AES Advisory Group is a national consultancy helping educational systems and organizations unlock their full potential. Our team brings together former Commissioners of Education, Superintendents, policy leaders, and industry executives to deliver measurable impact across education, leadership, and business strategy.
Addison G. Davis is a nationally recognized education leader with extensive experience leading large, complex school systems. As Superintendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools and previously Clay County Schools, he drove historic gains in academic performance, graduation rates, and school turnaround while successfully navigating major fiscal and operational challenges. His career spans roles from classroom teacher to district superintendent, and he is widely respected for his leadership during periods of transformation. At AES Advisory Group, Addison supports Florida and national business development and executive leadership coaching.
Former Florida Education Commissioner & National Education Reform Policy Advocate
Jim Horne is a nationally known education reform leader who served as Florida’s first appointed Commissioner of Education under Governor Jeb Bush. He was instrumental in shaping education policy, funding reform, and school choice initiatives that became national models. As Commissioner, he oversaw the nation’s first K–20 education system and managed a $20 billion education budget. At AES Advisory Group, Jim leads Florida business development and governmental affairs.
Former White House Appointee to U.S. Department of Education
Todd Lamb brings more than 20 years of experience advising education companies, nonprofits, and public agencies at the district, state, and federal levels. He has deep expertise in assessments, curriculum, and education technology, including leading business development efforts that resulted in a $50 million acquisition of Engrade by McGraw Hill. Todd previously served as a Special Assistant to President George W. Bush at the U.S. Department of Education. He leads national business development, strategic coaching, and conference engagement for AES.
Former Commissioner of Education, FloridaFormer Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction
Tony Bennett is a nationally recognized education reform leader with experience at both the state and district levels. He previously served as Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction and Florida Commissioner of Education, where he led ambitious reform efforts focused on accountability, school choice, and improved student outcomes. Most recently, Tony served as President of School Management at Stride Learning (K12), the nation’s largest provider of virtual K–12 education. At AES Advisory Group, he supports state-level business development and executive coaching initiatives.
Former Superintendent, Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
Tricia McManus was born and raised in Tampa, Florida, as one of eight children in a family of dedicated educators. A proud graduate of the University of South Florida, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in educational leadership.
Tricia devoted three decades to Hillsborough County Public Schools, where she began her career as a classroom teacher before serving as Assistant Principal, Principal, Director of Leadership Development, and Assistant Superintendent of Leadership, Professional Development, and School Transformation. As a principal, she led two underperforming schools to remarkable improvements in student achievement and school grades, earning recognition from the Florida Department of Education.
As Director of Leadership Development, Tricia designed and implemented the Hillsborough Principal Pipeline, a nationally recognized, comprehensive talent management system for recruiting, developing, and supporting school leaders. Later, as Assistant Superintendent, she oversaw the district’s fifty lowest-performing schools, creating new turnaround structures that included equitable staffing and resourcing, redesigned compensation systems, and coordinated district and community supports. These efforts resulted in significant gains in student outcomes and sustainable school improvement.
In 2020, Tricia joined Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools as Deputy Superintendent, where she led principal supervision and district turnaround initiatives. She was appointed Interim Superintendent in November 2020, successfully guiding the district through pandemic-era challenges and reopening schools. In February 2021, she was named Superintendent, launching an ambitious strategic plan centered on equity, access, and eliminating achievement gaps. Under her leadership, the district reached its highest graduation rate in history and earned national recognition for outstanding post-pandemic recovery.
After 35 years of service, Tricia retired in June 2025. She remains a passionate advocate for public education, continuing to support districts, school leaders, and educators through strategic advisor and consulting roles. She volunteers for Think Big For Kids, and for the Coach Billy Turner College Scholarship award program through the Hillsborough Education Foundation.
Tricia has been married to her husband, Mike, for twenty-nine years. They are the proud parents of two daughters, Morgan and Megan, and grandparents to their one-year-old grandson, Fields.
National Educational Advocate
Dr. Darren Kennedy is an educator, author, and instructional leader with more than 20 years of experience in Pre-K–12 education. He has served as a teacher, principal, and central office administrator, with extensive experience supporting both underperforming and high-performing secondary schools. Darren is known for coaching principals and teachers on leadership development and instructional best practices. He helps education leaders build the skills and systems needed for sustained improvement.
Former CAO, Jefferson County Public Schools
Dr. Terra Greenwell is a National Senior Advisor for Education specializing in systems leadership, change management, and initiative-driven transformation. She partners with public school districts, non-profit organizations, and education companies to scale impactful academic systems, advance educational equity, and turn Portrait of a Graduate frameworks into measurable, real-world outcomes. Most recently, as Chief Academic Officer for Jefferson County Public Schools (97,000 students), she led districtwide instructional shifts and pioneered Journey to Success, an accountability model that centers student readiness on durable, future-focused skills. She holds a doctorate in educational leadership.
Former Superintendent in Seattle Public Schools
Dr. Brent Jones is an education leader who served as Interim Superintendent of Seattle Public Schools. During his tenure, he led key initiatives focused on academic improvement, equity, student support services, and community engagement. He is known for building trust and alignment among educators, staff, and community stakeholders. Brent supports AES clients in leadership development and large-scale system change.
Founder of EdViceK12
Alvin Crawford is an education consultant and EdTech leader with deep expertise in sales, marketing, product management, and customer success. He has played a key role in the growth of leading education organizations, helping teams generate more than $750 million in K–12 revenue while working with many of the nation’s largest school districts. Alvin is a recognized thought leader on equity, digital learning, and professional development. He advises AES clients on market strategy, growth, and innovation.
Led revenue and operations executive with 28+ years of experience building scalable revenue organizations, accelerating pipeline expansion, improving customer retention, and leading commercial transformation across EdTech, SaaS-enabled services, and complex enterprise organizations. Former CEO in EdTech and Chief Academic Officer in Duval County Public Schools.
Trusted by CEOs, boards, founders, and investors to optimize go-to-market execution, improve revenue operations, strengthen recurring revenue performance, optimize customer economics, and increase enterprise value. Known for aligning sales, customer success, operations, product, finance, and service delivery into integrated growth systems that improve forecasting accuracy, customer expansion, CAC efficiency, LTV performance, EBITDA expansion, and long-term retention.
Dr. Houston Barber is a veteran executive, educational leader, and strategic advisor with nearly three decades of experience driving organizational growth, operational excellence, and systemic change. Known for his collaborative approach and focus on high-performing teams, Dr. Barber brings a deep background in strategic planning, leadership development, and stakeholder engagement to his role with AES Advisors.
Throughout his executive career, Dr. Barber has held top administrative positions across major public school systems, including serving as Superintendent of Frankfort Independent Schools. His broader career spans roles as a high school teacher, principal, and cross-country coach (leading teams to state championship titles), as well as higher education adjunct faculty at the University of Louisville, Western Kentucky University, University of the Cumberlands, and Bellarmine University.
Laura Kersten has supported education consulting and business development efforts for nearly a decade. She works closely with Jim Horne and the broader AES team to manage client relationships, coordinate projects, and support strategic initiatives. Laura plays a key role in internal operations, external communications, and client engagement. Her organizational expertise helps ensure seamless execution across AES Advisory Group’s partnerships.
Allyson Johnson brings a diverse background spanning education, healthcare, and business performance. She previously served in project and leadership roles at Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Clay County Public Schools, and Parallon Business Performance Group. Her experience across multiple sectors provides a strong foundation in project management, analysis, and service delivery. At AES Advisory Group, Allyson supports business development and client engagement with a focus on impact and community-centered outcomes.
Natalie Davis brings more than 24 years of experience from Florida Blue, where she specialized in product design and developed a deep understanding of how financial strategy shapes the products and services people rely on. Her career in insurance built a strong foundation in financial analysis, cost management, and operational planning.
As Director of Finance at AES Advisory Group, Natalie oversees the firm's financial operations while helping strengthen the client experience. She is committed to supporting the education companies AES serves, applying her financial expertise to help partners grow sustainably and deliver meaningful impact for schools and districts.
Baylee Goddard supports AES Advisory Group’s communications, digital media, and creative initiatives. She works across social media, digital content, brand development, and podcast production to help strengthen AES’s presence and communicate its work clearly and effectively.
With a background in advertising and creative design, Baylee brings a strategic and visual approach to storytelling. She supports the development of marketing materials, digital campaigns, website content, and social media while also managing the editing and production of AES Advisory Group’s podcast.
Her work focuses on creating cohesive, engaging communications that reflect the AES brand and help connect the organization with education leaders, partners, and clients.
