Our Team
Duane B. Baker, Ed.D. – President
The founder and president of The BERC Group, Dr. Baker has a broad spectrum of public school educational and program experiences including serving as a high school classroom teacher, high school assistant principal, middle school principal, executive director for curriculum and instruction, and assistant superintendent. In addition, he has served as an adjunct instructor in the School of Education at Seattle Pacific University since 1996, where his emphasis has been Educational Measurement and Evaluation and Classroom Assessment.
Dr. Baker also presently serves as the Director of School Information Services for the Washington School Research Center where he manages the Washington Just for the Kids data analysis professional development program. He also serves as an evaluator for the Model Districts, Model Schools, and Achiever High Schools grant programs sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; the School Leadership Training program sponsored by The Broad Foundation; and the Mathematics Helping Corps sponsored by the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Presently The BERC Group is working with over 270 schools across the state of Washington. Dr. Baker's postgraduate research has focused on the use and impact of alternative forms of assessment and school reform.
Candace A. Gratama, Ed.D. – Senior Vice President
Candace Gratama holds a doctorate in education from Seattle Pacific University. She joined The BERC Group in 2001, after almost 10 years at the University of Washington where she was responsible for coordinating the Neuropsychology testing program for multi-site research studies in the areas of Epilepsy, HIV, and Neurosurgery. She has been an examiner and trainer for these multi-site studies and has coordinated test-scoring contracts for several large pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Gratama has worked as a school counselor and is presently an adjunct professor at Seattle Pacific University.
Shawn D. Bachtler, Ph.D. – Senior Research Associate
Shawn Bachtler is an educator and psychologist who joined The BERC Group after more than six years in the Department of Neurology at the University of Washington and adjunct faculty member at Seattle University. She also presently serves as the Chair of the Humanities and Sciences Department at Cornish College of the Arts.
She has developed and implemented curriculum reform and revised outcome assessments at the college level. Her work has addressed the integration of learning across disciplines and collaboration in the classroom.
Dr. Bachtler's research and teaching interests include: neurological aspects of cognitive processing, creative and generative processes, cross-cultural and gender issues. She also conducts cultural, psychological, and historical research for theater productions at Cornish, which serves as a program model for interdisciplinary education and learning at the college.
Kari M. Peterson, Ph.D. – Senior Research Associate
Kari M. Peterson holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Seattle Pacific University. Previously, Kari worked as a Research Associate with the Washington School Research Center. She has also worked as a sub-contractor in evaluating the Achievement First Initiative sponsored by the Bills and Melinda Gates Foundation. Most recently, Kari completed a clinical internship at Wasatch Mental Health in Provo, Utah. Kari’s research and professional interests include program evaluation, investigation of risk and protective factors involved in predicting childhood disorders, and sports psychology.
Cameron C. Smith, B.A. - Director of Communications
Working in educational and professional video and media production for the last 9 years, Cameron brings wide range of technical knowledge and experience to The BERC Group. Cameron has worked as the Audio / Video Specialist for Seattle Pacific University, a video editor and camera operator for Take Two Film and Video and a independent video producer for various school districts and non-profit organizations. Cameron holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Theater Arts from Seattle Pacific University.
Connie Thomson, Ed.D. (ABD) - Research Associate
Mark Freed, Ed.D. (ABD) - Research Associate/ Data Anlayst
Research Assistants
| Jenee Myers, B.A. | Ellie Whitehill, B.A. |
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| Bryn Chighizola, B.A. | Cami Ulrich, B.A. |
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| Jim Grothe B.A. | Leanne Koenigs, B.A. |
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Maureen Cochran - Executive Assistant
Maureen Cochran brings a wealth of administrative experience to The BERC Group with over 14 years of service as an executive assistant in Washington State's public schools. Most recently, Maureen served as the lead secretary for Monroe Middle School in Monroe, Washington. As such, she brings a sense of passion and dedication to The BERC Group as she knows what day-to-day life is like not only for the building principal, but for all of the many students, staff and volunteers that work to serve our public and private school students.
Given Maureen's varied roles and responsibilities within public education, she is well versed to answer questions and assist schools that work with The BERC Group on any project or activity. She is passionate about customer service and demonstrates those skills on a daily basis in the office, on the phone, and by email.
External Contractors
Raymond Houser, M. Ed. - Research Affiliate
Tammy Amadorr, M. Ed. - Research Affiliate / Data Analyst
Heather Cochran, M. Ed. - Research Affiliate / Data Analyst
Jackie Erickson, M. Ed. - Research Affiliate / Data Analyst
Jeff Fouts, Ed.D. -Senior Data Analyst
Martin Abbott, Ph.D. - Senior Data Analyst
Joan Clay, Ed.D. (ABD) - Data Analyst
Daria Thomas, Ph.D. - Technical Writer
David Lemmel, Ph.D. - Field Consultant
Heidi Lemmel, Ph.D. - Field Consultant
Susan Hukkanen - Field Consultant
Becky Washington - Field Consultant
Reese Carson, B.A. - Video Production
David Rither, B.A. - Video Production
Ian Knippel - Video Production