Jo Ann Freiberg, Ph.D.

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Jo Ann Freiberg recently retired as an Educational Consultant with the Connecticut State Department of Education working in the Turnaround Office.  She managed the wide arena of Bullying, Improving School Climate, Restorative Practices, Childhood Trauma, Cultural Competence and Character Education.  She currently works as a private Education Consultant with School Climate Consultants, LLC, engaged in the same work.

Jo Ann has worked as a classroom teacher, teacher educator, and has held faculty appointments at a number of universities, including Central Connecticut State University, Eastern Connecticut State University, the University of Hartford and the University of Connecticut.  Jo Ann holds a Ph.D. in philosophy of education from Ohio State University, and her areas of academic teaching and research include moral and character education, educational studies, professional ethics and multicultural education.

Jo Ann is currently is a member of the CT State SEL Collaborative and previously has served on the statewide task force on bullying.  She has served as an educational consultant in a variety of settings both in Connecticut and nationally.  She has been a member of the leadership team of the National School Climate Council.  Jo Ann provides a wide range of professional development and educational content to many groups and organizations throughout the country about issues including those above as well as general violence prevention, professional ethics and related subjects in the school, family and community partnership arena. As a parent, she sees the issues from multifaceted levels.

Patricia A. Ciccone recently retired as Superintendent of the Westbrook CT public school district and Interim Superintendent of Lebanon public school district is an experienced educator and administrator.  Named by Education Week in their inaugural February 2013 edition as a “leader to learn from,” for school climate improvement, she retired as Superintendent of Schools for the Connecticut Technical High School System (CTHSS).  More recently, she was named by Education Week as one of 18 women educators internationally that all K – 12 Educators should know.

She currently serves on the CT SEL Collaborative, is a member of the leadership team of the National School Climate Council, is on the faculty of the Leadership Academy for Character Education (L.A.C.E.) at the University of MO, St. Louis, is a certified trainer with the International Institute for Restorative Practices and is a faculty member at the National School Climate Center’s Summer Institute. She also served as an Assistant Principal, Principal, Consultant for Professional Development, and Assistant Superintendent at the CTHSS.

Her earlier professional experience includes work in Career and Human Resources with the CT Community College System where she advanced from positions in Career Services and Counseling, to serving as Coordinator of Academic Advising and Director of Student Development.  She also serves as both adjunct faculty and university supervisor at Sacred Heart University, working with aspiring teachers and administrators and holds State of CT, Licensed Professional Counselor credentials.