As the Western 1 Regional Director for NCSM, I am proud to emphasize that our organization operates with a fully volunteer board, highlighting the invaluable contributions of volunteers as the backbone of our operations. In my capacity as an NCSM Regional Director (RD), a primary objective is to establish robust connections with each state within my region. With up to 9 states falling under my purview, each RD appoints one or more Regional Team Leaders (RTLs) to serve as representatives for their respective states.
Among crucial volunteer positions is this role of the Regional Team Leaders (RTLs). The duties of the RTLs encompass a wide spectrum of responsibilities, including but not limited to:
- Engaging in scheduled regional team leader meetings to facilitate networking, event planning, goal setting, and addressing regional concerns
- Representing NCSM at state, regional, and local events, including our Annual Conference
- Encouraging and nurturing membership expansion within their respective states
- Maintaining open lines of communication with members and other state leaders
- Assisting the RD in recruiting organizations for affiliate status
- Promoting regional involvement at NCTM Regional Conferences and overseeing the NCSM booth
- Extending invitations to NCSM Annual Conference Registrants to participate in Regional Meet Ups (formerly known as Caucuses)
- Contributing information on NCSM for inclusion in regional newsletters
- Encouraging active participation from their states in NCSM’s Annual Conference, regional events, and other professional learning opportunities
These leaders play indispensable roles in fostering collaboration, communication, and motivation within their respective states, thereby contributing significantly to the advancement of leadership in mathematics education within the Western 1 Region.
I am delighted to introduce the NCSM: Leadership in Mathematics Education 2024 Regional Team Leaders for the Western 1 Region:
Alaska
Samantha Royer
Samantha is currently working for University of Alaska Fairbanks where she teaches future elementary educators. Prior to the university, she worked for the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District for 28 years as a math teacher, mentor, technology coach, and special education math mentor. Samantha’s passion is having all students of any age see that they can do math!
Arizona
Dr. Kim Rimbey
During her 35 years in public education, Dr. Kim Rimbey has served as an Executive Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Chief Learning Officer, professional developer, math coach, and award-winning teacher. Her professional passion centers on supporting teachers as they develop their expertise and confidence in mathematics teaching and learning. Her current math work centers on making math visible, utilizing small-group math instruction routines, and operationalizing Building Thinking Classrooms practices.
Montana
Dr. Jennifer Luebeck
As a professor at Montana State University, Dr. Luebeck is committed to preparing future K-12 mathematics teachers and supporting active classroom teachers through professional learning and graduate education. She has directed projects to improve K-12 teachers’ knowledge for teaching mathematics through lesson study and coaching. She is currently leading a statewide mentoring program for rural teachers in Montana. She has earned awards from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and from her university for outreach and research.
Nevada (South)
Judy Milligan
Judy has been in education for over 20 years in the Clark County School District (CCSD) in Las Vegas, Nevada. Throughout her time at CCSD, she has taught all levels of high school mathematics and provided professional learning to educators of mathematics. After spending 5 years with the CCSD Assessment Department, she recently transitioned to her current role as a secondary mathematics coordinator focused on high school curriculum and instruction. Judy looks forward to supporting educators with professional learning sessions designed to meet their needs.
Nevada (North)
Mike Pacheco
Mike Pacheco serves as the supervisor of the Assessment group at the State of Nevada Department of Education. Prior to the assessment position Mike was the secondary mathematics and STEM Education lead for Nevada. Before coming to state service Mike was an instructional coach specializing in STEM education, an administrative team member, and a classroom teacher. Mike is a recipient of the Washoe Education Association’s Most Influential Teacher Award and the Moss Family Award in Graduate Elementary Math Education. He has a B.S. in Elementary Education, a M.S. in School Administration, and is a doctoral student studying STEM Education with an emphasis in Mathematics and Equity.
Utah
Lindsey Henderson
New Mexico
Don DeLand
Retired from a 35-year career in math technology, curriculum, and assessment, Don is currently focused on integrating systems thinking and modeling into our schools and preservice programs. For school leaders, systems thinking provides a theory of action that supports successful school transformation. For students, it builds intuition and provides a schema for transferring mathematics across other disciplines, two components that are critical for building math literacy but largely absent from math education.
Colorado
Tabitha Nickerson
Tabitha is currently a mathematics content specialist with the Colorado Department of Education. Prior to this role, she taught both middle and high school mathematics, and supported mathematics teaching in learning as a district mathematics specialist. She is currently the lead specialist on the mathematics curriculum review. Her passion is in helping schools and districts to build a cohesive, vertically and horizontally aligned mathematics curriculum that honors and supports teacher voice and student needs.
Idaho
Marci Reddish
Marci Reddish taught for 31 years in public education before moving to Idaho State University as a math specialist in 2021. She spent most of her time in kindergarten, upper elementary, and middle school grades. She enjoyed working with the elementary kids, but found that her true passion was teaching mathematics all day, every day! Her greatest joy was watching her students gain confidence in their math identity. She loves helping teachers see the importance of striving for understanding instead of mimicking among their students. Her greatest desire is for teachers to understand their role in developing a safe and welcoming environment where ideas can be freely shared and built upon.
Wyoming
Dr. Amy Kassel
In the 31 years Dr. Amy Kassel has been in education, she taught high school mathematics for 26 years and is currently serving as the secondary mathematics curriculum coordinator for Laramie County School District 1 in Cheyenne. Her responsibilities include curriculum and assessment development and implementation and professional development for instruction. She recently earned her PhD in mathematics education from the University of Wyoming. She is also a National Board Certified Teacher and a 2017 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching awardee. Her passion is ensuring all students experience and learn mathematics conceptually through rich tasks that help them build their understanding.