Missi Thurman began her career teaching with 6th grade in southeast Portland. As a college athlete, she has always believed in the power of a great team, and found its educational match when she became involved with the Oregon DATA Project in 2007. The project nurtured her love for using data to improve instructional practice and student outcomes.  She is a skilled coach who supports educators at all levels with not just the what of the PLC process, but the how. She is best known for being a terrible cook, but regularly dishes out quick one-liners and great analogies to make content accessible. When she is not driving all over the state spreading data team cheer, she is spending time volunteering to support children in foster care, chasing around her three kids and occasionally enjoying a glass of wine with her husband.