Dr. Lynn Sodat
Dr. Sodat provides guidance and technical assistance for Virginia's federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) programs and serves as the state lead for policy interpretation and compliance oversight for the multi-million dollar programs.  She coordinates the efforts of the state's Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV, and Title V teams in their work with educators, division program coordinators, and the public.  Lynn is Virginia's primary point of contact for the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) federal accountability plan. Before joining the Department eight years ago, she worked at the school division level as a teacher, assistant principal, Title I coordinator, and central office administrator.

Tonya Ward Singer
Tonya Ward Singer, a recognized educator and author, consultants internationally to support K-12 educators transform teaching for equity and English Learner achievement. Her work has been described as "groundbreaking, dynamic, practical, relevant, and impactful." Tonya's bestseller EL Excellence Every Day: The Flip to Guide to Differentiating Academic Literacy is a popular resource to help teachers ensure English Learners, and all students, succeed with literacy. Her first bestseller, Opening Doors to Equity, was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and featured in a spotlight by the Gates Foundation.

Dr. Katherine Barko-Alva
Katherine Barko-Alva, a former McKnight fellow, holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction in the area of ESL/Bilingual Education from the University of Florida. The construct of academic language is at the core of her research interest. As a bilingual researcher and teacher educator, she focuses particularly on how teachers understand academic language within the context of ESL/dual language classrooms.