Meet Wren Works
Wren Works Consulting proudly leverages a comprehensive network of experienced professionals, all of whom share a profound belief in the transformative power of language-rich classroom practices. These practices are foundational to fostering literacy, cognitive development, and the social, emotional, and physical well-being of all children, regardless of their educational setting.
Our team consists of experienced educators, boasting decades of hands-on work with children, parents, and teachers in various settings. This extensive background spans large urban districts, small rural communities, and a wide range of educational institutions, including public, private, and parochial schools.
Meet Our Leadership
FOUNDER - Jennifer Adams, Ph.D. has expertise in early childhood education and adult learning through experience as a classroom teacher, faculty in higher education, and facilitator of professional learning. She has coached educators and leadership teams to build effective professional learning systems for early childhood teachers in large urban districts, small rural schools, and regional networks of learners. Her work includes coaching teachers and leaders on site and remotely to model practices and support deeper understanding of effective instruction and impactful professional learning communities. She believes that young children are powerful.
BOARD MEMBER - Michelle Decker is the CEO of the Inland Empire Community Foundation in Southern California where she focuses on impact, equity, and growth. For over 30 years Michelle held leadership positions in community economic development nonprofits focused on participatory development, and has specialized in building or rebuilding organizations in both urban and rural communities. Prior to joining IECF, Michelle was the 10-year CEO of Rural Action, a community development corporation in Appalachian Ohio working on local sustainable development and mission-based social enterprises including projects in food systems, forestry, water quality, and environmental education.
BOARD MEMBER - Timothy Loatman is an accomplished educator and administrator with over twenty years of experience dedicated to enhancing educational experiences. His career is marked by a commitment to innovative teaching methods, including the integration of Artificial Intelligence into educational practices. Timothy is highly skilled in Competency-Based Learning, Gamification, learner data analysis, and curriculum development and evaluation.
Throughout his career, Timothy has focused on creating impactful and meaningful learning journeys by leveraging the latest technological advancements and fostering collaborative educational teams. His areas of expertise include applying AI in education, mastering Competency-Based and Game-Based Learning, curriculum design and evaluation, training program development, navigating accreditation processes, conducting in-depth policy analysis, and strategic communication planning.
At the heart of Timothy's professional philosophy is a continuous drive to evolve and contribute significantly to the field of education, aiming to shape learning experiences that resonate and make a tangible difference in the educational landscape.
BOARD MEMBER - Mary-Kate Sableski, Ph.D. is the Leary Chair for Innovation in Education, Health and Wellness in the Department of Teacher Education in the School of Education and Health Sciences, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in children’s literature, literacy methods and literacy intervention and assessment. Her research focus is on diversity in children’s literature, and instructional support for struggling readers.
Meet Our Consultants
QUENTIN GRIFFIN - Consultant, Communications and Project Coordinator
Quentin Griffin is an impassioned learner with a B.A. in Psychology and M.A. in Digital Communications and Media Arts. Formerly consulting in Federal and Private spaces, he brings expertise in general communications practices, digital design, and project coordination and execution.
RESA MATLOCK - Consultant, Story Dictation and Dramatization
Resa Matlock earned a Bachelor’s degree in Math, Economics, and Political Science from the University of Michigan. She spent the last 15 years of her career at Ball State University, producing training videos for early childhood professionals. Having become aware (thanks to the books of Vivian Paley) of the thinking and meaning-making children do through story and play, Resa turned her focus to collecting, connecting and nurturing children’s stories. In addition to producing training videos and working in preschool classrooms and after-school programs, she offered story workshops to parents and early childhood professionals. Thanks to the Costa Rican side of her family, she speaks Spanish.
LUISIANA MELÉDEZ - Consultant, Bilingual Education
Luisiana Meléndez, Ph.D., is a Clinical Professor at Erikson Institute and director of the Institute’s Bilingual/ESL Program. At Erikson, Dr. Meléndez teaches courses and participates in initiatives to prepare early childhood practitioners to meet the developmental and learning needs of the increasingly diverse children and families in U.S. educational settings. Before joining the faculty at Erikson, Dr. Meléndez worked for close to two decades as an early childhood and elementary teacher in the Dominican Republic and in the U.S. For the last three years Dr. Meléndez was a member of the Chicago Board of Education, where she also led the Board’s Early Childhood Committee. In the fall of 2022, she will rejoin the Chicago Consortium for School Research Steering Committee.
LISA PIANE - Director of Technology
Lisa Piane, M.A. in Educational Technology, is an early childhood Computer Science Teacher and Educational Technology Specialist at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools. Previously, she worked as a first and second grade homeroom teacher for nearly two decades. Lisa helps educators integrate technology into their classrooms and offers expertise in choosing and evaluating digital tools that align with pedagogy and learning goals. Her work includes designing and facilitating professional development opportunities, individual coaching and parent education. As a teacher, Lisa helps her students develop skills in digital citizenship, digital literacy and computational thinking.
AYN SWANN - Consultant, Multimedia Arts
Ayn Swann is a maker and instructor of multimedia 2D and 3D artworks based in Ohio. She began her career as a portrait artist at Geauga Lake Theme Park. Later, she served as a Museum Educator at the Dayton Art Institute, where she managed involvement in programs such as Preschool Promise, Tiny Thursdays (literacy and art for toddlers), Language of Art (reading club), Summer Art Camp, and programs catering to special accommodations—including art classes for veterans with limited vision and Autism Awareness events.
For eight years, Ayn was a Resident Teaching Artist with the Zoot Theatre Company, specializing in puppets and masks. She has taught art classes at the Rosewood Arts Center, Wittenberg University, Hillel School, TEJAS, and Chasing Light Art Studio.
Dedicated to serving the Dayton community, Ayn has been a costumer for the Human Race Theatre, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Sinclair Community College, Yellow Springs Kids Playhouse, and the Kettering Children’s Theatre. Additionally, she crafts animal mascot-style, haunt, and cosplay costumes for enjoyment. In her leisure time, Ayn sings jazz and original songs with local bands, The High Standards and Ledge.