Our Team | ATLAS PIE

Our Team

Brooke Nash, PhD

Principal Investigator

Brooke Nash, PhD

is the Associate Director of Psychometrics for ATLAS. She directs the operational psychometrics for the Kansas Assessment Program (KAP), the Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) Alternate Assessment Consortium, and is co-principal investigator of the DLM project. Dr. Nash, principal investigator, oversees the governance, research, design, implementation, and dissemination activities for the Pathways for Instructionally Embedded Assessment (PIE) project and serves as the primary contact to Missouri. Dr. Nash has over 15 years of experience in the assessment industry, both operationally and in conducting research in formative, diagnostic, and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)-based assessment. She oversees psychometric staff, work, and budget for multiple assessment programs and research projects. She earned her doctoral degree in educational psychology and research from the University of Kansas; specializing in research, evaluation, measurement, and statistics with a minor in special education.
Russell Swinburne Romine, PhD

Co-Principal Investigator

Russell Swinburne Romine, PhD

is the Associate Director of ATLAS and holds a PhD in educational psychology from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Swinburne Romine has more than 10 years of experience in the development of large-scale assessments using principles of Evidence-Centered Design and Universal Design for Learning. He currently oversees more than 70 ATLAS staff members that are responsible for the design and delivery of operational assessments. In addition to his role as co-principal investigator on the Pathways for Instructionally Embedded Assessment (PIE) project, he is currently the principal investigator of the Shared Writing Instructional Model (SWIM) project, and has been a co-investigator on two concluded Enhanced Assessment Grants. He is also leading collaborative work with the National Center on Deaf-Blindness and is a member of the American Educational Research Association, the National Council on Measurement in Education, and the Council for Exceptional Children. 
Eun Mi Kim, PhD

Co-Principal Investigator

Eun Mi Kim, PhD

is the Math Research Lead at ATLAS. Dr. Kim leads the development work for the Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) mathematics learning maps. She also collaborates with test development and research teams to build assessments and instructional resources. She earned a doctorate in mathematics education from Michigan State University. Her research interests include mathematics knowledge development with a focus on the creation of developmental progressions of student learning and understanding of mathematics. Dr. Kim’s work encompasses the development of curriculum and assessment to enhance students’ mathematics achievement, as well as the use of educational technology to enrich teaching and learning. She has co-authored manuscripts documenting the generation of research-based learning progressions and the results of student interviews using cognitive tasks designed relative to the learning progressions.
Shaun Bates

Project Director

Shaun Bates

is responsible for managing the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP), which encompasses alternate assessment, grade-level, end-of-course assessments, and English language program assessment. He coordinates and communicates with multiple offices and sections of the department to ensure the assessments meet state academic standards, provide accessibility for all students, and ensures the assessment data is valid and reliable for accountability purposes that meet federal and state requirements. In addition, Mr. Bates works with the MAP Technical Advisory Committee, serves as a state member of the Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) governing committee, is a member of the Council of State Science Supervisors (CCSSO) Technical Issues in Large Scale Assessments (TILSA), is an associate member of the CCSSO, and presents at various state organizations, local education agencies, and national conferences.
Marjorie Wine

Assistant Director for Test Development

Marjorie Wine

manages a large team of content developers who create English language arts, mathematics, and science assessments for both general populations and students with significant cognitive disabilities. She steers test design and development work across multiple projects. Ms. Wine works with the entire test development team to ensure a high standard of content validity is applied, both within ATLAS’s internal practices, as well as throughout external item reviews and item writing processes. Ms. Wine brings expertise in next generation College and Career Readiness Standards, having worked to develop and apply this high caliber of instruction with several state educational agencies and at the national level. Her focus on translating Evidence-Centered Design principles into practical applications contribute to creating assessments that measure the complex skills students most need to be successful.
David Whitcomb

Mathematics Test Development Manager

David Whitcomb

has worked in mathematics assessment for over 10 years and in education for 20 years. As the Mathematics Test Development Manager at ATLAS, he leads a team that contributes to the design and development of high-quality mathematics assessments such as the Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) Alternate Assessment System and the Kansas Assessment Program (KAP). Previously, he taught high school mathematics in Brooklyn, New York, during which time he made several presentations on ways to adapt to the next generation mathematics standards. Afterwards, he worked at the College Board where he led development initiatives for the redesigned mathematics section of the SAT and PSAT. He is particularly interested in innovative ways to ensure that test items are valid and student mastery is met.
Jake Thompson, PhD

Assistant Director for Psychometrics

Jake Thompson, PhD

is the Assistant Director of Psychometrics for ATLAS. He completed his PhD at the University of Kansas with a focus on research, evaluation, measurement, and statistics. Dr. Thompson leads a team of psychometricians to conduct research studies that support the delivery of operational assessments and implements a research agenda for the application and evaluation of diagnostic classification models. Dr. Thompson is the lead psychometrician for the Dynamic Learning Maps® (DLM®) alternate assessment and serves as the principal investigator for an Institute of Education Sciences Grant focused on developing software for diagnostic classification models. In addition, Dr. Thompson has co-authored more than 40 journal articles, book chapters, technical reports, and conference papers on applied education measurement topics.
Breonna Yungeberg

Project Coordinator

Breonna Yungeberg

supports the Pathways for Instructionally Embedded Assessment (PIE) project as the project lead. She oversees project management and routine monitoring of deliverables for PIE. Ms. Yungeberg earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas in communications studies and leadership. Prior to joining ATLAS, Ms. Yungeberg worked in the nonprofit sector and the Office of Public Affairs at the University of Kansas.
Gail Tiemann, PhD

Researcher

Gail Tiemann, PhD

will contribute to validity evaluation studies for PIE. Dr. Tiemann currently leads several program evaluation and operational research projects at ATLAS. Tiemann earned a doctorate in educational psychology from the University of Kansas, specializing in research, evaluation, measurement, and statistics. She has 21 years of experience managing federal program activities, including facilitation of multiple partners, data collection and analysis, resource development, and reporting. Her research has included topics in validity evaluation, test security, innovative item types, and educational technology.
Mary Majerus, EdD

Mathematics Pathway Director

Mary Majerus, EdD

is the Mathematics Pathways Director for the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Working under the leadership of Shaun Bates in the Office of Quality Schools, she oversees the Pathways for Instructionally Embedded Assessment (PIE) project as a research pilot assessment tool in the state of Missouri. Dr. Majerus has worked for over twenty-five years in mathematics education, teaching and coaching pre-service teachers, providing faculty development for educators in Pre-K through higher education in mathematics and STEM fields, as well as teaching courses in mathematics and statistics. Her Masters in mathematics education was earned from the University of Missouri – Columbia, and her Ed.D. in Organizational leadership and Learning is through Peabody College at Vanderbilt University. She has presented nationally on teaching mathematics and statistics as well as in the area of experiential learning.