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Elise Guest
Senior Education Improvement Specialist

Greetings! 

My name is Elise Guest, and I am a Senior Education Improvement Specialist at Marzano Research. Twenty-six years ago, I began my career in education as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in Malawi, South Africa. During my volunteer service as a Secondary School teacher, I learned the Swahili Proverb– “A boat doesn’t go forward if one is rowing their own way.” This simple proverb has guided my work as a Special Education teacher, K-12 Principal, and PreK-12 Curriculum Director across the globe, from Africa and Oregon to Singapore and Montana. I am passionate about engaging teams of educators to improve literacy practices, establish sustainable systems of support, institute drivers for sustainable practices, address teacher retention and job satisfaction, and promote increased opportunities and access to educational excellence for all.  

I value continuous professional learning. I hold a Doctorate of Education from the University of Oregon in Education, Methodology, Policy, and Leadership, a Masters in Special Education, and two Bachelor of Arts Degrees in English and French. I am currently serving on a Learning Forward Academy and a National Improvement Committee to address the national teacher crisis. 

I am a proud mother of a two-year-old daughter, Minna Anne, and a three-year-old golden retriever, Romeo. To give back to my hometown of Missoula, Montana, where I reside, I am honored to volunteer on the United Way Board of Directors, promoting my passion for early childhood literacy and a love of reading.