» About Us DAVID LEPARD Dr. David Lepard, President and CEO of ABCI Inc. began his career in education in Pomona, California, receiving his bachelor's degree at Northwestern University, master's degree at Claremont Graduate University and doctorate from the University of Massachusetts where, as a graduate assistant, he directed a micro teaching clinic for future teachers. Later he assisted with early pilots of the National Association of Secondary School Principals' (NASSP) principal assessment center program and founded and directed the first principal assessment center program in Prince William County, Virginia. Dr. Lepard trained outstanding principals throughout the country as a lead trainer for NASSP's principal Assessment Center program. Dr. Lepard joined the faculty of George Mason University (GMU) in 1985; secured funding for establishing and developing regional principal assessment centers in Virginia and founded and directed GMU's Leadership Academy. During his thirteen years at GMU, David was provided with a unique opportunity to develop, test and successfully apply the principles emphasized in Corwin Press's new book, "Powerful Leadership Development – Bridging Theory and Practice Using Peers and Technology." David's career includes elementary, middle, high school and university teaching and administration. Included in his forty years in public education, more than half of them have been devoted specifically to leadership assessment, development and training. He presently directs and manages his own consulting company specializing in leadership training processes combining work-related simulations with video and computer assessment and report generation technology. Dr. Lepard is a presenter and trainer at regional, national, and international conferences in the United States, Brazil, South Africa, and Israel. He served as keynote speaker at the important Ed Futurum (Future of Education) Conference in Bloemfountain where he presented his paper, "A New Concept in Learning Centers: A Study of Computer Assisted Self-Assessment for Management and Leadership Development." David has presented research and development findings at annual meetings of the International Congress on Assessment Center Methods where he has served as conference co-chair. ALAN KOUSEN Mr. Alan Kousen, Vice President and technology advisor of ABCI Inc., began his career in Information Technology while still a chemistry teacher and educator with the Rutland Public Schools in Rutland, Vermont. When he became the department chair of the RHS science department, the early 1980's, he completely automated the ordering, budgeting and inventory processes of the department. Recognizing the need for Fire and Safety officials to know the location of flammable and hazardous materials throughout the city school system, he adapted his program to match the needs of these health and safety officials. His reports became the talk of state and national fire and safety officials. As a graduate student in IT, Mr. Kousen focused his research on methodologies for improving instruction by using educational technology. His success caught the attention of educational foundations, science textbook publishers and Federal Agencies. He authored several innovative science curricula programs that focused around a strong IT professional development program for educators. Mr. Kousen's educational experience has also gone beyond the classroom, and went on to develop innovative energy and environmental education programs, outdoor education programs, and staff development initiatives. During his more than twenty years of teaching, his classrooms were a hotbed of fun learning activities and filled with chatter of students and fellow faculty members wanting to become IT literate. He gave his time whenever he could, insisting that better informed students and faculty would result in better teaching and learning. Alan has earned national recognition as an outstanding teacher, and educational leader. Currently as an IT professional, he has extended his resume to include IT Management, IT Analysis, Data Mining, Data Modeling and Enterprise Architecture. He holds numerous certificates in the applications of IT. MARY ANN WRIGHT Dr. Mary Ann Wright, ABCI Inc. associate for business and education, and master trainer, began her education career teaching in a rural county outside Richmond, Virginia after receiving her bachelor's degree at The College of William and Mary and both her master's degree and Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University. After teaching for six years, she served as an elementary principal emphasizing the importance of professional development to her teachers. Dr. Wright joined the faculty of Virginia Commonwealth University in 1987 leading a Principals Assessment and Development Center, one of four such centers in Virginia. While working with Virginia school administrators, she also trained principals throughout the country for NASSP's Principal Assessment Program, which also included comprehensive and long-term development programs. Dr. Wright has been affiliated with ABCI, Inc. since 1998, assisting Dr. Lepard in delivering PEP* to universities, state departments, and school divisions. Mary Ann currently directs and manages her own consulting business, working with organizations to design training materials, deliver curriculum and develop leadership skills of employees. In addition to education, her clients include finance institutions, multi-national corporations, and state governments. RON JONES Dr. Ron Jones, ABCI Inc. associate for education and trainer, began his professional career in Florence, Alabama receiving a bachelor's degree from the University of North Alabama. He went on to earn a master's from The University of Alabama, a master of divinity from Emory University and a doctorate from Mississippi State University. Dr. Jones has worked as classroom teacher, academic dean, assistant principal, principal, and central office staff director of staff development for a large school district. He served as Director of Staff Development for twenty-one years and was both a state and a national leader in innovative staff training. Ron was invited to publish a monograph of a highly acclaimed teacher mentoring program for first year teachers that he conducted thirteen years. With Dr. Jones's leadership his school district was an early adopter of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Assessment Center process for principals. He served as a consultant and assessor trainer of school administrators in over ten states. Ron Jones brought the pep* program to the attention of the Administrator Leadership Organization for Administrators in the State of Alabama. The organization adopted pep* as a statewide initiative in 1998. Ron serves as a trainer/consultant for the program throughout Alabama. He currently is an adjunct professor for Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. He served as an adjunct professor at the University of Alabama, teaching principals in Haifa, Israel during the summers of 1999 and 2000. Ron is recognized as an outstanding staff developer in the State of Alabama. DORI BISBEY Dori Bisbey, ABCI Inc. associate for education and trainer, serves alternately as the director of Leadership Enhancement Opportunities (LEO – a training organization that serves eight states), as the Coordinator of the Management Training Institute (MTI - a consortium of several school districts in east central Florida), and as a national consultant. Dori's academic background includes a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and English and a Master's degree in English and Education from Mercer University, as well as a Master's degree in Counseling from Stetson University. She has completed additional course work in educational leadership. Dori's earlier educational experiences include middle and high school teaching, district level staff development in Florida, and university administration at Mercer University in Macon, GA. In addition to presenting national and state-recognized programs, Dori designs and delivers workshops, trains trainers for selected programs, and facilitates district and school team projects. She chooses as her principal focus programs that facilitate processes to support and sustain change initiatives and attain effective team performance. To assist school districts in the professional development of administrators, Dori enjoys conducting ABCI's Professional Enhancement Program (pep*) for numerous school districts. An experienced and dynamic speaker, she has presented at state, regional, and national conferences for over 10 years. EDWARD PAVUR Dr. Edward Pavur, ABCI Inc. associate for business and research, began his career in psychology in New Orleans, receiving his bachelor's degree at LSUNO, master's and doctorate degrees in Experimental Psychology at The University of Missouri, and a post-doctorate in Industrial Psychology from Purdue University. Edward worked with Development Dimensions International, where he was responsible for the creation of behavioral exercises, personality assessment, and constulted to the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) behavioral assessment program. He currently works with Management Service and manages a variety of private sector projects. Edward's career includes consulting to over 40 organizations. Included in his twenty years in consulting are many projects in leadership analysis and assessment. He is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology. He is also on the editorial board of The Psychologist-Manager Journal. JOYCE SKAFF Ms. Joyce Skaff, ABCI Inc. associate for education and trainer, a regional education service center director and a consultant, is the director pf the Crown Consortium administratively based in Jacksonville, Florida. The Consortium provides training and development opportunities to educational leaders in fifteen school districts in northeast and north central Florida. She has been actively involved in identifying, developing, and delivering programs that prepare individuals for the ever-changing demands of the principalship. As part of the principal preparation program, Joyce has been administering the Professional Enhancement Program (pep*). In the last two years she has conducted the pep* program with three hundred prospective principal candidates in the Crown Consortium's region. Joyce's experiences in education are in Florida and include teaching and school based administration as dean, assistant principal, and middle school principal. Her personal and professional goals come together through her efforts to provide growth opportunities to those individuals who impact the lives of children. Joyce's academic background is from the University of Florida where she completed her bachelor's and master's degrees. She also has completed advanced studies in educational leadership. Along with her academic preparation, Joyce has participated in and holds a variety of certifications in corporate and leadership level training programs from nationally recognized companies and organizations.