Instructional Coaching for Tech-Enhanced Approaches to Mathematics

Meet the Team

Nicola Hodkowski, Ph.D., is the director of mathematics education research at Digital Promise. She leads iCoachTEAM and its initiatives for professional learning, development of research-based resources, and continuous improvement research. Nicola began her career in education more than 20 years ago as a classroom teacher. After 10 years in the classroom, she earned her Ph.D. and moved out of the classroom to partner with teachers in researching students’ ways of reasoning about mathematics. Her current research investigates teachers’ shift toward more conceptual ways of teaching mathematics, understanding how one learns mathematics, and identifying what students know as a way to advance what they do not yet know. Nicola received her doctorate in mathematics education from the University of Colorado Denver.

Lauren McMahon, Ph.D., is a mathematics education researcher at Digital Promise who supports professional learning, development of research-based resources, and continuous improvement research for iCoachTEAM. She has more than a decade of experience working with third- through 12th-grade students in mathematics and enjoys supporting practitioners as they create positive and meaningful mathematics learning experiences for all students. Lauren’s research focuses on mathematics teaching and learning, classroom discourse, and professional development for high-quality mathematics instruction. She holds a Ph.D. in educational studies, specializing in mathematics education, from the University of Michigan, an M.S. in mathematics from Texas State University, and a B.A. in mathematics and business administration from Trinity University.

Heather Dowd, M.S.Ed., is an educator, author, and instructional coaching expert. As a program designer and coach mentor for iCoachTEAM, she developed professional learning experiences for participants and supported coaches in strengthening their coaching practice. Heather draws from her experience as a classroom teacher and instructional coach in her current work writing instructional materials for educators designed to support effective teaching and learning. She is committed to helping teachers create meaningful, student-centered learning experiences that inspire curiosity and deepen understanding. Heather received a B.S. in physics from Illinois State University, an M.Ed. from the University of Illinois, and an M.S. in education from Northern Illinois University.

Angela Hardy, M.A., is a senior education researcher at Digital Promise who supports continuous improvement research for iCoachTEAM. Before joining Digital Promise, Angela spent nearly a decade as a high school and middle school teacher, teaching humanities courses in north Texas and the south of France. She’s still a teacher at heart and is passionate about collaborating with educators and students in co-design and co-research. Angela’s research focuses on instructional coaching for technology integration and mathematics, teacher and leader development, and curriculum and instruction in history. She received her M.A. in international education policy analysis from Stanford University and her B.A. in history and French from the University of North Texas.

Latia White, Ed.D., is the director of collaborative innovation research at Digital Promise. In her role with iCoachTEAM, she contributed to the development of the project’s instructional coaching resources and tools and supported efforts to ensure they can be sustained and scaled in practice. Latia brings extensive experience in learner-centered design and in helping educators create instruction that draws on the strengths, perspectives, and academic knowledge students bring to the classroom. Her work focuses on designing practitioner learning experiences, developing practical research-based materials, and supporting educators as they build environments where all students can engage meaningfully in learning. Latia holds an Ed.D. in organizational leadership. Her doctoral research examined learning differences, teacher efficacy, and collective efficacy.

Mai Chou Vang, M.A., is a senior researcher at Digital Promise who supports continuous improvement research for the iCoachTEAM Program and directs the evaluation of the Illinois Virtual Instructional Coach and Building Mentor Program. Before joining Digital Promise in 2018, Mai Chou spent several years in education research and evaluation roles at WestEd and MyPath, focusing on youth programs and standards implementation. Mai Chou’s research focuses on mixed-methods evaluation, teacher professional development, coaching for technology integration, education policy, and literacy/writing instruction tools. She received her M.A. in education policy from Teachers College, Columbia University, and her B.A. in architecture with a minor in education from the University of California, Berkeley.

Viki Young, Ph.D., is chief researcher, pathway innovations and co-leads the Center for Learner Pathway Innovations. Across national, state, and local contexts, Viki leads research studies featuring mixed qualitative and quantitative methods, with a particular focus on teaching and learning within embedded contexts and the system supports, resources, incentives, and disincentives that shape change and unintended consequences. She has studied the implementation and impact of K-12 policy and improvement initiatives, including high school reform, inclusive STEM high school models, instructional coaching and educator development, and school choice initiatives. Before joining Digital Promise in 2019, she was director of the Center for Education Policy at SRI International. She holds a Ph.D. in education administration and policy analysis at Stanford University.

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