Areas of Expertise: blended and personalized, competency-based learning implementation and scaling; learner-validated policy support; strategic stakeholder partnerships

“With a science teaching background, I often view life through the lens of a scientist. It’s not unusual for me to draw parallels between education systems and scientific models.”

Syd Young is keenly motivated to help educators and administrators envision ways to more effectively translate aspirations into reality for K-12 public school systems and postsecondary pathways. As Director of Teaching and Learning, Syd works with learning communities across the country to build, scale and sustain personalized, competency-based learning; remove barriers; and increase flexibility for learner-validated programs. She brings experience managing systems change and understanding of how technology can amplify learning in powerful, meaningful ways when learning comes first.

Coming to KnowledgeWorks from the Utah State Board of Education, Syd served as Education Specialist. Under her leadership, personalized, competency-based learning has continued to grow and spread across Utah. Her fervor for strategizing ideal local conditions, where individuals see themselves as change agents, dates back to her days in conservation biology and previous roles as a science teacher and school administrator.

Syd enjoys time with her family, a well-pinned insect, the life cycle of deciduous tree leaves, pollen morphology, hiking, snorkeling and well-deserved high-fives.