Team of Consultants
Lead Consultant and Founder
Jerry Brodsky
Jerry is lead consultant and founder of American Educational Consultants, as well as a recently retired attorney-at-law licensed to practice in Ohio. Having spent 35 years in the public schools and retiring from the superintendency of a highly rated school district, he currently provides consultative services to: individual parents regarding student-school issues; school districts looking to improve instruction, save taxpayer dollars, improve special education services, or communicate more effectively with families and community; state departments of education seeking to upgrade instruction using digital content instead of textbooks; schools outside of the United States seeking to identify strengths and opportunities to improve based on quality international standards; and consultative services to Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence, Inc., and private sector organizations needing educational expertise on a consultative basis. He is also the Board Chair for the International Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence, a non-profit entity working to support quality, internationally recognized educational standards around the world, most recently in China.
Edward Bernetich
Ed currently teaches at Cleveland State University and works for the Ohio Department of Education, providing consultation to help the most struggling schools in Northern Ohio, having been a teacher, curriculum director and administrator in highly respected public schools in Ohio. He has done extensive work with Blue Ribbon Schools both as a principal of a twice-awarded school, as a member of the U.S. Dept. of Ed. National Review Panel, and as a site visitor and evaluator for both the government's program and the current independent Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School program. In addition his school was named a National School of Distinction for Technology Excellence during his tenure as principal. Ed most recently has been asked to lead the school assessment team for the International Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence.
Robin Cornelison
Robin has over 15 years experience teaching and coaching, with a strong commitment to children's growth and development and their unique educational needs. She teaches children from K through 12 and has held a variety of leadership roles. Robin currently is serving as President of the Springfield (NJ) Board of Education for which she has been a Board Member for 5 terms. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Speech Communications from Northeastern University with a double minor in film and theatre. Robin also holds a Master's degree in Education from Mercy College in New York City.
Robin Karp
Robin has over 30 years experience in education. She focuses on finding innovative ways to address the unique needs of all students. Prior to recently retiring, she served as a district demonstration teacher, master teacher, and peer coach, and developed a secondary gifted support model. Robin is currently working in the cognitive rehabilitation unit at Children's Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, New Jersey, where she is responsible for curriculum development and instruction for students ages 6-21 who have incurred traumatic brain injuries. Robin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from S.U.N.Y. at Buffalo, as well as a Master's degree in Educational Psychology from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Nachum Katz
Nachum has over 35 years human capital management experience in the fields of military, education and non-profit organizations in Israel and the United States. He is a retired Colonel from the Israeli military and has served as Director General of the Hadassah Neurim Youth Village (a residential/educational facility for at-risk children) and as Principal of the Comprehensive High School of Arts and Sciences. Nachum has an MA in Criminology, BA in Criminology and Political Science with teacher licensure, and is fluent in six languages: English, Hebrew, French, Spanish, Romanian and Hungarian. He currently serves as CEO for Budo for Peace and coaches executives in Israel and around the world.
Valerie McKenney
Valerie is superintendent of a consolidated school district in New Hampshire. She has worked in public education for the past 34 years. An advocate for all students, she holds certifications in Special Education, Emotional Handicaps, Elementary Education, Principal and Superintendent. Valerie also served on the Dover (NH) School Board from 2001-2004. She holds a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies degree from the University of New England and specializes in strategic planning, competency education, supervision/evaluation, professional development and coaching professional educators.
Scott Ober
Scott, a retired elementary principal, had the unique opportunity to lead Ober Elementary School in Clark County (NV), a school in Las Vegas public school named in honor of his parents and recognized as a high quality school. He was awarded the Excellence in Education Award from the U.S. Dept. of Ed. at the same time his school was awarded National Blue Ribbon status. Scott authored and published a book, "Four Walls with Tomorrow Inside," to honor teachers while reminding administrators how to empower teachers without overpowering them. Besides his wide array of staff development work, he has supported digital textbook efforts and special education staff development in Nevada representing both schools and parents of special students.
Susan Rakow
Susan is a Clinical Associate Professor Emerita at Cleveland State University in the Department of Curriculum and Foundations. For ten years, she directed the Graduate Program in Gifted Education and taught courses in middle and secondary education. Prior to her work at CSU, Susan spent over 35 years as a middle and high school teacher of English, gifted students, and Title I reading as well as gifted program coordinator, lead mentor for entry year teachers, and union president. Currently, Susan works as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor specializing in work with gifted children, adolescents, adults and their families. Susan also provides parent education on underachievement and the social-emotional needs of gifted children and adolescents.
Nessa Siegel
Nessa has vast experience in special education as a teacher and lawyer-advocate for students with disabilities. She has represented over 1,500 clients during her career and currently is working with American Educational Consultants to help schools around the country improve special education programming and processes. Nessa has been awarded honors and recognitions for her work and has spoken to large and small audiences about how schools and parents can work together in the best interests of students with disabilities.
Chief Executive Manager
Faith Brodsky Racusin
Faith is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with experience at all levels of the K-12 system. She also has served as Vice President of Zenacon, LLC which created MyGallons and FunLoom. Faith's love for working in education along with her business skills provide her with the ability to manage the day-to-day operations and understand the nature of educational consulting. She became CEM of American Educational Consultants in 2016.
Jerry Brodsky
Jerry is lead consultant and founder of American Educational Consultants, as well as a recently retired attorney-at-law licensed to practice in Ohio. Having spent 35 years in the public schools and retiring from the superintendency of a highly rated school district, he currently provides consultative services to: individual parents regarding student-school issues; school districts looking to improve instruction, save taxpayer dollars, improve special education services, or communicate more effectively with families and community; state departments of education seeking to upgrade instruction using digital content instead of textbooks; schools outside of the United States seeking to identify strengths and opportunities to improve based on quality international standards; and consultative services to Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence, Inc., and private sector organizations needing educational expertise on a consultative basis. He is also the Board Chair for the International Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence, a non-profit entity working to support quality, internationally recognized educational standards around the world, most recently in China.
Edward Bernetich
Ed currently teaches at Cleveland State University and works for the Ohio Department of Education, providing consultation to help the most struggling schools in Northern Ohio, having been a teacher, curriculum director and administrator in highly respected public schools in Ohio. He has done extensive work with Blue Ribbon Schools both as a principal of a twice-awarded school, as a member of the U.S. Dept. of Ed. National Review Panel, and as a site visitor and evaluator for both the government's program and the current independent Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School program. In addition his school was named a National School of Distinction for Technology Excellence during his tenure as principal. Ed most recently has been asked to lead the school assessment team for the International Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence.
Robin Cornelison
Robin has over 15 years experience teaching and coaching, with a strong commitment to children's growth and development and their unique educational needs. She teaches children from K through 12 and has held a variety of leadership roles. Robin currently is serving as President of the Springfield (NJ) Board of Education for which she has been a Board Member for 5 terms. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Speech Communications from Northeastern University with a double minor in film and theatre. Robin also holds a Master's degree in Education from Mercy College in New York City.
Robin Karp
Robin has over 30 years experience in education. She focuses on finding innovative ways to address the unique needs of all students. Prior to recently retiring, she served as a district demonstration teacher, master teacher, and peer coach, and developed a secondary gifted support model. Robin is currently working in the cognitive rehabilitation unit at Children's Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, New Jersey, where she is responsible for curriculum development and instruction for students ages 6-21 who have incurred traumatic brain injuries. Robin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from S.U.N.Y. at Buffalo, as well as a Master's degree in Educational Psychology from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Nachum Katz
Nachum has over 35 years human capital management experience in the fields of military, education and non-profit organizations in Israel and the United States. He is a retired Colonel from the Israeli military and has served as Director General of the Hadassah Neurim Youth Village (a residential/educational facility for at-risk children) and as Principal of the Comprehensive High School of Arts and Sciences. Nachum has an MA in Criminology, BA in Criminology and Political Science with teacher licensure, and is fluent in six languages: English, Hebrew, French, Spanish, Romanian and Hungarian. He currently serves as CEO for Budo for Peace and coaches executives in Israel and around the world.
Valerie McKenney
Valerie is superintendent of a consolidated school district in New Hampshire. She has worked in public education for the past 34 years. An advocate for all students, she holds certifications in Special Education, Emotional Handicaps, Elementary Education, Principal and Superintendent. Valerie also served on the Dover (NH) School Board from 2001-2004. She holds a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies degree from the University of New England and specializes in strategic planning, competency education, supervision/evaluation, professional development and coaching professional educators.
Scott Ober
Scott, a retired elementary principal, had the unique opportunity to lead Ober Elementary School in Clark County (NV), a school in Las Vegas public school named in honor of his parents and recognized as a high quality school. He was awarded the Excellence in Education Award from the U.S. Dept. of Ed. at the same time his school was awarded National Blue Ribbon status. Scott authored and published a book, "Four Walls with Tomorrow Inside," to honor teachers while reminding administrators how to empower teachers without overpowering them. Besides his wide array of staff development work, he has supported digital textbook efforts and special education staff development in Nevada representing both schools and parents of special students.
Susan Rakow
Susan is a Clinical Associate Professor Emerita at Cleveland State University in the Department of Curriculum and Foundations. For ten years, she directed the Graduate Program in Gifted Education and taught courses in middle and secondary education. Prior to her work at CSU, Susan spent over 35 years as a middle and high school teacher of English, gifted students, and Title I reading as well as gifted program coordinator, lead mentor for entry year teachers, and union president. Currently, Susan works as a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor specializing in work with gifted children, adolescents, adults and their families. Susan also provides parent education on underachievement and the social-emotional needs of gifted children and adolescents.
Nessa Siegel
Nessa has vast experience in special education as a teacher and lawyer-advocate for students with disabilities. She has represented over 1,500 clients during her career and currently is working with American Educational Consultants to help schools around the country improve special education programming and processes. Nessa has been awarded honors and recognitions for her work and has spoken to large and small audiences about how schools and parents can work together in the best interests of students with disabilities.
Chief Executive Manager
Faith Brodsky Racusin
Faith is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with experience at all levels of the K-12 system. She also has served as Vice President of Zenacon, LLC which created MyGallons and FunLoom. Faith's love for working in education along with her business skills provide her with the ability to manage the day-to-day operations and understand the nature of educational consulting. She became CEM of American Educational Consultants in 2016.
