ROLE:Tony leads our Human Capital team that provides strategic counsel and implementation support to school districts. His team helps districts align their human capital management systems to their overall goals, including the delivery of 21st century learning for every student.
BEFORE BATTELLE FOR KIDS:Tony served 21 years as a teacher, coach, and administrator at the elementary, middle, and high school levels—including as a mathematics teacher, assistant principal, principal, curriculum coordinator, human resources director, data and testing coordinator, professional learning lead, and assistant superintendent.
OUTSIDE OF WORK:Tony enjoys spending time with his wife and kids, attending musical theater, cooking, meditating, and maintaining their home which his wife’s grandparents built in 1940.
ROLE:Michael Duncan, Ed.D., joined Battelle for Kids in August 2023 as the organization's new president, where he works closely with Dr. Garza on strategic initiatives.
BEFORE BATTELLE FOR KIDS:Dr. Duncan has a proven track record of leadership in the education sector. He was one of the longest serving superintendents in the state of Georgia, having been the superintendent at Pike County Schools since 2005, retiring at the end of the current school year. Before arriving in Pike, he was a high school principal, high school and middle school assistant principal, and a middle school teacher. He earned a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Georgia in 2004. He has been a member of EdLeader21, the national network of Battelle for Kids, for more than a decade and previously served as the network’s advisory vice chair.
OUTSIDE OF WORK:
Mike is married to his best friend Melanie, and they have two sons, Josh and Alec.
ROLE: Matt leads our vibrant national network of future-thinking educators committed to 21st century, deeper learning for every student. His team also serves state departments of education in service of school improvement planning and implementation.
BEFORE BATTELLE FOR KIDS: Matt began his career as a middle school teacher and continued serving students and educators as an elementary principal, a middle school principal, a high school principal, director of curriculum and instruction, and coach. Most recently, he served as the chief academic officer for Jefferson County Public Schools in Colorado.
OUTSIDE OF WORK: Matt enjoys skiing, snowboarding, and traveling with his family.
ROLE: Valerie is responsible for the strategy and oversight of 21st century design, delivery, and networks. In that capacity, she leads the team's work on Portrait of a Graduate, Strategic Planning, Portrait to Practice services, and Battelle for Kids’ networks, including EdLeader21 and the Urban District Cohort.
BEFORE BATTELLE FOR KIDS: Valerie co-authored "The Leader's Guide to 21st Century Education: 7 Steps for Schools and Districts." She also co-founded EdLeader21, now the national network of Battelle for Kids, and was the Director of Strategic Initiatives for Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21). She began her career in education technology.
OUTSIDE OF WORK: Valerie lives in Tucson, AZ, bakes sourdough with local grains, and cycles/runs/hikes as often as possible.
ROLE: Shane leads the marketing and communications team as they accelerate the spread and adoption of 21st century, deeper learning through powerful storytelling, thought leadership, and marketing campaigns.
BEFORE BATTELLE FOR KIDS: Shane served in senior leadership for three public school systems, including two career-technical districts, and provided strategic communications counsel to executive leaders in dozens of organizations. Most recently, he operated a strategic and creative consultancy serving education and non-profit clients.
OUTSIDE OF WORK: Shane enjoys obsessing over sports, including rooting for the Columbus Crew, Cincinnati Bengals, and North Carolina Tar Heels basketball team. He is an avid reader and has developed a love for distance running.
ROLE:
Alyson leads the partnerships, grants, philanthropy, and events work for Battelle for Kids. Through our events, she creates unique learning experiences for our network members. In addition, she and her team are always on the search for mission-aligned partnerships and grant opportunities. Alyson also oversees human resources for Battelle for Kids.
BEFORE BATTELLE FOR KIDS:
Alyson was a cofounder of EdLeader21 and COO of the Partnership for 21st Century Learning. Prior to that, Alyson was the HR Director and Chief Negotiator for Tucson Unified School District in Arizona. Alyson received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western New Mexico University.
Alyson enjoys spending time with her husband and three daughters...typically on a softball field somewhere in the western United States.