Professional Experience

With a broad and diverse background in education, consulting, and leadership development, Kristen Kayser has the professional experience to take your organization to the next level.

Résumé: PDF | DOCX

SOFT SKILLS

Communication
Active Listening
Collaboration & Team Work
Team Leadership & Development
Conflict Resolution
Mentor

Critical Thinking
Strategic Visioning
Problem-solving
Creativity
Resilience

CERTIFICATIONS

WORK HISTORY

K-12 Director, State & District Partnerships

College Board | Remote | Jan 2022 – July 2025

As a Director, Kristen managed strategic partnerships with states and districts across numerous jurisdictions throughout the Midwest. With accounts in Ohio, Nebraska, Indiana, and West Virginia, she gained exposure to a variety of jurisdictions, student populations, and government contracting procedures. Beyond strategic partnerships, she designed and facilitated trainings; provided support, troubleshooting, and training on systems, processes, and data analysis; facilitated strategic planning; and served her client districts and the organization in numerous other capacities.

Professional Development Design & Training Facilitation: Kristen planned and facilitated workshops for K-12 teachers, administrators, and district personnel to provide an accessible view of our broad range of services, particularly data, to encourage improved accessibility, district performance, and student outcomes. Training topics included the utilization of assessment data, instructional planning, assessments, curriculum development, and College Board-supported courses, among others. Over the course of three years, Kristen trained hundreds of educators throughout the Midwest.

Strategic Partnership Cultivation & Management: Kristen managed, built, and cultivated strategic partnerships with key stakeholders at the district and state levels, providing consultative guidance on how best to leverage College Board products to increase accessibility, improve college readiness, and promote positive outcomes. Kristen worked with key education policymakers and administrators in Ohio, Nebraska, Indiana, and West Virginia, navigating often complex partnerships bound by government contracting guidelines in various jurisdictions. Kriste provided strategic support for state and district RFP responses, helping the organization win new contracts and expand AP and SAT accessibility, particularly in underserved and historically marginalized areas.

Strategic Planning & College Readiness: Kristen conceptualized, implemented, refined, and managed initiatives with districts to promote advancement and assist in transition from K-12 to higher education, implementing those efforts through strategic outreach, facilitated trainings, and professional development. Her efforts directly contributed to a 23% increase in SAT participation and an 11% increase in AP enrollment across the state of Ohio in 2023.

Equity-Focused Program Delivery: With a heart for the underserved and historically marginalized, Kristen prides herself on her efforts to increase access to education and improve outcomes for these communities. In collaboration with districts, Kristen helped increase access to assessments and advanced coursework for underrepresented student groups, including Dayton Public Schools.

Consultative Sales: Kristen trained on the Richardson Sales Methodology and framework for High Stakes Sales Dialogues, leveraging Salesforce and ChatGPT to increase sales cycle efficiency and improve sales funnel throughput. She effectively shepherded numerous opportunities from the prospect and proposal phase to closing and ongoing support.

Coordinator of Secondary Curriculum

Xenia Community Schools | Xenia, Ohio | Aug 2021 – Jan 2022

Kristen brought a data-driven approach to designing, implementing, assessing, and managing secondary curriculum in this suburban Dayton school district. Through professional development and cross-departmental collaboration, Kristen implemented and shaped the curriculum in a thoughtful and thorough manner that improved student outcomes.

Professional Development Design & Training Facilitation: Kristen conceptualized, planned, and facilitated monthly professional development for secondary educators and administrators to enhance professional learning and growth. Utilizing a personalized model for professional development greatly improved curriculum implementation and district cohesion.

Data-Driven Improvement: Kristen developed and implemented data review protocols across the district to improve data capture, management, analysis, and utilization. Improved data capture enabled more timely identification of student needs, more responsive addressing of those needs, and improved development of instructional strategies.

Cross-Departmental Collaboration: A collaborative leader, Kristen led efforts to bring multiple departments together to improve efficiency and outcomes. Working with facilities, curriculum, and technology teams, among others, Kristen designed and implemented an innovative middle school learning environment focused on project-based and student-centered instruction.

Sample Work: Xenia 6-12 Instructional Services Website

Senior High School Principal

Cleveland Metropolitan School District | Cleveland, Ohio | Jul 2018 – Jun 2021

Kristen drove the growth and development of a new high school in inner city Cleveland, expanding enrollment in a competitive school-choice district. As Principal, she managed all administration, communication, personnel, and policy in an urban high-risk environment.

Leadership & Growth: Through effective outreach, creative program offerings, unique teaching models, and dynamic leadership, Kristen increased enrollment by 75% in a competitive school-choice district where students may attend any school they desire. Kristen’s empowering leadership, mentoring, and professional development led to a 98% staff retention rate – far outpacing the 70% national average turnover rate for inner-city districts.

Academic Achievement & Program Impact: Kristen led the articulation and implementation of a new mission, vision, core values, and continuous improvement strategies to improve school culture, performance, and outcomes. These improvements, executed through visionary leadership, led to a third (33.7%) of students demonstrating improved scores on End-of-Course exams (2018-2019), exceeding district and state averages.

Curriculum Development & Staff Professional Development: Leveraging her expertise in the Mastery Learning model, Kristen developed, designed, and implemented a custom Mastery Learning Model to improve curriculum and professional development. Through thoughtful and purposeful professional development and training tailored to her staff’s needs. Kristen empowered her team to effectively and efficiently leverage and utilize educational resources, particularly technology.

Community Engagement & Partnerships: As the public face and primary representative of the high school, Kristen cultivated, nurtured. and sustained partnerships with public and private sector stakeholders. She leveraged community resources to support and meet the needs of students and their families, connecting eligible students and their families with complementary wrap-around services offered by government and nonprofit organizations.

Communication & Outreach: Responsible for school communication and outreach, Kristen developed and implemented a strategic communication and public relations plan to ensure cohesive and timely messaging. Kristen managed and updated the school website, social media channels, and other multi-channel communications to communicate with her staff, students, parents, and invested stakeholders proactively. Ascribing to the philosophy of meeting them where they are, her primary platform for engaging students was actually TikTok.

Recruitment & Skills-Based Hiring: As the primary recruiter for the school, Kristen spearheaded a significant recruitment and hiring process that resulted in a 50% increase in school personnel over three years. Kristen managed and led the recruitment, screening, interviewing, candidate selection, and onboarding process for all positions to ensure values and vision alignment with school objectives.

Performance Management & Mentorship: A servant leader, Kristen took an empowering approach to mentoring and cultivating her staff and colleagues. Kristen provided thorough coaching cycles for teachers and staff, implemented rigorous professional development, and fostered continuous improvement, resulting in an increased teacher retention rate. A friendly yet fair administrator, Kristen’s discipline documentation guidelines are still the gold standard in the district.

Senior Mastery Learning Specialist

Cleveland Metropolitan School District | Cleveland, Ohio | Sept 2015 – Jun 2018

As a Mastery Learning expert in the District, Kristen led the development, design, implementation, and evaluation of Mastery Learning models at schools throughout the district.

Curriculum Development: Applying the Mastery Learning model, Kristen developed, designed, implemented, and evaluated curriculum framework resources to support instruction at competency-based schools in the district.

Professional Development: Kristen designed and facilitated professional development and training programs for K-12 educators and administrators to ensure the successful adoption, implementation, and evaluation of the Mastery Learning model in their schools.

High School Math & AVID Teacher

Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District | Cleveland Heights, Ohio | Aug 2006 – June 2015

Kristen leveraged her Integrated Mathematics degree to teach high school mathematics for nearly a decade before advancing to administrative and leadership roles. Dedicated to improving equity in education and breaking down barriers to accessibility, Kristen taught AVID, an enriched program targeted to mid-level students from underserved backgrounds.

Courses Taught: Calculus, AP Calculus AB , Pre-Calculus , Math Modeling and Applications, Algebra II, Math Topics, Algebra I, Geometry, Integrated Math, AVID Elective

The Renaissance School of Humanities and International Studies (2013-2015)

Roles/responsibilities: Data Team, AVID Site Team, Math Department curriculum and assessment development, PARCC Professional Development

Legacy New Tech School (2011-2013)

Roles/responsibilities: Rounds Team, New Tech Team and Development, Data Team, AVID Site Team, Freshman Experience Team

P.R.I.D.E. Small School (2006-2011)

Roles/responsibilities: Rounds Team, TAP Committee, School Governance Team, Small School Leadership Team, Math Cadre, Advisor for Leaders with P.R.I.D.E. student group, lead professional development at staff meetings, organized and implemented OGT prep sessions

Additional roles/responsibilities: Math Modeling and Applications TBT (2014-15), DLT Math Curriculum Sub-committee (2014), Student Council Advisor (2010-2013), Class of 2011 Advisor, Class of 2010 Advisor, Small School Review Committee (2010), Common Core Curriculum Review Committee (2010-2011), Heights Dance Team Coach (2010-2011)