State and Regional Contacts

Mike Kauffeld graduated from Capital University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Comprehensive Social Studies. He received his Masters Degree in education administration from Ashland University in 2004. Mike coached football at Capital University from 1990 until 1995.  He became the Athletic Director at Hamilton Township High School in 1995 and taught social studies and US Government until 2001.  Mike has been with the Teays Valley Local School District since 2002.  He served as a high school social studies teacher, football coach, and middle school assistant principal.  He currently serves as the principal at Teays Valley West Middle School, an Ohio School to Watch.  Mike's wife, Jenniffer, is a principal with the South Western City Schools.

Tiffany Shaw graduated from Muskingum College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and Psychology. She continued her education earning a Master’s Degree in Curriculum & Instruction and Educational Administration also from Muskingum College. Tiffany is currently a lead teacher within the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District and Master Teacher with Project Lead The Way. During the summer months, Tiffany trains hundreds of teachers equipping them with the framework of STEM education. She has led student and adult groups through international travel bringing classroom lessons to life. Tiffany has been awarded the WTUV Teachers Are Tops Award, and is a Class Coordinator for Financial Peace University, where she has taught both staff and community members. She is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an educational women’s honorary organization, currently serving as Vice-President. Tiffany and her husband, Matt, have two children; Olivia and Sophia.

Rebecca has been teaching since 1992. She has taught 6th, 7th and 8th grade science and is currently teaching 7th grade science at Hudson Middle School. She has served on the Ohio Middle Level Association board since 1996 and is currently a NE Associate Representative.

Lee is the District Title I Data Coach and Data coordinator for the Lima City Schools.  He was in middle level education for thirty years teaching math and then as an instructional coach.  Lee has a B.A. from Wittenberg University and a M.A. Ed. from Bowling Green State University.  Lee and his wife, Doris have two grown sons and one “middle level” Labradoodle and reside in Lima.

Kristen graduated from Otterbein College with her Bachelor’s degree in 2007.  She earned her Master’s degree through Walden University.  She is currently a 6th and 7th grade math teacher at St. Matthew the Apostle Catholic School after serving as the technology coordinator for a year. Prior to joining St. Matthew's staff, she spent 12 years teaching 7th grade math at New Lexington Middle School. She has presented at numerous state and national conferences, has been published in AMLE Magazine, and was a co-recipient of a Rural Trust Global Fellowship to visit schools in Australia.  Her favorite day of the school year is Pi Day, and she has recorded several Pi Day parody videos to entertain her students and colleagues.

Brenda completed her undergraduate work at the Kent State University and earned a 4-9 teaching license from Ashland University.  She joined Sheffield-Sheffield Lake Schools in 2009, teaching a combination of 7th grade math and pre-algebra.  She serves on many committees within her school.    Brenda lives in Avon with her husband and three children.

Mr. Tom Burton is currently the Past-President of OMLA and is the Associate Superintendent of Princeton City Schools, located just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. Tom has been in administration since 1995 with over 12 years of service as a building principal. He is the author of “Mark of Leadership: Strategies for Leading with Purpose, Plans, and Passion.” Since 2001 Tom has spoken to numerous audiences throughout the United States with passion and purpose on a multitude of topics. Additionally, Tom has written articles for publications both in Ohio and nationally and was the “Mark of Leadership” columnist for Middle Ground Magazine, an AMLE and formerly National Middle School Association publication. He is the winner of NASSP/MetLife Ohio Middle School Principal of the Year, Distinguished Young Alumni Award from Slippery Rock University, and many other awards. Most recently he was selected as Ohio Educator of the Year by the Ohio Middle Level Association and was inducted in both the Cleveland Heights High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame and John Carroll University Athletic Hall of Fame. Tom is married to wife Franca, and they share the joy of raising three children, Cailey (Eleventh grade), Bryce (Ninth grade), and Tommy (Sixth grade).

Brian graduated from Bluffton College in 1994 and received his master’s degree from BGSU in 2001 and is currently working on his superintendent licensure through the University of Findlay. He has been the principal at Parkway Middle School in Rockford, OH since 2012. Under his leadership, Parkway has improved academic achievement, implemented an outstanding STEM program, and has won state and regional OMLA awards. Prior to serving the Parkway district, Brian was a teacher, coach, athletic director, and middle school dean of students at Spencerville Schools. Brian resides in Lima with his wife Julie, a teacher at Spencerville, and his three children Leah, Sarah, and Michael.

John currently works as a middle school guidance counselor at Mayfield Middle School, where he has been an educator for over 20 years.  Before becoming a school counselor, he taught sixth grade science. John has had the opportunity to be a presenter at Ohio Middle Level Association and Association for Middle Level Education Conferences. John is the web site manager for OMLA.