With a 30-year career rooted in the classroom and refined through district-level leadership, Dana specializes in bridging the gap between high-level academic standards and everyday classroom success.  As the Program Manager of Academic Standards for Tucson Unified School District, she leads multi-disciplinary teams of specialists to empower educators and drive student achievement across ELA, Math, Social Studies, and Science.

Dana’s approach is defined by a deep commitment to culturally sustaining environments, rigorous teacher development, and the belief that strong partnerships – between districts, families, and communities – are the foundation of a thriving school. A respected voice in the field, she frequently shares her expertise by facilitating professional presentations at the local, state, and national levels, focusing on curriculum implementation and instructional best practices. Her influence extends into the broader educational community through her work as a Department Editor for the NCTM Journal, Teaching Children Mathematics, and as a published author of several instructional resources.

A highly decorated educator, Dana is a three-time National Board-Certified Teacher (Early Childhood Generalist – 2003, 2012, 2023). Her excellence in the field has been recognized at the highest levels as Arizona’s 2008 recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.