Meet the DLC Team

We are a team of educators and advocates, curious listeners and courageous doers. We all share a passion for equitable access to education for all learners, and we live out this mission every day.

Brooke Allen

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Brooke is the founding director of Diverse Learners Cooperative. She leads the DLC team’s efforts to equip and empower school and district teams to serve all learners. As a former special education teacher, leader, school founder, and consultant, she deeply believes in the potential of all students and the school teams that serve them. She received her B.S. and M.Ed. in special education, elementary education, and English learner education from Vanderbilt University and has been a Nashville educator since.

Mary Matthews Coffey

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

As Program Director, Mary works with school teams to design and facilitate meaningful programs that support students’ academic and behavioral needs. She is a former special education teacher, Teacher of the Year, and Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). With a perceptive ability to identify team dynamics and student needs, she has contributed critical support to move school teams closer toward meeting their diverse learner goals.

Katava Johnson

PROGRAM SPECIALIST,
SPECIAL EDUCATION

Katava Johnson has worked as a special educator and leader in Nashville and Memphis, TN. She received her M.Ed. in Special Education with a focus on low incidence populations while conducting Autism research with the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center. She believes that all students deserve access to equitable and transformational education, and is committed to working with schools and communities to implement creative and effective solutions that move closer to this vision.

Justine Katzenbach

DIRECTOR, ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY

Justine began her teaching career as a Teach For America Corps Member in New Orleans, Louisiana. Since then, she has worked as a Special Education teacher and Behavior Analyst in Louisiana, Massachusetts, Tennessee and North Carolina. She is passionate about providing teachers with the tools and training they need to deliver high quality education for all of their students. As the Director of Organizational Strategy, Justine supports both external engagement and internal development.

Sage Pickren, Ph.D.

PROGRAM SPECIALIST,
SPECIAL EDUCATION

As a program specialist, Sage works with DLC’s partners to support teachers and leaders with implementing best practices in special education. She graduated from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College earning her Ph.D. in special education, with a focus on reading disabilities and behavior. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA-D) and is certified to teach both general education and special education. Prior to returning to school, Sage worked for Metro Nashville Public schools and served as the grade-level team leader and multilingual learner reading teacher. Sage believes that behavior plays an integral role in students’ academic success and lifelong outcomes.

Chloe Walters, Ed.D.

PROGRAM SPECIALIST, MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS

As a Program Specialist, Chloe works closely with teachers and leaders to improve educational opportunities for multilingual learners. She has served as an ML teacher, co-teacher, and curriculum lead, and greatly enjoys working with students and colleagues to maximize academic environments and opportunities for multilingual learners. Chloe combines her teaching experience, MSEd. in TESOL, and Ed. D. in Learning Organizations & Strategic Change to tailor and communicate specific tools, strategies, and best practices based on the unique goals of an educator or educational institution.

DLC Board of Directors

Josh Czupryk
University Schools at the University of Memphis

Dr. Meagan Smart
Metro Nashville Public Schools

Wendy Tucker, Board Chair
Center for Learner Equity

DLC Teacher Advisory Board

The DLC is so pleased to convene the Teacher Advisory Board. The DLC Teacher Advisory Board convenes to advise, promote, and collaborate in the development and implementation of Diverse Learners Cooperative initiatives and support the organization’s mission and growth.

Meet the 22-23 Teacher Advisory Board: