CBLIP Team
CBLIP is supported by a team consisting of College Board staff working out of the College Board's National Office in New York City, veteran educators engaged to coach participants during and between the residential sessions, and expert facilitators for the three residential sessions.
College Board Team
Toby Sanders is the senior project manager of education technology, supporting the development of College Board Schools to effectively integrate technology and learning. Her background is a combination of expertise in general management, technology, and education. As vice president at children's software pioneer MaMaMedia.com, she helped grow the company from 2 to 80 employees. As general manager for online business at United Media, Toby managed strategy and operations, and oversaw international licensing partnerships for Dilbert.com, Snoopy.com, and Comics.com. Toby has served in a variety of roles in education including technology positions at private schools, such as The Dalton School, and running the admissions program for New Leaders for New Schools. She has also consulted for Dun & Bradstreet, Scholastic, Seidmon & Associates, and Learn Technologies. Toby earned her M.Ed. and M.A. from the Communications, Computers, and Technology in Education Department at Teachers College, Columbia University and her B.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Helen C. Santiago is currently the executive director of the New York Education Initiative, K-12 for the College Board. In this role, she is responsible for the development of up to 18 schools, grades 6-12, for the College Board, in collaboration with the New York City Department of Education, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. Helen has served in the positions of senior instructional manager for teaching & learning in the New York City Department of Education, community superintendent in Community School District 1 and deputy superintendent in Community School Districts 9 and 3 in New York City, a director of professional development, elementary school principal, coordinator of programs, and a bilingual teacher not only in New York City, but in Biloxi, Mississippi and Dysart, Arizona as well. She is a member of various professional organizations, including National Staff Development Council (NSDC) and ASCD, has served as a member of the NSDC Planning Conference Committee, and is a past president of the Association of Deputy Superintendents of the New York City Public Schools.
Edna R. Vega was born in Cayey, Puerto Rico and raised in the South Bronx, receiving her education from the New York City public school system. During a professional career of more than 30 years, Edna has served in a variety of positions in the field of education including teacher, principal, adjunct professor, lecturer, assistant commissioner of education for New York State, superintendent of Community School Districts One and Seven in New York City, and local instructional superintendent in Region Four of New York City. At present, she is the executive director of implementation for the New York Education Initiative at the College Board. She received her Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Nova Southeastern University, a Professional Diploma in Administration and Supervision from Fordham University, and a Master of Science Degree in Education Degree from City College of the City University of New York.
Kathy Zamora is the operations manager for the CBLIP. Prior to joining the team, Kathy supported College Board regional offices, programs, and external partners as an assistant director in the Professional Development unit. Her background includes experience with education, operations, and marketing in both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. During evenings and weekends, Kathy is completing a degree in psychology at Montclair State University. In her remaining free time, she co-leads a successful online gaming community with her husband, focusing on the organization of community events involving teamwork, problem solving, and strategy. Offline, Kathy enjoys cooking, handicrafts, and a broad range of outdoor activities.
Facilitators
Dr. Albert Bertani
Al Bertani recently retired from his position as a Senior Researcher in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Prior to his time with the University of Illinois at Chicago, he served for three years as Chief Officer for Professional Development with the Chicago Public Schools. Other Chicago-related roles include stints as the senior executive director for CLASS (Chicago Leadership Academies for Supporting Success) and co-director of School and Leadership Development with CSI (Center for School Improvement) at the University of Chicago. During his thirty-four years in education, he has divided his career between working in public schools and higher education having served as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, college professor, university administrator, and senior research associate. Al has consulted with schools, school districts, boards of education, colleges, universities, federally funded projects and professional organizations both nationally and internationally. His teaching, consulting, and research interests include: leadership development, organization development, professional learning, large scale change, and strategic planning. He regularly presents papers, workshops, and institute programs for numerous professional organizations. Al has authored articles, research reports, and book chapters regarding staff development, systemic change, and stakeholder-based strategic planning. He is a past president of the Illinois Staff Development Council and former member of the Board of Trustees for the National Staff Development Council.
Al holds an Ed.D. and an M.S. in Ed. in curriculum and instruction and educational leadership from Northern Illinois University.
Rob Bocchino
Rob Bocchino has been an educator for 25 years. He started his career teaching English in an inner-city high school in Baltimore. He later returned to New York State and taught every ability and grade level in a suburban high school outside of Syracuse, where he later became the Director of Professional Development.
He has expertise in brain compatible learning, communication skills, conflict management and learning research as well as group dynamics, change, and leadership. He has taught all of these things at Syracuse University and in schools and businesses around the world. He has worked in the area of Systems and Individual Change for over 18 years and, during that time he coached and taught coaching to leaders in business, school districts and systems throughout the world.
An international consultant, he has worked in dozens of large cities including New York City, Kansas City, Tokyo, Heidelberg, and Miami. He also worked in small towns like Norwich, NY and Ottumwa, IA. In addition, he was commissioned to design the curriculum and be the primary presenter at the first International Peace Conference in Egypt. The Peace Conference was co-sponsored by the Office of Her Excellency Suzanne Mubarak and the Women's International Peace Initiative. The goals of this conference were to teach strategies and skills for conflict resolution, leadership and advanced communication.
Rob's book, Emotional Literacy, is written for teachers and includes strategies and hands-on classroom applications for teaching and fostering the skills of anger management and conflict management. He is currently working on a book which focuses on paradigms for leadership and maps for change.
