PROGRAM CONSULTANTS
Deborah Walker is a veteran teacher in grades 3rd through 8th and has been an adjunct professor at Kent State University, a professor at Mount Union University in teaching early and middle school literacy and best practice courses. She has been a professor at The University of Akron in the Curricular and Instructional where she co-wrote the middle school program that became exemplar for NCATE. She also is an adjunct professor for Walsh University. She received a B.S. in Elementary Education from Miami University and a M.A. from Kent State University in Curriculum and Instruction. Deborah has given numerous presentations and workshops on creativity, the gifted, creative classroom management, MI, writer’s workshop, cooperative learning, and lyric learning at various colleges and universities. She has published in the National Middle School Journal, and presented several times at the National and State Middle School Conferences, as well as NAGC. She has been a member of curriculum writing teams for both literacy and math and has written and received numerous grants for collaborative projects integrating the arts. She received the Outstanding Educator of the Year from Portage County Kevin Coleman Foundation and was named University of Akron’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year for the Department of Education along with Outstanding and Distinguished Member of the University of Akron Faculty and Staff.
Kathy Frazier is the gifted education specialist at Orange City Schools and an adjunct professor at Kent State University and Walsh University. She has taught first through third grade and gifted education K-12. A graduate of Kent State University, she has a bachelors and masters degree in Early Childhood Education and an Educational Specialist Degree in Elementary Education and K-12 Gifted Education. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in the area of Early Adolescent Generalist, and a Jennings Scholar. Kathy’s honors include Ohio Gifted Teacher of the Year, Kevin Coleman Portage County Teacher of the Year, Environmental Educator of the Year, and International Future Problem Solving Coach of the Year. Kathy is an author of the Future Problem Solving Teacher Activity Units, Cre-EGG-tivity Plus, Power Up Your Creative Mind, and has also published articles in “Parenting For High Potential” and "NAGC Creativity" magazines. She has made numerous presentations on differentiation, problem solving, service learning, and creative instructional strategies at national and state gifted conferences and character education conferences. Kathy has been involved in community theater productions both acting and directing for the past 12 years.