Kai Brown

Kai Brown (they/them) is an elementary music educator at Audubon Elementary School in The Colorado Springs School District 11 and a dedicated instructional leader committed to student-centered learning and strong classroom culture. With a background in music education and over three years of experience implementing Instructional Empowerment’s Model of Instruction, Kai has transformed their classroom into a space where clarity, collaboration, and student ownership drive learning.

Through consistent use of clear learning targets, aligned success criteria, purposeful lesson structures, and meaningful student talk, Kai has seen a measurable shift in both academic engagement and classroom culture. Students are more confident articulating their thinking, taking risks, and working collaboratively, while Kai’s own instructional practice has become more focused, responsive, and reflective.

As a member of their school’s instructional leadership team, Kai actively supports colleagues in applying the Model of Instruction across content areas, emphasizing that strong instruction is not about compliance, but about empowerment. Instructional Empowerment has sharpened Kai’s skill as an educator by providing a shared language for teaching, a framework for continuous improvement, and tools that honor student voice and agency.

Kai brings a practitioner’s perspective to the Building Expertise Conference, grounded in real classroom experience, a passion for professional growth, and a belief that high-quality instruction can be both rigorous and deeply human.

Kristi Kinney

As a School Leadership Coach, Kristi Kinney works with campus leadership teams to establish sustainable systems, develop an effective leadership team, empower teachers and students to achieve instructional autonomy, and create a culture driven by the team’s vision for success. Her passion has always been classroom instruction, and she assists campus administrators in becoming instructional leaders to ensure growth for all students.

Kristi retired after 24 years in Texas public education where she was a high school teacher and athletic coach, Instructional Specialist, Literacy Specialist, Test Coordinator/Data Analyst, Dean of Instruction, Assistant Principal, and Principal. She served in 5 districts including suburban, inner-city, and rural schools.

Kristi Kinney earned her bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and English from Tarleton State University. Years of coaching and teaching led her to pursue a master’s degree in Education Administration from Lamar University.