“The growth of any school depends on the collaborative capacity of its teachers and leaders.”
— Micheal Fullen
Meet the Team
Leading for Learning (L4L) is led by Dr. Joan Schumann, founder and nationally recognized MTSS expert, former district and school leader, and Executive Director of the International MTSS Association (IMA). Dr. Schumann brings extensive experience supporting schools, districts, and educational systems in building inclusive, student-centered MTSS frameworks that translate data into action and drive sustainable school improvement.
L4L is supported of a growing team of seasoned MTSS consultants, operations staff, and large-scale project specialists. Together, we provide high-quality MTSS implementation support, leadership coaching, data-based decision-making guidance, and professional learning for educators and system leaders.
L4L Consultants
Erin Chaparro, PhD
L4L ConsultantDr. Erin A. Chaparro is a Research Associate Professor at the University of Oregon’s College of Education. She is a nationally recognized expert in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and systems coaching. Her research, inspired by her years as a school psychologist and high school counselor, focuses on improving instruction for English learners, strengthening data-based decision making among school teams, and expanding professional development and coaching opportunities for educators in rural and underserved communities.
Dr. Chaparro has served as principal investigator or co-investigator on multiple Institute of Education Sciences grants totaling more than $10 million. She led Oregon’s MTSS statewide professional development initiative for five years and published findings demonstrating statistically significant improvements in elementary literacy outcomes across the 22 participating school districts. She was a featured speaker at the U.S. Department of Education’s MTSS Forum to speak about Oregon’s MTSS efforts. She is also co-author of Assessment in Special and Inclusive Education, a widely adopted educator preparation textbook.
Dr. Chaparro’s current work bridges research, practice, and technology to help schools design sustainable systems that support both academic and behavioral wellness for all students using an implementation science lens.
L4L ConsultantLori Lynass, PhD
Dr. Lori Lynass, has worked in the field of education since 1998. She began her career as a special education teacher focused on serving students with learning disabilities and social, emotional, and behavioral support needs. She did her post-doctoral work at the University of Washington as a Research Scientist managing a large federal research projects on behavioral supports and PBIS.
Her career roles have included Executive Director for the Northwest PBIS Network, owner of Sound Supports Consulting, which focused on MTSS, Restorative Practices and Special Education supports, Senior Director of MTSS for CharacterStrong and owner of Advanced Behavior and Inclusion Supports. Dr. Lynass has served as an adjunct professor for the University of Washington, Seattle University and Seattle Pacific University. She has published various articles on the topics of behavior, MTSS and restorative justice and authored a book focused on MTSS for School Leaders.
To date she has served over 2,000 schools, 200 school districts and 4 state departments of education with their training, coaching and evaluation needs related to MTSS, PBIS, special education and restorative justice.
L4L Staff
Nikko Baranowski supports Leading for Learning through social media and communications. She helps translate the work L4L is doing into content that is clear, engaging, and accessible.
Nikko is particularly excited to contribute to Leading for Learning because of its strong focus on collaboration, equity, and making research truly usable in real educational settings. She enjoys highlighting the people behind the work and sharing ideas in ways that feel human, approachable, and authentic.
She can be contacted for support with social media content, event promotion, campaign development, and general communications needs.
Khadijah Sanders supports Leading for Learning with bookkeeping, billing, and invoicing. A graduate of Purdue University, Khadijah brings a global perspective shaped by growing up in a military family, teaching English in South Korea, and maintaining strong roots in New Orleans, where her family is based.
She is highly organized, adaptable, and always happy to support wherever needed to keep our work running smoothly.
Meet Joan
Lifelong Educator | School Consultant | Global MTSS Leader
Dr. Joan Schumann is a passionate, purpose-driven leader with more than two decades of experience building systems that work—for students, families, and the educators who serve them. From classrooms in Salt Lake City to international schools in Singapore and Beijing, and then as a principal in California, Joan’s leadership journey has always centered on one thing: Equitable and effective education for all.
She founded Leading for Learning out of one simple truth: Leading schools is incredibly hard—especially when you’re doing it right. Every offering; from leadership coaching to professional learning and MTSS systems-level support, is built from Joan’s firsthand experience of what it takes to lead meaningful, lasting change. Her work equips school and district leaders with the tools, guidance, and network they need to drive results that truly matter for students, staff, and communities.
Trusted. Respected. Impactful.
“Dr. Schumann’s leadership has profoundly enhanced each school community I have witnessed her engage with, leaving a lasting and positive impact on the lives of countless students.”
“Joan is an outstanding professional and person. She is driven by a heart full of passion for education and has the expertise to support her gift of creating what is possible.”
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PhD, Special Education, University of Utah – Focus on PBIS and equity in school discipline
MS, Special Education, University of Utah – Focus on inclusive early intervention services
BA, Psychology (Honors) & Spanish, California State University, Chico
Multiple teaching and administrative credentials across WA, CA, UT, and OR
CA Superintendent Academy and completion of multiple leadership development programs
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Classroom Teacher, PreK–8 general and special education: Focused on multilingual learners and inclusive classroom practices
Intervention Delivery: Provided evidence-based literacy, math, and behavioral interventions, successfully exiting over 80% of students from support services
Mentorship: Guided student teachers and early-career educators, including a former mentee recognized as America’s National Teacher of the Year
Adjunct Faculty, University of Utah and Westminster College: Prepared K–12 educators in assessment, instructional design, and culturally responsive practices
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Principal, Elementary School in California: Leads district-level MTSS framework development, secured $2.5M in grant funding, and led significant improvements in student outcomes across all key indicators
Former Director, Student Support Services and Professional Learning & Instruction: Delivered 150+ professional development sessions and guided system-level MTSS design
District Leadership Initiatives: Led districtwide instructional alignment and leadership coaching, fostering coherence and collaboration across administrative teams
Founder, Leading for Learning: Provides coaching, strategic consulting, and professional learning to school and district leaders building inclusive, sustainable systems
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Founding Executive Director, International MTSS Association (IMA)
Founding Organizer, International MTSS Summit (IMS) and RtI for International Schools Summit (RISS)
Founding Director, International School Leaders of Educational Support (ISLES)
Founding Board Chair, Northern CA Literacy Collaborative
Executive Team Member, Evidence Advocacy Center (EAC)
Executive Board Member, The Reading League – CA
Presenter at state, national, and international conferences, including CA-PBIS, APBS, EduTech Asia, and CEC
Published in peer-reviewed journals and handbooks, including The Practical Handbook of School Psychology, Handbook of Positive Behavior Support, and Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders
Recognized for aligning MTSS implementation with critical areas such as absenteeism, SLP services, and family engagement
What Trusted Colleagues Say About Joan
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“Joan is an incredible leader who understands MTSS from both the academic and behavior side. She also understands the critical role of getting the adult piece right and how to leverage implementation science to create the conditions for successful, sustained implementation. She is always a pure joy to work and interact with."
Dr. Clay Cook, Implementation Scientist & Chief Development Officer at CharacterStrong
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"Joan is one of the most upbeat, intelligent school leaders with whom I've had the privilege to work. A true values-driven leader, unafraid to make hard decisions, she is also incredibly productive and results-oriented without sacrificing a strong focus on relationships, which has made her a beloved and respected leader. "
Bridget McNamer, Leadership Coach
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“Joan's warmth, energy, enthusiasm, and passion is contagious. She is one of those rare leaders who has the technical skill to lead K-12 systems efficiently but also the adaptive leadership to deliver results.”
Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden, Founder of SpringMath and Educational Researcher
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"At the heart of her mission was always a fundamental duty of care for our students...I miss her, but am grateful for the lasting contributions she has made."
Paul Swanson, Director of Innovation and Technology
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“Joan is a transformational, innovative leader. Her instructional leadership leads to improved student outcomes and her boundless energy is contagious."
Mele Benz, Technical Assistance Provider & Former Principal
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“I am but one of many who have grown in their skillset by working with [Joan]. I am forever grateful for what she has done for the children in our school as well for myself professionally.”
Ms. Shawna Diamond, Special Education Teacher, Instructional Coach and Administrator
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“Joan has the ability to quickly identify challenges, develop solutions and build teams and systems to get things done. She possesses a high degree of integrity, a notable work ethic, and a great sense of humor.”
Steven Dexter, School Principal
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"It has been a pleasure to watch as [Joan] deliberately seeks out vastly different experiences to grow her expertise and view student learning from every angle. She is both knowledgeable and passionate about her work, while caring deeply for her people. I am confident you will thrive under her mentorship."
Heather Newell, M.Ed. – Lecturer, Teacher Education and Leadership, Utah State University, and former principal
