Leader Ready

Timothy P. Cusack, EdD, has more than thirty-two years of experience as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, and superintendent. Having taught in rural boards in northern and southern Alberta, Tim also has ten years of experience as school leader (K-12) and eight years of experience as a system leader of a large urban board in Edmonton. Tim currently serves as the Dean of Education of Concordia University of Edmonton (CUE), where he leads a teacher preparation program (After Degree in Education) and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership program. His doctoral research focuses on new teacher preparation, teacher mentorship, and leadership development. His dissertation (University of Portland 2020), which centered on preparing aspiring school leaders, evolved into his first book with Corwin—Leader Ready: Four Pathways to Prepare Aspiring School Leaders (2023).

Tim has worked with school jurisdictions across Canada and the United States in sharing his passion for leadership development and teacher mentorship. His service to public education has been recognized through the Council of School Leadership Distinguished Leadership Award (2014) and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (2023).

Tim also serves as a Naval Warfare Officer in the Royal Canadian Navy and brings a wealth of leadership experience, having served now for over thirty-five years, including tours as both an Executive and Commanding Officer. His experience in K-12 education, post-secondary leadership, and military leadership add richness and depth to his work as an educational consultant and author. More information about Tim may be found at www.timothycusack.com.

Vince Bustamante, EdD, is a Calgary-based instructional coach, curriculum content developer, and author. Vince specializes in working with teachers, leadership teams, schools, and school districts in implementing high impact strategies and systems. With a strong background in implementation, assessment, and deep learning, he is passionate about understanding and evaluating teachers' impact. Having worked with schools and school districts across North America and internationally, he brings a wide variety of experience and perspectives when looking at school improvement, pedagogical and leadership development, and implementation of high impact strategies across school environments. Vince’s doctoral research focused on the sustainable implementation of professional learning across school districts and the impact of long-term school partnerships.

Vince has co-authored two bestselling books with Corwin Press: Great Teaching by Design and The Assessment Playbook for Distance and Blended Learning. His other title, Leader Ready: Four Pathways to Prepare Aspiring School Leaders, is also available from Corwin Press. You can find more information about Vince at www.vincebustamante.com.