Leadership

A. Jackson Stenner, Ph.D., Chairman, CEO and Co-founder

Together with co-founder and President Malbert Smith III, Ph.D., Dr. Stenner created The Lexile^® Framework for Reading; El Sistema Lexile para Leer, the Spanish-language version of the widely used reading framework; The Lexile Framework for Writing; and The Quantile^®Framework for Mathematics.

Dr. Stenner has directed MetaMetrics’ research and development efforts since its inception. Most recently, these efforts led to the development of a text complexity continuum that places academic and life goals on the Lexile scale. This research, in part, also resulted in Dr. Stenner working with the team that developed the Common Core State Standards, which nearly all states have adopted.

MetaMetrics works with the leadership teams of more than 20 state departments of education on assessment and accountability issues. Drs. Stenner and Smith have also begun work with Harvard University’s Dr. James Kim to study the effects of summer loss, made possible by an I3 grant. The two are senior investigators on a research study with the National Center for Education Statistics to examine NAEP benchmark scores in relationship to college and career readiness, and are leading a three-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to study the efficacy of personalized learning platforms. International work includes a partnership with ETS to link the TOEFL and TOEIC tests with The Lexile Framework for Reading.

Recognized worldwide for his ongoing contributions to measurement theory methodology, Dr. Stenner has published more than 70 papers, monographs and books primarily on measurement and statistical and evaluation methodology, with a focus on psychometrics.

Dr. Stenner teaches graduate seminars at Duke University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has been named a research professor at UNC’s School of Education, focusing on human development and psychological studies over the next three years. Dr. Stenner is president of the Institute for Objective Measurement, serves on the U.S. National Institute of Statistical Sciences board, and is a past board member of the Duke Children’s Hospital.

Malbert Smith III, Ph.D., President and Co-founder

Together with co-founder and CEO A. Jackson Stenner, Ph.D., Dr. Smith created The Lexile^®Framework for Reading; El Sistema Lexile para Leer, the Spanish-language version of the widely used reading framework; The Lexile Framework for Writing; and The Quantile^®Framework for Mathematics. Focused on fostering literacy and mathematics excellence, Dr. Smith strives to make educational measurement useful and actionable in classroom instruction and the home.

In order for young people to best grow as learners, they require instruction targeted to their individual abilities. Dr. Smith’s vision of common metrics for reading, writing and mathematics opens the way for differentiated and individualized instruction. In each state— and increasingly abroad—educators are using Lexile and Quantile measures to blend instruction and assessment in whole-class and intervention settings.

Concerned with the relationship between early literacy and college and career readiness, Dr. Smith led research to build a continuum of text complexity that places academic and life goals on the Lexile scale. In order to establish a P–20 educational system, a coherent and consistent measurement scale is essential to forecasting an individual’s growth toward goals, as well as to delivering targeted intervention or enrichment along the way. Drs. Smith and Stenner were members of the team that contributed to the Common Core State Standards, which nearly all states have adopted.

MetaMetrics has contracts with more than 20 state departments of education, working with their leadership teams on assessment and accountability issues. Dr. Smith has helped more than ten states launch summer reading programs designed to combat summer loss, especially among low-income students. Oklahoma and Florida have featured Dr. Smith on their television programs.

Drs. Smith and Stenner are senior investigators on a National Center for Education Statistics research study to examine NAEP benchmark scores in relationship to college and career readiness. They have also partnered with Harvard University’s Dr. James Kim on an I3 grant to study the affects of summer loss. Internationally, Drs. Smith and Stenner have teamed with ETS researchers to link the TOEFL and TOEIC tests with the Lexile Framework.

Dr. Smith serves on the UNC School of Education Foundation Board, the advisory board of Capstone Digital, and is a member of the advisory board for EdSteps, a joint project of the Council of Chief State School Officers and The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Drs. Smith and Stenner are leading a three-year grant from The Gates Foundation on the efficacy of personalized learning platforms. Dr. Smith is also a member of The American Association for the Advancement of Science, The American Educational Research Association and The National Council on Measurement in Education.

Dr. Smith has taught graduate seminars in educational research and test development and design at Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, from which he received the Distinguished Alumni Award. He has also been named a research
professor at UNC’s School of Education, focusing on psychological and human development studies over the next three years. Dr. Smith frequently speaks at various events on educational research and measurement.

Timothy J. Klasson, Chief Operating Officer

Tim Klasson joined MetaMetrics in 2002 and is responsible for all aspects of the company's operations. Formerly vice president of learning services at Tech Resource Group in Raleigh, N.C., Klasson brought more than 22 years of experience in sales, marketing, business development and executive management to the company. He is a former president of a medical education firm; vice president of corporate development for InfoSource, a corporate e-learning firm; product marketing manager for both Ryder Logistics and Cordis, now a division of Johnson & Johnson; and consulting manager with Deloitte & Touche. He holds an undergraduate degree in professional management from Nova Southeastern University, and a master's in business administration from the University of Miami.

Trilby Berger, Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships

As Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, Trilby oversees all domestic business development for MetaMetrics. In her most recent position as VP, Strategic Partnerships, Trilby led MetaMetrics’ sales and partnership opportunities both domestically and internationally. Trilby launched our global effort including expansion into Korea and Japan where learning the English language are national priorities.

Her work at MetaMetrics has included managing Professional Development, directing Marketing and inking many partnerships ranging from product development, licensing, publisher signings and highly visible marketing partnerships with the likes of Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Prior to joining the organization in 2003, Trilby served as Marketing and Communications Manager for All Kinds of Minds from 1998 to 2003.

In addition to her work at MetaMetrics, Trilby is active in the Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA), Association of Educational Publishers (AEP) and “DOLS,” a prestigious women’s networking group in the education technology sector.

Eleanor E. Sanford-Moore, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Research and Development

Dr. Ellie Sanford-Moore oversees MetaMetrics' research and development projects, including The Quantile Framework for Mathematics, linking studies, and other external consulting and development engagements. Prior to joining the company in 1998, she was senior testing consultant for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Dr. Sanford-Moore was responsible for developing the North Carolina End-of-Grade Tests of reading and mathematics for grades three through eight, and the North Carolina End-of-Course Tests for 10 high school subjects. She has written test reviews for "Buro's Mental Measurements Yearbook," and served on various national committees related to large-scale assessment. Dr. Sanford-Moore earned her undergraduate degree in statistics from North Carolina State University, a teaching certificate in mathematics and general sciences from Montana State University, and both her master's and doctorate of philosophy in psychology from North Carolina State University.

Anne Schiano, Senior Vice President, Government Relations

Anne Schiano is responsible for working with state departments of education as well as the state consortia that are developing universal assessments in response to the Common Core State Standards and other federal programs. Prior to MetaMetrics, Schiano spent 29 years with the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Most recently, she was assistant director, Office of Curriculum, Instruction and Instructional Technology, where she oversaw the development of the state's learning standards, curriculum guidance materials and instructional resources. As a member of the NYSED senior management team, Schiano recommended educational policy to the New York State Board of Regents and Education Commissioner; strengthened districts' capacity to offer standards-based instruction in compliance with federal and state educational mandates; established the NYSED Virtual Learning System, Physical Education Profile Assessment, Voluntary Arts Assessment and other statewide programs; and supervised NYSED's federal and state competitive grant submissions. She helped draft NYSED's Race to the Top application, which resulted in the state securing Phase Two funding, and contributed to the development of the Common Core State Standards.

During her tenure at NYSED, Schiano established and directed the New York State Academy for Teaching and Learning, which advances educators' professional development by focusing more on learning standards and progressions, formative assessment, instructional modifications, and the collection of student growth data. Her passion for education and improving students' academic achievement resulted in various awards and honors, such as the NYS Technology Education Association's Appreciation Award in 2010, the NYS School Library Association's Advocate Recognition in 2009, the NYS Reading Association's Advocate of the Year in 2007, and Georgetown Washington University's Elliot Fellow Award: Governing in the Global Age in 2005.

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