Michael Gaal is an accomplished leader with over 30 years of service-centered experience across multiple sectors and disciplines. Before coming to D11, Michael served as Deputy Chancellor, DC Public Schools; Chief of Staff, Oakland Unified School District; and Chief Operations Officer and Elementary Superintendent, Education Achievement Authority of Michigan. His private sector experience includes President of Sales for an education technology company, and Chief Operations Officer and later President of an energy management company, primarily supporting school districts and universities. Michael is a retired Air Force Colonel with deep experience in in-flight instruction, mobility operations, and national strategic policy development. Michael's student's first mantra and understanding of the needs of schools and students drive his urgency and passion for ensuring all students are loved.

Tamara has over 25 years of experience in public education serving as a teacher/literacy lead teacher, Mathematics Content Specialist, Mathematics Curriculum Coordinator, assistant principal, principal, and instructional superintendent/principal supervisor.  Most recently, as the Deputy Superintendent of Academics in Denver Public Schools, she has supported staff and students to reach rigorous learning goals and provide challenging learning experiences so that all students achieve at high levels and have career and college success.

Devra is a Colorado native and proudly serves as the Chief Communications Officer for Colorado Springs School District 11, the same district of which she is a graduate.  She has served in this role for over a decade. She received her Bachelors degree in Media Management Communications from the University of Colorado, and her Master’s degree in Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations from Southern New Hampshire University. 

Prior to education communications, Devra worked in several communications and public relations fields.  Beginning her career as a TV reporter and anchor, she sharpened her skills as a journalist and learned quickly about media relations.  She has served as a public relations and communications specialist in the health care and local government industries, but coming from a family of educators, feels right at home in School District 11. 

Devra has received several awards and recognitions, including a National School Public Relations Association Gold Medallion Award, two National City-County Communications and Marketing Savvy awards, a Best of TV News Reporter Award from the Independent Newspaper, and many Colorado School Public Relations Association Awards of Excellence.  Devra was thrilled to become accredited in public relations by the Public Relations Society of America in November 2011.

Since 1994, Phoebe Bailey has served Colorado Springs School District 11 in numerous capacities, including lead classroom teacher, Instructional Data Coach, K12 Instructional Coach, federal grant Project Director, Director of Educator Effectiveness, and in her current role as Assistant Superintendent, Personnel Support Services.  Additional D11 involvement includes, but is not limited to building representative, Superintendent’s Teacher Sounding Board, member, D11 Strategic Planning Committee, and member, D11 Math and Science Committees.

A 2016 recipient of the Colorado Springs Association of School Executives (CSASE) Service to Education Award, Phoebe has mentored and supervised many student teachers and educators locally, regionally and statewide.

Originally from Champaign, Illinois, Phoebe is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education.  She later obtained a Master of Arts degree in Human Resources Development from Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri.

Phoebe’s professional affiliations include the Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE), Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE), Colorado Association of Black School Educators (CABSE) and the Urbanites Leading the Pikes Peak Region (ULPPR).

Phoebe is the proud Mom of two sons and a daughter and resides in Colorado Springs, where she continues to be an advocate for ALL children and a champion for public education.

David Khaliqi, Ph.D. is the Executive Director for Education Insights. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Colorado State University. After receiving his undergraduate degree David taught science and math for 12 years in a variety of locations from rural Colorado, South America, and Colorado Springs. David moved into higher education in 2007 as the founding director of the Center for STEM Education at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) where he worked with over 200 teachers and thousands of K12 students in STEM activities and workshops. In 2014 he became the Executive Director over the Pre-Collegiate Support and Success Center at UCCS working with first-generation and military families related to college readiness and concurrent enrollment opportunities. In 2014, David earned his doctorate from UCCS in Educational Leadership, Research, and Foundations studying the effect of physics education on math performance. He has presented and published on a variety of topics related to STEM education including scenario-based learning, early physics curricula, and effective teacher professional development. David has a passion for using data to inform high-quality teaching and learning practices.

John W. McCarron provides vision and leadership for all District 11 information technology initiatives and functions. As Chief Information Officer, John partners with schools and administrative departments to improve student achievement by identifying cost effective solutions and improving supporting business processes. John is a technology geek with over 25 years of progressive experience and success in building and supporting best-in-class technology solutions, motivating staff, leading change initiatives, and optimizing processes in both private and public sectors.  Since 2016, John has led the effort to modernize instructional technology and infrastructure in support of 21^st century teaching and learning.  John holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and earned a Master of Business Administration at the University of Hawaii.