Center for Excellence in Education

ONSITE STAFF

Pat Benson, Director of CEIE, guides the Center's professional development work with K-12 teachers and administrators. Pat is passionately committed to the delivery of on going, results-oriented professional development that makes a difference in the lives of students. She is a frequent presenter at state and national conferences and is trained in cooperative learning, adaptive schools processes, collegial dialogue, teaming, and instructional strategies for K-12 students.

Mrs. Benson teachers courses at Central Michigan University and has been on staff there for twenty-five years. She became Center Director (formerly Michigan Schools in the Middle) in July of 2007. Pat has led the effort to expand the Center in response to the needs of schools across the state.

She has been active in writing and managing grants and contracts to support Center work. Pat is actively involved in many state and national organizations that work to collaborate to improve student outcomes. She is particularly proud of the Outstanding Professional Development Award received from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities for improved student achievement.

Pat lives with her husband, Ed in an old Victorian home in St. Louis, along with their cat, Pepper. She is Mom to four grown sons and loves spending time as a family...she just finished writing a book about her family life. Be sure to ask her about this romance novel!!

Email: palme1pj@cmich.edu

Pattie DuVall CEIE Coordinator oversees the daily center operations; coordinates professional development, work assignments and workshops; prepares newsletter, brochures, and workshop materials; and manages CEL credit.

Pattie and her husband Curt live in Blanchard. They have one son who lives in Mt. Pleasant.

Email: duval1p@cmich.edu

Gwen Kelliher

Administrative Secretary, tracks budgets, payroll, reimbursements, payable, and receivable accounting. She graduated from Central Michigan University with her Bachelors Degree and frequently volunteers at the elementary and preschool where her sons attend. She believes parental involvement is a key tool in the success of students at every grade level.

Email: kelli1ge@cmich.edu

Polly Matyorauta

Assistant Director of CEIE, supports the director in the management of the Center; providing professional development to K-12 administrators and teachers, spearheading our CMU 2010 Flint Community Schools project, and identifying and writing proposals to seek funding.

A former high school and middle school teacher Polly has been trained in Breaking Ranks in the Middle, Collegial Dialogue, Cooperative Learning/Instructional Strategies, and Adaptive Schools work. Polly graduated with her Bachelor�s degree from CMU, and with her Master�s degree from Ohio State University.

Polly is the mother of a busy toddler.

Email: matyo1pm@cmich.edu

Sadie Leibfritz Sadie is our student assistant. She is a senior here a CMU. She is in the Secondary Education program. Her major is English and has minors in Speech and Middle Level Education. For fun she likes running, reading, crafts, art and basketball. When you are in the area, stop in and say "Hi" to Sadie and ask her about her trip to Europe this summer.

Email: leibf1sm@cmich.edu