AMLE Constituent Committees

AMLE relies on volunteer committee members to guide the work of our association. We would like to extend a special thank you to our current committee members and highlight just a few of their many contributions to our mission: 

  • The Early Career Committee established a mentorship program for new middle grades teachers, ensuring they have a support system cohort that includes both veteran and other early career teachers.  
  • Advocacy committee members lead the way in promoting the National Policy Agenda for the Middle Grades, spearheading AMLE’s efforts to “rebrand” middle school as a time of immense opportunity by collecting testimonials from educators around the world.  
  • The Teacher Leaders Committe and Principals and Assistant Principals Committee collaborated on a six-part article series exploring the relationship between administrators and teachers.  
  • The Equity in Middle Grades Education is developing an AMLE position paper to establish a common understanding of what it means to provide educational structures in which all students can thrive.  

If you are passionate about middle level education and want to volunteer your time to advance your profession, there’s a role for you. Applications are now open for 2025 committee appointments. Note: The Principals and Assistant Principals Committee will be split into two committees, the Principals Committee and the Assistant Principals Committee in 2025 to better serve the unique needs of each role.  

Advocacy Committee

Trishauna Pulos, Chair
Pam Millikan, Vice Chair
Robert Caplinger
Jennifer Ciok
Erica Fox
David Hallman

Keith Lichliter
David Sottile
Sheila Steen
Christine Thielen
Jen Williams

Early Career Educators Committee

Heather Stefanski, Chair
Will Murphy, Vice Chair
Morgan Bentley
Joshua Chlebowski
Kristen Engle
Frederick Froehlich
Mark Gibson
Brandy Lane

Joseph Pizzo
Jenna Plump
Shannon Rogers
Lisa Rutner
Stefanie Salyer
Michelle Schwartze
Lisa Tripp

Equity in Middle Grades Education Committee

Jen Cort, Co-Chair
Bill Ivey, Co-Chair
Millette Edwards, Vice Chair
Rachel Adams
Elena Ariza
Amanda Austin
Dave F. Brown
Kyle Chadburn
Brenda Chase
Jen Ciok

Paul Dobyns
Kelly Higgins
Beatrice Lopez
Mary Mitchelson
Christina Moran
Ricardo Robinson
Sireesha Rutter
Lauren Smith
Sarah Straub
Jared Swingle

Principals and Assistant Principals Committee

Erin Cribbs, Chair
Mike Hammond, Vice Chair
Gail Anderson
Jacqueline Arce
Alisa Bender
Ashley Bowling
Robert Caplinger
Patrick Carroll
William Clayton
Martin Da Costa
Jen Davis
Sarah Decas
Julie Dellone
John Donecker
Michael Gohde
Lindsey Hagen

Jacquelin Harden
Steven Hauk
Erika Johansen
Russ Kupperstein
Heather Lageman
Mark Lester
Cheryl Moran
Mikaela O’Bryan
Mark Orszula
Renee Price
Trish Pulos
Lucas Siebenmorgen
Andrea Smith
April Smith
Jake Sumner

Teacher Leaders Committee

Megan Vosk, Chair
Laurie Rigg, Vice Chair
Megan Balduf
Marri Bayour
Ashley Bonet
Rachel Booth
Cait Burnup
Stefanie Crawford
Kristen Engle
Beth Fabijanic
Carey-Anne Hendershot

Arvella Jergesen
Kristin Laughlin
Loria McIntyre
Pankaj Mehrotra
William Peterson
Joseph Pizzo
Dustin Purdy
Cheryl Robertson
Kate Strein
Alyssa Tyra
Chad Uyehara