Get to know us.
The name QTurn was inspired by the phrase “Great Turning.” In their book, Active hope: How to face the mess we’re in without going crazy, Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone used the term “Great Turning” to describe the need for a comprehensive turn away from outdated ways of carbon-based living in order to save our planet. QTurn is based on a similar premise: that big changes are happening in American education – a turning toward lower stakes quality improvement systems (QIS) that open up staff motivation, incentivize local innovation, build expertise over multiple cycles, and generate evidence of effectiveness.
Get to know us.
The name QTurn was inspired by the phrase “Great Turning.” In their book, Active hope: How to face the mess we’re in without going crazy, Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone used the term “Great Turning” to describe the need for a comprehensive turn away from outdated ways of carbon-based living in order to save our planet. QTurn is based on a similar premise: that big changes are happening in American education – a turning toward lower stakes quality improvement systems (QIS) that open up staff motivation, incentivize local innovation, build expertise over multiple cycles, and generate evidence of effectiveness.
our core team
Charles Smith is the managing consultant at QTurn. Charles has 20 years of experience supporting organizations to design, implement, and validate quality improvement systems (QIS) focused on social and emotional learning (SEL) in the out-of-school time, early childhood, and two-generation fields.
Stephen is one of QTurn’s senior technical consultants. From 1995 to 2016, he worked as Research Investigator and Assistant Research Scientist at the U of M’s Achievement Research Lab within the Research Center for Group Dynamics at the Institute for Social Research. He worked as a consultant and as a regular employee to the Weikart Center from 2005 to 2019. Steve’s primary interests relate to applying multilevel, pattern-centered person-in-context models of lifespan development to quality improvement systems (QIS) in the education and human services fields.
Sally joined QTurn in October 2019 and is the assistant manager and executive assistant. Her personal and professional experience working in afterschool as a coach, and as an administrative and research assistant drives her passion for supporting organizations in the youth development sector. She came to QTurn with two years of managerial experience in the service industry and is attending Eastern Michigan University’s School of Education to become a secondary math teacher.
Lucy Smith is an advisor for QTurn. Lucy was a research consultant for QTurn from March 2019 – August 2022, specializing in data collection system design, coordination and technical assistance, as well as serving as QTurn’s communications lead and graphic designer.
Terri D. Slaughter acts as an advisor for QTurn. She is the Chief Culture Equity Inclusion Officer (CCEIO) at Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and founder of Youth Development, Education, and Retention Strategy Group (YDER). An educator and nonprofit professional with more than twenty-five years of experience, Terri has served in a range of senior leadership roles at colleges and universities and nonprofit organizations including the University of Michigan, Madonna University, the Forum for Youth Investment, and UNCF (United Negro College Fund) in the Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholars Program. A proud graduate of Michigan State University, Terri holds a Master of Arts degree in Higher Education Administration and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.
Lisa is an advisor to QTurn.
