Our Associates
Learn from the best of the best. Each of our associates is selected through a rigorous process that carefully weighs qualifications and experience. Personally trained by Dr. Marzano, our associates specialize in long-term school improvement efforts in K–12 public and private school districts and individual schools. The depth and breadth of their collective educational experience is staggering—and now you can leverage it to add reach to yours.
- Mario I. Acosta
Mario Acosta, EdD, is an award-winning educator, author, speaker, and presenter. He spent 20 years of his career as a teacher, instructional coach, assistant principal, academic director, and principal. He was named the 2022 Principal of the Year in Texas while serving Westwood High School.
- Debbie Aholt
Debbie Aholt is a leadership coach in Meridian, Idaho. She has over 30 years of experience as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, building administrator, and leadership coach. Debbie works with districts and schools to support systemic transformations that impact student and adult learning.
- Ashley Avila
Ashley Avila is an implementation specialist for Marzano Academies, a current associate for Marzano Resources, and coauthor of Teaching in a Competency-Based Secondary School: The Marzano Academies Model.
- Kathy Cawthron
Kathy Cawthron has worked in public education for 34 years, with 26 of those years in campus and district leadership roles. She led her last two campuses through High Reliability Schools Levels 1–3 certifications and rebranded her former elementary campus as an arts integration academy.
- Bev Clemens
Bev Clemens, PhD, is an experienced educational leader who has worked in large suburban districts and in smaller urban districts with diverse student populations. In addition to her work with Marzano Resources, Dr. Clemens has worked with a small nonprofit organization focused on developing leadership skills in school leaders who are working to transform schools to meet the needs of all students.
- Dirk R. DeBoer
Dirk R. DeBoer is a middle school principal leading a Marzano High Reliability Schools Level 4 building. Prior to becoming a school administrator, he acquired valuable experience as a school psychologist and instructional coach.
- Michael Evans
Michael Evans, EdD, brings over 28 years of experience as a classroom teacher, school counselor, building-level leader, and district-level leader.As a practitioner, he has led the transition to standards-based learning in multiple districts and continues to support schools and districts across the United States as an associate with Marzano Resources.
- Douglas Finn III
Douglas Finn III has been an active participant in the personalized competency-based education (PCBE) community since 2004. Through his years of teaching in Alaska and Maine, Doug has taught all grade levels. From that hands-on work within PCBE, he transitioned to supporting students, teachers, and administrators as a mentor, instructional and administrative coach, and associate who has presented all over the country and the world.
- Shelley Gies
Shelley Gies, EdD, is a full-time Marzano associate. She is the former director of curriculum and instruction and a former building-level principal in central Indiana. Shelley also spent 23 years as a classroom teacher, serving most grades K–6.
- Crystal Green-Braswell
Crystal Green-Braswell is an experienced educational leader in Arkansas and owner of The Crystal Dragonfly Education Consulting. She currently serves as coordinator of staff wellness and culture for Little Rock School District.
