Marshal Conley, EdD, is a Senior Technical Assistance Consultant at the American Institutes for Research (AIR) and a project lead with the Region 9 Comprehensive Center (R9CC), supporting the cross-region Success Stories project and other projects designed to provide professional learning through communities and networks. His current work focuses on policy, practice, and knowledge utilization related to digital and blended learning and integration of learning technologies with instructional practice for learners of all ages. Conley is an expert in the design, implementation, and facilitation of virtual communities of practice and Networked Improvement Communities (NICs). Conley also currently serves as a liaison for Iowa and Michigan through Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Midwest, connecting stakeholders with resources and generating new project ideas. He also provides coaching support to the Oklahoma State Department of Education on improvement science and implementation considerations for NICs.
Between 2010 and 2016, Mr. Conley served in leadership roles on a series of projects with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology (OET), starting as Deputy Project Director for Connected Educators and Connected Educator Month from 2010 to 2014, Project Director for Future Ready Leaders from 2014 to 2017, and Senior Outreach Advisor for 2016 National Educational Technology Plan. Conley also served as the Communities of Practice Task lead for the Office of State Support’s State Support Network from 2016 through 2020, overseeing the design and development of communities of practice to deliver technical assistance to states and districts related to implementation of provisions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). In 2017 and 2018, Conley provided strategic consulting and subject matter expertise to aid the state of Iowa in the development of a statewide Digital Learning Plan through the Midwest Comprehensive Center (MWCC).
Previously, he worked as Project Director and Community Manager for the Intel® Engage online community. Additionally, Mr. Conley has worked with districts and schools to design and deliver professional learning around technology driven educational data and data-informed decision making. Before joining AIR, Mr. Conley worked for the consulting firm Accenture Learning, managing the design and development of E-Learning courses for corporate training curricula. Prior to that, Mr. Conley served as a high school English teacher and program coordinator for at-risk student populations at Indian Plains Alternative High School, in Indian Prairie CUSD 204 serving Naperville, Aurora, and Bolingbrook, Illinois.