Associate Reviewers 

Linda Y. Abbott

Linda has over thirty years of experience as an educator in both urban and suburban classrooms, in higher education, and as director of Mathematics (K-12) for the Springfield Public School System. Bringing knowledge of best practices critical for successful teaching and learning, she has provided direction and support for district leaders, principals, math coaches, and classroom teachers and initiated numerous school and district-wide professional development sessions on a wide range of topics (e.g.; Using Data to Inform Instruction, Professional Learning Communities, and Lesson Study). 

She supported her efforts to increase the number of “highly qualified” teachers in the Springfield Public Schools by securing a five-year National Science Foundation grant for teacher professional development. She also was awarded a Massachusetts State grant to implement a district-wide, research-based, middle school math curriculum. Under her leadership the district implemented the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework for Mathematics in classrooms by creating K-12 Instructional Guides and assessments.  

Linda received a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from Trinity College (Vermont), a Master’s Degree in Education at the University of Michigan, and a Doctorate in Mathematics and Technology Education from the University of Massachusetts. 

Sheila Brock

Sheila has 32 years of experience as a K-5 teacher and elementary principal at both neighborhood and magnet schools. She earned a Bachelor of Special Education and an M.S. and Ed.S. in Elementary Education and Administration from Columbus State University and Troy State University, respectively. In addition, she has completed work with the Georgia School Leadership Institute and the Harvard University School of Education. 

Sheila is one of the original four principals who committed to the implementation of the Cornerstone Framework in Muscogee County in Columbus, Georgia. Her experience with Cornerstone includes four years of professional development throughout the district and professional literacy work in London, England. Working with Cornerstone Literacy has advanced her strong passion for the writing process.  

Brenda Byrd

Brenda is a recent retiree from the Muscogee County School District, with 36 years of experience as an elementary teacher and administrator. She also served as pre-k program lead teacher for the district. Brenda has worked with diverse populations in both neighborhood and magnet schools. As principal, her school was selected to be one of the four original Cornerstone schools in the district. Brenda also serves as university student teacher supervisor.

Leslie Graitcer 

Since retiring as the executive director of the BellSouth Foundation in 2002, Leslie has been an independent advisor in the fields of education reform and philanthropy. She consults with a variety of corporate, nonprofit, and foundation clients. In recent years her primary working relationship has been with the Public Education Foundation (PEF), a local education fund in Chattanooga TN. 

Leslie worked as a part-time consultant with the Cornerstone Initiative (the precursor to Cornerstone Literacy), providing advice during the organization’s early years on building partnerships and working strategically at the district level in order to reinforce the program's school-based professional development work. 

Leslie was with BellSouth for 18 years, 14 of those with the BellSouth Foundation, a $75 million dollar endowed trust devoted exclusively to the improvement of education in the Southeast. During her tenure as executive director, BellSouth Foundation earned a national reputation for its innovative programs and the regional approach it advocated. 

Joyce Hardaway

Joyce has served as a principal and district-level administrator for over twenty years. Since retiring, she has served as an Exemplary Educator for the state of Tennessee and has been successful in helping 100% of the high-priority schools she has worked with achieve adequate yearly progress and advance to good standing. Joyce is CEO of Kastle Instructional Recovery, a tutoring company that works primarily with Title I schools on the high-priority list. 

Robert T. Purifico

A life-long educator and child advocate, Bob is currently the president of Potential Impact, LLC, and has a background in education as a classroom teacher and principal. As president of Potential Impact, Bob works to assist organizations in their identification of problem-solving preference styles in an effort to help build effective and collaborative teams of creative and critical thinkers and leaders of innovation and change. 

Previously, he served as the president and executive director of what is the leading 501(C)3 nonprofit association-based creative problem solving and experiential learning organization in the world, Destination ImagiNation, Inc.  

Mariella Simons

As a consultant for the Mississippi Writing Thinking Institute and the Program of Research and Evaluation in Public Schools housed at Mississippi State University, Mariella works with teachers and administrators to identify and address the particular needs of each individual school or district. Her 34 years of experience in education includes working as a teacher, assistant principal, gifted program coordinator, and district administrator for special education, curriculum/instruction, federal programs, and professional development.  

Carol Woods

With 19 years of experience in K-8 education as a teacher and administrator, Carol brings to Cornerstone a variety of rich experiences in both public and private education, having served children in urban, neighborhood, magnet, and independent school settings.

As a principal in Chattanooga, TN, Carol leveraged strategic business partnerships and community support to create programs designed to boost student achievement in math and literacy. She has been a staunch advocate for excellence in education, and as dean of academics at a private school, she constructed a student-centered approach to pedagogy that emphasized balanced literacy, integrative unit studies, and innovative, research-based instructional practices anchored by focused professional development.

Carol has parlayed her deep knowledge of education into consulting with schools across the United States and Europe.  In addition to her work with Cornerstone, Carol is a core member of an audit team for a corporate educational foundation that has invested millions of dollars in public education. She is also the lead consultant on a major humanitarian project to build a STEM school in Eastern Europe.