Our Team - Continua Consulting Group

Team

Founder

Chris L. Daikos MiT, MEd, EdS.

Christopher L. Daikos is an experienced educational & psychological consultant, school administrator, special education teacher and school psychologist. He seeks to help school systems develop an egalitarian psychological approach to the educational experience. Trauma Informed Multi-tiered System of Supports (T-MTSS) framework, Positive Behavioral Supports, and School-Based Mental Health are effective means of delivery for these psychological tools. Christopher supports schools to implement sustainable practices for addressing anxiety, depression, self-soothing and a lexicon for communicating psychological needs. Chris has seen that these approaches result in resilient youth, schools and communities.

Christopher’s first position as a special education teacher, at an alternative program serving students with “emotional behavior disorders” no longer welcome in their comprehensive high schools, has driven his entire career in education.

There were no evidence-based interventions, mental health services or curricula to support the students’ Individualized Education Plan in this program. Christopher quickly realized that the school functioned as a brief holdover in the school to prison pipeline. He sought to align social services, mental health services, evidence-based interventions, service learning projects and family-school partnerships to support the students with behavioral and academic goals. Christopher’s efforts resulted in a significant reduction of student restraints, increased transitions out of the program and an increased graduation rate.

Christopher’s research interests are in the Function of Behavior, Community Integration and Low Cost, High Yield Behavioral Interventions. Some of Christopher’s published work can be found here. Christopher holds a Bachelor of Science of Arts Degree in Ecological Studies and Philosophy from Seattle University, a Master of Special Education Degree from Seattle University, a Master of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies from University of Washington, an Educational Specialist degree in School Psychology from University of Washington.

Education

EdS in School Psychology
MEd in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies
MiT in Teaching Special Education

Founder

Courtney Vollan Daikos MEd

Courtney Vollan Daikos is an educational leader with over 20 years of public school leadership experience as classroom teacher, instructional coach, K-12 administrator and as a consultant. She served as an elementary interventionist in Chicago Public Schools and an instructional literacy coach in Seattle Public Schools. Courtney then served as an administrator for Highline Public Schools, just South of Seattle, one of the most ethnically diverse school districts in the United States. Courtney served as Assistant Director for Title 1 & ELL services, High School Assistant Principal and Elementary Principal while in Highline. Courtney's leadership fostered significant improvement for student learning in ELA, language acquisition, STEM, social science, emotional and behavioral learning in the schools and systems she served. Additionally, In 2016-17, as a Partnership Director for Equal Opportunity Schools, Courtney supported 12 high schools in IL, WI and MD to increase enrollment of first time students of color and poverty in rigorous, college-bound coursework by over 1,100 students.

As Lead Consultant and Co-Founder of Continua Consulting Group, Courtney supports school districts in successfully implementing the Trauma-Informed Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (T-MTSS) framework. Courtney's expertise in instructional design, leadership, child development, culturally responsive pedagogy and systems implementation provide for skillful, strategic consultation to principals, system and teacher leaders. Courtney holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from University of Illinois, a Master of Education Degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from University of Washington, and a P-3 Executive Leadership Certificate from the University of Washington's P-3 Center.

Education

P-3 Executive Leadership Certification
MEd in Educational Policy Studies

Consultant

Brianne Rokey EdS

Brianne Rokey is a nationally certified school psychologist (NCSP) and an Associate Mental Health Counselor (LMHCA) in the state of Washington. Her passions lie in behavioral intervention design and implementation, mental health counseling, assessment, and special education law. After receiving her Education Specialist (EdS) degree in School Psychology from the University of Washington, Brianne served as a school psychologist in Seattle Public Schools.

There, she facilitated the restructuring of emotional-behavior support programs and the development of multi-tiered systems of supports, all while serving the needs of and advocating for special education students across the district. She also supervised school psychology graduate students and mentored early career school psychologists. Currently, Brianne is a member of the Continua Consulting Group team who supports schools and school districts as they implement Trauma-Informed Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (T-MTSS). She also operates her own mental health private practice in Washington State, providing counseling services to children, teens, and adults who are experiencing challenges due to anxiety, depression, and exposure to trauma.

Education

EdS in School Psychology
Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP)
Member of National Association of School Psychologists

Consultant

Heather Wixom-Sweeney

Heather Wixom-Sweeney is an experienced urban educational leader with 17+ years of public school experience as a K-12 Special Education teacher and system-level program designer and coordinator. She provides extensive knowledge in the use of adult learning principles, integrating data-based practices, implementation of technology systems, and professional development(PD) design and delivery.

She led cross-departmental collaborative work throughout the Seattle Public School District (SPS), a large urban public-school district. On the design team for the SPS MTSS framework, Heather directly supports principals and teacher leaders with understanding the framework and developing their professional learning plan for staff.

Heather brings experience in the design, coordination, and delivery of implementing a system-wide data portal supporting technical and adaptive learning needs from the classroom to central office. She designed and lead the PD plan of a new data system for over 6,000 teachers and administrators in SPS.

Heather led a teacher leader program in SPS that has grown from 29 teachers in 15 schools to 300+ teachers in 100 schools in addition to 30+ central office level positions. In this role, she has developed infrastructure to streamline hiring, stipend activation, and data collection and analysis. She developed a PD continuum to develop distributive leadership directly aligned to both district level initiatives and building-based needs.

Heather’s passion is to increase equity in education through developing adult skills in collaboration and data-driven practice. Heather’s efforts to develop, refine, and strengthen the use of professional time have led to significant improvement for adult relationships and student outcomes.

Education

Special Education (K-12)

Consultant

Tovah Fairshot

Since 2011, Tovah Fairshot has provided specialized educational and behavioral services to youth, ranging K-12. Tovah served as a special education teacher in Seattle Public Schools, a behavior specialist and curriculum developer in Las Vegas, and a district behavior specialist and PBIS Coach for Federal Way Public Schools, the most diverse school district in Washington state. Tovah found her passion developing relationships, building wraparound supports, and educating youth with Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities (EBD) within a Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework. From her experiences in the classroom and developing Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum in a variety of school districts, Tovah focused on changing and growing school climate and culture to aid in the support for all students and staff, through Positive Behavior Interventions and Systems (PBIS). In addition, Tovah has partnered with numerous schools and districts to develop supports and resources for students that identify within the LGBTQIA+ community in order to make schools safe, welcoming, and inclusive of all.

With an emphasis on building an efficient and results-driven system that meets faculties and students where they are, Tovah strategically implements customized action plans and solutions for schools. As a professional Educational Consultant, Tovah believes in building capacity academically, emotionally, behaviorally, and socially within a school system. Tovah develops purposeful partnerships in support of improved outcomes for students at all three tiers of interventions, within the MTSS framework. Tovah is SWIS facilitator certified, as well as a Right Response instructor.

Consultant

James Miles

James Miles is excited to have joined the Continua Consulting team in 2020 after moving to Seattle in 2016 from New York City, where he worked as an educator in the NYC public school system for almost 20 years. Currently the Executive Director of Mentor Washington, Miles was previously the Executive Director of Seattle based Arts Corps. Originally from Chicago, Miles has worked internationally as an artist and educator, who was inspired to foment change after seeing so many children that looked like him, get disregarded and treated like criminals by our educational systems. His acclaimed TedX Talk focuses on his mission to narrow achievement gaps using the arts as a tool to navigate inequitable educational systems. Miles is a Mayoral Appointee to the Seattle Arts Commission, and on the advisory board of SXSW EDU.

A former accountant, model, and actor, Miles has facilitated workshops and designed curriculum for the New Victory Theater, Roundabout Theatre, Disney Theatrical Group, Village Theatre, Arts Impact, Denver Performing Arts Center, Impact Schools, and others. Previously a professor at NYU, James taught a myriad of classes, ranging from Acting and Directing to EdTech and Special Education. A graduate of Morehouse College and Brandeis University, James has presented at SXSW EDU, NYU’s IMPACT Festival, NYU Shanghai, New York Creative Tech Week, EdTechXEurope, Google Educator Bootcamp, UAEM North America, UAEM Europe, National Guild, ITAC, and provided professional development to teachers across the world. His work has been featured by Pie News, New Profit, Complex Magazine, National Guild, Seattle Times, KOMO, KEXP, NPR, CBS, NBC, US Department of Education, and ASCD. James is the co-founder ofLeadersDontLead.com, a leadership coaching agency. Learn more about James Miles and his work at www.freshprofessor.com.

Consultant

Jordan Thayer, PhD

Jordan Thayer, PhD, believes that education is poised for a critical and valuable transformation into something grand that will result in incredible benefits to children, families, and communities. The only thing that is preventing this transformation is rooted in the basics of human psychology--we think in patterns and struggle to break free of them. For nearly 10 years as a teacher and now as a Licensed Psychologist, Jordan has encouraged children, families, educators, and admin to notice these patterns, respect them, and to break free of them by taking risks and experimenting with life. The result from this work has been fascinating; beyond helping children overcome crippling anxiety and depression, he has established and directed school-based mental health clinics, supported schools adopting community school models and trauma-informed systems of support, partnered with multiple education and healthcare institutions to implement and study evidence-based culturally-responsive practices in schools, and most recently has helped spearhead national efforts alongside partners at SAMHSA, ChildTrends, KaiserPermanente, UNMC, and the Mid-America MHTTC to redefine just what it means to have a healthy educator workforce. His goal is to elevate well-being as a right for everyone--children and educators alike--and it needs to be prioritized. Currently, he does this work in his private practice for teens, adults, and education professionals, as well as his consultation company Benessere Consulting Group, to realize this goal alongside partners including the wonderful team at Continua Consulting Group.

Get in Touch with Us

Team

Chris L. Daikos MiT, MEd, EdS.

Education

Courtney Vollan Daikos MEd

Education

Brianne Rokey EdS

Heather Wixom-Sweeney

Education

Tovah Fairshot

James Miles

Jordan Thayer, PhD

JARED GROEHLER

PRINCIPAL, BISHOP ELEMENTARY, ROCHESTER, MN

MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER ON SEL PD

PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER

BECKY BROCKMAN

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL SERVICES, SNOHOMISH, WA

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