Hi, I'm Rob, and I Believe Professional Learning Should Be Better.

I've spent my career at the intersection of teaching, innovation, and policy, driven by a simple belief: teachers deserve professional learning experiences that are as engaging, authentic, and transformative as what we want for our students. Too often, professional development falls short—but it doesn't have to be that way.

A Teacher's Journey to Innovation Leadership

I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. My mom was a teacher who instilled in me a belief that education is the single best vehicle toward a brighter, bolder life. When I grew up, I became exactly that—a teacher who found joy in classroom innovation, creating authentic projects and assessments, and connecting students to real community issues and partners.

But my journey didn't stop at the classroom door.

From Classroom to Leadership 🚀

As my passion for educational transformation grew, so did my sphere of influence. I became president of our local teachers' union and sought out teacher fellowships across Kentucky to push my thinking and connect with similarly passionate educators.

Then came a pivotal opportunity: leading innovation at the state level. This opened a sandbox of educational innovation, connection, collaboration, and advocacy. Working at this intersection of teaching, innovation, and policy, I helped shape key initiatives in the Bluegrass state:

Portrait of a Learner 🖼️
Kentucky Innovative Learning Network 🔄
Kentucky Innovative Teacher Fellowship 🌟
Local Laboratories of Learning (L3) project 🔬
Kentucky United We Learn Council 🤝

Beyond Kentucky's Borders 🌎

My commitment to transforming education has extended nationally through:

Co-developing the KnowledgeWorks Portrait of a Leader
Being selected for the Obama USA Leaders Program
Participating in the Teach for America Appalachia CALL (Central Appalachian Leadership Lab) Fellowship

For three years (going on four!), I've led a teacher cohort in Kentucky that has been changing classrooms, students, and teachers—proving that when educators are empowered with the right support, transformative change follows.

Research & Advocacy in Education 📚

My work as a researcher has focused on democratic, participatory action research to understand and activate teachers and communities to improve teacher retention—work that has been integral to earning my Ed.D. degree.

I've also helped spread local accountability in service of the Kentucky United We Learn Council's vision to launch a new, learner-centered system of assessment and accountability in the Commonwealth. This work continues, but now I'm expanding my focus to support and connect with practitioners across the nation.

Why I Founded Commonwealth Innovation Partners ✨

Despite all the policy work and large-scale initiatives, my heart has always remained with teachers. I've seen firsthand how traditional PD often feels passive and disconnected from teachers' actual needs. Teachers and students deserve better—they deserve personalized learning and competency-based education that honors their expertise and ignites their potential.

That's why I founded Commonwealth Innovation Partners (CIP)—to deliver hands-on, after-school professional learning that empowers teachers, supports schools through the teacher shortage, and transforms learning for students.

Our Approach: Education Transformed 💡

At CIP, we're not just another PD provider. We're partners in transforming learning through:

Competency-Based Learning 📊 – Educators gain practical skills they can use immediately
Hands-On & Interactive Experiences 🙌 – Teachers experience the strategies they'll bring to classrooms
Public Learning & Sharing 🎭 – Growth is visible and celebrated through exhibitions of learning
Future-Focused & Joyful Practices 🚀 – We embrace fail-forward mindsets and creative problem-solving
Community Connections 🏙️ – Our work bridges education with the real world

The Future Is a Verb 🔮

I believe the future isn't something that just happens to us—it's something we actively create. Our students aren't just preparing for the future; they're shaping it right now. As educators, we have the agency and power to build learning experiences that make that future possible.

That's why I want to bring teaching, innovation, connection, and future-building to life for other teachers too. Through initiatives like the SPARK Fellowship, we're creating spaces where teachers can reclaim their professional autonomy, ignite learning that matters, and ensure students have the tools to shape the world ahead.

Why the Octopus? 🐙

Our octopus mascot embodies everything we stand for:

Intelligent & Adaptive 🧠 – Smart and resourceful, like the educators we work with
Creative Problem-Solver 🌀 – Flexible thinking and innovative solutions
Multitasking & Mastery 🛠️ – Eight arms working in sync, like competency-based learning
Playful & Curious 🎭 – Approaching challenges with curiosity and creativity

At CIP, we believe education should be as versatile, agile, and inventive as the octopus. It's not just a mascot—it's a mindset.