The CPM Professional Learning Team

Sharon Rendon is the Director of Professional Learning for CPM Educational Program. She currently lives in South Dakota. During her teaching career she has taught both MS and HS courses, along with college courses for practicing teachers. In addition, she has served as a math coordinator for a large district and serves on the board of directors for NCSM, Leadership in Math Education.

Misty Nikula is the Professional Learning Project Manager and lives in Oregon. Misty has taught or worked as a writer/editor on all of the current CPM courses from Core Connections 1 to Core Connections Algebra 2/Core Connections Integrated III and was a middle school math and science teacher for 15 years before joining CPM full time in 2014. When not working, Misty likes to be creative, watch sports, and explore the world.

Micheal Marsh is the Regional Professional Learning Coordinator for California. During his teaching career he taught CPM’s Math 1-3 series, Geometry Connections, Core Connections Geometry, and Core Connections Course 3. Micheal has taught from CPM since 1993 and was one of the writers/editors of the Second Edition Math 1 (Algebra I) course book. He has been supporting CPM teachers since 1994.

Jenni White is the Regional Professional Learning Coordinator for the Northwest. She currently resides in Wyoming. She has taught at the high school level teaching Core Connections Algebra, Core Connections Geometry, Core Connections Algebra 2, Core Connections Integrated II, Core Connections Integrated III, and Statistics. In addition, Jenni has also served as a department head and teacher researcher.

Sara Thompson is the Regional Professional Learning Coordinator for the Southwest Region and lives in Arizona. During her 21 years in the middle school classroom in both WI and AZ, Sara taught Core Connections 3, Core Connections Algebra, and Core Connections Geometry. In addition, she also served as a Math Coach and Interventionist.

Lisa Comfort is the Regional Professional Learning Coordinator from Minnesota in the Great Plains Region. She began teaching CPM in 1994 using CPM’s Math 1-3 series. During Lisa’s teaching career, she also taught the Connections and Core Connections Series to students in a variety of educational settings including public, private, charter, and contract alternative schools.

Bruce Brusoe is the Regional Professional Learning Coordinator for the Great Lakes Region and resides in Wisconsin. During his teaching career, he has taught Core Connections Algebra, Core Connections Geometry, Core Connections Algebra 2, Precalculus, and Calculus. Bruce believes that effective teaching practices support high cognitive demand activities for all students. Bruce has been supporting CPM teachers since 2007.

Gerry Long is Pilot Liaison for all regions and the Regional Professional Learning Coordinator for the Southeast Region. She currently resides in Mississippi. During her 27-year teaching career, she taught middle and high school math courses, including the Core Connections Algebra 2 course. Before her current role as RPLC, Gerry served as a teacher leader, math coach, and regional coordinator for CPM. Gerry enjoys spending time with family and friends at Mississippi State sporting events.

Jocelyn Dunnack is the Regional Professional Learning Coordinator for the Northeast Region. She currently resides in Connecticut. During her teaching career she has taught Core Connections Courses 1-3. In addition to her middle school math career, Jocelyn has worked with children through summer camp for many years.

Ashley Boyd is a Professional Learning Specialist from Mississippi, part of the Southeast Region. She started her career as an elementary teacher before moving to middle school where she developed a love (and understanding) for mathematics. During her time in the classroom she taught Core Connections 1, Core Connections 2 , and Core Connections 3. In 2020, she joined the CPM professional learning team.

Astrida Lizins is a Professional Learning Specialist from Pennsylvania in the Northeast Region. She has taught 7th grade, 8th grade, Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2, Precalculus, and Statistics using CPM. Astrida has been supporting CPM teachers since 2003.

Becki Schmidt is a Professional Learning specialist from Minnesota, in the Great Plains Region. During her teaching career she has taught Core Connections 2, Core Connections 3 as well as Core Connections Algebra at the middle school level. In addition to teaching, Becki’s passion for the outdoors, family, and experiencing life is evident in all that she does.

Brent McClain is a Professional Learning Faculty member from Oregon, in the northwest region. He has taught all levels 7th grade through community college in his 34 years in education. He has taught the CPM courses of Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2, Core Connections Integrated I - II, and Calculus. Brent was the 1996 PAEMST Awardee for Oregon and has been supporting CPM teachers since 2016.

Brianna is a Professional Learning Specialist from California. During her teaching career she has taught Core Connections Integrated I and Calculus. In addition, she enjoys cooking, spending time with her family, and being outdoors.

Candice Tyloch is a member of the Professional Learning Faculty from the California Region. During her teaching career she has taught Core Connections Course 1 - 3, Core Connections Algebra, and Core Connections Geometry. In addition, Candice enjoys hiking with her family.

Cheryl Tucker is an Implementation Support Specialist from Minnesota in the Great Plains Region. She began teaching CPM using the Math 1-3 series. She also taught the Connections and Core Connections Series to students in a variety of educational settings. Her work with CPM includes supporting teachers as a Teacher Leader for Implementation and as a Coach, working both in-person and virtually.

Danielle Boggs is a Professional Learning Specialist from Illinois, in the Great Lakes Region. She has been with CPM since 2020 and previously, taught Core Connections Course 2, Core Connections Course 3, and Core Connections Algebra to 7th and 8th graders. She is also a National Board Certified Teacher and served as a Coordinator of Teaching & Learning for 6th-12th grade in her former district. She has been supporting CPM teachers since 2012. She is a great resource regarding Middle School, SBG, or utilizing CPM with AVID.

Darrell Trussell is a member of the Professional Learning Faculty from Oregon. During his teaching career, he has taught from all the high school courses with the exception of Statistics. In addition to facilitating Learning Events, he does Instructional Coaching and provides implementation support to multiple districts. He enjoys backpacking, cycling and traveling, both locally and internationally.

Erin Kenney is a member of the Professional Learning Faculty from Kentucky and teaches math for Jefferson County Public Schools. She teaches students with learning and behavioral disabilities in both resource and co-teaching settings. She is teaching Core Connections Geometry and Core Connections Algebra 2 this school year. She has many years of experience with Core Connections Algebra, as well. She is a National Board Certified Teacher as an Exceptional Needs Specialist.

Erin Schneider is a member of the Professional Learning Faculty from Kentucky. During her 30+ year teaching career she has taught Algebra, Geometry and Algebra 2 from both the Connections Series and Core Connection Series. Erin was directly involved in the Jefferson County Public Schools implementation of CPM as a district resource teacher before returning to the classroom. Erin is a 2017 PAEMST Awardee and a member of CPAM, NCTM and its local affiliates.

Jamie Bernath teaches middle school math in Wisconsin. Throughout the years she has taught Core Connections Course 1, Core Connections Course 2, Making Connections, and Inspirations & Ideas. She wears many hats as a math coach, 7th grade math teacher (CC2), and 7th and 8th grade math interventionist (I & I). She is very passionate about inspiring all students to love math!

Jeremiah Morgan lives in Minnesota, in the Great Plains Region. During his teaching career he taught both Core Connections Algebra and Core Connections Course 3. Prior to this series, he used the Making Connections Series for many years. Jeremiah was a science teacher before finding his love of teaching mathematics to middle school students.

Joel Miller is a Professional Learning Specialist from Utah in the Southwest Region. During his teaching career he has taught Core Connections Algebra, Core Connections Geometry, and Core Connections Algebra 2, as well as Core Connections Integrated I - III. In addition, Joel has served as a Math Coach and Support Specialist.

John Hayes is a Professional Learning Specialist from Wisconsin . During his teaching career he taught CPM for eight years at the high school level, teaching CPM courses Core Connections Course 3, Core Connections Algebra, Core Connections Algebra 2, Precalculus, and Calculus. He is interested in supporting teachers to understand Mathematics assessment and to create a process where students take ownership of their learning, and how teachers plan effective lessons around that process.

Julie Jackson is a member of the Professional Learning Faculty from South Dakota in the Great Plains Region. During her teaching career she taught Core Connections Algebra, Core Connections Geometry, and Core Connections Algebra 2. In 2013, after retiring from teaching in South Dakota, she took a job teaching math at an international American school in Barcelona, Spain. She and her husband enjoyed visiting many European countries in their two years of living in Spain.

Kathy Williams is a retired teacher from Kentucky. During her teaching career she has worked with Core Connections Algebra, Core Connections Course 1, Core Connections Course 2, and Core Connections Course 3. She has taught students of varying abilities through collaboration, intervention, and in regular education mathematics classrooms in a large, urban district. In addition, she filled other roles in her district including District Instructional Coach, Goal Clarity Coach, and assistant principal.

Laila Nur is a member of the Professional Learning Faculty from Detroit, Michigan and currently residing in California. During her teaching career she has taught Core Connections Geometry, Core Connections Algebra 2, and a Core Connections Course 2 and 3 at the 7th Grade level. In addition, she is a Mastery Learning & Grading Coach for the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Laura Bain is a Professional Learning Specialist in the Great Plains Region. During her teaching career, she has taught Core Connections Course 1, Core Connections Algebra, and Core Connections Geometry. In addition, Laura has been supporting CPM teachers since 2015.

Laura Lethe is a math specialist for the Salem-Keizer School District while currently serving as a facilitator for CPM’s Academy of Best Practices. She has coordinated the adoption and implementation of CPM in her district, worked with Core Connections Algebra, Core Connections Geometry, and Core Connections Algebra 2. In addition, she is a board member for the Oregon Council of Teachers of Mathematics and is an active leader in the Oregon math community.

Lisa Amick has been with CPM since 2015, and is faculty on both the Professional Learning and Research teams. She resides in Kentucky where she serves as an Associate Professor in the STEM Education Department at the University of Kentucky. During her ten years in the K-12 classroom, she taught Core Connections Course 1 and 2 at the sixth grade level. Lisa is passionate about best practice teaching strategies being utilized in mathematics classrooms, especially in intervention courses.

Marcus Blakeney is a member of CPM’s Professional Learning Faculty and a high school math teacher from Kentucky, in the Great Lakes Region. He currently teaches Core Connections Geometry and Statistics . Previously, he taught Core Connections Algebra and Core Connections Algebra 2. He is a National Board Certified Teacher as of December 2019 and has been supporting CPM teachers since 2016.

Mark Jones is currently a classroom teacher in Connecticut. He also serves as a member of CPM’s Professional Learning Faculty. During his teaching career Mark has worked with Core Connections Course 2, Core Connections Course 3, and Core Connections Algebra. In addition, Mark is a Math Curriculum Leader in his school district.

Nicole Goerges is a member of the Professional Learning Faculty from Minnesota, in the Great Plains Region. During her teaching career, she taught CPM for 11 years at the middle school level, teaching Core Connections Course 2, Core Connections Course 3, and Core Connections Algebra. Nicole has a passion for teaching and has been supporting CPM teachers since 2013.

Pam Chavez is a member of the Professional Learning Faculty from Colorado, in the Southwest Region. During her 29 years in the junior high school classroom in Colorado, Pam taught Algebra Connections and Making Connections. In addition, she also served as a Math Coach and Interventionist.

Pam Lindemer is a Professional Learning Specialist from Michigan, in the Great Lakes Region. During her teaching career she taught Core Connections Algebra, Core Connections Geometry, Core Connections Algebra 2, and Statistics. Pam also served as an AP Statistics Reader for six years. In addition, she enjoys spending time with family and being outdoors.

Rhonda Pierre is a Professional Learning Specialist from Indiana, part of the Great Lakes Region. During her teaching career she taught math for 12 years in Middle School and High School. She has taught both Core Connections Algebra, and Core Connections Algebra 2.

Rob Last is a member of the Professional Learning Faculty and currently a high school math teacher from Wisconsin, in the Great Lakes Region. He is in his 10th year of teaching. During his teaching career he has taught Core Connections Algebra, Core Connections Geometry, and Precalculus Third Edition. In addition, Rob is an avid consumer of coffee and his favorite destination is Aldi.

Susan Hoffmier is a member of the Professional Learning Faculty and also provides support for international schools. She began teaching CPM in 1991 at a public, California Middle School and spent her last two professional years teaching CPM at Hong Kong International School. During her 37 years of teaching, she has taught all three generations of CPM from Math 1, Making Connections Series, and Core Connections from grades six through eighth grade Core Connections Geometry.

Theresa Reilly is a member of the Professional Learning Faculty from Kentucky, in the Great Lakes Region. During her teaching career she taught Core Connections Course 3, Core Connections Algebra, Core Connections Geometry. In addition to working with teachers, she enjoys taking nature walks.

Tom Stricklin is a member of the Professional Learning Faculty and currently a high school math teacher in Oregon, in the Northwest Region. He has taught Core Connections Algebra, Core Connections Geometry, Core Connections Algebra 2, and Precalculus in his 15 years in the classroom. Tom also served 5 years as an Instructional Coach/Secondary Mathematics Coach. Tom currently serves on the Board of NCSM.

Tim Scripko is a member of the Professional Learning Faculty from Pennsylvania in the Northeast Region . During his teaching career he has taught Algebra 1 and Algebra 2. In addition, he led the change to CPM in his district in 2004. He taught the CPM Educational Program for 11 years before retiring from teaching.

Victoria Holt is a member of the Professional Learning Faculty from Ohio in the Great Lakes Region. She currently is a Math & Science Instructional Specialist for grades 6-12 in her school district. Victoria has 13 years of classroom experience prior to moving into this role. During her time in the classroom, she has taught 7th grade, 8th grade, & Algebra 1 using the Core Connections series. Victoria has a passion for teaching and has been supporting CPM teachers since 2015.

Anna Poehlmann is the administrative assistant/event coordinator from California. Before becoming the administrative assistant/event coordinator she worked in the technology department helping with the eBooks. She currently still helps out with the eBooks and also helps support the professional learning team.

Rebecca Meeker is the Administrative Assistant from Tennessee. In addition, She has coached swimming for 15 years.