Barbara Pape is senior director for Digital Promise's Learner Variability Project. She led a three-year national survey on learner variability; edtech; and teacher practice. She wrote the paper defining learner variability, hosts a monthly webinar series, and co-developed the IEP Project, which focuses on strength-based, whole child approaches to writing IEPs. She served as executive producer of the award-winning Teaching & Learning conference, sponsored by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Barbara worked on several political campaigns, including for former U.S. Senator Paul Simon on his Senate race and as deputy campaign manager for his Presidential run. She also worked for the AFT during President Al Shankar's tenure and headed up government relations for the City Colleges of Chicago. She has written for numerous publications and served as editor of the first electronically delivered education newsletter, the Daily Report Card. She is a Board member for Benetech, previously served on the Kennedy Center’s Advisory Board on The Intersection of the Arts and Special Education (with her son), and Montgomery County’s Public School’s Strategic Planning Committee. She has been a judge for the Milken-Penn GSE Ed Business Plan Competition.Barbara is working on a PhD at the University College London, earned an EdM at Harvard's Ed School in reading and literacy, and launched her career as a middle school teacher. She is first generation college.