Teachable moments abound at Center for Talent Development (CTD), so everyone who interacts with CTD students is an educator – from outstanding instructors to dedicated residential staff to administrative coordinators who ensure that programs run smoothly. Given CTD’s longevity, our educators also include a good number of CTD alumni!
CTD students are diverse in every aspect but one: they all love to learn. Given this commonality, they excel at exploring, understanding and appreciating one another’s differences. They share opinions, debate issues and explain worldviews. Students wealthy and not collaborate on science projects; students from every race analyze literature. They hail from every continent and all across the country – attending public schools, private schools and homeschools – and yet at CTD, they all feel at home. It is this level of comfort, combined with a healthy dose of challenge, that makes CTD the perfect place for gifted students to do what they love…learn!
All Center for Talent Development (CTD) staff, regardless of role or responsibilities, share a commitment to education, a passion for excellence and enthusiasm for serving the gifted community.
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| Randee Blair |
| Associate Director, Center for Talent Development |
| Having spent 30 years in Evanston/Skokie School District 65 as a teacher and curriculum coordinator for math and gifted education, Blair is well equipped for her role as associate director of Center for Talent Development’s Saturday Enrichment Program and Gifted LearningLinks. She is an esteemed conference speaker, having presented at the National Association for Gifted Children and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. She is also author of several professional development books for teachers. Today, Blair applies her expertise to enhancing the professional development of CTD instructors. She loves to witness gifted students’ creativity and enthusiasm for learning, knowing they are precursors to the innovations and accomplishments these students will produce later in life. Blair holds a master of education degree in educational leadership from National-Louis University and a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Blair spends baseball season watching Cubs games with her family and spends the rest of her free time working out at the gym, traveling to see her grandchildren, doing needlepoint and reading. Her book club recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, and she has been a diehard Cubs fan even longer than that! |
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| Victoria Blanas |
| Apogee Program Coordinator |
| As Apogee program coordinator, Vicky Blanas enjoys developing positive relationships with Apogee instructors, meeting students and their parents and ensuring that students have the best possible experience in the program each summer. She loves being witness to the joy Apogee students display when learning alongside other talented students. Blanas brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her role. She taught high school social studies for 16 years, served as department chair for five years and received repeated nominations for the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching as well as a Disney Teacher Award nomination. She also led numerous educational tours overseas for high school students. Those trips, combined with her personal travels, have taken her to 25 countries on three continents. Blanas has a bachelor of arts in history from Loyola University and is currently working toward a master of arts in history, concentrating on genealogical research, through the University of Toronto. She is also a certified hypnotherapist and uses this skill to facilitate pain relief, improving people’s health and well-being. |
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| Dana Boutin |
| Marketing and Communications Assistant |
Experience in writing, editing and design informs Dana Boutin’s work coordinating marketing and outreach efforts at CTD. She holds a MA in arts journalism from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. While at the Art Institute, she received a Fellowship Award and a Trustee Merit Scholarship. She graduated with honors from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor for her studies in English and Arts & Ideas in the Humanities. Before coming to CTD, she worked as project designer for Roger Brown: Calif. U.S.A., an exhibition at the Hyde Park Art Center. An internship in media relations at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago spurred her interest in the area of communications. She also has experience in education, as a high school English teacher in Bangkok, Thailand.
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| Patrick Byrd |
| Program Assistant, Gifted LearningLinks |
| As the program assistant for Gifted LearningLinks, Patrick Byrd processes applications and initiates enrollment, supports the program coordinators, and regularly communicates with parents and students regarding their GLL experience. Byrd received his BA in Music from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and his MA in Music History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His passion for education interweaves with his musical interests. He was a teaching assistant at UW-Madison and the Brevard Music Center, taught music elective courses to students in grades 6 through 12 at the UW-Madison Summer Music Clinic, and has tutored in a variety of settings since high school. In his free time, Byrd enjoys bicycling, disc golfing, and devising ways to further “greenify” his life. |
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| Cynthia Cho |
| Coordinator, Gifted LearningLinks |
As a coordinator for Gifted LearningLinks (GLL), Cindy Cho supports the course instructors and ensures the smooth running of the program. She has been a classroom teacher in both the lower and middle school grades and is well versed in educational technology. She has a BA in Cognitive Science/Education from Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, a MA in Educational Technology from the Teachers College, Columbia University in New York, and a MA in Educational Administration from Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. Cho is excited by the opportunity to work at Northwestern University and to be a part of an organization with such “positive energy.” She also finds it exciting to contribute to cultivating the potential within the “future thinkers and doers for our world.” When not juggling the myriad tasks of GLL, she loves to watch NHL games, especially those of the Flyers and her new hometown Blackhawks!
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| Kourtney Cockrell |
| Coordinator for Projects EXCITE |
Kourtney Cockrell is a native Evanstonian and is passionate about diversity work and education. Since graduating from the University of Michigan, she has spent her professional career working in the nonprofit sector and in higher education. Most recently, Cockrell managed the national career and alumni initiative at the Posse Foundation in New York City. As the coordinator for Project EXCITE, Cockrell works closely with the local Evanston community, the staff at CTD and the Evanston Public School Districts 65 and 202 to manage outreach programs and activities aimed at closing the achievement gap. What she loves most about Project EXCITE is the early outreach to kids in the third grade. She says that “as an Alumna of District 65 and 202, I intimately understand the challenges involved with the achievement gap and feel like EXCITE has developed a program that is really making an impact.”
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| Susan Corwith |
| Associate Director, Center for Talent Development |
| Instructor, Master of Science in Education |
| Susan Corwith is passionate about the field of gifted education and has been converting that passion into action for more than 15 years. She has held leadership roles in a number of institutions serving the gifted population and brings that experience to bear in her role as associate director for Center for Talent Development (CTD). Her primary responsibilities with CTD include overseeing marketing and outreach as well as the Summer Program, Civic Education Project and PreK through grade 3 testing. She appreciates the opportunity to contribute to the gifted education field in myriad ways: through direct contact with students and their families, program development and research. Her multifaceted role, combined with CTD’s commitment to excellence, allow Corwith to feel as though she is helping to reveal gifted students’ incredible potential, which, she believes, often goes untapped. “It’s exciting to see what students can do and who they really are in an environment that nurtures and supports them,” she says. Corwith holds a PhD in educational leadership and policy analysis, an MS in curriculum and instruction and a BS in secondary education, all from University of Wisconsin-Madison. |
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| Michelle Flowers |
| Financial Assistant |
| As a financial assistant, Michelle Flowers prepares invoices, orders supplies, and assists with temporary employees payroll. Flowers received an associates degree in Business Administration from Robert Morris College in Chicago and is now studying accounting at Northwestern University. An avid coupon clipper and mother of three children, Flowers is efficient at home and in the office. |
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| Juliet Frate |
| Coordinator, NUMATS |
| Julie Frate brings the knowledge, skills and understanding she has gained from various perspectives — researcher, educator, school consultant, site visitor and workshop leader — to her work as coordinator for NUMATS. In particular, Frate aims to make an impact with regard to identifying and supporting gifted students in under-identified and underserved populations. For 30 years, she has worked with high-poverty, minority groups as an educator and researcher. Parents for Public Schools of Jackson, Mississippi, awarded Frate Educator of the Year for her work as a school counselor and International Baccalaureate (IB) primary years program coordinator. Her research experience includes working as a research associate in the rural health research program at the University of Mississippi’s Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and as a research assistant in the Office for Community Health Research at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford. Frate received a BA degree in Russian language and literature from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She also holds a master of education, with a focus on educational psychology, from the University of Mississippi. As both a parent of a gifted child and an educator, Frate is passionate about supporting the academic, career and personal/social development of gifted children. |
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| Ann Gadzikowski |
| Leapfrog Program Coordinator |
Ann Gadzikowski’s affiliation with Northwestern University began as a music student. An accomplished violist, Gadzikowski majored in music and English at Northwestern. Although she maintains a strong interest in music, Gadzikowski went on to earn her master's degree from the Erikson Institute for the Advanced Study of Child Development in Chicago. Gadzikowski worked as a teacher and director of preschool programs in the Evanston community for many years, wrote the book Story Dictation: A Guide for Early Childhood Professionals, and authored and edited a variety of educational materials including curriculum guides, early readers and textbooks. So she was well prepared for her current role as coordinator of the Leapfrog Program for the Evanston and Wilmette sites and the one-week Apogee program. She is also committed: “As a parent myself, I feel that one of my primary responsibilities is to communicate with and support parents and families. I understand that parents want the very best summer experience for their child.” Gadzikowski describes herself as “bookish” and enjoys visiting libraries wherever she travels. One of her favorites: the library on Mackinaw Island – it’s housed in a cottage along the water and the back has a sheltered deck with rocking chairs facing the channel and Round Island.
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| Jamie Guess |
| Assistant Coordinator, Saturday Enrichment Program |
| As an assistant coordinator for the Saturday Enrichment Program, Jamie Guess designs and develops enrichment classes for gifted and talented students. She finds inspiration in research-driven innovation and resulting changes in instructional practices. Her experiences as a curriculum developer for the Diocese of San Diego, four years coaching for the Middle School Academic Decathlon, and six years teaching third and fourth grade at a private school in San Diego inform her work. Guess holds a BA in Human Development with an emphasis on Child Development, a Masters of Education, and a Gifted and Talented Education Certificate, all from the University of California, San Diego. Identified as a gifted learner in her elementary school years, Guess understands the exceptional learning styles of high ability students and empathizes with their social and emotional needs. |
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| Amy Gyarmathy |
| Program Coordinator, Saturday Enrichment Program |
| Program Coordinator, Gifted LearningLinks |
As coordinator for the Saturday Enrichment Program, Amy Gyarmathy places students into SEP courses and makes sure the classes continue to prompt rave reviews. The needs of children have always been important to Gyarmathy, from her days as an inner-city teacher until now, as she works to provide high-quality, challenging classes to the underserved gifted population. Gyarmathy joined the Center for Talent Development (CTD) after being amazed by what her own daughter learned through participation in a CTD program and relates to the challenges that parents of gifted children can face. Her respect for parents who tirelessly provide their children with opportunities is equaled only by her admiration for children who determine that seeking knowledge is a worthy pursuit. Gyarmathy holds a bachelor of science in English education from Illinois State University and is working toward a master of arts in public policy and administration at Northwestern University.
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| Victoria Hutchen |
| Leapfrog Program Coordinator |
| Victoria Hutchen coordinates the Leapfrog program for students completing PreK through grade 3. By managing everything from admissions to program evaluation, Hutchen makes certain that Leapfrog students, families, instructors and staff all have a positive summer experience. As a former teacher in classrooms from kindergarten through grade 7, Hutchen appreciates that the Summer Program gives gifted students opportunities to explore subjects in greater depth than time allows during the school year. Hutchen admires Leapfrog students for their genuine pursuit of knowledge and their desire to continually challenge themselves. Her own academic achievements include earning a bachelor of arts in anthropology and film studies from Mount Holyoke College and a master’s degree in elementary education from DePaul University, where she was selected to the Phi Kappa Phi academic honor society. In addition to her work at CTD, Hutchen and her husband are busy raising their young daughter, a prospective Leapfrog student in summer 2012. |
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| Jody Koizumi |
| Program Assistant, Civic Education Project |
As program assistant for the Civic Education Project (CEP), Jody manages day-to-day operations, corresponds with students and families and does whatever else she can to support the work of CEP staff in organizing school break and summer service-learning programs. Koizumi is well suited for the job, having worked in non-profit/educational settings for more than 10 years including as a middle school teacher for the Chicago public school systems and as an ESL teacher for immigrant adults. Obviously Koizumi has put her bachelor in arts in sociology in race and ethnicity from Macalester College and her masters in education in instructional leadership to good use. She is inspired by working with amazing CEP program staff who embody civic engagement in their personal lives and seeing kids in the programs engaged, intellectually challenged and motivated to take what they are learning back to their communities.
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| Deborah Lee |
| Spectrum Program Coordinator |
| When asked in high school to be a teaching assistant for one of Spectrum's Chemistry Honors classes, Deborah Lee had no idea what an impact the experience would make on her career. She has never ventured far from the Summer Program since, teaching in public schools in the Chicagoland area and then serving as Equinox program coordinator. In her current role as coordinator of the Spectrum Program, Lee works with Summer Program teachers and staff to develop high-quality programming for gifted students completing grades 7 through 8. She enjoys seeing students excel and appreciates the opportunity to further the education of tomorrow’s leaders. Lee holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and an advanced teaching credential, all from Northwestern University. Ever an educator, she spends free time teaching drawing and painting at a local community center. |
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| Sara (Sally) Macnamara |
| Department Assistant, Saturday Enrichment Program and Gifted Learning Links |
As department assistant for Center for Talent Development (CTD), Sara (“Sally”) Macnamara manages CTD’s academic evaluations for students in PreK through grade 3 and applications to the Saturday Enrichment Program (SEP) and Gifted LearningLinks. This job requires great attention to detail – making Macnamara the perfect person for the job. Whether she is scheduling appointments, greeting families, proofreading or mailing testing reports, Macnamara is organized, prompt and friendly. In addition to her work with the PreK through grade 3 academic evaluations, Macnamara processes applications and payments, answers phones and responds to general inquiries. She makes sure that office equipment and supplies are stocked and in working order, and she is the SEP point person in the Tech building at the Evanston, Illinois, location. Macnamara really enjoys her interactions with CTD parents and students, and she has a huge respect for her fellow coworkers, whom she rates in that top 5 percent -- just like CTD students!
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| Denise Mytko |
| Coordinator, Saturday Enrichment Program |
Denise Mytko and Center for Talent Development (CTD) seem to be a perfect fit. Just prior to joining CTD, she worked as the program supervisor of education for the City of Lake Forest in Illinois (just north of Evanston). In this position, she designed curriculum and oversaw instructors and the effectiveness of enrichment programming. She has also worked at the Skokie Park District. The critical connection to CTD took place in 2007 when Mytko started working as an instructor for CTD’s Saturday Enrichment Program (SEP) “to explore further and work with the gifted population,” she says. “I found the students and curriculum to be invigorating.” Now, as program coordinator for SEP, she works to support SEP students, parents and teachers to create the greatest benefit for our students.The transition from instructing to managing was seamless, says Mytko. “I have always worked continuously to instill curiosity and critical thought in my students. I feel that the opportunity to administratively support a program such as SEP allows me to play a larger part in providing students a high-quality program where they can explore their own abilities and love of learning.” When not working, Mytko enjoys creating all types of art “but ceramics is the most fun.” She also creates art with her feet; she’s an accomplished tap dancer.
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| Paula Olszewski-Kubilius |
| Professor, Education and Social Policy |
| Director, Center for Talent Development |
| Paula Olszewski-Kubilius is director of Northwestern University’s Center for Talent Development (CTD) and a professor in the School of Education and Social Policy. After 25 years with CTD, she is still excited to come to work each day. Olszewski-Kubilius has designed, implemented, assessed and improved outstanding educational programs for learners of all ages. She has also conducted research and published more than 80 articles and book chapters on talent development issues, particularly the effects of accelerated educational programs and the needs of special populations of gifted children. By creating research-driven program models, assessing those programs and then writing about them, Olszewski-Kubilius strives to make CTD programs replicable, for even greater impact. Her own impact stretches beyond CTD through her advocacy initiatives. Olszewski-Kubilius currently serves as vice president and president-elect of the National Association for Gifted Children, is a member of the board of the Illinois Association for Gifted Children and is a trustee of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. She is also a member of the editorial board of Gifted Child Today and Gifted Child Quarterly. In the past, she has edited, co-edited and served as consulting editor and editorial advisory board member on numerous gifted education publications. Olszewski-Kubilius earned her master's and doctorate degrees from Northwestern University in educational psychology and her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from St. Xavier University in Chicago. Hard work and perseverance inspire her, just as she inspires the CTD staff with her own hard work on behalf of the gifted education community. |
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| Margo Pearson |
| Financial Administrator |
| Margo Pearson has a head for business and a heart for kids, which is why she has spent nearly 15 years in business positions with educational organizations. As Center for Talent Development’s financial administrator, she oversees all budget and finance related operations, including budget preparation, analysis, monitoring and reconciliation, revenue handling, payroll, accounts payable and purchasing, equipment inventory, training and compliance. Prior to joining CTD, Pearson worked as business manager for the One-to-One Learning Center, a tutoring and testing facility for children with learning disabilities. Pearson’s degrees are from Boston University, where she earned both a BA in mathematics and an MBA. Her spare time, she says, is spent working out in the gym, walking with friends, practicing yoga and reading. |
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| Rhoda Rosen |
| Associate Director, Center for Talent Development |
| For the last 20 years, Rosen has worked either as a professor at a university or a leader in the museum world. During the decade prior to joining CTD, she was director of Spertus Museum in Chicago. As an associate director, Rosen oversees Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS) program, CTD’s efforts to build awareness of Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s prestigious Young Scholars Program, and Project EXCITE. She is eager to bring her arts background to the role of “identifying future leaders and, partnering with colleagues at CTD as well as organizations nation-wide, ensuring that gifted students from all walks of life are nurtured, supported and prepared with the intellectual, social and emotional tools they will need to serve society as creative, inspired thinkers.” She plans on accomplishing this goal by “deepening and growing” the benefits of NUMATS for its participants and “expanding our reach to academically talented students whatever their economic/geographic backgrounds so that they can participate meaningfully in their civic environments.” Rosen received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and a PhD from the University of Illinois at Chicago. |
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| Jody Rosenbaum |
| Administrative Assistant |
| Department Assistant, Center for Talent Development |
| Jody Rosenbaum initially started working at Northwestern University in the Dean’s Office for the School of Education and Social Policy (SESP). While there, she acquired the task of handling label rentals for Center for Talent Development (CTD). Impressed with CTD’s programming, she decided to make CTD her new employment home. As a department assistant, Rosenbaum is responsible for all label rentals and data pulls, enabling gifted students to discover additional learning opportunities. She also provides coordination for special projects and helps with event planning. Rosenbaum received her bachelor of science in housing and environmental design (a.k.a. interior design) from Illinois State University, and SESP and CTD both have benefited from her space planning knowledge. Rosenbaum lives with her three kids and has enjoyed that all of them have been able to participate in CTD programs. In her spare time, Rosenbaum enjoys spending time with her boyfriend, swimming, rollerblading, reading and attending all her kids’ activities. She is proud to be a soccer mom! |
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| Elfi Sanderson |
| Coordinator, Gifted LearningLinks |
| As program coordinator for Gifted LearningLinks, Elfi Sanderson deftly balances roles of manager, troubleshooter and counselor by applying skills developed during a long and illustrious career as an educator. Her 23 years of service as gifted coordinator at Bannockburn School District 106 in Illinois make Sanderson the perfect sounding board and adviser to parents seeking to advocate on their children’s behalf with local schools. Her experience as a teacher for 34 years gives her credibility with GLL instructors as well, and she capitalizes on this experience when she plans staff development initiatives. Sanderson is certified as an elementary teacher, special education teacher and an administrator, with a type 75 certificate. Her degrees include a master of education in educational leadership and a bachelor of arts in elementary education. She has also completed 35 hours of graduate course work in curriculum and instruction through National-Louis University. Likening teaching and working with gifted students to gardening, Sanderson enjoys nurturing students according to their individual needs, and she is always impressed by how quickly and beautifully GLL students grow! |
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| Cassie Sparkman |
| Equinox Program Coordinator |
Cassie Sparkman is thrilled to be the Equinox Program Coordinator. She comes to the Summer Program after working as the Director for the Hands on Stanzas program at the Poetry Center of Chicago, and more than 10 years as a teaching artist in classrooms in Seattle and Chicago. After having the privilege of creating and teaching a course for the Spectrum Program in Summer 2009, Sparkman knew she wanted to pursue a full-time position serving the gifted and talented community. Sparkman has an MFA in Poetry from the University of Washington, has been published in literary journals including Cimarron Review, 32 Poems, American Poetry Journal, The Laurel Review, Story South, and Pebble Lake Review. Her poems have also appeared on the Verse Daily web site. Her work has been nominated for two Pushcart Prizes, and she is currently working on her first full manuscript. In her free time, Sparkman loves spending time with her infant son, her husband, and her loveable black lab.
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| Andrea Steffan |
| Coordinator, Summer Program |
Andrea Steffan’s educational and career journey has taken her around the country. After growing up in the Chicago area, Steffan went to Florida to earn a bachelor’s degree and then to California to earn a master’s. After earning a degree in curriculum and instruction from UCLA, she studied for a second masters at Pepperdine University and then earned an Ed.D. in educational leadership, administration and policy. Steffan put this knowledge to work as an English teacher at Woodrow Wilson High School, assistant principal at Gertz-Ressler High School and as a principal at Design High School – all in Los Angeles. At the Design High School, a free public charter school, the concepts and practice of design were used to deliver a rigorous and relevant college preparatory and career-oriented curriculum. Recently Steffan returned to Chicago. But the experience she gained in California comes into play in Steffan’s position as Summer Program Coordinator for CTD, where she oversees a program that serves almost 4,000 students each summer. Responsibilities include hiring and training staff, overseeing curriculum development and ensuring logistics are handled, she explains, “so kids can show up, be challenged and have a great time!”
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| Anne Stevens |
| Coordinator, Creative Studies, Center for Talent Development |
| Instructor, Saturday Enrichment Program |
| Instructor, Gifted LearningLinks |
| Instructor, Leapfrog |
| Anne Hayden Stevens is the coordinator of our evolving Creative Studies strand and an instructor in the Saturday Enrichment, Gifted LearningLinks, and Leapfrog programs. She has a MA in Visual Studies from the University of California at Berkeley and a BFA in Printmaking and Drawing from California College of the Arts. Stevens taught for many years in the School of Art and College of the Built Environment at the University of Washington. Fifteen years of experience as an interdisciplinary arts educator has led her to advocate for arts-integration as a critical component of gifted differentiation and student success. Stevens maintains an active art practice and, in her free time, frequents estate sales for mid-century design finds. |
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| Tammie Stewart |
| Manager, Community Outreach |
As the Center for Talent Development (CTD) community outreach coordinator for the last three years, Tammie Stewart has connected with thousands of students, parents and school personnel to educate them about Northwestern University's Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS) and the Jack Kent Cooke Young Scholars Program. She enjoys introducing people to programs that can be academically enriching and life changing as well. She is especially passionate about providing students in financial need with opportunities and options that can lead to a future brighter than they or their parents ever dreamed possible. Prior to joining CTD, Stewart produced and edited television programs and taught television production, too. Stewart holds a bachelor of arts in communications from Northern Illinois University and and has recently received her Masters in Communication from Northwestern University. She is active in the community, working part-time at a communal living shelter for battered women and children. For fun, Stewart has been hot air ballooning, white water rafting and skydiving. She has also flown a four-passenger Cessna airplane and is currently seeking her next adventure!
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| Marc Temkin |
| Senior IT Administrator |
Mark Temkin is responsible for maintaining and developing the CTD technical systems used by both the staff and public. He has been an independent programmer, teacher and musician. Prior to joining CTD, he created banking, investment, hospital and intelligence systems, which included work at Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois. Temkin became interested in computers during music graduate studies at Northwestern University, where he earned his master’s degree in music. Prior to Northwestern University, he attended Indiana University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in music. Currently Temkin teaches at School of Interactive Arts and Media at Columbia College, Chicago. Since 2006 he has arranged for speakers for the Association of Computer Machinery, Chicago chapter, from such places as Electronic Arts, PBS, Microsoft, Google, Apple and EPIC. Temkin says he enjoys working at CTD due to the overall team at SESP and the excellent computer support. He also finds a “variety of interesting computer programming projects” at CTD. He’s also glad to be back at Northwestern University, where he learned a lot about music, technology and computing, all influences that impact his current work. Temkin has played Carnegie Hall “a few times,” he says, but that was “before computers.” When not tapping on computer keys, he keeps his fingers nimble playing a double bass and a guitar.
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| Christine Thom |
| Department Assistant, NUMATS |
Christine Thom is a master at management as a program assistant for Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS). But, in contrast to her former life, her managing activities these days rarely involve coordinating rehearsal schedules, planning set changes or calling shows. That was certainly not the case for the previous eight years when Thom was an Equity stage manager in Chicago. She worked for both Steppenwolf and Lookingglass theatres but says, “My home was Remy Bumppo Theatre Company for whom I stage managed 10 shows.” (Her favorites were Man and Superman, Hapgood and Top Girls.) Now Thom answers questions from parents, educators and students about the NUMATS program and registration process. She processes registrations, assists with mailings and helps proofread printed materials – all critical to the success of NUMATS. She came to work as a temporary employee in the fall of 2008 and happily accepted a full-time position six months later. She believes that “a good education is empowering, and what we do helps students find their optimal/customized education – the one that serves them best because it matches their ability.” Thom holds two bachelor of arts degrees, in English and theatre, from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
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| Tiffany Tuck |
| Program Assistant, NUMATS |
“I’m excited that I’ll have a small part in helping students identify their strengths and learn the importance of life-long learning,” says Tiffany Tuck. “I hope they end up liking learning as much as I do.” And learn Tuck does in her position at Center for Talent Development. As program assistant for CTD’s testing program, she assists parents, students and teachers who have questions about NUMATS or need help with registration. She also processes registrations and proofreads printed material. Tuck is well suited for her job, as a former high school English and drama teacher in Georgia. In her spare time, Tuck, who earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and a master’s from Northwestern University, reads, writes, scrapbooks, cooks and “plays with the world’s best puppy, my toy poodle whose full name is Beatrix Potter Tuck” (aka Trixie).
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| Dana Turner Thomson |
| Research Director |
| During her 10-year CTD tenure, Dana Turner Thomson has assisted director Paula Olszewski-Kubilius with a variety of research and grant-related projects, co-authored two articles with Paula and served as assistant editor of Gifted Child Quarterly and editorial assistant for the Journal of Secondary Gifted Education. As a former program coordinator with Gifted LearningLinks, Turner Thomson enjoyed directly helping students pursue their passion for learning and ensuring that their curiosity is encouraged, fed, cultivated and treasured. Turner Thomson received a bachelor of arts in philosophy from Carleton College and a master’s degree in education, with a concentration in gifted, from Northwestern University. When not surrounded by CTD students, she receives inspiration from her two young children and their boundless curiosity about the world. |
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| Lindsay Wall |
| Assistant Program Director, Civic Education Project |
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Lindsay Wall is passionate about youth development initiatives that provide young people opportunities to reach their full potential while engaging their communities. Wall’s work experience includes collaborating with the Cleveland Municipal School District as an Americorps volunteer and youth organizer and managing community-based projects for an international NGO. Most recently, she coordinated the Equinox program at CTD. Wall earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Augustana College and a master’s degree in social work and nonprofit management from Case Western Reserve University. In her spare time, she enjoys practicing yoga, exploring Chicago's neighborhoods and reading the newspaper.
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| Kelly C. Weiley |
| Assistant Program Director, Civic Education Project |
Having had the opportunity to work with youth from throughout the United States, Kelly C. Weiley finds motivation and inspiration by working with young people to make a difference in communities. Weiley comes to the Civic Education Project most recently from Minneapolis, where she served as adjunct faculty at two universities in Minnesota teaching both graduate and undergraduate courses in human relations and multicultural education. An opera singer by training, Weiley completed her undergraduate degree in music from Northwestern University in vocal performance and later completed a Master of Science in Social Responsibility at St. Cloud State University. Weiley’s passion for service learning began during her service in AmeriCorps NCCC, completing everything from rehabbing houses and building trails to tutoring elementary school children. In 2005, Weiley received the prestigious PIC Achiever Award from the Boston Private Industry Council for her work with and commitment to youth. Weiley has delivered presentations in addition to publishing book chapters on her research regarding service-learning. She currently serves on the board of an international nonprofit organization that works to bring solar lighting to people living in areas of strife and conflict around the world.
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| Katrina Weimholt |
| Program Director, Civic Education Project |
A co-founder of the Civic Education Project, Katrina Weimholt has more than 10 years of experience in service learning, experiential education and youth development. Weimholt holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and political communication from Northwestern University and is completing a master’s degree in public policy and administration. Prior to joining the CEP staff full-time, she spent several years with a community-based education reform initiative, where she worked with Chicago Public School teachers to help connect classrooms with the world outside the school walls. She founded the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Chicago, a volunteer-run association that strengthens the nonprofit community by providing professional development, resources and networking opportunities. Weimholt has been recognized with a Tomorrow’s Leaders Today Award from Public Allies and was selected as a Fellow with the New Leaders Council, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that is training and supporting the next generation of political leadership. Her interests include community, diversity, gender equality, local and national politics, travel and the outdoors.
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