TLLC Staff Bios

Dr. Stephanie Gregson

Deputy Executive Director

Dr. Stephanie Gregson serves as the Deputy Executive Director for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE). In this role, Dr. Gregson works closely with Executive Director Matt Navo, overseeing the Direct Technical Assistance efforts focusing on school turnaround centering on improving teaching and learning within districts and schools aimed at equitable access, opportunity, and outcomes for students. Dr. Gregson is the former Chief Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction and has more than 25 years of experience in public education starting her career as an elementary school teacher in the Sacramento City Unified School District. Read More

Dr. Rocio Gonzalez-Frausto

Senior Advisor

Rocio Gonzalez-Frausto is a Senior Advisor for the Teaching, Learning, and Leading center for the CCEE. In this role, Gonzalez helps the team develop, support, and coordinate the Direct Technical Assistance (DTA) that local educational agencies (LEAs) receive from the CCEE. Gonzalez, provides support in other state-wide initiatives, she is a member of the Universal Preschool and Transitional Kinder Local Implementation and Promising Practice Design Team.Before joining the CCEE team, Gonzalez was a Regional Superintendent providing academic and systemic support toTK-12 Title I schools in the Bay Area. Read More

Dr. Jennie Wright

Senior Advisor

Dr. Jennie Wright is a Senior Advisor for the Teaching, Learning, and Leading for the CCEE. In this role, Dr. Wright helps support and coordinate the Direct Technical Assistance (DTA) that local educational agencies (LEAs) receive from the CCEE. Prior to joining the CCEE team, Dr. Wright was a capacity building coach with InnovateEd providing support and facilitation to LEA’s across California implementing Fullan & Quinn’s coherence framework, as well as continuous improvement processes and practices for district leaders, site leaders, site leadership team and Professional Learning Communities within and across schools and districts. Read More

Dr. Marcie Poole

Senior Advisor

Dr. Marcie Poole serves as a Senior Advisor for Teaching, Learning, and Leading within the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE). In this capacity, she facilitates and coordinates Direct Technical Assistance (DTA) provided by the CCEE to local educational agencies (LEAs). Read More

Stacey Wedin

Assistant Director

Stacey Wedin serves as Assistant Director of Teaching, Learning, & Leading for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence providing technical assistance and support in developing a statewide professional learning infrastructure focused on evidence based accelerated learning strategies. In this role, Wedin will assist with designing and implementing systems that provide coherence across the accelerated learning grants, Direct Technical Assistance cycles, and other professional learning efforts led by the CCEE. Stacey Wedin serves as Assistant Director of Teaching, Learning, & Leading for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence providing technical assistance and support in developing a statewide professional learning infrastructure focused on evidence based accelerated learning strategies. In this role, Wedin will assist with designing and implementing systems that provide coherence across the accelerated learning grants, Direct Technical Assistance cycles, and other professional learning efforts led by the CCEE.

Wedin brings extensive knowledge of and experience with California’s educational system. Prior to joining the CCEE, Wedin served as the Administrator of the Equity Branch of the California Department of Education (CDE), supporting Divisions and teams implementing programs to improve equitable outcomes for students across the state. Wedin has worked in educational policy and state level program administration for fifteen years with direct experience assisting local educational agencies with implementing statewide school transformation, special education, and equity initiatives. This experience includes assisting local educational agencies to build an infrastructure of integrated supports in schools, including meaningful access to health and behavioral health services and social-emotional learning, leveraging resources available through the state system of support, and identifying strategies to deliver high quality instruction in inclusive settings.

Wedin also worked in CDE’s Special Education Division for ten years and served as the Administrator over the Statewide Policy and Implementation team, advising on complex statewide special education policy matters related to serving students with disabilities in California. This includes prior experience as coordinator of California’s State Systemic Improvement Plan for special education and helping to lead major interagency collaboration initiatives, such as the Senate Bill 75 (2019) Medi-Cal for Students workgroup. Wedin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of California at Davis in 2004 and a Master of Arts degree in Social Work from California State University at Stanislaus in 2007. Trained in social work, Wedin brings a whole person lens to her work and has served in various capacities supporting the whole child throughout her career. Her prior work experience includes working in a district supporting homeless youth and families with access to education and providing direct mental health services. Read More

James McKenna, Ed.D.

Assistant Director, Professional Learning & Leadership Development

James McKenna serves as the Assistant Director of Professional Learning and Leadership Development for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE). Under the direction of Deputy Director Sujie Shin, Dr. McKenna leads the planning, management, and dissemination of professional learning research, resource development, and service delivery for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence. He works with CCEE staff, statewide agencies, partner organizations, and other stakeholders to ensure that the development and delivery of professional learning resources are responsive to the needs of local educational agencies across the state, are aligned with the CCEE’s theory of action, have a focus on equitable outcomes for students, especially those who have been historically underserved, and are anchored in the principles of continuous improvement. Read More

Dr. Jennifer Biagio

Assistant Director

Dr. Jennifer Biagio serves as Assistant Director of Teaching, Learning, & Leading for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence providing Direct Technical Assistance (DTA) to local educational agencies (LEAs) across the state. Dr. Jennifer Biagio serves as Assistant Director of Teaching, Learning, & Leading for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence providing Direct Technical Assistance (DTA) to local educational agencies (LEAs) across the state.

Dr. Biagio brings nearly two decades of extensive knowledge and experience with California’s educational system as a continuous improvement expert. Prior to joining the CCEE, Dr. Biagio served as the Director of the Mid-State Collaborative Geographical Lead, as an administrator working with the Tulare County Office of Education (TCOE) Leadership Support Services department. Her experience with leading school districts through the Differentiated Assistance (DA) process connected with her background in foster youth and students with disabilities allows her to understand and connect multiple initiatives and accountability requirements braided with Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and continuous improvement methods. With a proven track record of guiding school districts through strategic planning and evidence-based practice implementation, Dr. Biagio has effectively engaged educational partners and manages cross-functional teams to drive systemic change.

Additionally, Dr. Biagio served as the Administrator of Curriculum & Instruction in the Educational Services and prior to that a SELPA Program Specialist in the Special Services division of TCOE. It is through these experiences she understands the multifaceted tiers of educational systems and requirements to create infrastructures robust in equity, inclusion, and best practices for all learners.

Dr. Biagio earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership with a minor in Psychology. In 2009, she received a Masters degree in Special Education with a thesis researched in the focus of English language learners and proper identification of students with disabilities. In her pursuit of administration leadership, she earned a second Masters degree in Education Administration and most recently (2023) completed her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from George Fox University with research that directly supports the social emotional wellbeing of leaders in organizations using methods of improvement science to prove statistical results of employment retention. With a passion for relationship building, Dr. Biagio continues her research and continuous professional development in the pursuit of educational equity for all. Read More

Anthony Tran

Assistant Director

Anthony Tran is the Assistant Director of Data for Quality Improvement for the Teaching, Learning, & Leading Center. His work focuses on supporting Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in Direct Technical Assistance with developing and sustaining systems that integrate data analytics, governance, literacy, and management. Read More

Dr. Gonzalo Avila

Senior Manager

Dr. Gonzalo Avila is the Senior Manager of Instructional Systems and Innovation for the CCEE. In this role, Dr. Avila assists local educational agencies (LEAs) in a systemic review to accelerate learning and achievement. Dr. Avila has served as an educator leader for 27 years. During his career, he served as a bilingual teacher, assistant principal, and principal. Dr. Avila has held increasingly responsible director roles, which have included Director of English Learners, Director of Elementary and Secondary Education, and Director of Accountability and Continuous Improvement. Read More

Franchesca Sonoyama

Senior Specialist

Franchesca Sonoyama is a Senior Specialist for the CCEE. In this role, she provides programmatic and team support including process improvement, material development, and project management within the Teaching, Learning, and Leading Center (TLLC). Franchesca supports the implementation of the Systemic Instructional Review (SIR) for the TLLC team alongside partner LEAs. Prior to joining the CCEE team, Franchesca served as program manager with a non-profit performing arts organization to provide equitable, enriching, and culturally relevant arts education to majority Title-1 schools in Sacramento and abroad. Read More

Belinda Gaspar

Senior Specialist

Belinda is a Senior Specialist for CCEE’s Teaching, Learning, and Leading Center. She primarily works on the administration and project management of the Learning Acceleration System Grant and the evaluation projects associated with the grant. She also supports the center’s efforts to provide Direct Technical Assistance to districts across California. Belinda also supports CCEE’s communication and data collection strategies to better measure the agency’s impact on California’s education systems, educators, and students. Read More

Italo Ciccarelli

Program Specialist, Data & Impact

Italo Ciccarelli serves as a Program Specialist for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE), Innovation, Instruction, & Impact Center. His role at CCEE includes research and report writing and assisting with project management within various agency-wide initiatives. Prior to joining the CCEE, Italo served as the Enrollment Analyst and Project Manager at California State University, Sacramento, supporting university-wide enrollment reporting and data analysis as well as campus-wide project implementation. Most recently, Italo was the program administrator for the University Advising CRM, providing technical and functional support to the campus community. Read More

Jasmine Hennessy

Senior Specialist

Jasmine Hennessy is a Senior Specialist for CCEE’s Teaching, Learning, and Leading Center. At CCEE, Jasmine’s responsibilities include project management, data analysis and visualization, resource development, and communication and coordination in support of Direct Technical Assistance and the Statewide System of Support. Read More

Sandra Brandt

Administrative Assistant II

Before joining the CCEE team, Sandra served as an Administrative Assistant at Visions In Education, a TK – 12 Independent Study charter school serving nine counties. She served over six years as administrative support to the Chief Operations Officer, Director of Operations, and Controller in the Business Services Department. While working at Visions, she was chosen to work on several special projects, including charter independence, integration of a new school information system, and an intranet redesign project. Sandra worked on various implementation teams where she developed and managed systems for fiscal and business operations. She was also a team member of the DEI Group, in which she participated with teachers, counselors, and administrators to develop an outreach program for the organization. Sandra has worked in the education field for over 12 years. Read More

Nicole Hanlon

Administrative Assistant II

Nicole serves as the Administrative Assistant II to the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence. Her role at CCEE includes administrative, travel, and fiscal support for the Innovative Instruction and Impact (I3) and Teaching, Learning, and Leading Center (TLLC) teams. Prior to joining the CCEE team, Nicole served as an Administrative Office Assistant for Saugus Union School District school sites and the school district office. Her favorite part of this position was to see smiling students and building partnerships with the teachers and families in her community. Read More

CCEE Staff Bios

Dr. Stephanie Gregson

Dr. Rocio Gonzalez-Frausto

Dr. Jennie Wright

Dr. Marcie Poole

Stacey Wedin

James McKenna, Ed.D.

Dr. Jennifer Biagio

Anthony Tran

Dr. Gonzalo Avila

Franchesca Sonoyama

Belinda Gaspar

Italo Ciccarelli

Jasmine Hennessy

Sandra Brandt

Nicole Hanlon