Our Team

Our researchers testify as expert witnesses before Congress and state legislatures, serve as advisors to local and national organizations, present at national meetings and conferences and frequently provide interviews and written commentary on complex and emerging issues. Together our team provides breadth of experience and depth of expertise on a range of education issues.

Robin Lake
Director

Focus Areas: Innovation, Charter Schools, Special Education, Portfolio Strategy

Mary Jane Anderson
Publications Project Manager

Lisa Chu
Research Assistant

Michael DeArmond
Senior Research Analyst

Focus Areas: Human Capital, Organizational Change, Policy Implementation

Kristine Echert
Fiscal Specialist

Sean Gill
Research Analyst

Focus Areas: School Finance, District-Charter Cooperation

Betheny Gross
Associate Director

Focus Areas: Personalized Learning, School Choice, Special Education

Sara Hausermann
Grants and Operations Manager

Georgia Heyward
Research Analyst

Focus Areas: Rural Education, Community, Career Readiness

Paul Hill
Founder, CRPE and Research Professor, UWB

Focus Areas: Portfolio Strategy, Politics, Governance

Ashley Jochim
Senior Research Analyst

Focus Areas: State Politics and Governance, Turnaround Strategies

Jean Lombardi
Director of Strategy and Operations

Erik Luc
Project Manager and Special Assistant to the Director

Lane McKittrick
Research Analyst

Focus Area: Special Education

Alice Opalka
Research Analyst

Focus Areas: Portfolio Strategy and Implementation

Travis Pillow
Editorial Director

Focus Areas: Parent & Public Engagement, School Choice

Jenna Ramsey
Communications Associate

Roohi Sharma
Research Analyst

Sivan Tuchman
Research Analyst

Focus Areas: Special Education, Data Science

The report examines the Texas Education Agency’s System of Great Schools (SGS) initiative, which attempts to transform how school districts approach school improvement by calling on districts to manage school performance in new ways, expanding access to school choice options, and taking a dynamic approach to managing their supply of schools.