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NHLI | New Hampshire Learning Initiative
All Students Deserve a Quality Education
Sue Downer
At NHLI, Sue provides professional development in science curriculum, instruction, and assessment. She leads the Science and Math PLACE (Performance Learning and Assessment Consortium for Educators) project. PLACE is a consortium of teachers working toward student-centered, phenomena-driven, and NGSS-aligned performance instruction and assessment. Her experience includes co-designing and implementing professional development workshops for K-12 science teachers. Before joining NHLI, Sue spent 28 years teaching chemistry and AP chemistry at Souhegan High School in Amherst, NH. During that time, she served as the science department coordinator, senior project coordinator, and as a content lead for the NH-PACE project focused on developing performance assessments for competency-based learning.
Debbie Metcalfe
Business Administrator
Debbie joined NHLI part-time in 2019 to support the important work being done by NHLI and its outstanding staff. As a result of the growth of the organization, her position became full-time in 2021. Her role is to keep things running smoothly through attention to detail, resourcefulness, and a sense of humor.
Prior to NHLI, Debbie spent 35 years in alumni and development work for organizations including the Museum of Science, Lesley University, Tufts University and the last 18 years at Harvard University.
Debbie graduated from UNH and lives in southern NH with her husband, Ted.
Director of STEM and Performance Learning
