Our Bloggers
Jessie Woolley-Wilson
CEO & President
Jessie brings nearly two decades of experience in K-12 eLearning and education technology to DreamBox Learning. Throughout her career in the education industry, Jessie has held several leadership roles in general management, sales & marketing, operations and business development. Most recently, Jessie served as President of K12 & K-20 Strategy at Blackboard where she led Blackboard’s growth and development strategy for the K12 group. Prior to joining Blackboard, she served as President of LeapFrog SchoolHouse, the schools division of LeapFrog Enterprises, where she was instrumental in establishing SchoolHouse as a leader in education technology and one of the fastest growing educational software producers in the U.S. Jessie received her MBA from Harvard Business School and her BA in English from The University of Virginia.
Dr. Tim Hudson
Director of Curriculum for DreamBox Learning
Dr. Hudson, Director of Curriculum for DreamBox Learning, is a noted next-generation learning innovator, math education thought leader, and blogger who writes extensively on the pedagogy of learning. A long-time member of the National Council of Teachers in Mathematics (NCTM), Tim is a noted speaker and author of whose works have been published and presented in a variety of forums, include: Classrooms Where Children Learn (a co-authored chapter in the NCTM-published book, Models of Intervention in Mathematics: Reweaving the Tapestry), Professional Learning Partnerships for Middle School Mathematics Teachers, 101 Things Every Math Teacher Should Consider, and Teaching Students, Not Formulas.
Neal Manegold
Curriculum & Instructional Designer
Neal is a Curriculum & Instructional Designer with ten years teaching experience in Grades 4 – 6. He has taught in both public and charter schools with both ELL and Highly Capable populations in California and Washington State. While in California, Neal was additionally responsible for coordinating math adoption for grades K – 6. In Washington, Neal worked on piloting a classroom set of netbook computers, developed district technology standards for grades K-8, and served as a trainer for district-wide adoption of interactive whiteboards. Neal received a BA in Political Science from Drew University, and a MA in Education from Loyola Marymount University. Neal became a National Board Certified Teacher in 2008 as a Middle Childhood Generalist. He holds Professional Teaching Certificates in both California and Washington State.
Joe Trahan
Curriculum Designer, DreamBox Learning
Joe Trahan brings a wealth of domestic and international experience to his work as a Curriculum Designer for DreamBox Learning. Joe received his BA in Mathematics from the University of Washington. Before taking a second degree, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Guinea, West Africa for two years in the small village of Tokounou, where he taught 8th, 9th and 10th grade math for the village public school. After his return to America, Joe completed his MEd in Secondary Math Education at George Washington University. Post- degree, he taught middle school Algebra and Pre-Algebra for six years in the suburbs of Washington DC, where he also served on the school’s leadership team and Chaired two faculty committees. Joe’s education and practical experience inform his design work and blogging for DreamBox.
Kelly Urlacher
Curriculum Designer, DreamBox Learning
Kelly Urlacher joined the DreamBox Curriculum Design team in 2012 after working with over 600 children during her teaching career. A National Board Certified Teacher with a MEd, Kelly began her Washington State teaching career at Margaret Mead in 2002, where she was the intermediate math lead teacher and on the Lake Washington School District standards assessment committee. After six years at Mead, she was instrumental in opening a new school, Rachel Carson Elementary School, where she was a member of the Core Team that made curriculum, logistical, and philosophical decisions, taught sixth grade math and was Staff Math Lead. Kelly maintains her passion for mathematics, and is thrilled to be able to affect so many children with their understanding and love of math through her work at DreamBox.
David Woods
Curriculum Designer, DreamBox Learning
David Woods earned a BA in Elementary Education with endorsements in Reading and Middle Level Mathematics and a minor in Spanish from Whitworth University, and a Master’s Degree in Integrating Technology in the classroom from Walden University before joining the DreamBox Curriculum team. He currently holds a Washington State teaching certificate, and spent 7 years teaching students from the second grade to high school junior level. Throughout his teaching career, David reviewed new curriculums, interpreted assessment data, and was a leading member of his professional learning community of math teachers. With 3 of those 7 years being spent in a sixth grade math classroom, David brings a passion for building an effective, individualized math curriculum designed to help adapt to every student.
