Lima, Peru, and she strives to help students accept and affirm their cultural identities. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, her four children, and her two mini dachshunds.
Megan Hanley
Second Grade Teacher
Broward County Schools
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Melissa Collins
Second Grade Teacher
John P. Freeman Optional School
Memphis, Tennessee
Melissa Collins’ classroom is her “happy place,” where she enjoys working with her bright and brilliant urban students. She is an expert in teacher leadership and voice, and she advocates for global learning, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, as well as high standards for all students. Melissa has received several awards including the 2024 McGraw Hill Pathfinder, Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year, 2019 National University Teacher of the Year (Tennessee), Global Teacher Prize Finalist (Top 50), and the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching.
Melissa Mule
Special Education Teacher
Lyndhurst Middle School
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
As a special education teacher, Melissa Mule is committed to bringing out the best in each of her students. She strives to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment where every child feels valued and capable. By tailoring her teaching strategies to meet individual needs, she helps her students overcome challenges and achieve their fullest potential. Her passion, patience, and unwavering belief in their abilities inspire her students to grow academically, socially, and emotionally.
Melody Hawkins
District Science Instructional Facilitator
Knox County School District
Knoxville, Tennessee
Melody Hawkins, an award-winning educator, author, consultant, SEL ambassador, and visionary educational leader is committed to addressing disparities in K–12 education. As an eighth-grade science teacher and later as a high school administrator, Melody provided culturally relevant learning experiences infused with social-emotional learning to motivate and empower her students to succeed. Melody was named National University Teacher of the Year in 2021 and now works to improve science education in urban schools and integrate racial equity and social-emotional academic development into youth-serving community organizations. Melody is a National University doctoral candidate and District Science Instructional Facilitator.
Michael Dunlea
Fifth Grade Teacher
Tabernacle Township School District
Tabernacle, New Jersey
Michael Dunlea has been teaching for 21 years in preschool, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th grades. He holds a master’s degree in educational technology from New Jersey City University and a master’s degree in teacher leadership from Mount Holyoke College. He has received several honors and was selected as a 2020 Varkey Foundation Global Top Teacher Prize Finalist, 2020 NEA Global Fellow, and the 2018 Presidential Award of Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Michael lives with his wife and children in southern coastal New Jersey where he is an active member of his community.
Olivia Leone
Fifth Grade Teacher
Millburn School District
Milburn, New Jersey
Olivia Leone is currently a 5th grade teacher in Millburn, New Jersey. She taught in New York City, specifically in the South Bronx for ten years. During her journey in New York City, she received two master’s, one in elementary education with an emphasis in reading and a Master of Arts in Social and Emotional Learning from National University. Olivia was the National University Teacher of the Year for the Northeast Region in 2021. When Olivia is not teaching, she enjoys doing yoga and spending time with her family.
Sarah Frayer
Instructional Coach
Friendship Public Charter School
Washington DC
Sarah Frayer’s contributions to education are marked by her innovative teaching approaches and her advocacy for SEL as a foundational component of student development. Her leadership in integrating SEL into curriculum frameworks reflects her belief in the transformative impact of social and emotional learning and resilience-building on academic achievement and personal growth. Sarah completed her Master of Arts in Social Emotional Learning at National University and was honored as the National University Teacher of the Year (Washington D.C.) in 2019.
Stephanie M. Johnson
Reading Intervention Teacher
Richland County School District One
Columbia, South Carolina
Stephanie M. Johnson is an elementary and national board-certified teacher in early/middle childhood literacy. Stephanie is a first-generation college graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in English and a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of South Carolina, and a Master of Arts in Executive Leadership from Gardner-Webb University. Stephanie’s drive and passion for advancing excellence and equity for every student, supporting educators, and elevating the teaching profession are reflected in her work as an educator.
Stephanie Karlstrum
Transformative SEL Instructional Specialist
Denver Public Schools
Denver, Colorado
Providing high-quality and equitable SEL instruction to ALL students drives Stephanie Karlstrum’s work and passion. She has been an SEL instructional specialist for the last four years and was a classroom teacher for the prior seven years. Stephanie is originally from Washington State, and she has called Colorado home for the last 12 years. Her husband, two young daughters, and golden retriever enjoy hiking, biking, and traveling.
Tom Whisinnand
Fifth Grade Teacher
Millard Public Schools
Omaha, Nebraska
“Mr. Wiz” — as his students call him — is a staunch advocate for the teaching of social and emotional learning so that each student can reach their full potential. He first piloted Harmony in his classroom in 2016 and helped support Harmony districtwide in 2018. His work has been featured in the educational journals EdSurge and K–12Dive and his Inspire/Harmony Webinar is used in university and school districts as a professional development component. Tom was honored as National University Teacher of the Year in 2020.