DAVID BRASWELL
CEO and Co-Founder
OFFICE: (602) 863-4905
MOBILE: (602) 524-5704
dbraswell@upslopes.com


David Braswell is an award-winning educator, leading researcher, devoted husband, and, most importantly, the father of three teen-age daughters - each of which is the reason for his longstanding commitment to the national education goal of Leaving No Child Behind.

As the former founder and president of TeachMaster Technologies, Inc., and Vice-President of Education for PLATO Learning, Braswell has more than 26 years of experience in education and related research. He has spent over two decades designing and producing curriculum management software that has helped educators plan, design, and focus on standards-driven curriculum management and sound instructional decision-making, including the multi-product Standards ToolKit™ suite, Standards Record Keeping & Reporting™, and PLATO Polaris®.

Educated at Western Carolina University, Braswell received a Bachelor of Science in Education with a K-12 Reading Certification in 1978, followed by a Master of Education in Administration in 1986. He has held teaching, building level and district level administrative positions in Georgia, North Carolina, South Dakota, and New Mexico.

Current areas of interest for Braswell include policy analysis at the district and state levels. He currently sits on the Governing Board of Glendale Union High School District in Phoenix, Arizona and has been extensively involved with a number of legislative initiatives in recent sessions. Braswell was recently appointed by the governor as a member of the Joint Legislative Council for the Implementation of All Day Kindergarten.


RANDALL EDEN
President and Co-Founder
OFFICE: (602) 863-4905
MOBILE: (602) 315-0386
raeden@upslopes.com


Randall Eden has been actively involved in the accountability movement for over 13 years as both a driver of program improvement and a practical implementer of sound research. As the Director of Operations at TeachMaster Technologies, he oversaw the design, development and delivery of instructional management software solutions and coordinated professional development services in the U.S. and abroad using Standards ToolKit™ and Standards Record Keeping & Reporting™. As the Director of Learning Management Systems Development at PLATO Learning, Eden championed the construction of the highly acclaimed Polaris® standards-referenced curriculum management system for K-12 schools and districts as well as several other interoperability initiatives.

Educated at the University of Colorado and Colorado State University, Eden received a Bachelor of Arts in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology in 1985 and a secondary science endorsement in 1994. He has held teaching and site leadership positions in two western states.

Current areas of interest for Eden include the use of electronic portfolios for assessment and evaluation as part of a "K to Gray" model of managing "academic currency" over the course of each individual's academic and professional careers. Eden recently served on the Open Source Portfolio Initiative (OSPI) Advisory Council as an advocate for K-12 schools and districts during the design phase of this university-based, grant sponsored project.


GARY LASSEN
Affiliate
OFFICE: (602) 252-1205
MOBILE: (602) 327-1113
glassen@gllplc.com


Gary Lassen has more than 25 years of experience in education law and complex public employment litigation. He has extensive trial experience in state and federal courts, having been lead counsel in numerous jury trials and participating in hundreds of administrative hearings involving employee discipline and termination, most of them involving public school teachers.

Lassen's experience includes defense of public sector and corporate clients in cases of alleged employment discrimination of all kinds. He has drawn on his experience as a psychologist in the defense and prosecution of employment related litigation. His representation has included Arizona's Universities, community colleges, private colleges, public sector insurers, and over fifty Arizona school districts. Prior to entering private practice in 1982, Lassen served as Assistant Attorney General for Education. He has taught courses at Arizona State University, Baylor University, and the University of Arizona. He has frequently spoken to groups nationally on school law issues.

Educated at Stanford University, the University of Arizona and Baylor University, Lassen received a B.A. from Stanford University in 1970, an M.A. from the University of Arizona in 1973, a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Arizona in 1974, and a J.D. from Baylor University in 1977. He is a member of the State Bars of Texas and Arizona and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.

Current areas of interest for Lassen include the identification and management of behaviors and actions among educators that increase legal risk for the LEA and the coaching of governing boards in strategies to increase their effectiveness.


MARC ALOP
Affiliate
OFFICE: (602) 863-4905
MOBILE: (602) 809-5409
marcalop@cs.com


Marc Alop joins the UpSlope team with over 30 years of visionary teaching, building level administrative and district level leadership experience within the state of Arizona. As the former superintendent of Ajo Unified School District in Southwestern Arizona, Alop was a frequent early adopter and champion of tools and strategies that not only improved standards-referenced classroom instruction but also produced measurable gains in student achievement.

Educated at Arizona State University, Alop received undergraduate degrees in both History and Education and later a master's degree in Education.

Current areas of interest for Alop include the effective use of NCLB title funding for professional development by K-12 school districts and the implementation of meaningful Highly Objective, Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE) compliant professional development programs at the building and district levels for all licensed or certified staff.