Staff
Amy
Aparicio Clark directs the PALMS project.
She entered the U.S. public schools as a 5th grader,
after her family moved to Connecticut from Lima, Peru. Having made this
difficult transition gave Ms. Clark a special understanding of
the challenges facing students and their families as they acculturate
to a new language
and environment--and it led her to dedicate her career
to improving
opportunities for middle-grades youth.
In the mid-90's, she served as a middle school teacher in Framingham,
Massachusetts, piloting a Spanish-language curriculum for sixth graders
and launching
an afterschool
enrichment program for Latina students. These experiences shaped her
subsequent work at Education Development Center, where she launched PALMS
in 2004. In her nine
years at
EDC, she has provided leadership on a multitude of projects with a middle-grades
focus, using and honing her skills in research, development, training,
and management. Ms. Clark is a sought-after speaker and writer, and
her publications have appeared in journals such as Principal Leadership and
The Evaluation
Exchange. She holds a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College and
a master's in education from Lesley University.
Amanda Dickerson Dorris, a research associate at Education Development Center, began working for the PALMS project in 2004. She coordinated all activities related to the PALMS study on best practices for supporting Latino middle-grades students in the pursuit of postsecondary education. Ms. Dorris coordinates research activities associated with documenting how the PALMS toolkit is implemented in two middle-grades schoos. During her time at EDC, Ms. Dorris has developed a strong knowledge of effective middle-grades pedagogy through her work with the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform. She has also been involved with EDC's ICARE Schools, a project that studies middle schools that successfully involve all families in the education of students with disabilities.
Viviana Cataño-Merino, a research assistant at Education Development Center, brings experience in evaluation, materials development, and community-based research. She has provided research support for the development of the PALMS toolkit and was a key member of the research team that documented how the toolkit is implemented in two middle-grades schools. Ms. Cataño-Merino also works on various EDC health promotion projects that target disadvantaged and minority communities.
Richard Roybal, executive director of LULAC National Educational Service Centers (LNESC), oversees LNESC's activities in the PALMS project. At its inception, PALMS was co-directed by the late Charles Tamez of LNESC. The PALMS staff are grateful for the many and enduring contributions that Mr. Tamez made during his service to the project.
PALMS Field Representatives
The PALMS Toolkit for School Leaders was pilot-tested in four cities where LNESC has established a strong presence. Field testing and dissemination of the toolkit was coordinated through these four LNESC field sites, with oversight from LNESC field directors. These LNESC staff members included:
- Rose Ann Blanco, Field Director, Houston Office
- Ernestina Bobe, Field Director, Chicago Office
- John Moya, Field Director, Albuquerque Office
- Jessica Rivera, Field Director, Philadelphia Office
We gratefully acknowledge Ms. Rivera and Mr. Moya's assistance in data collection for the PALMS Parent Outreach Study.
