But you don't have to take
my word for it...
Experienced leadership creates lasting improvement in educational outcomes...and years of appreciative clients. The following is a sampling of client testimonials, awards and endorsements, and professional memberships. Feel free to contact me for detailed reference contacts.
Testimonials
"On a scale of 1-5…I would give Amy a 10!
Last spring I had the opportunity to serve on a task force that Amy was facilitating and I knew right away that I wanted to hire her to help my staff develop a 5-year Strategic Plan. I was impressed with Amy’s enthusiastic, affirming manner and her expertise in objectively guiding the group toward our intended outcomes. Amy’s work with my staff proved to be just as meaningful. After only 5 two-hour meetings, Amy motivated us to work collaboratively to create a Strategic Plan that is chock full of insightful
initiatives that we are all committed to achieving. Amy’s written report, unlike others that are buried in
my desk drawer, is one that will be referenced often to inspire us to enhance programs and services for
years to come!
- Gaye Rizzo, Director
Windsor Public Library
Windsor, CT
"…I have had the distinct good fortune and honor to work with Amy as part of the NH State Department of Education’s Best Schools Leadership Initiative (BSLI). Amy did an Outstanding job as our facilitator – and that is Outstanding with a capital O!...
Our team was heterogeneous with representatives from central office, administration, school board, parents, staff and community. Members came from different social backgrounds and ranged in age from their mid-twenties to mid-seventies – many members did not know each other prior to the establishment of this team. All were intelligent and self-assured, eager to share their ideas, and many were sure they knew the answer – sometimes before the question was formulated.
Over the three-years in which we worked together, Amy helped us to move from being a group of divergent people to a focused team – helping us to set and accomplish our goals. She was the main force, the ‘wizard behind the curtain’ by assisting us in becoming a team, keeping focused, making sure everyone was heard and respected and helped us come to common understandings.
Amy’s skills and abilities are many. She is bright, confident, articulate, resourceful and dedicated. Her interpersonal skills are boundless and her personality delightful and welcoming. Amy was a tremendous asset to the success of our venture.
Do not hesitate to hire Amy to work with you! I am certain once you have worked with her you will also understand what a talented individual she is. You are in for a treat!"
- Principal, Hollis Primary School, Hollis, NH
"…Amy was the driving force and an integral part of the changes that have become embedded in our Early Childhood Special Education program….Amy’s personality and professionalism serve her well as she has a tremendous ability to listen to the needs of administrators and staff, connect the two through guidance in what is deemed appropriate from the best practices research….She is skilled at bringing about change and is exemplary in all aspects of her consulting position.
…Her expertise from the early childhood research perspectives, public school law, special education needs as well as her understanding of administration are effective for any grade level. I would recommend Amy to facilitate any team building, systemic process concerns, and operational change…."
- Supervisor of Early Childhood Education & Special Programs, Vernon, CT
"…Amy is one of the finest group facilitators I have ever worked with. She is highly effective with a style that includes a nurturing sensitivity to the individuals within any given delegation. She began her work with us under less than desirable circumstances that were beyond her control yet she was able to get a very diverse group in motion after just one meeting…She rapidly gained trust and respect, was and appreciated by all team members who were happy to be guided by her capable methods…She is at her best when stepping into challenging dynamics that require very skilled orchestration that she is so adept at conducting…She is the embodiment of all the best qualities of an effective facilitator – always part of the solution, never part of the problem… "
- Early Childhood Project Manager, Swanzy, NH
"…I had the great fortune of working closely with Amy, whom I hired as a facilitator to guide our school district during strategic planning…As a facilitator she modeled open-mindedness, efficiency, strong process skills and is a professional who is extremely organized, and goal-focused…Amy understood the importance of ‘bird-walking’ because she could gather background information that would be relevant to strategic planning….
…To her credit, Amy kept me focused on the importance of inviting a representative cross-section of the community to participate in the community conversation portion of the work. We had invited over 200 to a kick-off dinner and conversation – everything was well planned, except the weather. A nor’easter dumped 20 inches of snow on our town that day. Amy was not frazzled and pitched in to do what was necessary to inform participants and all the details of rescheduling. The event proceeded smoothly and elegantly…Another unforeseen occurrence could have toppled the district’s strategic planning initiative had we not hired Amy. Approximately three months into our work, I became quite ill and required surgery. Again, Amy stepped to the forefront and assumed tasks that normally would have been mine, and did so with a smoothness that did not addle district’s decision-makers. She kept me well-informed throughout…
…Perhaps Amy’s strongest suit is her ability to train facilitators. She worked with selected educators preparing them to facilitate and scribe for the event. She provided formats and strategies for taking minutes, assuring uniformity among the five goal committees. And, Amy assisted me in developing the format for the final report…
Amy has the requisite skills to help a school district, or any organization through intensive initiatives. She is an excellent facilitator, who understands the elements of her craft so that she can actually teach for transfer of those skills to others. Amy understands how important it is for everyone to feel heard
…
"
- Assistant Superintendent, Manchester, CT
"…Amy is a superior presenter and facilitator…her knowledge base is so extensive that she is a wonderful resource for multiple topics and trainings. She has a gift for communicating, entertaining and keeping even a large team on task and goal oriented….Amy has excellent organizational skills, balancing many tasks at the same time…She always remains calm and makes each member of the team feel respected and valuable even in difficult situations…She is a pleasure to work with… "
- Early Childhood Team Chairperson,
Quaboag Regional School District, Warren, MA
"…Amy worked as a team facilitator, for five-years, on an exciting state-wide school improvement agenda, entitled Best Schools Initiative, in which my consulting organization partnered with the NH State Department of Education and the NH Governor’s office. The work provided a long-term, team-base approach to school improvement. The work was groundbreaking in scope and worthy of national attention in its design…
…My organization was responsible for the overall design and selection and support of the facilitators. Nearly 400 applied for 75 facilitator positions. I interviewed many skilled facilitators and turned most of them away. Not because they were not qualified, on the contrary, most were both competent and skilled. Amy was selected not only because she is knowledgeable, skillful but she also has the right disposition to handle this challenging endeavor. Most facilitators worked with one team. A select few worked with more than one and she was one of them…
…To facilitate a school team for any period of time requires a high level of competence and confidence in communication, project management, student achievement, and results orientation and inspiration. Amy exhibited all of these qualities time and time again.
Amy is one of those rare individuals who live with purpose and caring and is authentic in all she does. She combines knowledge, skills, and disposition in facilitation that puts her in the category of mastery in the field. Because she thinks systematically her ability to transfer her experience here into other settings, is a given."
- Director of Outreach,
Learning Innovations at WestEd, Woburn, MA
"…It is often difficult to communicate the special talents and abilities of an individual in a letter of reference, especially when her skills clearly stand out from those of others…However, it is a pleasure to attempt to convey the expertise that Amy brings to her role as group facilitator and educator…
…I have worked with Amy in multiple capacities for over ten years…Amy is able to bring people with a wide range of experience, education and positions together to share equally in processes that require reflection on educational practices and critical self-assessment….
…Group facilitation of the caliber that Amy demonstrates requires thorough preparation, a high degree of intelligence, and an ability to analyze and synthesize ideas quickly, an ability to organize and accurately represent ideas, and an ability to create an environment in which each person’s ideas are valued and considered, and ability to read people, and an ability to lead participants to consensus – all while maintaining a good sense of humor! There are many individuals who possess some of these abilities, but few who possess them all. Amy definitely has them all….
…It is rare to find such a capable, flexible individual who can adapt her skills to a wide range of settings….
"
- Director of Special Services, Farmington, CT
"…One of the most significant contributions that Amy made to our district was the Futures Planning: Life Mapping exercise she conducted with staff and family members for several of our students with autism. Although the work was student-specific, the recommendations not only helped us revise the curriculum for that student to ensure best outcomes, but also had systemic programmatic implications which we implemented….As a result of Amy’s valuable consultation over these past years, the delivery of special education services in our district has been dramatically improved…"
- Director of Pupil Personnel & Special Education Services
Plymouth, CT
"…Amy is ideally suited to her vocation, and she has turned consulting into an art form…Her professional approach to consulting ensures that the work agenda will always reflect the goals of the client. She strives for her clients to build internal capacities for their own growth and development and, ultimately, the success they desire…Finally, what is most important to state is really quite simple: spending time with Amy is truly a delightful and enriching experience. Her personal style is one of intelligence, creativity, and good humor which makes every interaction feel both meaningful and enjoyable…. "
- Early Childhood Coordinator, Avon, CT
Endorsements, Certifications, & Awards
CT State Department of Education: Resource Directory of Specialists Educating Students with an Intellectual Disability in the General Education Environment (2005) - One of 12 Independent Educational Consultants, selected from a statewide pool, to be profiled and endorsed within this resource directory. Click to view directory.
CT-Charts-a-Course – TAB Approved Trainer: Endorsed to provide all strands of the CT-Charts-a-Course curriculum to early care and education providers. Developed several core curriculum outlines for statewide use.
Inclusion Coach: Connecticut State Department of Education
Infant-Toddler/Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scales (ITERS/ECERS)
Connecticut Infant Toddler Developmental Assessment (IDA): Yale Child Study Center
Mentor and Cooperating Teacher (BEST): Connecticut State Department of Education
Teacher of the Year, Department of Mental Retardation, Unified School District #3 Hartford, CT
Connecticut Educator Talent Pool: Connecticut State Department of Education
