A passionate advocate of the arts, Robert has served as the Executive Director of LSG since April 2012. He is a firm believer in LSG’s philosophy that every child has the right - and the ability - to succeed.

A graduate of the University of Denver, he holds two Bachelors degrees: one in English Literature and the other in Italian Language & Literature.

Emily Lopez is the Executive Director of Programs for LilySarahGrace. She began her career in the classroom in NYC Public Schools where she then served as a literacy facilitator and assistant principal. Most recently as Principal of Columbus Magnet School - a Bank Street/HOT School in Norwalk, CT, Emily supported teachers in revising social studies and arts based integrated units of study to address Common Core standards within a balanced literacy model. Emily believes all children should enjoy learning through being successful in creative learning experiences.

Deborah Glass, whose educational background includes a B.A., Masters, and post-graduate work in Sociology, has been a teacher in the LAUSD for 16 years. She was instrumental in the creation and curricular development of the district’s first elementary social justice magnet school. Deborah has expertise in the Academic English Mastery Program, Inquiry-Based Learning, and Critical Friends facilitation. She has acted as a mentor teacher to student teachers as well as newly certificated teachers. As a member of the LSG Education Council, she has been part of the pioneering team developing the AIIBL portion of the program and has written the AIIBL Workbook used in LSG’s PD. She is a life-long learner who is passionate about helping all children learn, curriculum development, and social justice.

Jed Dearybury is 13-year veteran of the early childhood classroom from Spartanburg, SC and now the current Director of Professional Development & Communications for the Palmetto State Teachers Association. During his classroom tenure, Jed received numerous awards for his innovative teaching using Lego robotics, arts integration, and lots of creativity and innovation. He was featured in GQ Magazine, met President Obama as the recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, and was named as a top 5 finalist for South Carolina Teacher of the Year because of his passion, love, and success in education. Most recently, he was the named a Lowell Milken Fellow for 2016. He frequently uses his musical abilities to bring fun, excitement, and engaged learning to LSG PD. When not teaching students or leading professional development, Jed actively spreads the message of LilySarahGrace online as our Social Media Manager.

Shernice Lazare has been an educator for almost 20 years, with over 16 years of classroom teaching. Currently, she is the Director of Curriculum and Instruction at the New School of San Francisco, an inquiry-based K-12 public charter located in the heart of the city. She strongly believes in schools focusing on the 5 Cs - creativity, communication, community, critical thinking and collaboration in order for students to be viable 21st century thinkers. She is passionate about great teaching and dynamic learning and is proud to be a founding Education Council member of LSG.

Amie Schindel has a passion for empowering little minds to be creative thinkers and life-long learners. She has a special focus on community building and helps her students understand the importance of their individual contributions. Amie has been sharing her love of learning with her students at PS 3 in Manhattan for eleven years.

Amie has a BA in Business Management from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She has an MA in Childhood Education from Hunter College and an MA in Social Work from Columbia University.

Wendy has been an educator for over 20 years. Having spent 10 years as a classroom teacher in early childhood she is now the Program Advisor at an arts based school in New York City. The arts and creativity are fundamental in creating a classroom environment where all types of learners feel valued. And a quality early childhood education provides a strong foundation for children to be successful. Through her work with LSG, Wendy is motivated to be an advocate for all children.

Randi is originally from Oregon and began her teaching career in Charlotte, NC with Teach For America. During her second year teaching she was mentored by a member of the LilySarahGrace Ed Council and fell in love with a style of teaching that made both her and her students excited to be in the classroom. After completing her Teach For America commitment Randi chose to stay in the classroom and completed a summer internship with LilySarahGrace. Over the course of the internship she worked to build a toolkit of resources that teachers could easily implement in their classrooms and assisted in the creation of an AIIBL university course. At the conclusion of the summer Randi joined the LilySarahGrace Ed council. She continues to teach today, working to inspire a love of learning in her third graders using all she’s learned from LilySarahGrace.

Matthew Badger’s tragic loss of his daughters is what fueled his desire to start LilySarahGrace. Matthew saw the cutting of the Arts from elementary schools as tragic for all children but especially for children like his daughters. Matthew’s personal history as a dyslexic in school was very challenging. The collateral of failing every day at school pushed Matthew to act out. Despite his failures at school he went on to enjoy 20 years as a director of television commercials. This highly visual discipline proved to Matthew that he in fact intelligent and motivated. When he witnessed school having the same effect on Lily and not on Grace, he asked what the difference was. When it was reveled that Arts Infused Education was used on Grace, he saw how important this method of teaching was and how he would have blossomed under its tutorage. Since the passing of his daughters, he has been an advocate for fair and equal education in schools.