The Team
Members of The BERC Group have K–20, experiences as teachers, counselors, psychologists, building administrators, district administrators, and college professors. The team is currently working on research and evaluation projects at the national, state, regional, district, school, classroom, and student levels in over 1,000 schools nationally.
Executives
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Executive Director |
Stacy Mehlberg
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Data Analyst |
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Research Associate |
Juli Suyetsugu
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Research Assistants |
Erin McCullough
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Holli Bredin
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Research Affiliates
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Operations
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Duane Baker, Ed.D. President / Chief Executive Officer
Duane Baker is the founder and president of The BERC Group. Dr. Baker has a broad spectrum of public school educational and program experience, 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 serves as the Director of Research for the Washington School Research Center at Seattle Pacific University. He has also served as an evaluator for several organizations including the United States Department of Education, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Washington Education Foundation, Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and many others.
Dr. Baker also serves as the Director of Research for the Washington School Research Center at Seattle Pacific University. He has also served as an evaluator for several organizations including the United States Department of Education, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Washington Education Foundation, Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, and many others.
Stacy Mehlberg, Ph.D. Executive Director
Tyler Kopet, B.A., C.P.A. Chief Financial Officer
Tyler Kopet holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Accounting from Eastern Washington University. Tyler has held various roles in the field of finance over the past 18 years. For the last 12 years, he has worked in the executive management capacity as the Chief Financial Officer in both the service and construction industries. He is a well-seasoned manager in Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, Information Technology, and Risk Management. He enjoys integrating these cross functional services with business operations and sales.
Ronak Patel, Ph.D. Director of Research
Juli Suyetsugu B.A. Research Associate
Juli Suyetsugu holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management Information Systems from Washington State University. Juli has worked as a Programmer Analyst over the last 20 years at Liberty Mutual Surety, Safeco Insurance, Boeing and Microsoft. Juli joined The BERC Group in 2016.
Erin McCullough M.Ed Research Assistant
Holli Bredin Research Assistant
Candace Gratama, Ed.D. Research Affiliate
Candace Gratama holds a doctorate in education from Seattle Pacific University. She joined The BERC Group in 2001, after almost ten 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.
Dr. Gratama is the Executive Vice President for The BERC Group and serves as the primary investigator for multiple research and evaluation projects, and she has been central in the development of the STAR Classroom Observation Protocol. Dr. Gratama's research interests include program evaluation, college readiness, student assessment, and school reform.
Dr. Gratama is the Executive Vice President for The BERC Group and serves as the primary investigator for multiple research and evaluation projects, and she has been central in the development of the STAR Classroom Observation Protocol. Dr. Gratama's research interests include program evaluation, college readiness, student assessment, and school reform.
Kari Peterson, Ph.D. Research Affiliate
Kari M. Peterson is the Director of Research for The BERC Group; she joined The BERC Group in 2006. She has a background in social science and education and has been conducting research in public schools since 2002. Previously, she worked as a Research Associate with the Washington School Research Center (WSRC). While at the WSRC, Dr. Peterson cultivated an interest and expertise in working with large datasets, performing statistical analyses, and writing technical reports. For The BERC Group, Dr. Peterson is involved in developing and leading a variety of program evaluation and research projects. She also leads professional development for teachers around the STAR Protocol and Powerful Teaching and Learning. Dr. Peterson has extensive experience processing and analyzing a variety of data including Powerful Teaching and Learning data, student achievement data, and College Tracking data, among others. Dr. Peterson has had the opportunity to visit thousands of classrooms as part of her work at The BERC Group and is deeply interested in factors that improve student learning in the classroom. She is also very committed to providing schools, districts, and organizations with a useful and objective third-party review of their programs. Her other professional interests include designing evaluation and research projects, survey development, statistical methods and analyses for large datasets, and providing useful feedback to schools regarding program effectiveness.
Jim Grothe, M.Ed. Research Affiliate
Jim Grothe holds a Masters in Education degree from Central Washington University. He brings a wealth of knowledge to The BERC Group with 32 years of teaching experience. In addition to "Powerful Teaching and Learning," Jim is trained in "The Art and Science of Professional Teaching," and NSRC/STC Hands on Science. He also developed and shared a district-wide management system for individualizing the teaching of reading. In addition, Jim trained high school cross-age tutors and community volunteer tutors to work with students in reading classes, piloted social studies, math, and language arts curriculum adoptions and helped align district math curriculum to state "Grade Level Expectations."
Sarah Brenner, M.Ed. Research Affiliate
Sarah Brenner holds a Master of Education in School Counseling from Seattle Pacific University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and English from John Carroll University. Sarah’s educational work experience includes Social Work (Children and Family Services, Shelter for Runaway Teens, Mental Health Facility for Children and Domestic Violence Center), Case Manager for a middle school re-entry program, and completing a 600+ hour internship at a middle school in the Seattle Public School District. Sarah’s research interests include college readiness, school counseling, and equity in education.
Lisa (Goetz) Law, M.Ed. Research Affiliate
Lisa Law holds a Masters of Education degree in School Counseling from Seattle Pacific University. She has worked and volunteered in many educational and extracurricular settings involving children and youth, including a 600-hour school counseling internship at a high-need elementary school in the Edmonds School District. While earning her undergraduate degree from the University of Washington, Lisa participated in a variety of research projects through the School of Psychology. She joined The BERC Group as a Research Assistant in 2010 and is excited to be involved in educational research at a pivotal time in school reform. Lisa’s research interests include program evaluation, equity in education, and risk and resiliency factors in predicting students’ personal, social and academic success.
Jeff Whitehill, B.A. Research Affiliate
Jeff Whitehill holds a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies from the University of Washington. He focused his studies on international development policies and practices. Jeff returned from the Peace Corps (Kazakhstan) in 2009 with a passion for education. As a Peace Corps volunteer, Jeff taught English in a village secondary school to students from 3rd to 11th grade. During this time he received training in communicative teaching methods and the Russian language. Jeff joined The BERC Group in 2010.
Bryn Chighizola, M.A. Research Affiliate
Bryn holds a Masters Degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Seattle Pacific University. Her research interests involve program evaluation and team development. Bryn has conducted consultation work in a variety of industries including MacDonald Miller, The Downtown Emergency Services Center, and Harborview Medical Center. She has worked with The BERC Group for three years. Her professional experiences include being a member of the Washington State Leadership Academy Evaluation Team, leading School and Classroom Practice Studies, writing proposals, and providing evaluation planning for various projects. Bryn is passionate about providing a systemic approach to evaluations and developing measurable outcomes to provide clients with a clear path for continued development.
Kahlil Ford, Ph.D. Research Affiliate
Dr. Kahlil Ford is a Research Associate with The BERC Group, Inc. Dr. Ford completed his undergraduate degree at the University of California, Riverside and his doctorate at the University of Michigan. While working at research centers at the University of Michigan and New York University, Dr. Ford developed expertise in managing databases, research methods, and statistical analyses. He has also taught a number of college level courses, including Developmental Psychology, Personality Psychology, and Introduction to Psychology.
Mindy Jones, B.A. Research Affiliate
Mindy Jones has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Residency Teaching Certificate from Western Washington University, with extensive coursework in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She taught English for four years at Wapato High School, where she first received training in the STAR Protocol. As a high-school teacher, Mindy experienced first-hand the benefits of Powerful Teaching and Learning (PTL) in the classroom. Student learning and engagement increased dramatically when she began incorporating elements of PTL into her classroom planning and instruction. She joined the BERC Group in 2012 and is excited to contribute to the research that can have such a beneficial impact on student learning.
Casey Howard, B.A. Research Affiliate
Casey holds a Bachelor's of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Washington. She has conducted research at the Pike Market Senior Center, where she studied the relationship between the Pike Place Market and the Senior Center. Her favorite part of research is meeting new people and listening to their interesting stories. A lifelong resident of the Northwest, she enjoys hiking, playing softball, and playing the violin. Casey is excited to use her passion for research in education.
Brittany Long, B.S. Research Affiliate
Brittany Long holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a keen interest in research. She completed coursework at Washington State University- Tri-Cities in May of 2012. Her studies include Experimental Methods in Psychology, Statistics, Child and Adolescent Development, and Social Psychology. Brittany joined The BERC Group as a Research Assistant in August 2012 with plans to continue her education. Her hobbies include playing volleyball, watching live music, playing the piano, and traveling. Brittany is very excited to use her knowledge to help improve education systems.
Rachel Gremillion, M.Ed. Research Affiliate
Rachel Gremillion holds a Master's of Education in School Counseling from Seattle Pacific University (SPU) and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Louisiana. Her experience working with youth includes a 600-hour school counseling internship at a K-8 school in Seattle Public School District and a 200-hour practicum at an alternative high school in Lake Washington School District. During this time, she tracked data on multiple students with regard to attendance, discipline, grades, at-risk factors, and standardized test scores within a Response to Intervention model. She also has three years of experience working as a language arts, math, and AVID tutor in multiple high-needs public schools throughout Seattle. As a student at SPU, she co-led a presentation at the 2011 WSCA conference on the research that supports the importance of a school counselor’s role as a social justice advocate. Rachel is looking forward to being involved in educational research at the BERC Group and working with schools to increase student learning.
Amy Cox, M.A.T. Research Affiliate
Amy holds a Master’s Degree in Teaching and a
Bachelor’s of Arts in English from Western Washington University. After
completing a nine-week internship at an at-risk youth alternative high school,
a year-long practicum in a sixth grade classroom, and a semester-long
internship in a tenth grade English classroom, Amy graduated with her master’s and
a residency teaching certificate with an endorsement in English. Amy has
traveled and taught English in Barcelona and Hawaii. Amy is
excited to be a part of making a difference in student learning.
Alan Weiss, M.S. Research Affiliate
We miss you Alan. Alan M. Weiss was a seasoned educator, with 42 years of experience in the public education arena. He held a Masters in Biology from the University of South Dakota and completed 30 credits toward an Ed. D in Educational Leadership. Alan started in the classroom, passionately teaching Biology for 17 years. From the classroom, his skills led him to the opportunity to serve as an Administrator for the Miami Dade County Public School System. It was there that Alan served and learned in diverse, challenging positions: Assistant Principal, Supervisor of the Gifted Programs, Executive Director Office of Personnel Management and Services, District Director of Office of Curriculum and Instruction, and Founding Principal of The New World School of The Arts. After 30 years of service, Alan “retired” from the Miami Dade County System and moved to Edmonds, Washington where he quickly “unretired.” As principal of Edmonds-Woodway High School he established an International Baccalaureate program that served over 30% of the student population. Alan’s professional interests included standards-based instruction and program evaluation. Alan was enthusiastic about sharing his many years of experience in ways to help us meet your public education challenges.
Jeanine Butler, Ph.D. Research Affiliate
Dr. Butler's career in education spans more than 30 years, including eight years as a principal in Edmonds and eight years as an assistant superintendent in Wenatchee. Butler also taught music for 12 years and served as an assistant principal/athletic director in Northshore for three years.
In addition to her role as an affiliate with the BERC Group, Jeanine has spent the last 4 years as a District and School Improvement Facilitator and the last two years as a coach for the Washington State Leadership Academy. She also supervises the Washington State University principal certification program in Wenatchee.
Butler received her Ph.D. from the University of Washington and is a lifetime member of the Husky Marching Band!
In addition to her role as an affiliate with the BERC Group, Jeanine has spent the last 4 years as a District and School Improvement Facilitator and the last two years as a coach for the Washington State Leadership Academy. She also supervises the Washington State University principal certification program in Wenatchee.
Butler received her Ph.D. from the University of Washington and is a lifetime member of the Husky Marching Band!
Cameron Smith, B.A. Affiliate
Working in educational and professional video and media production for the last nine 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.
Ian Knippel Affiliate
Growing up with a father who worked in the Audio/Visual field, Ian Knippel has been immersed in this line of work from a very young age. The abilities and experience he brings to The BERC Group are drawn from his professional background as well as his many personal endeavors. While living in Portland, OR he worked for Becker Production, a prominent multimedia production and staging house. He has directed music videos for local bands and been the cinematographer for short films. He now enjoys putting these skills to use for The BERC Group.
Kevin Kemp, M.A. Research Affiliate
Kevin Kemp brings a wealth of experience from the education arena to the BERC Group, Inc. from the small, rural school and community perspective. Kevin has over 14 years of experience in living and working in small, rural communities. Kevin’s first position was as a middle school science teacher at St. Labre Indian School in Ashland, MT, where his main populations of students were members of the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservations. From St. Labre he moved on to Camas High School where he taught high school science and earned his administrative credential. In 2006, Kevin moved to Challis, ID for two years where he served as the 7-12 Principal, Special Education Director, and Professional Technical Education Director. While at Challis, Kevin helped lead his school out of School Improvement status. From Challis, Kevin had a one year stint in Wilson Creek as the P-12 Principal before moving on to the 6-12 Principal and Athletic Director at Soap Lake Middle/High School. While at Soap Lake, Kevin implemented the RAD/MERIT Grant for his building and assisted in leading them with the school improvement process and requirements. Kevin earned his Bachelor's of Science from the University of Florida in Exercise and Sport Sciences and his Master’s Degree from Boise State University in Curriculum and Instruction. Kevin is currently working on earning his Doctorate in Educational Leadership.
When not at work Kevin enjoys spending time with his wife Crystal, his son Tyrus, and daughter Kendall.
When not at work Kevin enjoys spending time with his wife Crystal, his son Tyrus, and daughter Kendall.
Rebecca Goertzel, M.Ed., M.A. Research Affiliate
Rebecca Goertzel holds a Masters Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Washington and a Residency Principal’s Certificate, as well as a Masters of the Arts in Education from the University of California. She was a principal for eight years, five as an elementary principal in the Sedro-Woolley School District and three as a K-12 principal at the Cloud Forest School in Monteverde, Costa Rica. She brings a wealth of knowledge to the BERC group, being closely involved in the transformation of her school using the STAR Protocol, development of Professional Learning Communities, and leading professional development at the district and school site level. She also has years of experience in bilingual, multi-cultural education and English as a Second Language.
Kathy Christopher Office Manager
Kathy Christopher’s father was a Major in the U.S. Air Force, and subsequently she attended school in many diverse locations, including Tacoma, Washington; Germany; Duluth, Minnesota; Reno, Nevada; and finally Yakima, Washington. Eventually she attended Yakima Valley Community College. Prior to working with The BERC Group, Kathy co-owned and operated a Dairy Queen for 24 years. Kathy was also part-time volunteer classroom assistant and youth group leader as her own children progressed through school.
