The GoodLife Agency, the lead grant agency, and three (3) local education agencies in Metro Detroit are the recipients of a three (3) year, $7.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Teacher and School Leader (TSL) program.

Eagles Nest Academy, George Washington Carver Academy, and River Rouge School District will use these funds to increase teacher and school leader effectiveness and improve student learning and academic performance in six (6) high-need schools.

The LEAs have received the CARES funding (one-time money) to support school operating budgets without solid plans for how to sustain these initiatives post-pandemic for our high-need schools. Our LEAP project will provide a well-developed and tested model to attract or retain staff with targeted professional development, and ESL, special education, social work, and trauma support to address trauma arising from the pandemic.

ABOUT

OUR TEAM

“We are a collaborative partnership seeking to enhance teaching and learning and school leadership practices through an empowering and accountable system.”
- LEAP TSL

Vivian is an expert in organizational systems design and human performance and improvement. She has worked in the public and nonprofit sector as a dedicated professional to empower and promote innovative staff performance improvements initiatives for organizations across the U.S.

Vivian Palmer

Lois is a versatile leader with experience in K-12 and community college. She is a resourceful administrator with a history of maximizing resources, implementing new programs, and improving through best practices. Lois believes in exposing students to careers that begin at an early age.

Lois McIntosh

Margot is a highly organized structural thinker who analyzes the big picture without missing the details. She excels in project management and business development, supporting client relationships, and providing strategic operational expertise.

Margot Plotz

Matthew’s research centers on program evaluation feedback with an emphasis on measures of teacher performance and compensation reform. He specializes in data management and governance and is implementing a large-scale research project on the impact of chess on student achievement in Missouri.

Dr. Matthew Pepper

 Stacy serves as the HCMS Specialist with LEAP TSL. She graduated from Michigan State University with Bachelors and Masters in Human Resources. She previously worked with the State of Michigan for 11 years.

Stacy Smith

Adena holds a degree in Psychology from Spelman College, a Masters of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California, and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School-Los Angeles. She is a dedicated legal and public policy professional and has served in various non-profit and public sector settings. 

Adena Davis-Hill

Doug specializes in data and systems management as well as software development.

Doug Mott

Tameka Haden is an Instructional Technology Training and Development Specialist with over 25 years working with districts nationwide to provide training development, support, mentoring, coaching, client relations, process improvement, and project management. Tameka is also a Managing Partner of Haden Holdings.

Tameka Haden

Mi’Lisa is a strategic communications expert and her role is to develop marketing strategies to support measurable growth and enhanced brand presence. Mi’Lisa has a Master’s in Strategic Public Relations from The George Washington University and a Bachelor of Business Administration with a Marketing concentration from Savannah State University. 

Mi'Lisa Patton

Amber supports our management team to assure all project activities are scheduled, supported, and managed successfully. She has worked in early childhood environments and she holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. 

Amber Dennis

Catina Mason is a passionate urban educator with over 18 years of experience. She began her career in Detroit Public Schools and continued to support national districts in the process of teaching and learning, mathematics, data coaching, leadership support, and school improvement processes in the K-12 educational setting. She has partnered with Institute for Student Achievement (ISA), Institute of Reform and Research in Education (IRRE), Math Solutions, and NWEA. She earned a doctorate from Michigan State University in Educational Leadership.

Dr. Catina Mason

Keroline has over 25 years in banking and finance that includes positions such as Loan Review Officer, Credit Risk Analytics, Reporting Portfolio Manager, Financial Analyst II, Commercial Credit Reporting Specialist. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and Accounting. She provides oversight of grant funds and distributions of payroll and reimbursements.

Keroline Garrett