State Liaisons

Liaisons are available to support any group involved in gifted education. Assistance may include helping schools and districts to become involved in Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS); assisting already participating schools to design educational and support programs for talent search students; and working with parent groups, other educational and state organizations, and institutions of higher education that are involved in gifted education.

As members of the NUMATS Advisory Board, the liaisons are knowledgeable about NUMATS and the use of scores for planning educational programs. Having worked in the field of gifted education for many years in their home states, they are also aware of local community needs. Each of them brings a broad base of educational skills and experience. We urge you to call on the liaisons during the upcoming academic year for assistance.

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		Cheryll Adams NUMATS Indiana Liaison Cheryll M. Adams received master’s and doctoral degrees in educational psychology--gifted from the University of Virginia. She is the director of the Center for Gifted Studies and Talent Development at Ball State University in Muncie. She teaches courses for the licensure program in gifted education and has published a book, several book chapters and numerous journal articles, as well as presented internationally, nationally, statewide and locally in the field of gifted education over the last 20 years. She has served on the Board of Directors of the National Association for Gifted Children, is vice president of The Association for the Gifted Board of the Council for Exceptional Children, and is past president and treasurer of the Indiana Association for the Gifted. She serves as secretary of the American Educational Research Association’s Research on Giftedness and Talent Special Interest Group and is the chair of the Research and Evaluation Network of NAGC. She serves on NAGC’s Task Force on Math and Science. In 2002 she received the NAGC Early Leader Award, and in 2005 and 2007, the Indiana Association for the Gifted Service Award. In 1994 she received NAGC’s Outstanding Doctoral Student Award and in 1998, the IAG Leadership Award. She received Ball State’s Outstanding Administrator Award in 2004. She has co-authored and received three Javits grants. Cheryll was a classroom teacher for 15 years in public and private schools. Her research interests are in identification of gifted students, programming and curriculum. For assistance in the state of Indiana, call 765/285-5390 or e-mail cadams@bsu.edu.
		Peggy Buchanan NUMATS Indiana Liaison Peggy Buchanan is currently a high-ability field coach for the Indiana Department of Education. Field coaches such as Buchanan help schools understand what they need to provide for their high-ability students as well as assess their current programs and services. Buchanan retired in 2007 after serving 27 years as director of gifted services for Zionsville, Indiana, Community Schools. For the 10 years prior to her retirement, Buchanan was also the director of curriculum and staff development for the district. Her duties included implementing and supervising programs for gifted students, and coordinating a mentor certification program for teachers and a career mentorship program for gifted high school students. A strong supporter of math and science education, Buchanan co-authored and directed three National Science Foundation grant programs designed to improve math and science teaching. For 10 years, Buchanan served on the board of directors of the Indiana Association for the Gifted (IAG) and has been a recipient of the IAG Leadership and Service Awards. Currently, she is the board president of the SullivanMunce Cultural Center, a genealogy library, museum and art center located in Zionsville. For assistance in the state of Indiana, call 765/482-3092 or e-mail peggybuchanan@me.com.
		Paula DeGroot NUMATS Wisconsin Liaison Paula DeGroot is inspired intellectually by two passions: children and research. She is the mother of three and has worked as an analyst/designer in the information technology field for over 30 years. After pursuing independent research in support of educational programming to address the needs of academically talented students and her own children, Paula eventually dedicated her efforts to a variety of extracurricular and co-curricular activities in the school district of Ripon and the surrounding region. Over the past 25 years, she has been the coordinator of the Odyssey of the Mind program for the Ripon school district, a member of the Ripon-based Parents and Children for Excellence committee, swim team coordinator/manager, Suzuki music parent association member, and a member of the advisory board for the Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth. Her search for programming to meet her children's academic needs led to their participation in Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS) and subsequent opportunities available as a result of that experience. Having witnessed dramatic changes in her own children through NUMATS-related programs, Paula believes that NUMATS participation can act as a catalyst to growth that might otherwise go unimagined and unattained, and can be crucial to optimizing a child's potential. For assistance in the state of Wisconsin, call 920/229-5319 or e-mail paula.degroot.wi@gmail.com.
		Bill Keilty NUMATS Minnesota Liaison Bill Keilty is coordinator of the Lighthouse Program in the Spring Lake Park Schools. As a program coordinator, his work includes developing and monitoring programs geared for gifted students in K though grade 12. For the past 22 years he has served as consultant and professional development expert in school districts across Minnesota and other states. On the executive board of the Minnesota Educators of the Gifted and Talented (MEGT), Bill serves as the legislative liaison working to establish legislation in support of gifted students. He teaches graduate students pursuing certification in gifted education, as well as master and doctoral candidates at Hamline University in St. Paul. For assistance in the state of Minnesota, call 763/795-6686 or e-mail bkeilt@district16.org.
		Julie Lenner McDonald NUMATS Ohio Liaison Julie Lenner McDonald currently serves as coordinator of gifted and title services for Sandusky (OH) City Schools. She received her master's degree in special education with a focus in gifted education from Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio. Past responsibilities include being a gifted intervention specialist for students in kindergarten through grade 8; coordinating university-based summer experiences for elementary, junior and senior high school gifted students; and teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in special and gifted education. McDonald is currently pursuing a doctorate in leadership studies, particularly as it relates to building leadership skills in the lives of gifted students. She also serves as the president-elect for the coordinator's division of the Ohio Association for Gifted Children. For assistance in the state of Ohio, call 419/621-2739 or e-mail jmcdonald@scs-k12.net.
		Kathee McDonald NUMATS Michigan Liaison Kathee McDonald is the director of the Office of Gifted and Talented Education at Michigan State University (MSU). Her duties include providing academic-year and summer programming for highly academically able students in grades 7 through 12. She also acts as an academic advisor for high school students applying as dual enrollment students at MSU. Besides providing programming, she works on a variety of committees advocating for pre-college programs at MSU and the state of Michigan. With several programs that provide international travel, she serves as the higher education liaison for the Michigan-Shiga, Japan Sister State Board. Kathee worked in public education for 27 years as an elementary, middle and high school teacher. The only grade she hasn’t taught is fifth grade! Along with teaching, she was a gifted and talented coordinator at Laingsburg Community Schools and technology coordinator at Laingsburg Elementary School. A strong supporter of math and science careers for women, she has coordinated girls’ math-science conferences on a county level and currently serves on the girls’ math-science conference committee for Ingham, Eaton, Shiawassee and Clinton counties in mid-Michigan. She has coached Future Problem Solving and Odyssey of the Mind. A strong supporter of the arts, she was president of MSU’s Friends of Kresge Art Museum and served on a charter committee of educators at the MSU Wharton Center for Performing Arts. For assistance in the state of Michigan, call 517/388-1308 or e-mail mcdon288@msu.edu.
		Jack Palmer NUMATS Wisconsin Liaison For the past 14 years, Jack Palmer was the mentorship coordinator, academic teams coach and Science Department Chair at Stoughton High School in Stoughton, Wisconsin. He also taught science and was an athletic teams coach. Jack retired in 2009 after 35 years in public and private education. At the college level he has served as adjunct faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Concordia University where he currently teaches Science Methods. Jack has given numerous presentations at conferences and universities regarding secondary gifted education and has written multiple publications for educational and scientific journals. He is currently a consultant in the fields of secondary gifted and science education and is a steering committee member for the National Association for Gifted Children Guidance and Counseling Division. Jack has been heavily involved in creating mentorship and academic team-based programming models for secondary gifted students. His belief is that, for a gifted education curriculum design to be successful, students must increasingly choose to participate in the model’s program offerings. Thus, through constant student feedback and supporting data analysis, successful middle and high school gifted education programming can be achieved. For assistance in the state of Wisconsin, call 608/886-3590 or e-mail jack.fbiloghomes@gmail.com.
		Barbara Rebecca NUMATS Illinois Liaison Barbara Rebecca is the Technology/Gifted Director for Butler School District 53 in Oak Brook, Illinois. She began her career over 20 years ago as a junior high instructor serving gifted students in accelerated math courses for high school credit. Her continued enthusiasm for these children led her to accept a position with the gifted and talented program at River Grove School District 85.5 and, later, a district-level position at Cass School District 63. Currently, Barbara creates, implements and evaluates instructional curriculum for the gifted/talented. In addition, she supports and encourages her students to participate in NUMATS. Barbara is cognizant of the important contributions administrators make toward the advocacy of gifted and talented children. Long an advocate of gifted children herself, she has taught in various gifted programs throughout DuPage County. In addition, she has been a presenter at various technology and gifted conferences with topics including “Innovative Lesson Plans for the Gifted,” “Differentiation: A More Effective Approach,” and “Using Technology to Design Effective Lesson Plans.” An adjunct professor at National-Louis University, Barbara feels honored to be a part of the education of the next generation of gifted and talented instructors. For assistance in the state of Illinois, call 630/325-6888 or e-mail brebecca@butler53.com.
		Cindy Sedam NUMATS Illinois Liaison Cindy Sedam is currently the director of education for Benedictine University at Springfield, supervising the preparation of undergraduate and master-level students to be effective teachers committed to scholarship, lifelong learning and social responsibility. She received a sixth-year graduate degree from the University of Connecticut's Teaching the Talented program, studying under the tutelage of Drs. Joe Renzulli and Sally Reis. In addition, she holds a PhD from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, an MA from the University of Illinois at Springfield and a BS in elementary education from Texas Christian University. Cindy's 40-year career in public education was devoted to developing the academic talents of all students, especially gifted learners. She has served as the director of Advanced Academic Services for the Fort Worth Independent School District in Texas and the coordinator of Gifted and Fine Arts Programs for the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools in Virginia. Her love of teaching and learning developed as an educator in the Springfield Public Schools where she served for 20 years. As a classroom teacher at Iles School in 1985, her vision for an elementary gifted program was embraced by principals and teachers alike and became a reality: first for the Southwest Quadrant and then for the entire district. Mr. Lincoln's hometown became her hometown as she coordinated the program, developing relationships and fostering community partnerships that strengthened learning opportunities for gifted students. For assistance in the state of Illinois, call 817/223-2825 or e-mail cindysedam@att.net.
		W. Thomas Southern NUMATS Ohio Liaison W. Thomas Southern is a professor and coordinator of special education programs at Miami University of Ohio in Oxford. He received his doctorate in Gifted Education from Indiana University. Tom's research interests include the social and policy implications of resistance to accelerative options in school. With Dr. Eric Jones, he co-edited a collection of papers that examined the history and research support for acceleration, The Academic Acceleration of Gifted Children. He is also vice president of the Association for the Gifted, a division of the Council for Exceptional Children. For assistance in the state of Ohio, call 513/529-6634 or e-mail southewt@muohio.edu.