About Us

Working with Teacher Development Network means having access to range of accomplished educational leaders. We ensure the right experts are included in each project to best meet the unique needs of your educational organization. Read on to learn more about Teacher Development Network's founder and expert consultants.

Emily L. Davis, Ph.D., Founder. Mentoring, Coaching & Professional Learning Expert

Dr. Davis is an expert on the development of high-quality induction and coaching programs for both new and experienced teachers. She is the founder of the Teacher Development Network LLC, whose mission is to collaborate with educational organizations to develop and optimize mentoring and coaching systems for preservice and early career teachers in order to improve retention, teacher quality, and student learning.

A fifth-generation educator, Dr. Davis began her career as a middle and high school humanities teacher in a variety of states and settings before earning her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Virginia. She then held research and leadership positions at Stanford and New Teacher Center while also staying practical and grounded by intentionally selecting roles and projects that have kept her working in the field with districts, universities, county offices of education, states, and international programs to develop and lead research-based and highly effective teacher induction, coaching, and school leadership development programs. Most recently, she was the program director for the Santa Cruz/Silicon Valley New Teacher Project at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education where she oversaw an induction consortium of 37 districts, charters, and independent schools. Each year, SC/SVNTP develops nearly 100 highly effective and well-trained mentors and instructional coaches to support upwards of 750 new teachers across the consortium.

Named a Fulbright Specialist, as well as a Phi Delta Kappan and ASCD Emerging Leader in the field of education, Dr. Davis is a sought-after consultant and professional developer on topics including mentoring, facilitation, and professional learning. She is the author of numerous articles and blogs on teacher mentoring, induction, and coaching topics. Her first book, Making Mentoring Work, is a practical guide for school leaders looking to begin or enhance their mentoring programs for new teachers. Her second book, co-authored with Brad Currie, titled T ech Request: A Guide to Coaching Educators in the Digital World, provides guidance to anyone tasked with supporting their colleagues in implementing educational technology in building and developing a robust program of support.

Expert Consultants

Anne Childers, Data Representation and Communication Expert

Anne Childers is an educator and instructional designer working with school districts to integrate social and emotional learning into school design, classroom practices and educator development. Anne brings a strong knowledge of social and emotional learning, standards-based instruction, and universal design for learning from non-profit work into supporting districts with whole-child development initiatives. Most recently, Anne worked as a district data coach, focusing on a strengths-based approach to data analysis, including systems for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS). With an M.A. in Educational Technology Leadership, masters’ studies in New Media Design, and a B.A. in Journalism and Technical Communications, she brings strong communication and digital production skills into designing systems that take an assets-based approach to teaching and learning. Anne has more than a decade of experience as a K-8 teacher in and has been supporting teacher development through coaching/mentoring for the last eight years. She is skilled in instructional design, public speaking, curriculum development, educational technology, and storytelling.

Brad Currie, Educational Technology Expert

Brad has been an educator for more than 18 years as a coach, teacher, and administrator. He currently serves as a Director of Planning, Research, and Evaluation for the Chester School District in Chester, New Jersey. Brad is the 2017 NASSP National Assistant Principal of the Year and part of the ASCD Emerging Leaders Class of 2014. He is the co-founder and co-moderator of a weekly Twitter discussion for educators called #satchat. Brad has authored five books including the newly released Tech Request: A Guide for Coaching Educators in the Digital World. He presents nationally on leadership, teaching, and learning in the digital era. Brad currently serves as an adjunct professor in Drew University's Graduate School of Education. He also is a Google Certified Trainer and supports districts in implementing Google Apps for Education. Connect with Brad by following him on Twitter @thebradcurrie or visiting his company website at www.evolvingeducators.com.

Jason Davis, Ed.D., Special Education Expert

Dr. Jason Davis is an Assistant Professor of Special Education at Millersville University. He received his Ed.D. from the University of San Francisco in Special Education, a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from George Mason University, his M.S. in Special Education from Old Dominion University, and a B.S. in History from Radford University. A professional educator for over eighteen years, Dr. Davis focused much of his career working with at-risk students and those identified with special needs. As a teacher and school principal, he devoted his time to finding ways to support the needs of diverse populations. In this pursuit, his work at Millersville University has emphasized the power of highly qualified teachers using evidence-based practices to support student growth. His research interests include using technology to enhance teacher reflection, overcoming the transition shock from university to the K-12 classroom, and encouraging teachers to embed evidence-based practices into their classrooms. As an advocate for students and families, Dr. Davis regularly presents and provides supports to organizations on how to encourage collaborations between teachers and families utilizing strength-based language and an asset approach to viewing children and families.

Sarah Schneider Kavanagh, Ph.D., Teacher Education, Induction & Certification Expert

Dr. Sarah Schneider Kavanagh is a research assistant professor of teacher education in the Teaching, Learning, and Leadership Division at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Her scholarship focuses on practice-based pedagogical approaches to preparing teachers to engage in inquiry-based instruction. Her work on this topic has appeared in the American Educational Research Journal (2017), the Journal of Teacher Education (2018), and Teaching and Teacher Education (in press). Prior to joining Penn GSE, Dr. Kavanagh was a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University's Center to Support Excellence in Teaching and a research scientist at the University of Washington’s College of Education, where she started the Mentor Labs Project, a research and development initiative focused on transforming the practice of teacher mentoring in K-12 schools. Dr. Kavanagh received her Ph.D. from the University of Washington, where she co-founded Teacher Education by Design, an open-source curricular library of practice-based tools for teacher education with a membership of teacher educators that spans over 500 school districts, 150 institutions of higher education, and 16 countries.