Shaun Nelms – William and Sheila Konar Director (Ed.D., University of Rochester) is Associate Professor in educational leadership at the Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester. He is also the Superintendent of the University of Rochester-East Educational Partnership Organization (EPO), responsible for creating a replicable reform model for urban secondary schools. A former district administrator and principal in other urban and high needs districts, Dr. Nelms has extensive experience with improving student achievement and closing equity gaps. His work on professional development for principals and teachers has led to improvements in leadership capacity and instructional delivery. A sought after speaker on cultural competence, differentiation, and administrative leadership, Dr. Nelms maintains a career-long focus on helping students to be successful.
View University profile.
Joanne Larson – Associate Director
(Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles) is the Michael W. Scandling Professor of Education at the Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester and Associate Director of Research at the Center for Urban Education Success. Her research examines how language and literacy practices mediate social and power relations in literacy events in schools and communities. She has been a part of the UR East EPO since the beginning. She was able to spend a full year doing participatory ethnography at East with the support of a sabbatical and a grant from the Spencer Foundation. View University profile.
Valerie Marsh – Assistant Director
(Ph.D., University of Rochester) is a visiting assistant professor at the Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester and the Assistant Director for the University’s Center for Urban Education Success. Valerie is responsible for the Center’s clinical research arm, researching and reporting on best practices found at this country’s urban high schools, particularly as they can inform the University of Rochester’s Educational Partnership Organization (EPO) with East High School. Her research takes the challenges, experiences, and success of urban schools and brings those into conversation with academic scholarship to provide support for urban high schools. Relatedly, Dr. Marsh works to bring together a consortium of schools, universities, and other organizations interested in pursuing best practices and solutions to the challenges confronting urban schools. View University profile.
Susan Meier – Affiliated Faculty (Ed.D., University of Rochester) is an assistant professor in educational leadership at the Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester. She is also the Chief Academic Officer for the University of Rochester-East Educational Partnership Organization (EPO) and was one of the original authors of the UR-EPO plan. In this position, her work involves ensuring that curriculum planning and learning activities at East reflect the principles of best practices, community relationships, high expectations, civic participation, leadership, and an inquiry approach detailed in the UR-EPO plan. A former school principal who helped found a highly successful, non-traditional secondary school in the Rochester area, Meier’s experience involves incorporating into schools such structural elements as scheduling, support, and advisory, and their intersection with student learning. View University profile.
Steve Uebbing – Affiliated Faculty (Ed.D., University of Buffalo) is clinical professor in educational leadership at the Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester. He is also the Project Director of the University of Rochester-East Educational Partnership Organization (EPO) and the Director of the Center for Center for Urban Educational Success. He led the UR-EPO planning process and served as Superintendent for the East EPO for several months prior to the school opening under U of R supervision. Uebbing oversaw the collective bargaining process with the new East faculty and the hiring process for all faculty and staff. A former school superintendent, principal and high school teacher, Uebbing has extensive experience working with practicing administrators interested in whole school reform.View University profile.
Faculty and Staff
Shaun Nelms – William and Sheila Konar Director
(Ed.D., University of Rochester) is Associate Professor in educational leadership at the Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester. He is also the Superintendent of the University of Rochester-East Educational Partnership Organization (EPO), responsible for creating a replicable reform model for urban secondary schools. A former district administrator and principal in other urban and high needs districts, Dr. Nelms has extensive experience with improving student achievement and closing equity gaps. His work on professional development for principals and teachers has led to improvements in leadership capacity and instructional delivery. A sought after speaker on cultural competence, differentiation, and administrative leadership, Dr. Nelms maintains a career-long focus on helping students to be successful.
View University profile.
Joanne Larson – Associate Director
(Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles) is the Michael W. Scandling Professor of Education at the Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester and Associate Director of Research at the Center for Urban Education Success. Her research examines how language and literacy practices mediate social and power relations in literacy events in schools and communities. She has been a part of the UR East EPO since the beginning. She was able to spend a full year doing participatory ethnography at East with the support of a sabbatical and a grant from the Spencer Foundation. View University profile.
Valerie Marsh – Assistant Director
(Ph.D., University of Rochester) is a visiting assistant professor at the Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester and the Assistant Director for the University’s Center for Urban Education Success. Valerie is responsible for the Center’s clinical research arm, researching and reporting on best practices found at this country’s urban high schools, particularly as they can inform the University of Rochester’s Educational Partnership Organization (EPO) with East High School. Her research takes the challenges, experiences, and success of urban schools and brings those into conversation with academic scholarship to provide support for urban high schools. Relatedly, Dr. Marsh works to bring together a consortium of schools, universities, and other organizations interested in pursuing best practices and solutions to the challenges confronting urban schools. View University profile.
Susan Meier – Affiliated Faculty
(Ed.D., University of Rochester) is an assistant professor in educational leadership at the Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester. She is also the Chief Academic Officer for the University of Rochester-East Educational Partnership Organization (EPO) and was one of the original authors of the UR-EPO plan. In this position, her work involves ensuring that curriculum planning and learning activities at East reflect the principles of best practices, community relationships, high expectations, civic participation, leadership, and an inquiry approach detailed in the UR-EPO plan. A former school principal who helped found a highly successful, non-traditional secondary school in the Rochester area, Meier’s experience involves incorporating into schools such structural elements as scheduling, support, and advisory, and their intersection with student learning. View University profile.
Steve Uebbing – Affiliated Faculty
(Ed.D., University of Buffalo) is clinical professor in educational leadership at the Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester. He is also the Project Director of the University of Rochester-East Educational Partnership Organization (EPO) and the Director of the Center for Center for Urban Educational Success. He led the UR-EPO planning process and served as Superintendent for the East EPO for several months prior to the school opening under U of R supervision. Uebbing oversaw the collective bargaining process with the new East faculty and the hiring process for all faculty and staff. A former school superintendent, principal and high school teacher, Uebbing has extensive experience working with practicing administrators interested in whole school reform. View University profile.