Math Curriculum Professional Learning Community Blog SCHEDULE A CALL THE IM STORY Our vision is to create a world where all learners know, use, and enjoy mathematics through curriculum, professional learning and community. – IM Team Our Purpose Founded in 2011 at the University of Arizona, Illustrative Mathematics is guided and inspired by educators who work in spirited teams to do extraordinary things. The result is a comprehensive suite of math curricula, designed to encourage engaging mathematical discussion, supported by tasks, lesson plans, professional learning, and community. IM 6–8 Math™ v. III and IM 9–12 Math™ v. I certified by Illustrative Mathematics are available as open educational resources (OER) and free to access by anyone. IM K–5 Math will be available in 2021. To be assured that you are accessing the most current versions authored by IM, we created an IM Certified designation that highlights the organizations with whom we have an ongoing partnership. Additionally, the aligned professional learning certified by Illustrative Mathematics is designed to be interactive and engaging to ensure the immersive experience and best practices needed to seamlessly implement the curricula in your classrooms. First partnership leads to continued growth. Open Up Resources 6–8 Math 2.0 was authored by Illustrative Mathematics. Illustrative Mathematics, authored, reviewed and approved all of the content contained in Open Up Resources 6-8 Math 2.0. OUR 6–8 Math 2.0 is a high-quality curriculum, and Illustrative Mathematics is proud of its collaboration with Open Up Resources, which brought one of the first full-course OER middle school math curriculum to students and teachers across the country. Please contact OUR for more information about their version of an IM-authored curriculum. Our mission is to create a world where learners know, use, and enjoy mathematics through curriculum development, professional learning, and administrative guidance. We collaborate with and provide guidance to states, districts, curriculum writers, and assessment writers to help improve mathematics education. IN APPRECIATION OF OUR PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORTERS Illustrative Mathematics has operated as an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization since 2013. We appreciate the generous support of our Philanthropic Supporters: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Carnegie Corporation of New York Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation Heising-Simons Foundation The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation W.K. Kellogg Foundation OUR TEAM Leadership Team William G. McCallum CEO & Co-Founder Bill McCallum has dedicated his life to helping teachers, educators, mathematicians, and policymakers show fidelity to both mathematical coherence and student learning. He is an Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at The University of Arizona, where he researches number theory and arithmetical algebraic geometry, authors textbooks, and advises researchers and policymakers. Bill’s work as a lead writer of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics earned him the Distinguished Public Service Award from the American Mathematical Society and the Dolciani Award from the Mathematical Association of America. As CEO and co-founder of Illustrative Mathematics, he chairs the Board of Directors where he helps craft the strategic direction of the organization and contributes to the curricula; he also represents IM to funders, at speaking events, and in workshops. Kristin Umland President & Co-Founder Kristin Umland believes that by coordinating the expertise of teachers, mathematicians, mathematics educators, and business professionals, we can help all students realize their mathematical potential. Before joining the IM team, she was an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of New Mexico (UNM). After joining UNM with a Ph.D. in Mathematics, she carried out research in mathematics education, taught pre-service and in-service elementary and secondary teachers, and conducted education outreach at the local, state, and national level. A recipient of both the Louise Hay Award and the AMS Impact Award, Kristin’s goal has always been to improve the mathematical and pedagogical quality of children’s learning experiences. Kristin is co-founder and President of IM. Karl Nelson Chief Information Officer Throughout his career, Karl has been devoted to delivering high-quality educational materials to students, teachers, and districts across the country. Prior to joining IM, he served as COO for Open Up Resources where he directed product development and new technology implementations. As Director of Digital Learning for the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction in Washington state, he created Washington’s K–12 OER project and served as the state lead for the K–12 OER Collaborative, a multi-state effort to develop open educational resources. He was also the lead policymaker for digital education, developing, and implementing online systems and providing technical support to districts. Now the Chief Information Officer for IM, he is responsible for the organization’s engineering, systems, customer success, and evaluation work. Kate Nowak Vice President of Product Strategy Kate believes math class should make sense and that with well-supported teachers employing high-quality curricula, every learner can use mathematics to interpret and influence their world. Before joining IM, Kate fixed airplanes in the U.S. Navy, learned and taught in upstate New York public schools, and developed math lessons around real-world topics at Mathalicious. As the Instructional Lead of IM 6–8 Math and IM 9–12 Math, she helped craft the world’s best problem-based math curriculum alongside expert teams of educators and mathematicians. Kate currently serves as the VP of Product Strategy where she oversees the development of IM’s curriculum and professional learning products. Olivia Russell Vice President of Program Management Olivia has dedicated her career to supporting the development of high-quality mathematics educational materials for culturally and linguistically diverse students. Prior to coming to IM, Olivia worked as a Senior Project Manager for a transportation agency in Atlanta. Additionally, she was a decorated teacher of middle school mathematics and an adjunct professor of mathematics. As the director of programs for IM, Olivia established the Project Management Office to implement key operational processes and collaborated across departments to ensure the successful delivery of IM projects. Now, as VP of Program Management, Olivia uses skilled data analytics to plan strategic program delivery, establish project metrics and reporting structures, and assess and improve organizational processes that impact program success. Brandi Tyler Vice President of Marketing Brandi is a creative innovator in marketing and communications. She has led dynamic teams in defining and delivering brand experiences that achieve key business results. Prior to joining IM, Brandi oversaw marketing programs for non-profit organizations, transportation agencies, and public utilities in varying roles at ICF Next, a full-service public relations firm. Her marketing experience spans over several industries, including government agencies, banking and finance, transportation and tolling, and energy efficiency, where she managed integrated marketing, communications, and behavior change campaigns. She is passionate about storytelling, unearthing user insights, and building strong product positioning. As Vice President of Marketing for IM, Brandi develops and manages IM’s marketing programs to promote brand awareness and generate leads for IM certified partners. Her approach is to use market research and competitive analyses to guide decisions on shaping product development and developing winning strategies for IM. Kristen Welch Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance and Administration Kris has a deeply rooted passion and appreciation for high-quality education and learning, and a relentless commitment to listen to partners and customers while constantly innovating to meet the evolving needs of the classroom. At Discovery, she served as CFO for both Discovery Channel and Science Channel; and as Senior Vice President, Global Content Operations, she was responsible for producing and broadcasting programs across 32 networks and 220 countries. In 2013 she was honored with a “Women Leading Women” award from the University of Maryland. In 2011 she was named a “Person to Watch” by The Financial Manager, the magazine of the Media Financial Management Association. As CFO and VP Enterprise Management for IM, Kris oversees finance, accounting, legal, human resources, and administration. She believes that IM’s impact and success are dependent on its ability to support and leverage its own diverse talent and expertise. Cam Valentine Braxton New Vice President of Human Resources Cam Valentine Braxton, MPA, HCS focuses her practice on high-impact learning, executive coaching, and human capital systems that use people-centered solutions for today’s multigenerational workforce. An industry-recognized subject matter expert in areas of human resources and talent management, Cam has worked for several prominent education organizations such as TNTP and New Leaders and has consulted with Management Leadership for Tomorrow, Peer Health Exchange, and UP Education among many others. She has been a regular corporate trainer for small to mid-sized businesses nationally and in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex since 2017, offering three distinct learning programs. Cam has an MPA in Organizational Leadership & Emotional Intelligence, a certificate as a Human Capital Strategist by the Human Capital Institute of New York, and is currently studying for a master’s certification in executive coaching. Board of Directors Lisa Carmona As the President of Zaner-Bloser, a Highlights Company, Lisa Carmona is active in professional communities related to educational research, literacy, and digital learning, including the Westerville Library Foundation Board and NSF research grant advisory boards. A high-energy leader with more than two decades of success in educational publishing and technology, she has served in senior leadership roles at McGraw-Hill Education, Frank Schaffer Publications, and School Zone Publishing. Lisa holds an MBA from Ohio University and a BA from Central Michigan University. Barbara Chow Barbara Chow serves as the director of the Education program at the Heising-Simons Foundation. Her early years of service were spent working with the Clinton administration, where she was deputy director of the Domestic Policy Council; associate director for Education, Income Maintenance, and Labor programs at the Office of Management and Budget; special assistant to the president for White House Legislative Affairs; and worked with the Senate Democratic Policy Committee and the Senate Budget Committee. Chow then went on to serve as policy director of the House Budget Committee and the executive director of the National Geographic Education Foundation. She spent the next eight years as the director of the education program for the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Chow holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor’s degree in government from Pomona College. Heather Hill Heather Hill studies policies and programs designed to improve mathematics teacher and teaching quality at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her recent research focuses on teacher professional development, instructional coaching, teacher evaluation, changes over time in teachers’ mathematical knowledge and instructional quality in mathematics, and teacher experiences and characteristics that lead to high-quality instruction and stronger student outcomes. Hill and her team have developed assessments that capture teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching and teachers’ mathematical quality of instruction, assessments now widely available to researchers, instructional coaches, evaluators, and policy-makers via online training and administrative systems. Hill is a fellow of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and serves on the AERA grants board, on the editorial boards of several journals, and as an advisor to numerous research projects and policy efforts in both the U.S. and abroad. She is co-author of Learning Policy: When State Education Reform Works with David K. Cohen (Yale University Press, 2001). Heather holds a PhD from the University of Michigan and a BA from Swarthmore College. Gregg Levin Gregg Levin is President and Chief Operating Officer of K12 Insight. A management executive with over 20 years experience in sales, marketing, product development, government relations, and operations, he has served in senior leadership roles at Fuel Education (a division of K12, Inc), KC Distance Learning, Sylvan Learning, and Bright Horizons where he specialized in creating strategies to hone the mission, grow the client base, and scale the business. He holds an MBA from the University of Maryland and a BS from the University of Rochester. William G. McCallum Bill McCallum has dedicated his life to helping teachers, educators, mathematicians, and policymakers show fidelity to both mathematical coherence and student learning. He is an Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at The University of Arizona, where he researches number theory and arithmetical algebraic geometry, authors textbooks, and advises researchers and policymakers. Bill’s work as a lead writer of the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics earned him the Distinguished Public Service Award from the American Mathematical Society and the Dolciani Award from the Mathematical Association of America. As co-founder and CEO of Illustrative Mathematics, he chairs the Board of Directors where he helps craft the strategic direction of the organization and contributes to the curricula. He also represents IM to funders, at speaking events, and in workshops. Cynthia Nava Cynthia Nava is the Executive Director of Teach for America, New Mexico. Cynthia’s goal has always been to put the student first, and her belief is that all students can meet the highest academic standards in K–12. Her career in education began in Galesburg, Illinois where she taught the severely emotionally disturbed. She then went on to become the Superintendent of the Gadsden Independent School District in Southern New Mexico. She served as a New Mexico State Senator from 1993 thru 2012, where she spent 16 years as Chair of the Senate Education Committee and as a member of the National Assessment Governing Board, appointed by Education Secretary Margaret Spellings. She holds a BA from Western Illinois University, a MA from Eastern Illinois University, and a Ph.D. from New Mexico State University in Educational Leadership/Curriculum. Paul Palmer, Jr. II. Paul Palmer is a leader in targeted marketing, partnership development, and DEI with 30 years of experience in industry and higher education. A professor of marketing at the Indiana University, Kelley School of Business, he teaches courses in consumer behavior, advertising & promotions, and modern trends in marketing. He also led IU’s DEI efforts for the MBA Program and has won numerous teaching awards, including IU Trustees Teaching Award, Student Choice Award, and the IU Access the World through Education Award. Prior to IU, Paul achieved 20 years of business and management success, including P&G, Hasbro Toys and American Greetings. Paul is a member of the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Board of Trustees, the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, and the NAACP. Dominick Sekich Dominick Sekich, partner and attorney at Moye White LLP, provides strategic counsel in complex real estate, corporate, information technology, and regulatory matters. He advises companies concerning business planning and formation, contracts, strategic negotiations, and vendor relationships, as well as intellectual property licensing and use agreements. Dominick’s experience also includes negotiating complex information technology service agreements, licenses, trade arrangements, and technology-related contracts. Through strategic guidance, he seeks to promote best corporate practices and healthy relationships that positively impact his clients’ business initiatives. He received his BA from The Colorado College, his MS from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and his JD from Georgetown University. Kristin Umland Kristin Umland believes that by coordinating the expertise of teachers, mathematicians, mathematics educators, and business professionals, we can help all students realize their mathematical potential. Before joining the IM team, she was an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of New Mexico (UNM). After joining UNM with a Ph.D. in Mathematics, she carried out research in mathematics education, taught pre-service and in-service elementary and secondary teachers, and conducted education outreach at the local, state, and national levels. A recipient of both the Louise Hay Award and the AMS Impact Award, Kristin’s goal has always been to improve the mathematical and pedagogical quality of children’s learning experiences. Kristin is co-founder and President of IM. Denise Walston Denise M. Walston is the Director of Mathematics for the Council of the Great City Schools. Prior to that, she served as Senior Coordinator of K–12 Mathematics at Norfolk Public Schools (NPS), where she embarked on an Algebra For ALL initiative which resulted in more than 50 percent of students completing algebra by the end of grade eight while simultaneously improving student achievement and closing achievement gaps in mathematics. Recently, she served on a panel to study the alignment of NAEP items to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Additionally, Denise has served as an adjunct instructor for The University of Virginia and Old Dominion University, Vice-President of National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics, President of the Virginia Council for Mathematics Supervision, President of the Beta Beta chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma (a professional honorary society of women educators), and as a board member of both the Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition and the Benjamin Banneker Association. Denise received her BA from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro her MSEd in from Old Dominion University and has completed additional study at the Woodrow Wilson Institute at Princeton University, George Washington University, and the College of William and Mary. George Zettler George Zettler is a mathematician and financial manager. He is a co-founder and managing member of Flowing Shape Advisers, LLC, a consulting group specializing in mathematical analysis. Prior to Flowing Shape, Zettler co-founded Ellington Management Group LLC and held a position at Kidder Peabody. He also served as Professor of Mathematics at Columbia University for nine years, where he conducted original research in representation theory and algebraic geometry. He holds a Ph.D. and an AB in Mathematics from the University of Maryland and Harvard University. Advisory Board Diane J. Briars As a mathematics education consultant and Chair of the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences, Diane works to increase math knowledge around the world. She’s also Chair of the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences and was formerly president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics. Diane was a senior developer/research associate on the NSF-funded Intensified Algebra Project and Mathematics Director for Pittsburgh Public Schools. She holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education, M.S., and B.S. in Mathematics from Northwestern University, and did postdoctoral study in the Psychology Department of Carnegie-Mellon University. Diana Cano An accomplished IT executive supporting educational non-profits and media companies, Diana is Senior Vice President for Enterprise Technology Program Management at Entercom, a leading audio and entertainment company, following her 20-year tenure at Educational Testing Service where she empowered the Research and Assessment Development division, and Scoring Operations. She also holds three US patents for innovations in assessment. Currently, Diana teaches at The College of New Jersey in the Mechanical Engineering department, drawing from her doctoral dissertation research on the institutional adoption of innovation. Shelby Danks, Ph.D. Shelby is an improvement and impact leader with 20+ years experience in the education and healthcare industries. As IM’s former Director of Impact, she launched IM’s initial research and evaluation strategy, led the development of the IM Implementation Reflection Tool and the IM Student Mathematical Flourishing Rubric, and empowered districts to use these tools to evaluate and drive impact in their own contexts. Shelby currently serves as the Chief Impact Officer at Reading Horizons, and is the founder of ARKEN RESEARCH, an organization that delivers research and measurement solutions that catalyze organizational learning. She holds a Ph.D. in learning technologies with an emphasis in research, measurement, and statistics from the University of North Texas. Phil Daro Before bringing his mathematical insights to IM, Phil was a lead writer for Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. His educational background includes being Director of Mathematics for the Strategic Education Research Partnership (SERP) and the design lead for a tablet-based K–12 mathematics curriculum to be published by Pearson. He won the 2012 Walter Denham Award and 2014 Ross Taylor/Glenn Gilbert National Leadership Award. Currently, Phil serves on the Board of SERP and of Shell Centre Publications at the University of Nottingham, is a Member of the NAEP Validity Studies Panel, and is on the Advisory Board for the Algebra for All initiative in NYC schools. Dr. Bobby T. Dillard Dr. Bobby T. Dillard was born and raised in Chicago as the son of first generation college students and educators in Chicago Public Schools. He earned bachelor degrees in Mathematics and History from Fisk University, a masters degree in Mathematics Education from DePaul University, a Master Degree in Educational Leadership from Roosevelt University and a Doctorate in School Leadership in Educational Leadership from National Louis University. His research centered on Leadership Competency models that K–12 districts can use to build capacity for all levels of leadership in a school system. Dr. Dillard spent the first ten years of his career as a High School Mathematics Teacher, Department Chair, Instructional Coach, and School Leader in the Chicagoland area. Bobby spent the next ten years working as a leadership coach in over 30 school districts throughout the nation, specializing in school transformation and turnaround. Dr. Dillard served as a Regional Assistant Director with the Illinois State Board of Education’s Center for School Improvement, providing support to district leaders on improving equitable outcomes in school’s that demonstrated the highest need. Bobby has worked with school and district leaders to implement: (1) Standards based curriculum adoptions, coaching systems at the school and district level, family engagement models, and leadership feedback models where school principals operate within a network. Dr. Bobby T. Dillard joined the New Teacher Center in September of 2017 and is currently a Director on the NTC School Leadership team. In this role he has developed a Principal Coaching Model and a school-based Principal Network model. John Ewing Understanding the critical need to support math educators, John is President of Math for America, which is committed to encouraging extraordinary teachers to stay in the classroom. Before that he was Executive Director of the American Mathematical Society for nearly 14 years and a mathematics professor at Indiana University, where he was also Department Chair for two terms. He has held visiting positions at Dartmouth College, the University of Virginia, Newcastle University, and Göttingen University. He holds a Ph.D. from Brown University and B.S. from St. Lawrence University, which also awarded him an honorary degree in 1996. Mary Rollins A 25-plus-year veteran of Discovery Communications, Mary played a key role expanding the company’s mission to transform K–12 teaching and learning across the globe. Mary served as Senior Vice President of Discovery Education’s award-winning Corporate Education Partnerships division, responsible for the global program design and development, implementation, and program evaluation. Partnering with corporations, non-profit organizations, and philanthropists, her work supported under-resourced areas such as STEM, college and workforce readiness, media literacy, health and wellness, and environmental education. More recently, Mary served a Chief Officer, Education, Marketing, and Advocacy for the Food Allergy Research & Education organization, dedicated to improving the life and health of those living with food allergies. Mary serves on the board of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Northern Virginia. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount St. Mary’s University. Jason Zimba With a deep background in science and math research, Jason is a Founding Partner of Student Achievement Partners and was a lead writer of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. His academic awards include a Rhodes scholarship and a Majorana Prize for theoretical physics. Jason has taught physics and mathematics to university students and high school students, adult prison inmates, and members of other disadvantaged groups. He holds a B.A. from Williams College with a double major in mathematics and astrophysics, an M.Sc. by research in mathematics from Oxford, and a Ph.D. in mathematical physics from UC Berkeley. SUBSCRIBE to the IM Blog and Newsletter Contact Us Illustrative Mathematics PO Box 69822 Oro Valley AZ 85737 855.741.6284 Email Us Get in Touch IM K–12 Math K–5 Math 6–8 Math 9–12 Math Professional Learning Community Illustration of Standards Practice Standards Content Standards/Tasks The IM Story Our Purpose IM Certified Facilitators IM Certified Partners Quick Links IMpact News FAQ Careers Presentations Privacy Policy All products and services are offered throughout the United States. Content on this page is licensed. © copyright 2021, Illustrative Mathematics, all rights reserved