Dr. Laurie Barron is in her 31st year in education, with experience as a high school English teacher, middle school assistant principal, and middle school principal. Since 2013, she has served as the superintendent of the Evergreen School District in Kalispell, Montana. Laurie holds a BSEd in English Education from the University of Georgia, an MEd in Supervision and Administration from the University of West Georgia, and an EdS and EdD in Educational Leadership from the University of Sarasota. She studied abroad at Oxford University, holds National Superintendent Certification, and is a National Board Certified Teacher. She was honored as Teacher of the Year, STAR Teacher, the 2012 Georgia Middle School Principal of the Year, and the 2013 National Middle School Principal of the Year.
Laurie was also named the 2019 Empowered Superintendent of the Year by the Montana Educational Technologists Association and is the 2021 and 2026 Montana Superintendent of the Year. In 2022, Barron received the Distinguished Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Georgia College of Education. Laurie has also authored numerous articles in multiple educational publications. A national and international speaker, consultant, and leadership coach, Laurie focuses on student belonging, engagement, school culture, instructional practices, and leadership development. Laurie is living the dream in Montana with her husband Daniel and their rescue puppy Willy, where together they enjoy spending time in their off grid cabin, watching Georgia Bulldogs football, snow skiing, rafting, hiking, camping, and enjoying time with their three adult daughters
Patti Kinney decided in first grade to become a teacher—initially because she wanted to be “the person who told kids what to do,” though she soon learned the job meant far more than that. She began as an elementary music specialist before teaching fifth through seventh grades and later serving as assistant principal and principal of Talent Middle School. Under her leadership, the school became one of NASSP’s “100 Highly Successful Middle Schools.”
A past president of both the Association for Middle Level Education and the Oregon Middle Level Association, Patti has received numerous honors, including Oregon Assistant Principal of the Year (1996), Oregon Principal of the Year (2002), and MetLife/NASSP National Middle Level Principal of the Year (2003). She also received Southern Oregon University’s Excellence in Education Award and has an OMLA Distinguished Service Award named in her honor.
From 2007–2014, Patti served as Associate Director for Middle Level Services at NASSP. She continues to speak, write, and consult primarily on middle level education worldwide. Patti holds degrees from Southern Oregon University and the University of Oregon. She and her husband, Dan Bolton, live in Cottage Grove, Oregon—where their story together began in first grade.
Come to these pages for candid insights, inspiration, real classroom examples, active learning strategies, behind-the-scenes leadership, and ample research and stay for the authentic agency the ideas provide students, teachers, and their leaders.
Rick Wormeli – Author, Speaker, and Consultant
Expect! Engage! Empower! is essential for educators and leaders committed to transforming learning into a truly impactful experience.
Todd Whitaker – Research Professor, Presenter, and Author