Allison Navas, PhD
Founder & Director of Staff Development
Dr. Allison Navas is a staff developer and researcher specializing in mixed methodologies to explore the causes of underachievement among gifted students. Her work emphasizes training educators to enhance students' social and self-management skills through research-based instruction. With over a decade of experience, she has collaborated with schools across the US, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Dr. Navas, an avid coffee enthusiast and skier, resides in Lima, Peru. She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from Texas Tech University.
Michael Kokozos, PhD
Senior Consultant
Dr. Michael Kokozos, Ph.D., affectionately known as "Dr. Koko" by his students, is an accomplished educator and Associate Director of Teaching & Learning at the University of Pennsylvania, where he also completed his doctorate in Education, Culture, & Society. Dr. Koko teaches at The Global Online Academy, NC State University, and Nova Southeastern University, mentoring educators and collaborating with initiatives like EnGenderED Research Collaborative, #PassTheMicYouth, and the NYTimes Teaching Project to foster inclusive classrooms. He is co-authoring "Teaching Storytelling in Classrooms & Communities: Amplifying Youth Voices & Inspiring Social Change," emphasizing his commitment to transformative education through storytelling. In his leisure time, he writes children’s books and enjoys handstands on Miami’s sunny beaches
Jillian Conry, PhD
Senior Consultant
Dr. Jillian Conry holds a Ph.D. in Education from the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development at Southern Methodist University. Her research focuses on educational technology, second language acquisition, literacy, and equity, particularly concerning emergent bilingual students. Dr. Conry collaborates with various educational initiatives to improve literacy and support diverse student populations and their families and teachers. She currently serves as Title III Language Acquisition Specialist for Garland Independent School District where she builds capacity in students, teachers, and administrators through professional development and coaching. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, skiing, learning languages, and planning her next trip.