WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, ILO Group, a leading education strategy and policy firm, announced the appointments of three nationally recognized leaders as Senior Fellows to strengthen its work to build safe, community-driven, and systems-ready approaches to AI adoption in K-12 education. They are:
Dr. Michael Sulmeyer – One of the nation’s foremost authorities on cybersecurity, Dr. Sulmeyer most recently served as the first-ever Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy and Principal Cyber Advisor to the Secretary of Defense. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support and led the Department of Defense’s efforts to improve cybersecurity across its nearly 3 million personnel. At ILO, he will advise on integrating cybersecurity best practices and the development of a digital credential to equip district and state leaders with foundational training in secure, responsible AI usage.
Em Cooper – A seasoned senior state leader, Cooper most recently served as Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning at the Virginia Department of Education in Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration. She previously served as the Deputy Assistant Superintendent at the Louisiana Department of Education.
Jeremy Grant-Skinner – A nationally recognized district leader, Grant-Skinner has extensive experience as Chief Talent and HR Officer across numerous urban districts including Philadelphia, Houston, Baltimore, and Syracuse. Highly sought after for his management expertise, he has supported multiple national organizations in evolving and strengthening their talent systems and policies.
“We are honored to welcome Michael, Em, and Jeremy to help us advance the next chapter of our impact,” said Dr. Julia Rafal-Baer, ILO Group CEO and co-founder. “In this powerful new moment, vision alone won’t get systems to where they need to be. Leaders need expert insights and deep engagement with their communities to build the strategies to safely and responsibly implement AI. There is simply no shortcut to readiness when it comes to AI for education systems. That is why we have made sustained, hands-on support for states and districts our top priority.”
Through AiLO, its specialized division dedicated to the seamless and safe implementation of AI in education, ILO Group is actively supporting multiple states and large districts in taking on today’s biggest questions and opportunities. Having published two AI implementation frameworks for State Education Agencies (SEAs) and district leaders in K-12 Education and created a customized GPT-based AI implementation tool AiLO Coach for Education Leaders, ILO Group is at the forefront of safely and responsibly adopting AI across school districts and states.
Sulmeyer, Cooper, and Grant-Skinner bring industry-leading expertise in cybersecurity and data protection, policy and operational readiness, and human capital strategy to build on ILO Group’s bipartisan, field-informed approach to preparing education systems for the opportunities and risks that AI presents. They will advance and deepen ILO’s three-tiered model for AI implementation, helping states and districts:
- Develop a community-driven AI vision with clear guiding principles and guardrails
- Design and deliver robust professional learning for educators and leaders
- Ensure system-level readiness for safe, responsible implementation
To learn more about the work of AiLO, visit ILO Group’s website. To speak with CEO Dr. Julia Rafal-Baer, contact media@ilogroup.com.
About ILO Group
ILO Group was built on a simple, shared mission: to roll up our sleeves and do whatever it takes to support K-12 system leaders’ big bets – from continuing to respond to student needs exacerbated by the pandemic to supporting all students thriving as we look ahead.
A proudly women-owned education strategy and policy firm, ILO Group, stands for In the Life Of. We work side-by-side with the country’s leading educators, experts, and government partners to help solve the toughest challenges facing school systems and leaders today–because we’ve been in their shoes. With decades of collective experience, our seasoned team of consultants has supported many of the nation’s largest and highest-profile school systems and education-focused organizations.
Our clients span school districts, state education agencies and other government agencies, nonprofits, philanthropy, start ups, civic-minded businesses, and beyond. They all share one thing in common: an unwavering commitment to supporting our nation’s students and young people. Through our work, we have supported leaders serving 1 in 3 students in America.
About Dr. Julia Rafal-Baer
Dr. Julia Rafal-Baer is the Co-Founder and CEO of ILO Group, and the founder and CEO of Women Leading Ed, the largest national nonprofit network of women in education leadership. A nationally recognized expert on artificial intelligence implementation in K-12 education systems, Dr. Rafal-Baer supports multiple states and large districts with AI implementation and recently testified before the U.S. Congress on the issue. Read her full testimony here. Dr. Rafal-Baer is a board member on the National Assessment Governing Board and a former New York State Department of Education Assistant Commissioner. A former special education teacher, Dr. Rafal-Baer holds a Master of Philosophy in Education Research and a Ph.D. focused on comparative education policy from the University of Cambridge, where she was a Marshall Scholar.