Ms. Gilbert is a co-founder of Praxis Research. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her master's degree in Educational Research from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She has worked in both public school and higher educational research and evaluation settings. Ms. Gilbert is the former secretary of the North Carolina Association of Research in Education.

Dr. Debbie England, Vice-President/Chief Financial Officer

Dr. England received her undergraduate degree in early and middle childhood education from Western Kentucky University and her Masters degree in clinical reading from the University of Louisville. She was awarded her doctorate in educational supervision with a concentration in reading in 1990 from the University of Louisville. She has worked with students pre-kindergarten through grade twelve as a teacher and diagnostician and has been a teacher-educator at the university level.

Dr. Bruce Yelton, Chief Operations Officer    

Dr. Yelton received his B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his M.A. from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and his doctoral degree in Educational Research from the University of Louisville in 1992. Dr. Yelton has served in a variety of educational and research capacities during his career including early childhood teacher, program director, program evaluator, Head Start administrator, public school researcher, and Deputy Director of the national "Kindergarten Transitions" study. Dr. Yelton has also served as instructor on the graduate faculty at both the University of North Carolina-Charlotte and Winthrop University.

Ms. Paula Plonski, MA, Research Associate    

Ms. Plonski received her undergraduate degree from University of Kentucky and her master's degree in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. In addition she has earned a Certificate in the Advanced Study of Evaluation from Claremont Graduate University. Over the last ten years she has evaluated educational programs at the state and local levels including College Tech Prep, Even Start Family Literacy, early childhood initiatives, career technical education, and professional development programs for teachers. She has experience in early childhood and public school classroom observation; needs assessment, focus group and strategic planning facilitation; and data collection, analysis and program evaluation report writing. She is an active member of the American Evaluation Association and the North Carolina Association of Research in Education.