Advisory Board

Chief Executive Officer, ALI

Non-profit 

With more than 27 years of experience in education, Dr. Lauren Lemons is a published author, researcher, and international speaker committed to advancing equity and access for all students. She currently serves as a lecturer and university coach for California State University, Fresno. She works with the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and the Educational Leadership Division at the Kremen School of Education and Human Development. 

Before Dr. Lemon retired from public education, she served as Associate Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development for Modesto City Schools, where she led PreK–12 programs and guided districtwide instructional improvement, professional learning, and distance learning initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her leadership extends to systems development in Emerging Bilinguals education, Special Education integration, and social-emotional learning, ensuring that all students receive the support and opportunities they deserve.

As a leadership coach, Dr. Lemons has provided professional development and individualized coaching for thousands of district administrators, site principals, and educators throughout California and internationally. Her work continues to focus on building organizational capacity, cultivating inclusive leadership practices, and sustaining equity-driven change.

Dr. Lemons earned her Doctorate and Master’s degrees from California State University, Fresno, and a Master’s in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. She also holds a Bachelor’s in History and Political Science from Vanguard University, as well as teaching and administrative credentials in the State of California.

Outside of her professional work, Lauren values family and adventure, cherishing time with her daughter and their three bulldogs, Kodiac, Panda, and Bowie. Together, they travel the world to support their non-profit work, creating viable, sustainable funding sources for orphans and widows.

Principal- Merced Union High School District 

With over three decades in education and a Master’s degree in Special Education, Mr. Hobbs has devoted his career to supporting students with special needs and the teams who serve them. Steve’s journey began in the classroom, teaching Special Education in both SDC and RSP programs, where he discovered the transformative power of connection, patience, and belonging. For the past 18 years as an administrator, he has led special education and Adult Transition programs grounded in collaboration and equity. As a parent of a child with a disability, Steve brings both a professional and deeply personal understanding of what it means to advocate for meaningful collaboration. He believes lasting change happens when families, educators, and leaders come together to reimagine what’s possible for every learner. 

Ms. Sharla Murphy

School Psychologist

Born and raised in California’s Central Valley, Sharla Murphy built her career on a deep commitment to student success and family partnership. She began her professional journey as a middle school teacher before earning a Master of Education in School Psychology from Fresno Pacific University. For the past twenty-five years, she has served as a Licensed Educational Psychologist across a wide range of educational settings and with diverse student needs.

Her experience includes roles with Atwater Elementary School District, Merced County Office of Education, and Clovis Unified School District. She currently works with homeschool families at Central Valley Charter Schools. She has supported students in SDC, Autism, and Emotionally Disturbed programs, worked within Juvenile Hall, and served as a liaison helping districts and families navigate legal concerns or grievances.

Sharla is passionate about helping students reach their full potential academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally. Her work is guided by the belief that strong collaboration with families creates the best foundation for student growth. When she is not supporting students, she can usually be found spending time with her two beautiful daughters in Arizona, prioritizing health, fitness, and self-care, or cheering on her favorite college football teams, GO DOGS!

Dr. Jennifer Elemen is an award-winning education leader, writer and speaker who designs and facilitates professional learning. She is a BeGLAD certified agency trainer and consultant.  

M.A., School Psychologist & amp; Consultant

With over 10 years of experience working in both preschool and K–12 settings, Luis

Ascencio brings deep expertise in supporting students on the autism spectrum and their

families. As a bilingual school psychologist, he has dedicated his career to helping children

reach their fullest potential through individualized assessment, evidence-based

intervention, and family-centered collaboration.

Luis has served in multiple leadership capacities, including School Psychologist on Special

Assignment for Mendota Unified School District, where he helped organize, develop, and

design district-wide psychological services. His professional experience includes

comprehensive psychoeducational assessments, counseling, behavioral support planning,

and staff training in positive behavior strategies.

Passionate about inclusive education and equitable access to services, Luis partners closely

with educators and parents to develop tailored interventions that meet each student’s

unique social, emotional, and learning needs. His calm, collaborative approach ensures that

families feel supported and empowered throughout the process.

Whether working directly with students, consulting with school teams, or guiding families

through the special education system, Luis brings compassion, professionalism, and a deep

commitment to helping every child thrive.

Chief Executive Officer

 Williams Education Strategies

Faculty, CalState TEACH

With more than 30 years of experience in education, Dr. Amy Williams is a published author, systems leader, and speaker dedicated to improving learning outcomes and equitable access for all students. She currently serves as a faculty member at CalState TEACH at California State University, where she mentors aspiring educators and supports their development in inclusive instructional practices and system design.

Before founding Williams Education Strategies, Dr. Williams served as Coordinator of Inclusive Services and Supports, K–8 Principal, Special Education Program Manager, School Psychologist, and Teacher. Across these roles, she has led systemic change grounded in collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and collective responsibility.

During her tenure in Sanger Unified School District, Dr. Williams designed and implemented the district’s Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), creating a coherent

framework to align academic, behavioral, and social-emotional supports. Her leadership helped establish sustainable systems that improved student outcomes, strengthened educator collaboration, and unified district efforts around equity and access.

As a leadership coach and consultant, Dr. Williams partners with districts across California to build capacity for continuous improvement through Professional Learning

Communities (PLCs), Response to Intervention (RTI), Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and Social-Emotional

Learning (SEL). She facilitates district-to-district collaboration networks and coaches leaders to align systems that serve all learners.

Dr. Williams’ schools have been recognized as California Distinguished Schools, National Schools to Watch, PBIS Gold Schools, and recipients of the Bonner Virtues of Character Award. She earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from California State University, Fresno, where her research focused on teacher perspectives in implementing Universal

Design for Learning. She also holds a Master’s in Education, a Bachelor’s in Psychology, a Pupil Personnel Services Credential in School Psychology, and both Multiple Subject

and Administrative Credentials.

Outside of her professional work, Amy values family, creativity, and time outdoors along California’s Central Coast. She continues to advocate for women in educational

leadership and equitable opportunities for all learners.

Ms. sarah Panian 

Speech Language Pathologist

Sarah combines over a decade of experience advancing communication skills across schools, healthcare, private practice, and corporate environments. She focuses on speech-language pathology, organizational communication, and leadership development.

Throughout her career, Sarah has supported and supervised teams of speech-language pathologists, led initiatives in mentorship, professional development, and program evaluation to improve both service quality and outcomes for clients and students.

As a consultant in special education compliance, she has partnered with school districts to enhance IEP processes, program oversight, and monitoring systems, helping ensure equitable access to services.

In the corporate space, Sarah coached leaders and teams to strengthen communication, connection, and executive presence. She guides professionals to communicate with clarity and impact. Known for her thoughtful and collaborative style, she is committed to fostering accessible, effective, and inclusive communication in every setting she works in.

SCott Griffin

HUman Resources & Facilities

A native of the Central Valley, Scott Griffin has built a distinguished 35-year career in education, leading students and staff across diverse settings with measurable results. He established himself as an award-winning English Teacher and Football Coach, serving rural and urban communities throughout the region. Through his commitment to the principle that all students can succeed and his implementation of an AVID-philosophy, he developed strong community connections and guided numerous students to graduation and successful careers.

## Scott advanced to administration where he demonstrated strong leadership in comprehensive high school positions including Head Counselor, Learning Director, Athletic Director, Assistant Principal, and Principal. He then stepped into district-level leadership, driving organizational success across multiple Central Valley school districts.

## At the district level, Scott has served in executive leadership roles including Assistant Superintendent, Superintendent, and Chief Academic Officer. In these capacities, he has managed comprehensive operations spanning Curriculum & Instruction, Human Resources, Budget & Finance, Labor Negotiations, Facilities & Operations, Secondary Programs, Career Technical Education, Special Education, Assessment Systems, Co/Extra-curricular programs, and Technology. He has directed Board Policy development, ensured County and State Accountability compliance, led leadership training initiatives, and managed multi-million dollar district budgets. He has served as the primary personnel liaison to Governing Boards, leading Human Resources, Health and Safety, Labor Relations, and Community Relations. As a consultant, he has delivered targeted site and district-level support to multiple school districts throughout the region.

## Scott delivers proven results across all levels of K-12 education through collaborative yet decisive leadership. His core strengths include strategic planning, financial management, labor negotiations, facilities operations, career technology programming, and personnel development. He brings a track record of effective instructional leadership and meaningful staff development that translates directly to improved outcomes.

Ms. Doreen Bicksler

Early Education Specialist

Resources Link

I  am a committed professional specializing in Early Childhood Literacy and Special Education. I bring extensive experience supporting children from birth through age six across diverse educational settings. 

I hold a master’s degree in early childhood special education and a Special Education Credential from San Francisco State University, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Social Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

My professional career spans over 32 years, includes positions such as a Special Education Preschool Teacher, Early Intervention Specialist, Traveling Special Education Teacher, Adjunct Faculty at multiple colleges and universities, and Parent Support Advocate.

I have delivered comprehensive support within inclusive preschool settings, conducted assessments, facilitated the development of IEPs and IFSPs, and provided mentorship to special education teachers, both new and novice teachers, and general education staff who work with children with special needs. 

My approach prioritizes collaboration, family involvement, and the establishment of robust instructional foundations for young learners. Certified as a Psychiatric Technician and trained in early childhood mental health and teacher

support programs, I continue to advocate for high-quality services, professional development,

and equitable early childhood literacy education across all communities I serve.

Ms. Donnette Martin 

Tk-12 Literacy Expert

Donnette Martin is an instructional leader, literacy advocate, and equity-minded educator with nearly three decades of experience across teaching, coaching, district leadership, and school administration. She currently serves as the English Learner Coordinator at a comprehensive high school in Fresno Unified, where she refines systems that strengthen multilingual learner achievement, expand access to rigorous coursework, and support culturally responsive instruction.

A former Manager of K–6 ELA/Literacy and vice principal at both the middle and high school levels, Donnette is recognized for her ability to analyze complex systems, build teacher capacity, and lead teams through meaningful instructional and cultural shifts. Her work is grounded in restorative practices, collaborative partnerships, and the belief that learning and the social–emotional well-being of students are inseparable. With two master’s degrees and three credentials, she brings a relentless commitment to improving conditions for all learners.