About
Maureen Kay Sigler, CEO & Founder
Maureen Sigler started her career in education teaching 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th grade in Washington DC Public Schools. After her years as a classroom teacher, Maureen served in various leadership roles including Director of the History MAT program at Brown University, as a national consultant to districts and schools across the country, and Director of several federal anti-poverty programs. In 2020, Maureen founded MKS Education Partners where she serves as CEO. Her work includes supporting teachers and administrators through personalized coaching; facilitating strategic planning and advising at the school and district level; high quality curriculum advising and implementation support ; and administrator and teacher professional learning. Her expertise includes culturally responsive and sustaining teaching, blended and personalized learning, college and career ready standards, high quality curriculum strategy and implementation, and equitable change management. She is driven by a focus on educational justice and is passionate about creating educational environments where all students can thrive. Maureen has a BA from Trinity College, and a Master's Degree in Education from Harvard University. She lives in Rhode Island with her family.
MaryKate Hughes, Partner
MaryKate Hughes is a winner of the National Educator Award and a National Board Certified teacher and experienced coach with over twenty years of experience fostering dramatic learning for students throughout the Washington, DC metro area. As a founding faculty member at D.C. Prep in Washington, D.C., MaryKate not only fostered dramatic academic improvements among her students, but helped her colleagues raise achievement levels among their students as well. She regularly fostered two years of growth in one academic year, and led her eighth grade students to 100% proficient or advanced on state test scores in math, which were the best in the city. MaryKate has served as department chair, instructional coach, adult learning facilitator, and Direction of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. She has presented at numerous local and national conferences on math education, teacher evaluation and instructional techniques. After returning as a classroom teacher for 6 years, MaryKate now serves as an Adjunct Professor and University Coach at American University, and as a consultant with MKS Education Partners on curriculum development, adult learning, creating connected classroom and school cultures, and leadership competency. MaryKate has BA from Boston College and a MA in Elementary Education from American University.
Danielle Blasczak, Data & Evaluation Consultant
Danielle Blasczak has more than 18 years of nonprofit experience in Rhode Island, and she specializes in data analysis and management. Her focus is in using data for uncovering and expanding equitable opportunities. During Danielle’s career as a data leader, she has worked on many innovative projects including strategizing, designing, and implementing multiple databases and reporting solutions as well as executing and analyzing surveys on multiple platforms. She regularly synthesizes complicated data analysis into accessible reports, from which organization-wide decisions are made. During her career she has been afforded the opportunity to lead and strategize with many partner organizations; from implementing a family literacy program to using data to help expand a free community wi-fi program. Her true passion lies in making educational data accessible and while working at Highlander Institute as Assistant Director of Data and Systems she served as a member of the SDP Fellowship at the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University. Participating in this fellowship grew her analytic capacity, helped her develop clear priorities and strategies for data and data systems, as well as increased her confidence as a leader. She has served as a data coach to principals in Providence Public Schools through the Center for Leadership of Educational Educational Equity where she provided training and assistance to principals and the leadership teams to use student outcome data to access to allow meaningful analysis to identify, monitor progress and take action. Danielle lives in East Providence with her spouse, daughter, and dog, Marshmallow.
Hannah Schneider-Patel, Literacy & Instruction Consultant
An early childhood educator for nearly 2 decades, Hannah has worked in rural and urban school settings as a classroom teacher and an instructional coach. She holds a Masters of Education from The University of Virginia in Curriculum and Instruction- Reading Education. A Reading Specialist, Hannah believes in the transformative power of equitable literacy instruction and brings a depth of knowledge about Emergent and Beginning Literacy development, foundational skills, and the science of reading to her work with students, teachers, and administrators. Hannah lives with her family in Washington, D.C.
Emily Appel, Instructional Designer
Emily Appel, a design thinker by nature, is a seasoned professional with a diverse education and leadership coaching background. Emily leads national community engagement and equity projects, collaborating with education, healthcare, and public services organizations. She is an executive coach, providing expert career guidance and coaching to individuals from various backgrounds. Her expertise is grounded in emotional intelligence, which fosters leadership development and organizational growth.
With over a decade of experience at TNTP, Emily has led numerous educational initiatives nationwide, from strategic planning and talent management to curriculum development and implementation and teacher/leader training. Her commitment to improving educational outcomes is underscored by her work in schools in the DC area, where she was a site manager and training and instruction manager where she oversaw impactful programs and partnerships with schools and districts.
Suzanne Lynn, Instructional Designer
Suzanne is a seasoned leader with over 30 years of experience advancing equity and opportunity for children and families in underserved communities. She began her career as a teacher in rural North Carolina, sparking a lifelong commitment to closing the educational opportunity gap.
Her leadership journey includes executive roles such as Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs, Vice President at Teach For America, and interim Deputy Superintendent of Talent for Detroit Public Schools. At Teach For America, Suzanne guided the organization through its largest period of growth, leading teams focused on human capital strategy, leadership, diversity, and culture.
As founder of SGL Consulting, LLC, she now partners with mission-driven organizations to navigate growth and transformation, offering strategic counsel on leadership development, equity and inclusion, and change management. Suzanne is a certified professional coach and trusted advisor to senior leaders nationwide.
She holds degrees from the University of Virginia and St. Edward’s University, and serves her community as a Human Rights Commissioner in Charlottesville, a Madison House board member, and former elected school board official in Michigan.
Sarah Arntsen, Instructional Designer
Sarah is an education and workforce development leader with over 15 years of experience driving equitable, sustainable improvements in education. She has a proven track record of leading complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives that strengthen organizational capacity, improve student outcomes, and build lasting impact. As an independent contractor with the Rhode Island Education Collective, she is currently leading the development of a dual-language, full-service community charter school, engaging cross-sector stakeholders and designing sustainable operational structures to support long-term success.
Previously, Sarah served as a Partner at TNTP, where she managed a portfolio of five cross-functional teams, overseeing national teacher preparation and workforce development initiatives. She led large-scale programs, including securing and managing a $12M federal SEED grant to establish teacher apprenticeship models across multiple districts. Sarah has coached and developed high-performing teams and individuals, fostering inclusive, mission-driven cultures that center equity and impact. She is a trained National SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) facilitator, leading equity-focused cohorts to deepen self-reflection and promote inclusive leadership. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with school districts, state education agencies, and nonprofit organizations to design and implement innovative solutions that expand access to the teaching profession, strengthen educator pipelines, and advance educational equity.
Sarah began her career as a Spanish teacher in New Haven, CT. She holds a B.A. in Spanish from the College of Wooster and an Ed.M. in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Amber Shields, Instructional Designer
Amber Shields is a seasoned educator, leadership coach and early childhood advocate with a proven track record of transforming school environments and developing high-impact leaders.
Her journey began in the classroom as a passionate Kindergarten and 3rd-grade teacher, but her talent for fostering positive, high-achieving school communities quickly propelled her into leadership roles—including instructional coach, assistant principal, and principal. As a school leader, Amber became known for redefining school culture, strengthening teacher morale, increasing student engagement, improving instructional outcomes, and implementing sustainable systems that lasted well beyond her tenure.
Amber’s impact now extends beyond school walls. She currently serves as the Managing Director of Early Learning at The Commit Partnership, where she supports district leaders across Dallas County in improving early childhood outcomes. In this role, she provides strategic thought partnership, activates data insights to drive decision-making, and delivers high-quality professional learning experiences that equip systems leaders to scale effective practices across schools and classrooms. Her work ensures that children from birth to age eight receive the strong educational foundation they deserve.
In addition to her systems-level work, Amber is deeply committed to cultivating the next generation of school leaders. Through her firm, PM Consulting, she has coached and trained aspiring and early-career leaders, equipping them with the mindsets, tools, and systems needed to lead with clarity, confidence, and sustainability. Her approach blends leadership development with culture-building strategies, ensuring new leaders are prepared to foster thriving school communities from day one.
A dynamic presenter and trusted advisor, Amber is known for helping leaders move beyond surface-level engagement to create deep, lasting change within their schools and organizations..
Lindsay Scarpaci, Technical Expert
With a strong background in instructional design, professional learning, and technical implementation, Lindsay Scarpaci is a strategic education leader dedicated to creating and delivering inclusive and effective learning experiences. Currently a Product Manager in the education business unit for a global software company, Lindsay manages highly visible product training portfolios, leading cross-functional teams in content strategy, roadmap planning and execution, and training development. Her expertise spans online and blended learning, learning management system (LMS) administration, and content development that puts accessibility at the forefront. She is adept at managing key cross-functional relationships with stakeholders, subject matter experts, and training developers. Prior to her current role, Lindsay played a key role in developing large-scale professional development programs for educators, including leading LMS implementations, designing accessible course materials, and managing statewide training initiatives. With a passion for bridging technology and creativity, Lindsay continuously drives innovation in training solutions, ensuring alignment with learner needs and industry standards.
After graduating with a B.A. in Educational Studies from Emory University in 2004, Lindsay began her education career as an elementary classroom teacher. She also holds an Elementary Education Teaching Certificate from Mercer University and an Ed.M. in Education Policy and Management from Harvard University Graduate School of Education.
Keri Green, Technical Expert
With nearly two decades of experience at the intersection of education and technology, Keri Green is a dynamic leader in instructional design and educational innovation. She currently serves as the Director of Instructional Development at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, where she leads strategic initiatives to enhance teaching and learning across modalities through inclusive and impactful technology integration.
Keri’s career began in the classroom as a business educator in Providence Public Schools and has spanned K–12 and higher education. At Johnson & Wales University, she held multiple leadership roles where she led cross-functional teams, advanced institutional strategy, and oversaw the implementation of large-scale instructional technology initiatives. Her work is grounded in evidence-based practices, data-informed decision-making, and a deep commitment to educational equity and student success.
She is known for fostering strong partnerships with faculty and academic leadership, designing high-impact learning environments, and leading with a focus on collaboration, access, and innovation.
Keri holds an MBA and a Master’s in Teaching from Johnson & Wales University, and a BS in Management Information Systems from the University of Rhode Island. She lives in Rhode Island with her husband, twin sons, a dog, and two cats.