Dr. Sarah A. Ruff is an accomplished educator who has made a significant impact in the field of education over the course of 20 years. Her experience spans various educational settings, including urban and rural areas, as well as traditional, charter, and BIA schools. Throughout her career, Sarah has held positions as a teacher, school administrator, and district administrator. Her administration and consulting experiences have allowed her to collaborate with the Department of Indian Education, New Mexico Professional Education Department, charter networks, and school districts. She has worked closely with teachers, leaders, and district teams to successfully facilitate changes in instructional practices, maximize resources, implement systems for strong culture and climate, and support the development and execution of transformational school leaders.

As a firm believer in creating culturally congruent environments, Sarah is dedicated to ensuring that all students have the opportunity to learn and to thrive. She recognizes the crucial role of school leaders in fostering the ongoing growth and development of both teachers and students. By setting high expectations, monitoring progress, and celebrating successes, Sarah empowers educators to create inclusive and supportive learning environments. Her expertise extends to supporting multilingual students and students with exceptional abilities, and she has played a pivotal role in transforming schools in urban, rural, and Native American communities. Sarah finds joy in supporting leaders  and teachers through the transformative journey of school improvement, leveraging her skills as a principal, superintendent, and consultant to make a lasting impact.

Vanessa Ronketto oversees services provided through our Center for Professional Development Excellence, School Transformation Solutions. She is responsible for leading school transformation partnerships, Literacy First: The Science of Reading and our comprehensive needs assessment solution. Her work includes oversight, implementation fidelity, PD Specialist training/support and overall client satisfaction. Vanessa brings more than 40 years of experience in education including experience as a teacher, preschool administrator, reading specialist, a K-8 administrator and a Superintendent.

After moving into a regional support role in 2004 as Senior Director of Achievement, her focus became the support of principals and schools in need of school improvement. She was the superintendent for 8 recovery schools in Ohio and served as the turnaround superintendent in Indiana where she led the design of the education plan for a turnaround project in partnership with the Indiana State Board of Education. Prior to joining our team in 2016, Vanessa served as a Director of Educational Programming. Vanessa holds degrees from Oakland University in Rochester, MI; a BS in elementary education, a MA in Reading and Language Arts, and a post graduate administrative certificate. She is a contributing author to our Science of Reading series.

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