People on a mission
In additon to the key contributors we highlight here, we are grateful to the many colleagues who support our efforts to make a difference in math education.
MLC Team
The Math Learning Center (MLC) is fortunate to have a dedicated team of volunteer board members that together bring deep experience in education and the teaching and learning of mathematics.
Daniel E. Gossack, Chair
A graduate of the University of Oregon with a BA in Mathematics, Dan taught high school mathematics for five years in the Salem-Keizer School District. During this time he was involved in Oregon Mathematics Education Program and was an early adopter of MLC's Math in the Mind's Eye techniques. He is a founder and President of TimeMark Incorporated, a manufacturer of traffic data collection equipment.
Starla Manchester
Starla learned about MLC while working on her education degree and mathematics endorsement. Passionate about the teaching and learning of math she went on to earn a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. She currently mentors middle school teachers and manages the mentor teacher program for Vancouver School District in Washington. A long-time advocate for math, Starla has also led MLC workshops and has served on a state committee to develop guidelines for math mentors and coaches.
Dr. David Moursund
A founding MLC board member, Dave has a doctorate degree in math and taught at the University of Oregon in the Department of Mathematics, the Department of Computer and Information Science, and the College of Education. He founded the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) and held the position of Chief Executive Officer for 20 years.
Dr. Julie Rowland
Julie has been at Concordia University since 1979 where she teaches math content and methodology courses for teachers as well as general education math courses. Her doctoral program dissertation focused on ways teachers can influence self-efficacy for adult learners of mathematics.
Michael Wong
Mike was on the Math Advisory Committee for the North Clackamas School District where he taught for 30 years and helped found the district's first charter school. He has a master’s degree in curriculum and supervision and has been a professional development workshop instructor for MLC since 1986.
Dan Raguse, Executive Director
Dan has worked for the organization since 1990 and has served in a variety of roles including video and media producer, technology manager, production manager, and executive vice-president. Dan earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and prior to his employment with MLC was an elementary and middle school teacher for ten years.
Rick Ludeman, President
Rick served on the MLC board and later as a consultant to the organization before becoming part of the staff in 2004 as Vice President of Communications. He became Chief Operating Officer in 2007 and was appointed President in 2011. Rick has masters' degrees in business administration and adult education. Prior to joining MLC he spent several years as an independent management consultant and 13 years at Intel Corporation in finance, staffing, and communications.
Dr. Eric Stade
Eric Stade serves as a consulting editor for Bridges in Mathematics, second edition. He is Professor of Mathematics and President's Teaching Scholar at University of Colorado Boulder. Eric also directs the Libby Residential Academic Program, which is a living-and-learning community at UCB focused on the visual and performing arts.
Eric has been active in the design, coordination, and teaching of UCB's Math for Elementary Education course sequence for the last ten years or so. He is presently one of the leaders of the Mathematics Teacher Education Partnership (MTE-P), a secondary mathematics teacher preparation initiative comprising 38 partnership teams, spanning 68 universities, 9 community colleges, 87 K-12 school systems, and 30 states.
Dr. Eugene Maier
Gene is past president and co-founder of The Math Learning Center, and professor emeritus of mathematical sciences at Portland State University. Earlier in his career he was chair of the department of mathematics at Pacific Lutheran University and later, professor of mathematics at the University of Oregon.
He has a particular interest in visual thinking as it relates to the teaching and learning of mathematics. He's co-author of the Math and the Mind's Eye series and has developed many of the mathematical models and manipulatives that appear in Math Learning Center materials.
He has directed fourteen projects in mathematics education supported by the National Science Foundation and other agencies, made numerous conference and inservice presentations, and conducted inservice workshops and courses for mathematics teachers throughout the United States and in Tanzania.
For a collection of his writings on math education see Gene's Corner .
Don Rasmussen
A co-founder of The Math Learning Center, Don’s career was devoted to education beginning with his years as a classroom teacher. He believed that all students could find meaning in mathematics, honored their thinking, and understood that learning math was more than memorizing procedures. He shared a passion for improving math education and believed in the power of visual thinking.
After serving as the state math coordinator for Oregon, Don brought his leadership skills to MLC. During his 30 year tenure he was in charge of operations and led the growing organization through several facility changes culminating in the construction of our current warehouse and office space in 1994. A man of many talents, Don designed the entire facility himself and oversaw each aspect of the project. As a tribute to his vision and dedication our building was named in his honor upon his passing in 2010.
