Our Story
"One more time, dude," my dad said as he tossed the baseball for me again. I might have been 4 or 5 years old. Certainly, wasn't over 5 since we had moved away from Plano shortly after that. He wanted me to end on a good hit, so for what feels like 20 minutes now, we have a video of him soft tossing me a ball, saying, "One more time, dude," repeatedly. Check out the full story here.
Mission: Our mission, as a team, is to support you in taking the swings One More Time for your mission, your passions, and your team(s). We know that burnout happens when you work hard doing the wrong work while remaining focused on the right work. We specialize in helping you do the work that fulfills your needs while allowing us to help bridge the gaps at an affordable price.
Vision: Every student deserves an environment where they have the greatest opportunity to be the best version of themselves, whatever that looks like, and be as successful as possible.
One More Time
Joe Mullikin, Ed.D.
Founder & CCO
As the Founder and CCO (Chief Connections Officer) I am on a mission to remove the non-essential work for schools, leaders, organizations, and communities so that they can focus on their true work. I aim be the connector for schools, leaders, organizations, and communities in finding solutions to their pain points, so that time can be spent doing the real work.
With a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and expertise in PreK-12 education, assessment, data literacy, and school culture, my recent years have been dedicated to elevating Meridian CUSD 223 in Northern Illinois as Acting Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, School Principal, and Teacher. During that time, I also had the privilege of teaching adjunct for multiple universities at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
Our team's mission, to foster an environment that supports continuous improvement, thrived under my leadership, with a focus on character education programs, especially during the pandemic. As the director of continuous improvement and using the Baldridge Framework for Organizational Effectiveness, I helped lead Meridian CUSD 223 in 2024 to a Gold Award of Excellence from The Partnership for Excellence, the first school to receive this high honor in over 20 years.
The successful defense of my dissertation on character education during COVID-19 underpins my approach to leadership, emphasizing resilience, innovation, and community engagement as pillars for nurturing the next generation of learners. My work supporting districts and companies with assessment and data literacy, school culture, implementation, sustainability practices, and organizational effectiveness provides me with a unique background of experience in order to best support leaders, schools, organizations, and communities.
Education: B.S. in Kinesiology, Olivet Nazarene University; MAT in Secondary Science Education, Rockford University; MSEd in Educational Leadership, Western Illinois University; Ed.Doc. in Educational Leadership, Western Illinois University (Dissertation Focus: The Impact of Character Education on School Culture during COVID)
Equippers
Equippers are companies and partners that work to provide a specific solution for organizations and schools
JK K12 Corp/EDLIT
Jacob Kantor - Founder & CEO
Jacob Kantor is a highly accomplished sales professional with over 17 years of experience in the education technology sector, where he has consistently held top sales positions. Throughout his career, he has achieved approximately $50 million in sales for major organizations, including McGraw Hill, C2 Education, Revolution Prep, Collegewise, Varsity Tutors, and Spark Education. Jacob’s deep understanding of the education market and his strategic approach to client relationships have made him a trusted advisor to school leaders and ed-tech executives alike.
As the co-founder of EDLIT (Empowering Districts through Learning, Innovation, & Technology), Jacob has helped create a platform that fosters collaborative, non-sales conversations between ed-tech companies and district leaders. EDLIT is dedicated to aligning solutions with the real needs of districts, enabling more meaningful partnerships across the sector.
Jacob’s expertise extends beyond sales through his work as a full-time consultant, serving an array of innovative clients, including Stride K12, aiEDU, Outlier (now part of Savvas), Gladeo, Singleton Foundation for Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship, Virtu Academy, IEP&me, Frenalytics, and Slyngshot.
For a glimpse into Jacob's impact and style, his LinkedIn recommendations from past bosses, colleagues, and competitors in the ed-tech space highlight his strengths in leadership, sales acumen, and industry knowledge. You can view these endorsements on his LinkedIn profile.
Jacob’s insights into the industry are featured in several podcast appearances, where he shares his perspective on navigating the ed-tech landscape and building effective sales strategies. Notable episodes include the *Ed Tech Insiders* podcast with Ben Kornell and Alex Sarlin, *Ed Tech Sales & GTM Strategy Podcast*, *Learning Can't Wait Podcast*, BRIGHT Podcast’s *"How Do You Cut Through the Noise?"* with Josh Ochs, and *Voices of Excellence* discussing *The AI Paradox in Education: Unpacking the Complexities for Sustained Success*.
The BLPS Group
Stephanie Cizdyn - Founder, CEO, Owner
Personal Short Bio
Stephanie is responsible for the strategic direction and high-level client relations of The BLPS Group. She brings to the table over 10 years of experience in educational publishing and technology, with a focus in project management and compliance, working with a variety of businesses, institutions, and consumers in the United States and around the world. As a skilled product and strategic planner, she is adept at analyzing market conditions and developing a strategy to maximize profits and quality in the global business environment. Her work is driven by a passion for innovation and a commitment to excellence in the EdTech sector. Beyond her professional pursuits, she actively volunteers and contributes to the educational technology community globally, aiming to enhance learning experiences through technology.
Company Short Description
The BLPS Group is a premier provider of educational website and application development, instructional design, project management, and educational publishing services. We’re dedicated to providing the most intuitive products for users, the most enriching experience for learners, and the most efficient and high-quality services for publishers, content providers, and solutions platforms. Our main initiative is Gateway2Achieve™, a next-generation learning solution.
Amplify & Elevate Innovation
Brett Roer, CEO & Founder of Amplify & Elevate Innovation
Personal Short Bio
Brett Roer is the CEO & Founder of Amplify & Elevate Innovation, an organization dedicated to empowering district education leaders with the tools, strategies, and support they need to drive transformational change. At Amplify & Elevate Innovation, Brett partners closely with schools, districts, and educational organizations to provide leaders with access to cutting-edge AI tools, professional development, and hands-on coaching. By developing tailored solutions, Brett aims to help leaders unlock innovative pathways for their communities, ensuring that all students benefit from equitable and future-ready learning environments.
Brett has served as Ohio Regional Director for The AI Education Project (aiEDU), advocating for responsible AI adoption across all of Ohio's schools, and has worked to build a national community of educators prepared to navigate the rapidly changing landscape of AI in education. Through Amplify & Elevate Innovation, Brett also facilitates DEI-aligned workshops for parents, students, and staff, focusing on generative artwork to inspire self-worth and positively transform school culture.
A nationally recognized voice on topics including AI in education, innovation, and leadership, Brett brings over 16 years of experience as a former school leader, advisor, and educator in New York City public schools. He is passionate about equipping district leaders to bridge opportunity gaps and build thriving, future-focused learning communities that serve the needs of every student.
Company Short Description
Our mission is to enhance educational outcomes for all students by effectively and ethically integrating AI tools into their learning communities. Our commitment is to empower educational leaders, ensure AI accessibility for all, and bridge equity gaps to transform teaching and learning.
Elevators
Elevators are individuals who work with schools, companies, and/or students to empower them to meet their goals through building
capacity and development
Learn more about the curiosity 2 create method.
Katie Trowbridge
Author, Speaker, CEO
Katie Trowbridge has over two decades of experience as a teacher and mentor. Katie bolsters creative and critical thinking, social-emotional learning, creative problem-solving, communication and collaboration, and team building. She focuses on helping educators and students find their best creative selves by designing practical, relevant, and student-focused curricula.
Katie’s passion for these areas allowed her to start educational non-profit organizations, assist school districts in writing SEL curricula, design programs for adults and students to encourage collaboration and communication and mentor new teachers. As a result, Katie received several Teacher of Excellence and Outstanding Educator awards. She is now President and CEO of a non-profit organization, Curiosity 2 Create, whose mission is to infuse creative and critical thinking into classrooms by offering tailored professional development and coaching centered around the CREATE method. She travels nationwide, speaking at conferences, presenting workshops, and coaching educators.
She is the author of Deeper Thinking in the Classroom: A Practical Guide to the CREATE Method, Companion Journal to Deeper Thinking in the Classroom: Using the CREATE Method: The CREATE Method Personally and Professionally, and The Adventures of Curious Creators Club.
She holds Master's degrees in Teaching and Administration and is pursuing an Ed. D. in Innovative Teaching and Learning
Dr. Scott Schwartz
Superintendent, Gavin SD 37 (IL)
Dr. Scott Schwartz, who assumed the role of Superintendent of Schools for Gavin School District 37 in July 2021, brings over two decades of experience in public education. His professional journey encompasses various positions, including teacher, assistant principal, principal, and district administrator. Prior to his appointment at Gavin 37, Dr. Schwartz served as Assistant Superintendent of Teaching, Learning, and Innovation for the Deerfield Public Schools District 109. He held the position of Principal at Walden Elementary School in Deerfield and served as an Assistant Principal at Caruso Middle School in Deerfield. Additionally, he has experience as a middle school social studies teacher.
Dr. Schwartz earned his Doctorate in Education (Ed.D.) from Loyola University Chicago in 2014. His dissertation focused on identifying motivational factors for elementary teachers belonging to distinct age groups, namely Veteran, Baby Boomer, Generation X, and Generation Y. He also holds a Chief School Business Office (CSBO) certificate from Northern University, a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from National Louis University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Education from Indiana University, Bloomington.
Dr. Schwartz has actively participated in professional development initiatives. He co-facilitated the Aspiring School Leader Network with the Illinois Principals Association. The primary objective of this network is to foster the mindset, leadership capabilities, and community of peers essential for aspiring administrators to envision themselves as future learning leaders.
Mat Parker
Athletic Leadership | Educational Consultant | Coach | Mentor
Husband, Father, Educator, Coach, Mentor, Connector, Speaker and Consultant. Parker taught history and coached high school basketball for 14 years. He led the development of the Advanced Placement Curriculum at South Beloit and helped advance the high school into a Blue Star school. His South Beloit basketball team ended a 31-year regional championship drought and posted three consecutive 20-win seasons during his five years at the helm. He was named the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2009 for his team’s outstanding performance and was inducted into the South Beloit High School Hall of Fame in 2019 for his success as the school’s head coach. Parker recently served as the Director of Athletics, Activities, and Program Development for Rockford Public School District 205. During his 11-year tenure, he developed numerous nationally recognized programs, worked on progressive eligibility support structures that landed him twice on ESPN's Outside The Lines, and regularly lectured to University students across the Midwest in their Sorts Leadership and Management classes. Mat happily resides in Northern Illinois with his wife, Jessica, and their two children, Eli and Soraya. They enjoy lots of family time and supporting Eli's live gigs/musical career, and Soraya's basketball stardom takes them all over the country.
Mat works for companies like Brandtek, K-12 SportsTech, Minjerzys, Boud, Club Hub, Omella, WTDP and his own consulting group, MP Consulting, which specializes in presentations, Professional Development, Keynoting, and athletics / education mentoring.
Kelly Green
Founder & CEO of Kelly Green Consulting
With over 16 years of experience in the field of education, Kelly has held diverse roles, including elementary teacher, instructional coach, elementary mathematics specialist, and currently, district math consultant. Her career has been dedicated to advancing mathematics education by equipping educators with effective tools and strategies for fostering deep, conceptual learning in their classrooms. Kelly is driven by a commitment to empower teachers, coaches, and administrators, enhancing their capacity to elevate student achievement in mathematics. Through targeted professional development and instructional leadership, Kelly aims to create enriching environments where students can flourish as confident, capable mathematicians.
Ashley Shannon
Educational Consultant | Researcher | Keynote Speaker
Ashley Shannon is an education specialist with over 15 years of teaching experience, including music, general education, and students with significant support needs. Her passion for holistic education was at the forefront of her teaching practices, and she now gets to share her love of education both in the school and through her work consulting.
Top 3 Clifton Strengths: Empathy, Learner, Futuristic
Brendan Griffin
Founder & Consultant
Brendan Griffin is the Founder of College Success Speaks LLC, and the author of College Success Speaks: Navigating Life Before, During, and After College. With a strong foundation in psychology, organizational behavior, and change and talent management, Brendan is dedicated to empowering students, schools, and families with the tools and insights needed to navigate the complex journey of higher education and beyond.
Drawing on his experience in higher education, coaching high school students, and mentoring college-aged individuals at UPS, Brendan identified a recurring challenge: the gap in college readiness. This realization, among other experiences, reignited his passion for helping students prepare for success, leading to the creation of College Success Speaks and the publication of his book.
At College Success Speaks, he offers customized action plans designed to equip schools and families with practical, strategic steps to give students a competitive edge. This holistic approach is rooted in collaboration, ensuring that by the end of our partnership, students will have honed critical skills such as goal setting, adaptability, and college affordability management. They will also gain valuable expertise in navigating life transitions, enhancing their writing abilities, and building a solid foundation for both their academic and professional futures.
CSS is committed to providing the guidance students need to thrive, not just in college, but in life. Partner with us and OMT to unlock your student's full potential and set them on a path to lifelong success.
Education: B.A in Psychology - M.S Management and Organizational Behavior Change and Talent Management