Jodi Baker

Education: B.A. in Elementary Education, University of St. Thomas; M.A. in Education, Hamline University; M.F.A. in Writing for Children and Young Adults, Hamline University

Experience: Baker has taught various grades at the elementary school level and has been a K-5 writing facilitator. She has been the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program coordinator at Evergreen Park World Studies Elementary for 6 years. Baker is also a workshop leader, site visitor, and consultant for the IB. She currently leads professional development in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and was a member of the Hamline University Literacy Institute Committee for 5 years. 

Kari Christensen

Education: B.A. in French, Secondary Education and Accounting, Gustavus Adolphus College; M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, Concordia University; Administrative Licensure K-12, St. Cloud State University (in progress)

Experience: Christensen coordinates the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IBMYP) for grades 9 and 10 at Robbinsdale Cooper High School. She taught MYP French and Diploma-level French at Robbinsdale Cooper High School for 9 years. In addition to teaching French, she was responsible for implementing the AVID (Advancement via Individual Determination) Program at Cooper. Christensen is a French diploma-level examiner for the IB, a trained IBMYP workshop leader, and a consultant and site visitor (in both French and English). She has served on the Executive Board for the IB Minnesota Association of World Schools as secretary and treasurer for the past several years.

Greg Nelson

Education: B.A., Bethel College, M.Ed. University of Minnesota; Administrative Licensure, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota; Ed.D. Bethel University (in progress)

Experience: Nelson taught International Baccalaureate (IB) history at South St. Paul High School for 14 years. During that time he watched the number of students taking the IB exam grow from 12 to 95 students. Nelson also organized IB European History trips with approximately 250 students participating. He also was selected to serve as the teacher observer for the 2000 History Grade Awards held in Cardiff and was an assistant IB history examiner for 2 years. Nelson currently serves as principal of North High School in North St. Paul, Minn. 

Janet Nelson

Education: B.A. in K-6 Elementary Education, Bethel College; M. Ed., St. Mary's University; Reading Licensure, Hamline University

Experience: Nelson is a veteran educator with 22 years of experience in a variety of settings. She works as a reading specialist in the first public school system in the United States to employ all three IB Programs; PYP, MYP, and DP. She has previously taught K-6 regular education and multi age classrooms, middle school reading, and high school alternative program reading. Nelson just completed two years of cognitive coaching working with teachers ranging from early childhood to adult basic education. She is an adjunct professor in the reading licensure program at Concordia University in addition to her work at Bethel.

Jeff Overlie

Education: B.A., Luther College; M.A., Hamline University

Experience: Overlie is an International Baccalaureate (IB) coordinator for Fridley Public Schools in Minnesota. In addition to providing leadership for the program, he is responsible for curriculum development, standard articulation, and providing professional development at the elementary level. Prior to his position as IB coordinator, Overlie was an instructional leader at Fridley High School where he coached teachers on implementing best practices for teaching and assessments.