John has worked in K-12 school reform circles since 1993, including work with organizations such as New Standards, America’s Choice, the National Center on Education and the Economy, and the Institute for Learning. A former classroom teacher with a Ph.D. in English, John founded Inquiry By Design in 2007.
Nick has been working across the K-12 ecosystem for 15 years, seeking solutions to long-standing educational inequities. As Chief Executive Officer at Inquiry by Design, Nick is grounded by his extensive experience as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, site administrator, and systems leader working across school districts. Coupled with Nick’s steep on-the-ground K-12 expertise is his unique experience in scaling small business models through the strategic development of programs, products, and operations.
Tammy is an innovative and dedicated educational leader with 20+ years of experience in the K–12 education ecosystem. Dr. Baumann joined Inquiry By Design as the Chief Product Officer having held managerial and executive roles for educational companies for 9+ years. At IBD, her primary responsibility is driving the conceptualization, development, and delivery of educational products and services. A strategic thinker, Tammy has developed product and market strategy, expanded organizational partnership portfolios, lead change management, and designed and implemented product systems. She is passionate about launching innovative products in the educational ecosystem that make a difference for teachers and students. Tammy is an avid reader, loves to cook and bake, and spends any spare time in the great outdoors.
Karee has 25 years of experience in content development, design, and production with a primary focus on educational publishing, including K-12, college, and trade nonfiction. She oversees the timely production and delivery of all of Inquiry By Design curriculum and materials.
As Senior Content Designer, Skylar ensures that Inquiry By Design's curriculum, materials, and professional learning support teachers and students in collaborative work around rich, engaging, challenging texts. Skylar previously taught middle and high school English using IBD materials in his own classroom, and is also a reading specialist with a Master's Degree in Reading Education from Vanderbilt University. In all of these roles, he has sought to draw students into vibrant, personally meaningful discussions with each other and the authors they read. Skylar lives outside of Nashville with his wife, children, and pets, and enjoys learning new hobbies like restoring vintage audio gear.
Dean has worked across the education system from classroom teaching in Los Angeles to working at the central district office in New York City. As a son of immigrants, his career in education stems from ensuring all students have a chance at high quality education and curriculum like Inquiry By Design. Dean brings his previous online design and platform work to ensure all educators and students can maximize their Inquiry By Design experience.
As Senior Manager of Curriculum, Cara leads the curriculum design team, collaborating closely with colleagues to develop, review, and refine the English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum. With a decade of experience as a high school ELA teacher, followed by nine years as a district instructional developer and content specialist, Cara brings a wealth of expertise to her role. Prior to joining Inquiry By Design, she worked at an EdTech organization, where she focused on literacy, curriculum development, and supporting school partnerships. Driven by a passion for educational equity, Cara was drawn to IBD for its commitment to ensuring all students engage with complex texts and meaningful learning experiences. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time in nature and recently adopted a Carolina dog named Tati.
Committed to a lifetime of literacy problem-solving, Luke is excited to engage teachers, leaders, and policymakers in conversations about the future of equitable and excellent education. As Director of Curriculum, Dr. Bell is focused on developing high-quality instructional materials that help all kids grow as fluent readers, effective writers, and critical thinkers. Luke has served as an English teacher, instructional coach, curriculum coordinator, and design leader across organizations supporting instructional change at scale. He also contributes to the field with ongoing evaluation and inspection consultation to improve instructional materials, professional learning, and educator preparation programs. Dr. Bell shares Inquiry By Design’s belief that complexity is for everyone and knows when students learn to read they can learn to love reading. He is a proud graduate of the University of Tennessee and Vanderbilt University.
Rheanne is responsible for managing and executing a wide range of marketing, administrative, and operational tasks, including content creation, website and CMS management, conference planning, and professional development facilitation. Rheanne taught secondary English in the Houston and Dallas areas for over a decade and she holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Houston (Go Coogs!) and a Digital Marketing Certificate from Southern Methodist University. Raised in a family of educators, Rheanne is passionate about education and literacy, with a strong commitment to advocating for both students and teachers. She is especially dedicated to supporting minority and LGBTQ+ students, ensuring they feel seen, valued, and empowered in their learning. Rheanne lives near Dallas, TX, with her husband, Aaron, and their two dogs, and enjoys reading, baking, and camping.