Education executives in conversation in a modern lobby

About Elevation

Helping Education Leaders Navigate What Comes Next

Elevation Educational Consulting was created to help educational organizations navigate an environment of accelerating change.

Leadership expectations are evolving.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping education and work.

Career and technical education is becoming increasingly important.

Schools face growing pressure to improve organizational effectiveness while simultaneously preparing students for a changing economy.

Elevation brings these areas together.

Our Focus

The intersection of leadership, innovation, and practical strategy

Leadership

Innovation

Technology

Career & Technical Education

School Improvement

Our goal is simple: provide education leaders with practical strategies they can actually implement.

People

The team behind the work

Experienced practitioners who have led the work they advise on — in district offices, schools, and CTE programs.

Founder & Principal Consultant

Dr. Marcus Ellison

Ed.D. Educational Leadership · NJ Principal & School Administrator Certification

Marcus founded Elevation after more than two decades in New Jersey public education, including service as a career and technical education director, high school principal, and assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. His work centers on helping districts translate ambitious strategy into operating reality — redesigning CTE pathways around regional labor demand, building leadership pipelines that hold up through turnover, and guiding cabinets through the governance questions raised by artificial intelligence. He has led county-wide program approvals, Perkins planning cycles, and multi-year school improvement efforts, and he brings that operator's perspective to every engagement.

Leadership Team

The senior practitioners who lead Elevation's engagements and hold responsibility for client outcomes.

Dana Whitfield

Director of Leadership Practice

Dana leads Elevation's leadership development and executive coaching work, designing cabinet retreats, principal supervision models, and succession plans for districts navigating rapid turnover.

Rafael Ortiz

Director of Technology & Innovation

Rafael guides districts through AI readiness, data governance, and instructional technology strategy, with an emphasis on policy that staff can actually follow and sustain.

Advisors

External advisors who sharpen Elevation's strategy and bring specialized expertise to client work.

Dr. Yvonne Baptiste

Higher Education & Dual Enrollment

A former community college provost, Yvonne advises on articulation agreements, dual enrollment design, and secondary-to-postsecondary transitions.

Gregory Nunn

Workforce & Industry Partnerships

Gregory spent his career in regional workforce development and advises on employer partnerships, apprenticeship models, and labor-market alignment for CTE programs.

Priya Raman

Data, Assessment & Accountability

Priya advises on assessment systems, accountability reporting, and the measurement frameworks that let districts see whether an initiative is actually working.

Consultants

The network of experienced practitioners who partner with Elevation on client engagements.

Alicia Moreno

CTE Program Design

A former CTE supervisor, Alicia supports program approval, pathway sequencing, and industry-valued credential planning.

Thomas Byrne

School Improvement

Thomas works with school-based teams on improvement planning, instructional rounds, and the operating routines that keep improvement work on schedule.

Karen Ishida

Professional Learning

Karen designs and facilitates professional learning for teachers and administrators, focused on adult learning that changes daily practice.

Engage the firm

Discuss your organization's priorities

Bring us your leadership, CTE, or technology challenge. We will outline a practical path forward and the work required to get there.

Schedule a Consultation See how an engagement runs