Speaker Bios
Dr. Arsenio Romero
Retired Secretary of New Mexico Public Education, Dr. Arsenio Romero, is a native New Mexican, and chose to become an educator to follow in his mother’s footsteps. Secretary Romero is a distinguished educator with 28 years of experience in the field, spanning roles as a teacher, principal, and superintendent.
In his most recent role as Secretary of New Mexico Public Education, Dr. Arsenio Romero brought his wealth of experience and passion for education to the forefront, advocating for policies that empower educators and students alike. Secretary Romero has earned recognition as the National Superintendent of the Year by the Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrations and was named the 2021 Administrator of the Year by the New Mexico Association of Elementary Principals. Dr. Romero was also a long time Regent for New Mexico State University. He earned both his undergraduate and Ph.D. from New Mexico State University, along with a master’s degree in educational administration and leadership from the University of New Mexico.
Elliot R. Field
Elliot Field represents school districts, education service districts, and other public agencies in employment, personal injury, and civil litigation matters. Prior to joining the firm, Elliot worked as an attorney with the Oregon School Boards Association and at the Oregon Department of Education. Elliot moved to Oregon in 2016 from Los Angeles, where he worked for several years at a public agency boutique law firm representing school districts, cities, and community colleges in a variety of legal matters in state and federal court, as well as before administrative hearings officers.
Elliot has spent his career working in and for the public sector. After graduating from UCLA, Elliot taught students with disabilities at a school in Los Angeles. He left the classroom and enrolled at Loyola Law School after being selected as a Public Interest Scholar with a particular interest in school law. While in law school, Elliot provided services to children detained in Los Angeles’s juvenile halls. Over his years working with public agencies, he has accrued experience advising on personnel matters, conducting investigations into workplace discrimination, and training staff on new and evolving legislation that impacts school operations.
Keri Greener
Keri Greener has been an educator for more than 35 years. She specializes in supporting teachers, building, and district administrators in the PLC and RTI process, building student engagement, creating a healthy culture, and creating effective assessment systems. Keri has been an elementary school teacher, literacy coach, district literacy specialist, principal, and director of assessment, Federal Programs Directors, professional development directors and recently retired as assistant superintendent in Box Elder School District.
Under Keri's leadership, Discovery Elementary achieved significant milestones. In 2016, the school was honored as a National Blue Ribbon School, a testament to its school wide focus on collaboration and the four critical questions, and the implementation of systems to respond to student learning for all. This success was further solidified in 2020 when Discovery was recognized as a Model PLC at Work® School. She earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Utah State University and a master's in curriculum instruction and design from Weber State University. In addition, she earned her administrative certificate and literacy endorsement from Utah State University.
Morgan Allen
Morgan Allen is the Deputy Executive Director of COSA (Coalition of Oregon School Administrators). He has also worked for the Oregon School Boards Association and Oregon Department of Education. His first job at the Legislature was in 1997. A native Oregonian, he currently lives in Portland with his wife and daughter.
Brea Cardiel, OEII
Brea Cardiel is a District Grant Manager with the Oregon Department of Education. She serves schools and districts for Douglas, South Coast and Southern Oregon ESDs. Prior to ODE, she was a high school mathematics teacher and an Instructional Coach. She earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership in 2020. Her dissertation title was “Amplifying Latinx Voice through Interview Studies: Highlighting Mathematics Identity as a Pathway to Student Self-Empowerment and Academic Agency”.
Jennifer Molan, OEII
Jennifer Molan is an Education Specialist with the Oregon Department of Education. She serves in District and School Improvement and as a Regional Support Specialist for Douglas, South Coast, and Southern Oregon ESDs. Prior to ODE, Jennifer was an elementary principal in Scio and Mt. Angel, and taught middle School in Silverton.
Marnie Jewell, OEII
Marnie Jewell serves on the Every Day Matters team at the Oregon Department of Education, where she supports districts and regions in their efforts to improve attendance. Before joining the team in January, 2019, she served on the Secondary/Post-Secondary Transitions team working with CTE licensure and Programs of Study. Marnie spent the majority of her time in education in the school counseling realm, serving as a school counselor and Counseling Program Associate in Salem-Keizer, and a high school counselor at Chemawa Indian School and in Woodburn. Marnie enjoys golfing, reading, snorkeling, and (most of all) her four grandkids.
Summer Snyder, Dignity Consulting
Summer Snyder is passionate about inclusive and equitable classrooms and schools. With over twenty years of specialized experience supporting differentiated instruction, she currently serves as the Differentiation Coordinator for a district serving over 55,000 students in eight municipalities in Denver, Colorado. In her role, Summer facilitates a range of professional learning and development opportunities to help schools build the capacity to meet the diverse needs of all learners in all content areas. She has been a classroom teacher, coordinator of Inside/Out Program, member of the District Equity Team, the Gifted and Talented Resource Teacher, and an Instructional Coach. Additionally, Summer organized and implemented G.I.R.L.S. (Girls Inspiring Responsibility & Leadership Success) a district initiative that inspires, encourages, and empowers Black girls in first through fifth grades. She has been honored with the Golden Heart Award, the Excellence Award for Organizations, and the Superintendent Making a Difference Award. Summer is a collegiate athlete with degrees in Elementary Education, Special Education, and Curriculum and Instruction.