About Knowledge Matters

Knowledge Matters is a national nonprofit that champions the role of content knowledge in the sciences of reading and learning through advocacy and consulting.

The Knowledge Matters Campaign, our advocacy movement, provides free, research-based tools and learning opportunities for the field and garners national awareness for the importance of content knowledge.

Knowledge Matters Solutions, our consulting practice, partners with schools and systems, publishers, nonprofits, and funders to support high-quality, knowledge-building instruction.

Leadership

Kristen McQuillan, Executive Director

Knowledge Matters is led by Dr. Kristen McQuillan, a former teacher and instructional leader whose experience spans classrooms, school systems, higher education, and national literacy initiatives. She spent more than a decade serving Baltimore City Public Schools as a teacher, instructional coach, and district administrator, and helped prepare early-career teachers as a Faculty Associate at Johns Hopkins University. Prior to leading Knowledge Matters, Kristen served as a Partner at TNTP, supporting literacy transitions and strategic improvement efforts with states and school systems across the country.

As Executive Director, Kristen leads the vision, strategy, and public-facing work of the Knowledge Matters Campaign and Knowledge Matters Solutions, partnering with educators, researchers, and organizations to strengthen knowledge-rich teaching and learning.

Vaishali Joshi, Senior Director of Partnerships

Vaishali is a seasoned educator with a driving focus on ensuring that all children have access to the highest quality K-12 experiences that support their academic, social-emotional, and physical development. A seasoned team leader and manager, Vaishali supports those that she works with to envision and implement high-quality, meaningful, identity-affirming, and effective instructional experiences for children and adults alike.

Vaishali started her career in the Baltimore City Public School system as a teacher and was a founding faculty member of one of Baltimore’s first and longest operating charter schools, Southwest Baltimore Charter School. She has served in several leadership roles since including the Lower School Academic Dean at Codman Academy Charter Public School and Director of the Inspired Teaching Residency Program in Washington, DC. Most recently, she served as Senior Director, Program at Teaching Lab where she launched and supported several multi-year state and district level partnerships focused on teacher professional learning and instructional improvement. She holds a BA in Music/International Relations from UNC-Chapel Hill, and M.Ed in Literacy Education from Loyola University of Maryland, and a Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D) from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.

As Senior Director of Partnerships, Vaishali leads consulting partnerships and strategic collaborations for Knowledge Matters Solutions, helping partners design and implement high-impact literacy and learning initiatives.

Kathleen Carroll, Chief Communications Officer

Kathleen is a veteran communications strategist whose editorial leadership and policy know-how have shaped the ideas that shape public education in the United States for more than two decades. She specializes in bridging gaps between research and practice to advance educational opportunity, and partners with funders, nonprofits, advocates, and researchers to create strategic communications that grow public understanding and inform classroom practice. Previously, she led publications at TNTP, including studies of teacher preparation and retention, school culture, and related school-improvement levers. Kathleen began her career in daily newspapers, where her journalism was recognized with numerous honors and public service awards, including the nation’s top prizes for investigative and education reporting.

As Chief Communications Officer, Kathleen directs communications and storytelling efforts across the Knowledge Matters Campaign and Knowledge Matters Solutions, helping translate research and practice into clear, compelling messages for educators in systems and for the broader field.

K.B. Shorr, Chief Operations Officer

K.B. is an operations executive with a background in communications and project management. She launched her career in political campaigns in Pennsylvania, eventually serving on the executive staff for the governor of Pennsylvania. Following her work in state government, K.B. specialized in strategic communications for advocacy campaigns, corporate social responsibility efforts, and nonprofits, first as a vice president at a public affairs firm and later as an independent consultant. At Knowledge Matters, K.B. has contributed to projects with state education agencies in New Mexico, Texas, Tennessee, and Delaware, as well as with the Council of Chief State School Officers, TNTP, and others.

As Chief Operations Officer, K.B. oversees organizational operations and systems across the Knowledge Matters Campaign and Knowledge Matters Solutions, ensuring the work runs smoothly, strategically, and sustainably.

Tara McGarvey, Program Manager
Known for her deep commitment to serving the literacy needs of all students in diverse communities, Tara brings nearly two decades of classroom and instructional experience to her work as an educator. She has served in a variety of teaching roles across Maryland and New Jersey, most notably at City Neighbors Hamilton Charter School in Baltimore, where she worked as the grade level lead for fourth and fifth grade classrooms and as a reading interventionist. She holds a Master’s degree in Reading from Loyola University Maryland and a Bachelor’s degree in American Studies and Elementary Education from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

As Program Manager, Tara coordinates the many moving parts behind our projects, convenings, and partnerships, bringing exceptional organization, care, and problem-solving to every detail.

Our parent organization

Knowledge Matters’ work builds on more than three decades of field-leading expertise by StandardsWork, our parent organization. StandardsWork, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is governed by a president and board of directors:

Barbara Davidson
President, StandardsWork

Bradley Miller
Board Chair

Susan Pimentel
Co-Founder, Board Member, Board Assistant Secretary/Assistant Treasurer

Leslye A. Arsht
Co-Founder, Board Member

Natalie Wexler
Board Member

John Danielson
Board Member

Dr. LaTonya M. Goffney
Board Member

Jim Nelson
Board Member

Contact us

You can reach the Knowledge Matters team at info@knowledgematters.org.

For more information about supporting our advocacy work, visit knowledgematters.org/donate or contact fundraising@knowledgematters.org.
For more information about our consulting services, contact Knowledge Matters Solutions at solutions@knowledgematters.org.