Meet the Team

Dawn Dolby

Dawn Dolby

Co-Founder; 25+ years of education experience; track record of supporting schools and districts to improvements in teaching and learning;  critical friend in improving outcomes for teachers and students. 

Dawn Dolby is a nationally recognized education strategist, systems thinker, and co-founder of PAVE Education Consulting. With over 25 years of experience spanning classroom teaching, district partnerships, and statewide reform, Dawn brings a grounded, equity-centered lens to every engagement—rooted in her early years as a middle school teacher in urban, rural, and suburban schools.

Driven by a commitment to improving outcomes for all learners, Dawn transitioned from the classroom to lead professional learning and comprehensive school reform initiatives across the country. Her work has helped hundreds of districts strengthen instructional practice, elevate educator capacity, and advance student literacy.

At the American Institutes for Research (AIR), Dawn co-developed the Systemic Improvement Framework and Implementation Continuum—tools now used by school leaders to align strategy, operations, and instructional systems. She also spearheaded the launch of the Illinois Center for School Improvement, a six-year statewide initiative supporting over 200 districts in building sustainable, student-centered improvement strategies.

Whether coaching leaders, designing improvement frameworks, or facilitating strategic planning, Dawn is known for her ability to translate complexity into clarity and guide teams from vision to implementation. Her blend of practitioner insight and systems-level expertise makes her a trusted partner to education leaders navigating change.

When she’s not collaborating with schools and districts, you’ll find Dawn traveling with her family and hiking trails, soaking in nature’s wisdom, and recharging in the great outdoors.

Carol McElvain, JD.

Carol McElvain, JD.

Co-founder and Co-Principal Researcher; 25+ years of education experience; trusted advisor on afterschool/extended learning, social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, and family engagement. 

Carol McElvain, JD is a co-founder of PAVE Education Consulting, where she leads with a deep belief that educational opportunity is the foundation for a just and thriving society. With over 25 years of experience across city, state, and federal systems, she’s known for transforming complex data into powerful tools that elevate unheard voices and drive lasting change.

Carol’s career began in community-based education initiatives, and has since spanned leadership roles at the American Institutes for Research and NORC at the University of Chicago. She has directed major research and practice efforts—from evaluating a 20-year college mentorship and scholarship program to improving distance learning in Indian schools, and integrating middle school math data for the Gates Foundation.

She is the lead author of all four editions of Beyond the Bell: A Toolkit for Creating Effective Afterschool and Expanded Learning Programs—a widely used resource in the field—and a nationally recognized expert in afterschool programming, community school development, and culturally responsive evaluation.

When she’s not working alongside partners to reimagine systems, you’ll find Carol training for a triathlon, walking a dog or three, hosting lively dinners with family and friends, or planning her next national park adventure.

Shazia Miller, Ph.D.

Shazia Miller, Ph.D.

Co-Founder & Head of Research; 25+ years in education, national voice in program evaluation & college and career access and success.

Shazia Miller, Ph.D., is a co-founder and head of all things research at PAVE Education Consulting, where she brings over two decades of experience driving impactful research and empowering systemic change. A former Senior Vice President at leading social science consulting firms, Shazia is nationally recognized for her expertise in program evaluation, strategic communications, and translating complex data into actionable insights.

Her career began at the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research, where she led the development of the groundbreaking “Little People” reports—early analyses of school-level performance that laid the foundation for Chicago’s first high school early warning system, now a national model. Since then, she has partnered with states and districts across the country—from New York City to Fort Wayne, and Wisconsin to Texas—helping institutions use data to empower students, educators, and communities.

Shazia is a trusted voice in the field, serving as a reviewer for the Institute of Education Sciences, the National Science Foundation, and the W.T. Grant Foundation. Her work has been featured in top-tier journals including Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis and Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, as well as in media outlets such as Education Week, CNN, and WBEZ.

When she’s not immersed in a dataset or crafting strategic frameworks, you’ll likely find her exploring new corners of the globe with her husband and two adult children—always curious, always learning.

Nick Pinchok

Nick Pinchok

Co-Founder, 25+ years in K–16 education. Expert in assessments, accountability, stakeholder engagement, and consensus building. 

Nick Pinchok has over 25+ years in K-16 education as an administrator, educator, consultant and leader. Nick most recently led the Midwest sales efforts building STEM, Career Readiness/Workforce Development and CTE Credentialing solutions using virtual reality and AI at zSpace. Prior to his 10 years at zSpace, Nick was Vice President at SPC Educational Solutions, served as both the Deputy Director of the Midwest Comprehensive Center and Senior Consultant specializing in Assessments & Accountability at the American Institutes for Research; Assessment Coordinator at Aurora East SD 131, and held various sales positions in the EdTech and private sector Technology spaces. Nick also co-wrote two published papers, A Brief on Performance-Based Assessment: Technical Considerations from an International Perspective and Connecting Formative Assessment Research to Practice. 

Throughout his career, Nick has been driven and inspired to create substantive change and accomplish things that the people he worked with and for didn’t think were possible. His career path hasn’t been traditional nor is his way of looking at things. He relishes an outsider’s perspective while committed to using “what works,” evidence and common sense as a foundation for change. He is motivated in the midst of negative thinking because he knows there is always a solution, silver lining or an exemplar that needs to be polished and unearthed to lead the way out of concern. At this moment in his career, he is energized to use his experience, perspective and skill set to continue to improve systems, structures and processes.  His motto is, “Let’s work together to make things better!”  His passions include his family, music, exercise, reading (too much non-fiction, though!), breaking bread with good friends, and traveling.

Debbie Kim, Ph.D.

Debbie Kim, Ph.D.

Principal Researcher; nationally recognized leader in education policy, equity, and systems reform.

Debbie Kim, Ph.D. is a Principal Researcher at PAVE Education Consulting. She brings over two decades of experience leading applied research in education policy, program evaluation, and systems change. She brings a strong foundation in rigorous, participant-centered inquiry that informs real-world decision making. Debbie’s drive to advance social impact through education is deeply personal. As the daughter of Korean immigrants who endured political persecution during World War II and the Korean War, she observed firsthand how access to education and public resources can transform lives. Seeking a fresh start, her parents came to America in the 1950s through educational sponsorships–one of the few immigration pathways available at the time. Their journey of resilience and displacement profoundly shaped her upbringing and fueled her passion for strengthening public systems through collaborative leadership and research that drives change.

This passion is reflected in Debbie’s work. Throughout her work, she uses institutional and organizational theory to explore how people and groups come to develop, understand, and enact policies. She has led millions of dollars of work for organizations such as the National Science Foundation and the Institute of Education Sciences. She is known for translating complex research into actionable insights for stakeholders across education, philanthropy, government, and the private sector. Debbie disseminates her work broadly and has authored peer-reviewed articles for journals such as the American Educational Research Journal and Teachers College Record, book chapters, policy briefs, and strategic tools. Her research has also been presented at venues such as The White House, NASA, the Brookings Institution, and academic and practitioner conferences across the country. A forthcoming chapter she co-authored on qualitative methods will appear in the Handbook of Research Methods.

Currently, Dr. Kim holds academic appointments at Northwestern University and San Carlos Apache College. She is also Co-Chair of the AERA Special Interest Group on Districts in Research and Reform. Across these roles, she continues to lead, mentor, and collaborate on research that advances equitable outcomes, strengthens public institutions, and bridges the gap between evidence and action.

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