Crystal Atkinson is an Instructional Coach for Grasslands Public Schools where numeracy is a part of her portfolio. Prior to this, she was an administrator for five years and has taught everything from pre-kindergarten and Early English Language Learners through grade 12 — although most of her years were spent teaching grades 6 to 9. She has also worked as a student support teacher and literacy and math specialist. In addition to coaching, she is a facilitator for the Alberta Teachers' Association Professional Development Corp. Crystal has a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and School Improvement from the University of Alberta and a Bachelor of Education & Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Lethbridge.

Sandra Ball has taught in the Surrey School District for over 30 years with her major focus on Primary Education, and is currently working as the Inner-City Early Learning Helping Teacher.  She believes that all children are capable learners whose strengths, interests, and passions need to be nurtured. Over the past five years, Sandra has worked alongside teachers to support ‘at promise’ students. Along with the classroom experience, she has worked with curriculum and assessment teams to develop the revised curriculum in British Columbia.

Kyla Bernard is from the Eskaosni First Nation, a Nova Scotian community with a population of more than 4000. She is the mother of 3 children and works as an Elementary Math Coach for five Mi’kmaw First Nation schools on Unama’ki. Kyla worked as an elementary grade 1 teacher for 7 years in Membertou First Nation. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Mi’kmaw Studies and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Cape Breton. Kyla has also completed a Reading Recovery training program, upgraded her teaching licence with an Elementary Mathematics Pedagogy program, and is currently enrolled in the Master of Education program. She is very passionate about math, literacy, and the Mi’kmaw language and is honoured to work with educators and First Nation Schools in Cape Breton.

Dr. Cathy Bruce is Full Professor and Vice President, Research and Innovation at Trent University, in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. She has an active research program focused on young children’s spatial reasoning and its relationship with their mathematics learning. “Math for Young Children” is a SSHRC-funded research program, ongoing since 2011, designed to investigate children’s spatial and mathematical capability given rich tasks and adequate support in an atmosphere of playful learning. She and her research team have also investigated teacher and student efficacy, the effectiveness of alternative models of professional learning for teachers, and the use of technology in the mathematics classroom. Cathy has also conducted longitudinal research in the challenging mathematics topics of fractions and linear functions, investigating effective teaching practices for building deep conceptual understanding. Cathy’s approach to research involves collaborating with educators in classrooms to bridge research-practice gaps in education. With 14 years of classroom teaching experience and 20 years in academia, Cathy sees all learners — from young children to teacher candidates to educators with many years of experience — as capable of engaging with and getting excited about mathematics. You can explore her research featured at tmerc.ca and follow her on Twitter @drcathybruce.

Karen Campbell has worked in education in Saskatchewan for over 30 years in a range of positions, both at the school and system levels. At the school level, she has held the positions of teacher (a variety of grades from K–9), special education teacher, and teacher-librarian. At a system level, Karen worked as an Elementary Math Consultant for several years, before taking on the role as Coordinator and then Learning Superintendent.

Jennifer Carter is the District Numeracy Coordinator for Vernon School District in British Columbia. She has teaching experience across the elementary grades, including 15 years in Grades 1 to 3. Jennifer is an executive member of the British Columbia Association of Math Teachers (BCAMT), a member of British Columbia’s Provincial Numeracy Network, chairperson for the Interior Numeracy Network, and an Adjunct Professor for the University of British Columbia (UBCO). Jennifer offers a variety of professional development opportunities for teachers in the area of numeracy, with a focus on helping teachers build a better understanding of the progressions of learning for numeracy development and building curricular competencies in students through math learning.

Bev Dutton has been working for a large school district in Southern Alberta for 30 years as an Early Elementary Teacher spending most of those years teaching K–2. Early on, she took a keen interest in making math interactive and fun to learn for students. Her goal was to have each of her students feel that they were mathematicians who could do math with a smile. After 29 years in the classroom, she transitioned into a consultant role with her district as the New Curriculum Implementation Consultant in the area of Math. In this new position, she is able to dig deeper into the curriculum, provide professional growth opportunities, and explore new resources that will assist K–3 teachers implement the new math curriculum in Alberta.

Tara Flynn is an educator, author, and editor who has worked with Cathy Bruce in the fascinating world of mathematics education research since 2007. As Project Manager and Research Officer, Tara has worked with hundreds of dedicated and innovative educators through cycles of collaborative action research and lesson study, particularly in the areas of spatial reasoning and fractions. She has been an integral member of the Math for Young Children (M4YC) team since the project’s inception, and was both co-author and Editorial Project Manager for the Pearson resource, Taking Shape. As an editor, Tara cut her teeth as Executive Editor at Alternatives journal, and more recently has edited numerous mathematics education resources. She is the Principal Author of the recently published research-based Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) resource, Learning through Teacher Research: A Guidebook for your Action Research Journey.

Teri Foureyes-Awasis is a Plains Cree First Nation woman from Maskwacis, Alberta who is passionate about teaching and learning mathematics. She graduated from university with a minor in mathematics and taught math for 7 years at the First Nations school Ermineskin Junior Senior High School. Teri enjoyed trying to find ways to make math more fun and engaging for students, and later became a Numeracy Coach for grades K–12. Although Teri no longer works full-time in the mathematics field, she tries to promote mathematics whenever she can.

Teri would like to acknowledge and recognize a few people from her Maskwacis community who helped her with information for the activities and stories she wrote. Teri thanks Patricia Johnson and Shauna Smith for their support through the writing process. She thanks Brian Lee for sharing his knowledge of the circle and providing information passed down from the late ceremonialist Wayne Roan.  She also thanks the elderly segment and community members who helped out whenever possible.  Ay hay! 

Carole Fullerton is passionate about mathematics instruction. Carole is a teacher-leader working in K–12 classrooms to support the development of numeracy instruction across British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, the territories, and beyond. Addressing student diversity through rich questions, teaching through problem-solving, and planning around the Big Math Ideas are essential aspects of her practice. In her collaborative work, Carole strives to engage students and their teachers in thought-full investigations of what it means to DO math, learning through exploration, talk and play. Carole has authored and co-authored several teacher resource books on mathematics instruction, focused on mathematical thinking, on mastery of the facts, and on the operations. But her biggest accomplishment is her son Cameron — a confident, capable, and flexible mathematician in his own right.

Shelley Gartner is currently the Elementary Math Consultant with the Calgary Catholic School District. Although math was not her favorite subject in her early years, it was the lack of conceptual understanding that ignited her passion to teach math in more engaging ways. For the past 24 years, Shelley has shared her new found love of math with students from K–9, with grades 7–9 being her focus. As a consultant, her emphasis is to increase teacher efficacy and confidence in teaching math. Shelley thrives on those light bulb moments with students and teachers alike, all while helping to form positive relationships with math.

Lina Kind is a primary teacher (Grade 1 and 1/2) with the Calgary Catholic School District for over 30 years. Her credentials include the following:

• recipient of the MCATA Math Educator of the Year Recipient in 2022 and the MZine Math Educator of the Month award (May 2022) 
• Lead of Professional Development for teachers at her school and school district, and at the provincial level for numeracy, literacy, science, and technology
• facilitator and developer of Parent Numeracy and Literacy Nights (Grade 1 specific, K–2, 3–6) 
• participant of the Calgary Campus Open Minds at Arts Commons, Jube School, Ann and Sandy Cross, and Ralph Klein Park
• coordinator of the One Book One School Initiative   
• presenter at the Calgary City Teachers Convention and Alberta Science Network

Rebecca Ledger has been working as an elementary teacher with Christ the Redeemer school division in Alberta for 10 years. She has worked with students from diverse backgrounds, with a focus on ELL students. She is passionate about mathematics education and believes in fostering a love of math in each of her students. Accessible hands-on learning, with a focus on mathematical thinking and communication, is a focus of her classroom instruction. She continues to work alongside students and colleagues to develop a deeper understanding of how students learn best and how to bring each student to their full potential.

Shannon Loutitt was born in mâskwasîpîsis (Grande Prairie) and raised in nistawoyou (Fort McMurray). She now lives in amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton). Shannon is otepemsew (Métis); her dad Jack is from Fort Smith and her mom Irene is from Paddle Prairie. Shannon works with Edmonton Catholic Schools and is also pursuing her Master’s in Educational Policy Studies with a specialization in Indigenous Peoples Education. She is also a Cree language learner and proud auntie.

Kim Mastromartino is an experienced educator from Ontario, facilitating learning at the provincial, regional, district and school levels, while working in various roles. Over the years, her passion for learning has been driven by experiences as a parent of a deaf/hard of hearing son, teacher, consultant, facilitator, faculty advisor, student achievement officer, and an instructor and writer for Teacher Additional Qualification courses.

Supporting students, teachers, principals, and system leaders in their learning has been at the heart of Kim’s partnerships in collaboration.

Matthew Oldridge is a father, thinker, mathematics educator, and TEDx speaker with 15 years of K–12 mathematics teaching, consulting, and presenting experience. Most recently, he has spent 3 years as a Resource Teacher of Effective Mathematics for the Peel District School Board, helping to implement the board-wide mathematics strategy EngageMath.

Ann Pigeon has been an educator for 31 years. She has taught in the primary and junior divisions and worked as a Mathematics Learning Coordinator with the Thames Valley District School Board, where she worked with dedicated teachers through collaborative inquiry. Additionally, Ann completed a secondment with the Ministry of Education supporting district school boards in their implementation of the Renewed Math Strategy. While at the Ministry of Education, Ann reviewed and authored various math support documents. Ann completed her Master of Education at Western University, where she became interested in part-whole relationships and the development of students’ understanding of the operations. Supporting teachers and students with the teaching and learning of mathematics has been a passion of Ann’s for many years.

Jonathan So is a proud teacher for the Peel District School Board in Ontario. He has taught grades 2–8 and is currently a Vice Principal. Jonathan always looks to promote creativity and exploration in his family, students, and colleagues. He completed his Masters of Education, focusing on how his questions impacted students’ learning of part-whole relationships in fractions. Jonathan’s interests lie in math, assessment, and technology and he is passionate about inquiry and the endless possibilities it has for students. He is also keynote presenter, and workshopper. Jonathan is a proud parent of 3 wonderful young children.

Pam Spooner is of the Gitxsan nation (Frog clan) from Hazelton, British Columbia. She started a Masters in First Nations Studies in Prince George. After giving birth to twins, she successfully pursued a Masters in Elementary Mathematics Curriculum. She is the mother of 5 beautiful children.

After graduating, she held the position of secondary math teacher for 14 years. She then moved on to become a math support teacher before moving to the administration side. She was vice-principal at Prince George Secondary School and is currently principal at Nusdeh Yoh Elementary, an Aboriginal Choice School in Prince George.

Erik Teather has had the opportunity to work in Ontario elementary math education for close to 20 years. His various roles have included classroom teacher, math coach, and consultant.  He continues to be excited about working with students and educators as they look for the mathematics in their world in ways that help them to reason and make sense of the mathematics they are learning.

Shawna Turner has been teaching in the Grasslands School District in Alberta for nearly 17 years. She has taught grades 2-6, English as an Additional Language, and targeted literacy groups across the elementary grades. Passionate about literacy, Shawna has always incorporated stories and books into all subjects to engage learners and connect curriculum to children's interests. Shawna has a B.A. in English literature and a B.Ed. in elementary education. She also has a Master's degree in education, focusing on critical literacy in elementary classrooms and advocating for representation and equity for marginalized students in elementary classrooms.  

Kimberley Tyssen is a primary educator for the Vernon, British Columbia School District. As a grade one teacher for over 10 years, teaching mathematics to enthusiastic six-year-old children is her favourite part of the school day. She believes that all children can feel successful and have fun learning math. Kim lives in Vernon with her husband and their two energetic boys.

Lyn Vause is an educator, author, and researcher. During her career, she has participated in a unique set of educational opportunities including obtaining a doctoral degree from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), conducting large- and small-scale professional development projects with the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA), the Ontario Ministry of Education, the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat, the Ontario Teachers Federation (OTF), UNICEF, and the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT). Lyn was a course director and instructor for York University’s Consecutive Bachelor of Education program and a course instructor for Lakehead University‘s Concurrent Bachelor of Education program, as well as an Additional Qualification Course writer and instructor for numerous courses for the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association. She is the recipient of the 2016 Ontario English Catholic Teachers Lifetime Achievement award, as well as the 2016 Ontario Association for Mathematics Educator Lifetime Membership Award. In all of these positions, her main personal and professional focus has been on the improvement of teaching and learning in mathematics in the primary and junior grades.

Wendy Weight has worked in education in Manitoba for over 40 years as a classroom teacher, support services teacher, and as an Early Years divisional consultant focused on improving literacy and numeracy achievement in grades K–4. She has facilitated a wide variety of Early Years numeracy workshops including First Steps in Math Professional Development. Wendy has a strong belief that when teachers understand the conceptual ideas behind the mathematics, can observe and probe for what students know, and have a repertoire of robust learning activities, student learning in mathematics will strengthen dramatically.

Shelley Yearley

After 8 years as a Provincial Lead of Mathematics on assignment with the Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE), Shelley returned to the classroom teaching mathematics in Trillium Lakelands DSB for 3 years before retiring. While on assignment, the key project within her portfolio was the action research led by Dr. Cathy Bruce of Trent University that focused on the teaching and learning of fractions. This work, a partnership between CODE, Trent University, and the Ontario Ministry of Education, involved students and educators from K–12 classrooms in several Ontario district school boards. Shelley also played a role in the development of numerous resources and professional learning supports for K–12 educators, including the Paying Attention to… series and the provincial GAINS Math CAMPPPs. Shelley has served on a number of committees, including NCTM’s Educational Materials Committee (2014–2017), Action Research Network of the Americas Executive Committee (2009–2014), Ontario Ministry of Education Connecting Practice and Research — Mathematics Advisory Panel (2007–2010), and as an executive member of the Ontario Mathematics Coordinators Association (2002–2006). Educators’ passion for learning and desire for quality research-based educational tasks inspires Shelley to continue to support an increased alignment between research and classroom practice.

Amy Zorzetto has been teaching with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board since 1998, where she has taught grades in the Primary, Junior, and Intermediate Divisions. Amy has held other positions for the school board, including Math Facilitator. She was an Elementary Program Consultant for 4 years prior to her return to the classroom in 2015. Amy’s love for math and the excitement she gets from seeing students engaged in learning mathematics inspires her every day!