Who We Are
From two full-time staff to the over 2,300 educators in our DCPZ network, we are grateful to work with a remarkable set of leaders who deliver high-quality professional development in various formats.
Staff
Elise Heil | Director
Elise Heil earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Notre Dame of Maryland. Prior to joining WIS, Elise served as the principal of Sacred Heart School from 2014-2024. During her time as principal, Elise collaborated with the PDC and led several initiaties at Sacred Heart including the Cultures of Thinking, Children are Citizens, Making Across the Curriculum, and Justice x Design projects. In 2020, she was named “Principal of the Year” by the Archdiocese of Washington. Elise is an expert in utilizing research from Project Zero to create a culture of thinking in schools and classrooms. She has served on the faculty of Project Zero Classroom at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education and WISSIT since 2014.
Grace Bogosian Davin | Programs Manager
Grace joined the PD Collaborative in 2024. She has been a teacher and instructional coach in the Washington, DC area. She integrates movement and fine arts to inspire a love of literacy. In 2017 she received the Golden Apple Award for excellence in teaching and leadership. As a coach, she promotes critical thinking using Project Zero ideas, including the Children are Citizens project, which she wrote about in Childhood Education Innovations. Grace is involved with various projects with Harvard Graduate School of Education, including JusticexDesign, Making Thinking Visible, Making Across the Curriculum, and Pedagogy of Play. She shares her insights through adult learning programs at Project Zero Classroom at Harvard's Graduate School of Education, the National Gallery of Art, and WISSIT since 2015.
Advisory Council
Jim Reese
Former Director of the PDC
Heidi Hinish
Head of Gallery and Studio Learning, National Gallery of Art
Jefferson Burnett
Senior Vice President for Education Innovation, National Association of Independent Schools
Julian Hipkins
Global Studies Coordinator, Roosevelt High School (DCPS)
Suzanna Jemsby
Head of School, Washington International School
Cynthia Robinson-Rivers
Partner, Transcend
Veronica Boix Mansilla
Principal Investigator, Harvard Project Zero
Laura Engel
Professor of International Education and International Affairs, GWU
Richard "Dick" Hall
Emeritus Member
Maquita Alexander
Head of School, Van Ness Elementary School (DCPS)
WHO BELONGS TO THE DCPZ NETWORK?
DC-Project Zero comprises over 2,300 educators–most of whom work in the DC region in traditional public, public charter, independent and religious private schools, or in museums and early childhood centers. Belonging to the network gives educators access throughout the year to a wealth of professional learning opportunities sponsored by the PDC as well as by like-minded organizations.
