Susan Yao (she/hers) is an educator with experience as a middle school humanities teacher and middle school head. She is passionate about building communities of racial solidarity and believes that collective thriving is possible when we learn how to be in a community together in supportive and authentic ways. Susan has launched professional development programs such as the Friends Institute for New Administrators of Color and the New Teachers of Color Institute at the Gordon School and serves on the New England chapter of the POCIS (People of Color in Independent Schools) board. Susan lives on a homestead with her family and animals in Massachusetts.

Laura Dombrowski has provided professional development for educators for the past six years. She works closely with teachers and school leaders to support individualized coaching in schools serving grades PreK through 8. Laura supports UPK programs and literacy and math instruction in kindergarten through 8th grade. She believes in teacher collaboration and professional relationships and builds in-school support systems that promote a culture of continuous improvement.

Laura has two decades of international work experience in education. She has taught all grades, kindergarten through sixth, led a teacher team through a school‘s founding and inaugural year, and developed school democracy models for elementary schools. She is passionate about forest schools, has developed a forest school program, and has consulted on outdoor education.

Laura has advanced degrees in Psychology, TESOL, and School Leadership, serves on a school board, and co-authored a math instruction book series.