Who We Are

At the Center for Collective Efficacy we believe in the power of teams. We do everything better together than we do on our own!

Joseph Rodgers-CEO
Author of a new title, A Guide to Impactful Teacher Evaluations. Lets Finally Get it Right! Routledge Eye on Education book. Impactful systems in any school start with a collaborative, and a team-oriented culture.

Dr. Rodgers has experience leading urban and rural Title 1 schools. Dr. Rodgers has also served as Title 1 program director, writing and implementing local, state and federal grants. Dr. Rodgers has worked with community organizations to increase early childhood education, preschool education and increase funding capacity through the Early Childhood Alliance. He is a literacy expert, specializing in early literacy growth model. Dr. Rodgers emphasizes a culturally responsive literacy program to engage and meet all student’s literacy needs.

As CEO of the Center for Collective Efficacy, Dr. Rodgers leads teams through processes of collective inquiry to increase efficacy, teamwork and leadership capacity, resulting in increased adult professional learning and student achievement.

Joseph is a graduate of the University of West Georgia doctorate program in the department of Leadership, Research and School improvement. His dissertation studies focused on raising achievement for Black males in grades 3-5.

CCE is committed to the future of our country, children. He believes the best way to help children, is to increase the collective efficacy of the adults that educate them.

Shannon Rodgers-Team Lead
With a huge heart for kids, Mrs. Rodgers brings a wealth of experience in meeting the needs of a diverse student population. Shannon has experience as an elementary and middle school special education teacher. She has worked with students that were simply trying to get a boost in reading to students who are learning functional skills to improve their quality of life. Mrs. Rodgers has experience teaching 1st grade. With a student-centered approach to literacy instruction, Mrs. Rodgers is able to help teams see the rationalistic pattern of early learning to experience unprecedented student growth.

Mrs. Rodgers has experience leading urban elementary schools and has experience developing an alternative learning program. She is an expert in building a positive school culture through professional, and critical collaborative teams. She is available for all school improvement development that focuses on leveraging the power of teamwork, process goal setting, student growth and program development.

Andrea Villafana-Melendez
A Language Acquisition expert, specializing in cultural responsive literacy. Andrea understands the nuance of being an English Language Learning from a social and cultural perspective, as well as, academic perspective. Andrea reminds the team all the time, reading is thinking, writing is communicating, and literacy is cultural.

As a teacher, interventionist, and director of English Language Learning,  Andreas has experience grant writing, professional learning, curriculum development and community relations.

Ms. Villafana-Melendez has experience assisting students and families in English Language acquisition. Andrea is available to assist schools with developing literacy frameworks that address the academic, social/emotional, and cultural needs of students.

Andrea and her husband Ricardo reside in Fort Worth, TX with their son Ricardo. Andrea is a great cook and loves to share her passion for Latin cuisine with friends and family.

Maina Gachugu
Maina will be a graduate of the University of Washington's Information Science graduate program in 2022. He has experience with information literacy, computer programing, technology consulting, and information indexing and categorizing.

See Mr. Gachugu featured in University of Washington news letter.

Maina is currently a 6th grade teacher for the Kent School District in Kent, WA. He is a teacher leader specializing in social-emotional learning, brain research, responsive classroom techniques and student engagement strategies. He is a leader at the district level providing professional learning in using technology to boost student engagement and learning.

Maina's passion is reaching students and assisting them in self-regulation and higher academic achievement. He loves to help the student with the “bad reputation” find success.

Maina is a consultant with CCE in his spare time. He is available for distance learning and webinars. During the summer he is available for on site professional learning.

Maina is keeping the education profession alive with his soon to be wife, Karissa Feldpausch, who is also an elementary teacher with the Kent City Schools.

Contact CCE today to find out how Maina can bring your staff to new heights.

JR Ankenbruck
There is a reason why teachers want to work with JR as a building leader and in return their students learn. JR subscribes to the philosophy explicated by best-selling author, Sam Parker. LOVE YOUR PEOPLE!

Mr. Ankenbruck has a heart for service and as a result he works with his teams of teachers to help all students grow and learn. JR has been the principal of a National Distinguished Title 1 school. His teachers and students consistently outperform national, state and local averages.

Success starts with a few basic foundational principles. In the business of human services, it starts with loving your people. JR has experience bringing a whole new level of professionalism to a teaching staff, unlocking hidden potential and watching people thrive in the service of students and families.

JR is available to help schools develop processes of collaboration, strategic planning and school culture audits. A good school culture starts with the right mindset, LOVE YOUR PEOPLE.

JR has a beautiful, loving and fun wife, Stacy. JR and Stacy are the proud parents of three boys, Johnny, Sammy Lee and Drew.