Dr. Michael Favor is the Superintendent of Intermediate School District 917. Dr. Favor brings a wealth of experience in educational leadership to ISD 917. Most recently, he served as Assistant Superintendent of Roseville Area Schools. Prior to that, Dr. Favor's district leadership roles include Interim Superintendent of Monticello Public Schools and Executive Director of Robbinsdale Area Schools. Dr. Favor holds a Master of Education degree as well as a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Most recently, Dr. Favor received his Director of Special Education licensure. Dr. Favor is widely known as a transformational leader in the area of educational equity in the Twin Cities metro area and beyond. A strong advocate for traditionally underserved student groups, Dr. Favor's strategic leadership has been instrumental in improving academic and social and emotional outcomes for students in each of the districts he has served. In addition to a successful career in educational leadership, Dr. Favor experienced great success on the football field at North Dakota State University. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2011. Dr. Favor has been with ISD 917 since 2021.
Nicolle Roush is the Executive Director of Business Services. Nicolle Roush is responsible for directing, planning and implementing district business and financial operations, overseeing the processing of the District’s payroll, benefits, payables, receivables, and budget, maintaining financial records and assisting with preparing of financial reports including the budget and audited financials records, provides costing models and data to assist in negotiations under the direction of the Superintendent. Her work involves setting policies, goals and supervision over business office staff. Nicolle Roush has been with ISD 917 since 1997.
Dr. Melissa Schaller is the Executive Director of Student Services for Intermediate School District 917. Melissa is responsible for oversight of the district's departments of special education, teaching and learning, and social/emotional learning and support. She supervises the assistant directors/principals and principal for the district. Melissa has experience as a director of special education in a single district in greater Minnesota as well as a special education teacher in metro area school districts. She has her Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development from the University of Minnesota. Melissa has served many state level organizations in the field of education including the Minnesota Administrators for Special Education (MASE) and the Minnesota Council for Exceptional Children (MN CEC). Melissa currently serves as a governor appointee representing directors of special education on the Board of School Administrators (BOSA) as well as the special education component representative for the metro area on the Minnesota Association of School Administrators (MASA) board of directors and the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE) representative for the MASE board of directors. Melissa has been with ISD 917 since 2008.
Dr. Brooke Peterson is the Director of Teaching and Learning for Intermediate School District 917. Dr. Peterson is responsible for oversight of testing, curriculum, professional development, due process, assistive technology, and continuous improvement planning. She is also responsible for the supervision of Reading Specialists, the Instructional Technology Coach, and the Teacher for Multilingual Learners. Prior to joining ISD 917, Dr. Peterson worked in various roles (Literacy Coordinator, Deaf/Hard of Hearing Program Facilitator, Reading Specialist, and Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing) at Intermediate District 287. She has taught in the Deaf Education Teacher Preparation Program at the University of Minnesota. Prior to that she worked as a Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing at Eden Prairie Schools. Dr. Peterson has been with ISD 917 since 2017.
Cory Langenfeld is the Technology Coordinator. Cory is responsible for providing leadership for the development and implementation of the District’s technology plan, and for maximizing the use of technology at all ISD 917 sites. Implementation includes instructional technology, administrative applications, related staff development, and technical support. Prior to joining ISD 917, Cory worked at Hastings Public School and was responsible for being the Lead PC Technician. Cory has been with ISD 917 since 2004.
Dr. Marci Levy-Maguire is the ISD 917 Communications, Innovation, & Public Relations Coordinator and Dakota County Perkins Consortium Coordinator. She is a licensed principal and superintendent as well as a graduate of Barnard College (B.A., Biology) and Teachers College of Columbia University (M.S., Secondary School Science Education), and University of St. Thomas (Ed.D., Educational Leadership & Learning). Her professional experiences include, among others: K-8 charter school director, founding NYC high school principal, college instructor, district assessment coordinator, high school science teacher, marine biologist, professional developer, and education consultant. Marci has been with ISD 917 since 2021.
Shannon Brennan is an Assistant Director of Special Education at Alliance Education Center (AEC). Shannon is responsible for supervision of the IDEA, SUN, and CASE programs. Prior to joining ISD 917, Shannon worked in both general education and special education as a teacher, curriculum coordinator and administrator. Her experiences include working in Minneapolis and St. Paul Public Schools as well as with the Minnesota Department of Education. Shannon has been with ISD 917 since 2020.
Don Budach is an Assistant Director of Special Education/Principal for Intermediate School District 917. Don is responsible for the supervision of the TESA, DASH and PACES programs, as well as the special education programming in DCALS. Don also serves as the District 504 Coordinator, District and Human Rights Officer. Prior to joining ISD 917, Don worked as a Special Education Teacher in Iowa. After moving to Minnesota, Don became a Special Education Teacher at Henry Sibley High School and later the Dean of Students. Don has been with ISD 917 since 1999.
Chris Devine is an Assistant Director/Principal for Intermediate School District 917. Chris is responsible for the supervision of the Dakota County Alternative Learning School (DCALS) and the Career and Technical Education programs (CTE). Chris has held multiple school-based and organizational roles including middle/high school teacher, a Behavior and Intervention Specialist, Digital Technology Coach, AVID District Director and Staff Developer, Assistant Principal, and the Director of Organizational Innovation. His experiences led him to prioritize his focus on helping staff and students reach their potential through building trust and relationships. Chris has been with ISD 917 since 2022.
Jennifer Hetland is an Assistant Director of Special Education/Principal for Intermediate School District 917. Jennifer is responsible for supervising Anthony Louis, Lebanon Education Center, Options, New Chance, Riverside, and Speech. Prior to joining ISD 917, Jennifer worked as a 4th grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in Hawaii. Jennifer has been with ISD 917 since 1995.
Taylor Lovin is an Assistant Director of Special Education for Intermediate School District 917. Taylor is responsible for the supervision and administration of the Intermediate School District 917 Deaf/Hard of Hearing Resource Programs (preschool, elementary, middle, and high school locations), as well as the following ISD 917 itinerant programs and services available to ISD 917 member districts: Audiology, Blind/Visually Impaired, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Interpreter/Transliterator, Physical and Health Disabilities, and Physical Therapy. Prior to joining the ISD 917 administrative team, Taylor worked in various roles within the district over the last 10 years (Teacher of Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Lead Teacher, and Dean of Special Education). Taylor has been with ISD 917 since 2011.