About Us

Teresa Wanser-Ernst, Ph.D.

Co-Founder, Senior Research Scientist

Dr. Teresa Wanser-Ernst has dedicated over thirty years to the PK-12 education sector, beginning her career as an elementary school teacher before transitioning into the role of an assessment and evaluation specialist. In this capacity, she spent more than two decades focusing on measuring academic and program achievements.

She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, with a specialization in Quantitative, Qualitative, and Psychometric Methods, from the University of Nebraska. Teresa applied her expertise at Lincoln Public Schools (Nebraska), where she collaborated with a wide variety of district personnel to design, develop, implement, and analyze district-wide academic assessments.

As the focus on assessments shifted to the state level, Teresa transitioned to evaluating PK-12 grants and special programs. She worked closely with program coordinators, service providers, school leadership, and funding agencies to develop surveys and other data collection tools aimed at assessing program impacts on student outcomes. Teresa has a strong commitment to inclusive practices, ensuring that data collection efforts reflect the diverse voices of all stakeholders.

In 2020, Teresa co-founded EMC, where she specializes in evaluation and measurement, consultation, curriculum and standards alignment, academic assessments, survey research, data analysis, and reporting. Her work emphasizes the inclusion of historically underserved populations to ensure equitable representation in data-driven decision-making.

Teresa is a member of the American Evaluation Association (AEA) and the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME). She lives in New Orleans, LA with her husband where they enjoy the vibrant and welcoming culture of the historically rich city. 

Dawn Mazzie, Ph.D.

Co-Founder

Dawn is an assessment and evaluation specialist for Lincoln Public Schools (LPS). Dawn has worked on the Cultural Proficiency Implementation Committee under the leadership of Thomas Christie as he navigated the district on its journey toward cultural proficiency. Dawn received the Leola Bullock Multicultural Award for her work promoting cultural awareness among school personnel, helping them to understand the importance of personal relationships and how one’s culture and socialization impact how they interact with others, especially students. Currently, Dawn serves on the YWCA-Lincoln finance committee. She is also the current vice-president and immediate past president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Psi Chi Omega Chapter in Lincoln. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, is the oldest black Greek letter organization for college-educated women.

Randal Ernst, Ed.D.

Co-Founder

Dr. Randal Ernst (Randy), Professor Emeritus of Education at Nebraska Wesleyan University, brings nearly 40 years of experience in education. Before his tenure as a professor, he served in Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) as both a classroom teacher and a district administrator. In his district role, he developed comprehensive assessments in writing proficiency and social studies across all grade levels. As LPS’s social studies curriculum specialist, Randy spearheaded the creation of curricula and assessments designed to foster critical thinking skills.

In addition to his work in education, Randy is an accomplished writer. His high school psychology textbook, Thinking About Psychology, is a national best seller, and he has authored or edited numerous teacher’s guides, activity books, and scholarly articles featured in The Oxford Review of Education, The American Psychologist, and The Teaching of Psychology.

Randy’s contributions to education have earned him several prestigious honors, including the NAACP Dedication to Children Award, Civic Nebraska’s Outstanding Administrator Award, and the Leola Bullock Multicultural Award for promoting multicultural understanding.

Beyond his academic and writing achievements, Randy has facilitated workshops on cultural competence and co-led seminars on well-being and resilience worldwide. He firmly believes that well-being and cultural competence are deeply interconnected and essential to fostering inclusive and thriving communities.