The Bill of Rights Institute

Vice-President of Marketing - Kimberly H. Ash
Web Site: billofrightsinstitute.org/ProfessionalDevelopment/Index.htm
E-mail: Kash@BillofRightsInstitute.org
 

The Bill of Rights Institute conducts professional development programs for social studies teachers that focus on constitutional issues, the Founding documents, and the ideas of the American Founders.  We have participated in a variety of grants, including Title II and Teaching American History grants.  Last year alone, we conducted over sixty seminars and presentations across the country.

Education Staff Biographies:

Brett Helm is the Director of Professional Development at the Bill of Rights Institute, where he is responsible for presenting seminars around the country to assist teachers in developing strategies to teach the founding period of our nation’s history. Prior to joining the Institute, Brett spent sixteen years in the classroom in Indiana and North Carolina, teaching history, government, and economics in classrooms ranging from the inner city to a private boarding school. He presented at several North Carolina Council for the Social Studies Conventions and was published in the Tarheel News, a statewide publication for social studies teachers. A 1980 graduate of Brown University in International Relations, Brett came to teaching after stints as a Marine Corps officer and businessman. He received his Masters in History (constitutional studies) from Winthrop University in 1999. He is a National Board Certified Teacher in Social Studies and History and the 1997 James Madison Memorial Senior Fellow from North Carolina.

Claire McCaffery Griffin oversees the professional development programs for teachers, manages the creation of the Institute’s instructional materials, and supervises the web-based and student components of our outreach.  She has presented to teachers in 30 states, serves as the Project Director for the NEH Landmarks Workshop, Shaping the Constitution:  The View from Mount Vernon 1783-1789, and has worked as an editor or instructional designer on all of the curriculum of the Bill of Rights Institute.  Prior to joining the Institute, Claire was a classroom teacher for 28 years and a James Madison Memorial Fellow from Hawaii. She is the recipient of numerous national awards, including a Summer Fulbright Fellowship for study in China and a TEA (Teaching Excellence Award) for travel in Russia. She received her M.A. in American Studies (with an emphasis on Constitutional Studies) from the University of Hawaii, and her B.A. in History from the University of San Francisco.

Jason Wilson is Manager of Technology and Student Services and is responsible for creating weekly eLessons for teachers and is project manager for the upcoming Being an American essay contest, and the student section of the Website.  He is also coordinating the creation of an online study guide for a Citizen Bee contest, researches the latest in technology and maintains the Bill of Rights Institute’s Web site, www.BillofRightsInstitute.org.

Jay Shackett is Associate Director of Professional Development and conducts constitutional seminars for teachers around the nation.  Prior to joining the Bill of Rights Institute, Jay spent seven years as a teacher of American Government & Politics and AP US History at a suburban Des Moines, Iowa high school.   As a result of his efforts to involve students in the political process, Jay and his students were featured in Education Week.  Jay is a 2002 James Madison Memorial Fellow, and received his Masters of Science in Education from Drake University in 2004.

Veronica Cruz Burchard is the Bill of Rights Institute’s Director of Curriculum Development. She oversaw the production of Faces of Freedom in American History and Conflict and Continuity: The Story of American Freedom, serving as author, instructional designer, and editor.  Since joining the Institute, Veronica has overseen the development and production of five curricula, including Media and American Democracy, and The Bill of Rights for Real Life. Prior to joining the Institute, Veronica served as a contributing writer and editor on several Bill of Rights Institute projects including The Bill of Rights and You, Citizenship and Character, and our Founder of the Month essays. Veronica spent seven years as a high school teacher in Fairfax County, Virginia and Alachua County, Florida.  She received her B.A. and M.A. degrees in English from the University of Florida.