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Diverse, experienced, national wide team of educational consultants. Superintendents, professors, authors, thought leaders, educational leaders, principals. A team that is passionate about learning and leading. Zeal Education Group’s engine is fueled by a diverse, nationwide team with centuries of experience as superintendents, principals, professors, authors, and industry thought-leaders. Jeff Melendez Founder & CEO Read More Coretta Martin Associate Read More Eric Becoats Senior Associate Read More David Pinder Senior Associate Read More Marie Hubley Alcock Strategic Partner Read More Curtis Cain Senior Associate Read More Kim Marshall Associate Read More Lori McEwen Associate Read More David Miyashiro Senior Associate Read More Lory Morrow Senior Associate Read More Paul Gausman Senior Associate Read More Ian Saltzman Senior Associate Read More Jordin Williams Associate Read More Andrea Cruz Associate Read More Ebony Lanford-Brown Associate Read More Stephen Murley Senior Associate Read More Mark Toback Senior Associate Read More Alyssa Sabbatino Associate Read More Richard Henderson Associate Read More Stephanie Bell Associate Read More Priya Darbari Senior Associate Read More Peter Light Senior Associate Read More Kris Cosca Senior Associate Read More Michael Zarchin Associate Read More Kevin Eberle Associate Read More Jack Mitchell Associate Read More Gabrielle Morquecho Associate Read More April Lewis Associate Read More Dawn Lucarelli Associate Read More Chris Wester Associate Read More Nicole Elliott Associate Read More Joe Corso Associate Read More Lee Gaul Associate Read More Dino Coronado Senior Associate Read More Michael Brownstein Associate Read More Verdel Jones Associate Read More Carrie Grimes Associate Read More Brian Colomban Associate Read More Kimberly Banda Associate Read More Victor Ramsey Associate Read More Gregory Stowell Senior Associate Read More Chris Carlone Associate Read More Kimberly Organek Associate Read More Scott Lindsey Associate Read More Katherine Stahl Associate Read More Gregory Rodriguez Associate Read More Jack Zamary Senior Associate Read More Travis McGuire Senior Associate Read More Michael Barcadepone Senior Associate Read More Anna Wamack Associate Read More Don Killingbeck Senior Associate Read More Peter Light Senior Associate Read More Jillian Bumpus Associate Read More Robert Tremblay Senior Associate Read More Mark Burnette Senior Associate Read More Elizabeth Van Tassel Associate Read More Ed Finney Associate Read More Ryan Foor Associate Read More Sarper Turker Associate Read More Jason Mantell Senior Associate Read More James Venhaus Associate Read More Erik Weenink Project Manager Read More Tom Hakes Director of Growth Read More Prakash Nair, AIA Strategic Partner Read More Liam Goldrick Strategic Partner Read More Tom McMorran Senior Associate Read More Joelle Magyar Senior Associate Read More Maria Suttmeier Senior Associate Read More Elissa Klein Associate Read More Tim Goree Associate Read More Jennifer Rasmussen Associate Read More Ray Fredrick Associate Read More Jennifer Walsh-Rurak Associate Read More Julia Drake Associate Read More Daniel Erickson Senior Associate Read More Cliff Claflin Associate Read More Megan Bennett Senior Associate Read More Stephen Tracy Senior Associate Read More Joseph Micheller Senior Associate Read More Paul Castro Senior Associate Read More Mike Redmond Senior Associate Read More Paul Rasmussen Associate Read More Wheatley Moylan Associate Read More Brian Czapla Senior Associate Read More Chris Malone Senior Associate Read More Zac Robbins Senior Associate Read More Ed Pietrzak Associate Read More Molly Ness Associate Read More Christopher Nagy Senior Associate Read More Michael O'Guin Senior Associate Read More Joanne Panopoulos Associate Read More Thomas Dillon Associate Read More Dan Rector Associate Read More Sharon Bradley Associate Read More Mark Pompano Associate Read More Anita Foor Associate Read More Bill de la Cruz Associate Read More Rafael Mercado Associate Read More Michelle Brantner Senior Associate Read More Tracy Edwards Associate Read More Steven Adamowski Senior Associate Read More Lee Weber Senior Associate Read More Brooke Olsen-Farrell Senior Associate Read More Matthew Friedman Senior Associate Read More Scott Cascone Senior Associate Read More Richard Jones Associate Read More David Arnsten Associate Read More Stephen Hernandez, Esq. Associate Read More Leslie Torres-Rodriguez Senior Associate Read More Clemente Lopes Associate Read More

< Back Clemente Lopes Associate With more than 31 years of distinguished service in the New York City Department of Education, Clemente Lopes, has built a career defined by exceptional leadership, visionary planning, and an unwavering commitment to student and teacher success. Serving as a New York City Principal for 19 years and an Assistant Principal for seven, he has consistently demonstrated strong instructional leadership, innovative programming, and effective fiscal management across diverse school communities. A seasoned supervisor since 1999, Clemente has cultivated outstanding written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills, paired with a deep understanding of educational policy, school operations, and budget administration. His leadership has been instrumental in shaping positive, collaborative school cultures grounded in continuous improvement. Under his guidance, teachers, students, and school teams experienced higher levels of engagement, professional growth, and academic achievement. Throughout his tenure, Clemente introduced numerous initiatives that elevated student performance and later became models adopted across New York City. These included early implementation of various educational platforms, innovative flexible scheduling to integrate ENL students into mainstream classrooms, and the development of strategic grant opportunities and community partnerships. He also prioritized leading-edge professional development and restructured school processes to meet the evolving needs of students and staff. Known for his ability to strengthen teacher retention and foster safe, supportive learning environments, Clemente Lopes created highly effective professional learning teams, demonstrating the power of shared leadership and collaboration in driving student success. His involvement included the leadership of several organizations such has; President – Italian American Caucus of CSA, President Emeriti – Middle School Principals Association of NYC, Executive Board Member – CSA, Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, and Executive Board Member – New York Academy of Public Education.

Notice of Vacancy Superintendent of Schools Stamford Public Schools Stamford, Connecticut Start Date July 1, 2026 www.sau17.net email search@zeal-ed.com for information

Zeal Education Group is a national consulting firm dedicated to providing audits and services. We offer leadership coaching, security audits, professional development, etc. We help schools & districts meet exceed their goals. & Insights Audits As a full-service consulting firm consisting exclusively of school and district leaders, our audits leverage an outsiders' view with an insiders' perspective. Chronic Absenteeism Fine Arts Special Education & MTSS Safety & Security Financial & HR Technology Cyber Security Organizational Effectiveness Board Policy Behavior Intervention Inside view Outside perspective Community Engagement Superintendent Searches Board Governance Training Change Management Reimagining Learning Spaces Strategic Communications Team Building Subject Matter PD Strategic Planning Leadership Coaching Services & Supports Our team possesses the knowledge and knowhow to help your organization identify and solve any problem, no matter the size or scale. What our clients are saying: We contracted with Zeal Education Group to conduct our district-wide security audit. While in district, the Zeal team was professional, thorough, and focused. The final report is well-formatted, incredibly detailed, driven by national standards, and very useful to my Board of Education, district staff, and for myself. Dr. Anthony Gasper Superintendent of Schools Meet our Team

< Back Matthew Friedman Senior Associate Called into education, Dr. Matthew Friedman entered the field over 25 years ago as a high school social studies teacher in the Penn Hills School District in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was sworn in as superintendent of the Quakertown Community School District in Bucks County, Pennsylvania on July 5, 2023. Dr. Friedman has accumulated a wealth of experience and gained the respect of colleagues and peers while advancing in his career. He has held positions of increasing responsibility over the years, serving as assistant principal, chief academic officer, assistant superintendent, and, most recently, superintendent of the Ocean City School District in New Jersey. Known for his dedication to students and families, Dr. Friedman is recognized for the tremendous strides he has made in implementing successful and innovative programs for students to improve their performance in pursuing college or a career. He is committed to building on best practices to ensure that current and future students have opportunities to explore their interests and find their true passions. Additionally, Dr. Friedman has extensive experience teaching at several major universities in the schools of education, providing instruction to individuals seeking careers in educational leadership positions. With a passion to teach educators and administrators, Dr. Friedman has an ongoing quest to cultivate strong leaders both in and out of the classroom to help mold the future leaders of our schools.  Dr. Friedman received a doctorate in educational leadership from Gwynedd Mercy University, master’s degree in public policy and management and educational leadership from Carnegie Mellon University, master’s degree of science education from Duquesne University, and bachelor’s degree in political science and communications from the University of Pittsburgh.

< Back Stephen Tracy Senior Associate Dr. Stephen Tracy believes that as educators, our first challenge is to inspire all students to work hard at the business of learning. As the saying goes, "if you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you!" Because learning is such a personal undertaking, our effectiveness in promoting engagement sets the stage for the achievement and school success that we all seek. As a member of the Board of Directors of the William Glasser Institute, Dr. Tracy supports educators in the use of Choice Theory to promote the motivation, relationships, positive school climate and effective leadership that enable all children to thrive. Dr. Tracy has extensive experience as a public education leader, having served as superintendent in a number of urban and suburban public school districts. He has also created several public schools of choice in the northeastern United States. He earned his undergraduate degree in public affairs from Princeton University, his master’s degree in teaching from Columbia University and his doctorate in educational leadership from Harvard University. As the father of a handicapped child, Dr. Tracy is a devoted advocate for the disabled and a longtime member of the Board of Directors of Ability Beyond. He is also a Board member for Healing the Children, a non-profit organization that delivers free medical care to children in need throughout the world.

< Back Paul Gausman Senior Associate Dr. Paul Gausman serves as Superintendent Emeritus for Lincoln Public Schools in Nebraska. He joined LPS in 2022, leading the state’s second-largest and rapidly growing district through post-pandemic recovery and into a period of innovation and expansion. During his tenure, the district’s graduation rate rose from 82% to 87%, preschool access expanded significantly, and major initiatives around career education, school safety, and staff retention were successfully launched. He also helped raise over $2.5 million for student-athletic facilities and led the development of the district’s Strategic Plan through 2029. Before Lincoln, Dr. Gausman served for 14 years as superintendent of Sioux City Community School District in Iowa, where the graduation rate exceeded 90%, and the district earned national recognition for initiatives in early learning, career academies, and digital learning. He was named Iowa Superintendent of the Year in 2014 and was a finalist for National Superintendent of the Year in 2018. His leadership was also featured in the national documentary Bully , reflecting his commitment to school safety and anti-bullying efforts. Dr. Gausman holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of St. Thomas and multiple advanced degrees in education and music. Nationally respected, he served as president of the Urban Superintendents Association of America and has remained deeply engaged in advocacy, community partnerships, and innovation in public education.

< Back Elissa Klein Associate Elissa Klein served as co-founder and Chief of Staff of ReGeneration Schools, a nonprofit charter management organization ranking #1 in Illinois and the top 4% nationally (Stanford CREDO, 2023). As Chief of Staff, Elissa led all non-instructional work, built the home office, and stewarded the leadership team and organizational strategy. Elissa began her work in Chicago supporting the turnaround of three Chicago International Charter Schools (CICS): CICS Avalon, CICS Basil, and CICS Washington Park. These schools ranked in the bottom 17% of Illinois in 2012, and in three years, ReGeneration's team increased student achievement to the top 39% of the state. By 2019, all three ranked in the U.S. News' top 10 for Illinois charter elementary schools. During that time, Elissa wrote applications and gained acceptance to Charter School Growth Fund and Charter Network Accelerator. She secured $5.5M in grants for ReGeneration's expansion and successfully authored a charter application. Elissa developed her passion for education helping to found Uncommon Schools’ Rochester Prep. She has taught with Citizen Schools in Boston, MA, and developed math assessments for Achievement Network. Elissa holds a B.A. from Williams College, an Ed.M. from Harvard Graduate School of Education, and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from the Broad Center , formerly an independent education institution now housed at Yale School of Management.

Services Change Management There is an adage which states that managers help organizations cope with complexity, leaders help organizations cope with change. Our team can help you and your leadership team to develop a strategy for introducing change that results in commitment rather than compliance for sustainable results. In his book "Change or Die," Alan Deutschman underscores a startling reality: when faced with the imperative to alter habits, behaviors, or lifestyles to avert dire consequences, a staggering 90% of individuals opt to remain unchanged. While this statistic may seem incredulous, it highlights humanity's innate resistance to change. Our team leverages cutting-edge research to pinpoint challenges and bolster your change initiatives. Serving as a strategic thought-partner, we offer a fresh perspective to navigate complexities effectively. Our specialized services include: Issue Auditing and Problem Clarification: Comprehensive evaluation to illuminate core challenges and refine problem-solving strategies. Leadership Coaching: Empowering leaders to become catalysts for meaningful change within their organizations. Strategic Planning: Designing actionable plans rooted in John Kotter's renowned 8-step change process to drive transformative outcomes. Facilitation of Purposeful Retreats: Orchestrating retreats that cultivate alignment, clarity, and actionable insights around organizational goals and initiatives. By partnering with us, you leverage expertise that transcends conventional approaches, empowering your organization to embrace change, foster innovation, and achieve sustainable success. Schedule Your FREE Confidential Consultation OUR PROMISE We understand that our clients are not just districts and schools, but ultimately the students that they are designed to serve. As fellow educators, we are committed to acting with integrity, honesty, a nd transp arency. Zeal is unlike any other consulting firm because we guarantee complete and total satisfaction on any service we provide, or we will start over. Learn more about our other services: Reimagining Learning Spaces Create contemporary learning spaces that will truly engage students Learn More Strategic Communications Ensure your most important messages are received Learn More Team Building Bring the best out of your team for optimal performance Learn More Subject Matter PD Contemporize your curriculum and teaching in all content areas Learn More Leadership Coaching Bespoke coaching for all levels of leadership Learn More

< Back Stephen Murley Senior Associate Steve Murley served as Superintendent of Schools for the Green Bay Area Public Schools from 2020 through 2022, the Iowa City Community School District from 2010 through 2020, and the Wausau School District from 2005 through 2010. He has also served as a teacher, coach, athletic department administrator, building administrator, and director of human resources and employee relations. Each of the three districts he served as superintendent of schools represented metropolitan communities including schools with urban, suburban, and rural profiles. The students in these districts brought an enormous range of diversity to the classrooms including issues related to poverty, navigating life as black/indigenous/ students of color, adjusting to life in the United States, learning English as a second language, and meeting their unique needs in special education programs. Steve has a deep and abiding commitment to public education and developing the next generation of leaders who will serve our students. He was appointed as an Assistant Professor in the College of Education in the Educational Policy and Leadership Studies Department at the University of Iowa in 2022. Steve has been active as a graduate school adjunct faculty member since 2001 having taught at the University of Iowa in the Educational Policy and Leadership Studies Department, the University of Wisconsin – Superior in the Educational Administration Department, Marian University in the Educational Leadership Department, and the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh in both the Department of Human Services and Professional Leadership and the Department of Educational Foundations. Recognizing the need for early- and mid-career coaching, mentoring, and support for superintendents, district level leaders, and school leaders, Steve has worked to provide the scaffolded assistance these leaders need to succeed for over a decade. Beginning in 2013 he has served as the lead instructor for the American Association of School Administrators National Superintendent Certification Program – Midwest Cohort. More recently Steve has begun coaching and mentoring through AASA’s Learning 2025 Learning-Centered Future Driven Education initiative working with national-level demonstration districts to advance their work individually and collectively. From 2020-24 he served as the lead instructor for the American Association of School Administrators National Superintendent Certification Program – Minnesota. Steve also worked in the Chicago Public Schools from 2012 through 2015 providing support to Network Chiefs and their leadership teams at the distinct level and school leaders at the building level. As a Superintendent of Schools, Steve has been active in professional organizations at the national level including the Alliance for Education Impact, the American Association of School Administrators, the American Association of Community Colleges Commission on College Readiness, the District Administration Leadership Institute, the District Management Group, the Education Advisory Board, the Futures 21 Council, the Horace Mann League, the Institute for Education Innovation, New Era Superintendents, the National Superintendents Dialog, the National Superintendents Roundtable, the Superintendents Environmental Education Collaborative, the United States Department of Education Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, and the Urban Superintendents Association of America. Steve earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan with a triple major in Economics, History, and Communications. He has also completed a Master of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin in Educational Administration and an Education Specialist degree from the University of Wisconsin in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis.

< Back Julia Drake Associate Dr. Julia DiSalvo Drake is a passionate educator and elementary school leader. She is currently completing her 15th year as a principal with experiences in both an urban school in NYC, and a suburban school in Westchester County, New York. Prior to her leadership roles, Julia was selected as a Teaching Fellow for Special Education in NYC and a Reading First Coach, and was subsequently selected to join the NYC Leadership Academy. Dr. Drake earned her MS in Elementary Education from Mercy College, her Advanced Certificate from Baruch College and her Ed.D. from Manhattanville College where her dissertation entitled, Female Superintendents’ Perceptions of Unconscious Gender Bias in the Superintendency: An Exploratory Quantitative Study received the 2021-2022 Distinguished Dissertation Research Award. In addition to this significant academic achievement, Dr. Drake completed the Educational Policy Fellowship Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Drake has published in SAANYS Vanguard Magazine, and the AASA Journal of Scholarship and Practice. Julia has served as an adjunct professor for Bank Street’s Future School Leader Academy, and was an invited keynote speaker at the NYS Council of School Superintendent's Women's Initiative in the Spring of 2022. Currently she is one of six representatives from New York State invited to join the Advanced Education Policy Leadership Program (AEPLP) through Columbia University’s Teachers College. AEPLP is a consortium of six state Education Policy Fellowship Programs: Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania & New York.

< Back Anita Foor Associate Anita Foor earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication. She polished her learning by earning a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University Nebraska and is also a certified practitioner of the following people development assessment tools: DISC, Motivators, E-IQ2, Hartman Value Profile, and HireSense. Through leadership experiences as the state president for the Nebraska FFA Association and as a regional vice president in the National FFA Organization, internships, and her teaching experience, Anita came to intimately know her inner drive to develop people to achieve greatness. After teaching middle and high school students about agriculture and leadership, Anita became employed with a state department of education as a Career Field Specialist. In this role, she developed and facilitated leadership and career-based programs and conferences for students who were members of HOSA | Future Health Professionals, Educators Rising, SkillsUSA, and FFA. She also led her CTE state colleagues in providing professional development to CTE teachers, school counselors, and student organization local advisors. After investing in education through the state agency, Anita served as the Sr. Manager of Curriculum and Instruction for a growing national student organization. She wrote thousands of hours of employability skill curriculum that was used during on-site student and teacher conference, online synchronous professional development sessions and conferences, and in four one-of-a-kind project-based e-learning courses in which participants could earn industry-validated credentials. She also contributed to the development of hundreds of e-module storyboards to engage learners in growing their employability skills. In 2022, Anita established Development412, LLC where she works daily to empower people to achieve efficacious impact in their vocations. She works with individuals and teams associated with schools, non-profits, and small businesses through one-on-one coaching, strategic planning, curriculum mapping and writing, and the development of experiences, resources and other facilitated experiences that allow people to engage in meaningful learning. She holds adjunct faculty status at three universities where she teaches pre-service teachers a variety of teacher preparation courses. Through Development412, Anita aims to equip people to understand their personal interests, gifts and assets, and to commit themselves to the purpose of building a better world by contributing to and serving others through their vocations. Anita understands and deeply appreciates that all people have much to offer those around them and is impassioned by the work of investing in individuals who will, as a result, better fulfill their roles on teams, in communities, in relationships – in all of their personal vocations. It is especially an honor when Anita gets to focus on working with leadership teams and educators who have significant impact on students.