Coach to Product Leaders | ex-Facebook, Instagram, Nokia, eBay, Skype, Microsoft

I spent 27 years optimizing products for billions of users at Meta, Microsoft, Skype, and Nokia. We had rigorous frameworks for shipping code, managing KPIs, and scaling tech.

We had few frameworks for managing the human operating system driving it all.

I watched brilliant leaders suffocate under the "Asphalt."

In my book, I define the Asphalt as the "clearer path to lesser goals." It is the artificial layer of safety, optics, and "good enough" that society paves over our true potential. Most leaders don’t lack skill; they lack alignment. They are trapped beneath the weight of expectation, shipping the org chart instead of the product.

I codified the process of breaking through into a structured system: The S.E.P.A.R.A.T.E. Framework™.

This is a proprietary tool I created to help leaders break through the pavement of convention. Today, I serve as an Executive Coach and Consultant for those ready to stop managing friction and start engineering flow. I use this framework to debug performance with the rigor we apply to code. No fluff, just root-cause analysis and architectural repair.

HOW I PARTNER WITH CLIENTS:

1. LEADERSHIP TEAMS: The "Alignment Diagnostic" & Intervention. We identify the 5 signs of "Destructive Discomfort" that are silently draining your capacity and install the protocols to fix them.

2. LEADERS & HIGH-PERFORMERS: 1:1 Alignment Coaching I partner with Execs, Founders, and individuals to audit their professional lives. We identify where you are buried under the "Asphalt" (Safety/Convention) and build the strategy to break through to your "Steeper Path" (Growth/Purpose).

3. THE MANUAL: Breaking Asphalt My book, Breaking Asphalt: Choosing the Steeper Path to Greater Goals, is the tactical documentation of this system. (Available globally).

4. THE STORIES: The Steeper Path. I host The Steeper Path podcast and newsletter, exploring the mechanics of alignment with other industry leaders.

READY TO UPGRADE YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM?

I work comfortably with a small roster of high-impact clients. If you are ready to break through, let’s have a brief conversation to see if we are a fit for each other.

Book an Intro Call: https://app.paperbell.com/checkout/packages/96280

Newsletter: https://lennpryor.kit.com/75a08a3fcf

Podcast: https://thesteeperpath.buzzsprout.com/

Lenn Pryor

Brainiacs Learning Lab

Designed and implemented a multisensory, LEGO-based literacy curriculum that has served over 3,000 students across K–5, with a focus on multilingual learners, reluctant readers, and neurodivergent students.

Currently exploring options to scale Brainiacs into a full public school model, The Brick School, a K–5 innovation school grounded in equity, oral language development, and joyful structured literacy.

Led program expansion from enrichment model to full academic prototype
Aligned design to Science of Reading, MTSS, and Universal Design for Learning
Developed founding academic model, staffing blueprint, and community engagement plan

Founder-in-Residence, Brainiacs Learning Lab / School Design

Various

SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
* Co-authored Colorado’s Student Learning Outcomes and Early Childhood Educator Competencies
State Trainer for Educator Effectiveness: Led rollout of SB 10-191 evaluation model across 178 districts
* Chaired Colorado's Early Childhood Education Workgroup; served on Lt. Governor’s Task Force
* Designed and led professional development systems for 20+ districts and education nonprofits
* Founded and scaled a Literacy & STEM consulting firm serving 3,000+ students across six districts
* Led a $3M school turnaround initiative in a high-need Title I school
* Speaker at 90+ local and national conferences on education policy, leadership, and literacy

SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Boertzel Media & Education

Partnering with schools, districts, and education nonprofits to design high-impact instructional systems, build educator capacity, and improve student outcomes.

Developed and scaled multiple literacy programs, including phonemic awareness and oral language development tools

Supported MTSS implementation, leadership development, and curriculum alignment

Currently offering fractional CLO support to K–12 orgs and integrating AI strategies into school operations and instructional workflowsLead strategic consulting engagements for schools, districts, and education nonprofits focused on instructional improvement, professional learning systems, and leadership development.

* Oversaw instructional strategy and program delivery for school-year, summer, and out-of-school-time (OST) learning formats, including curriculum design, staff training, and implementation monitoring.
* Designed MTSS-aligned PD systems, coaching frameworks, and educator evaluation tools to support teacher effectiveness and systemic instructional growth.
* Led blended and hybrid professional development initiatives using platforms like Thinkific and Google Workspace to support scalable implementation of academic priorities.
* Facilitated data-driven leadership development for school administrators and instructional teams, aligning outcomes to district and state-level improvement goals.
* Served as a strategic advisor to district and nonprofit leaders on instructional design, stakeholder engagement, and equity-centered capacity-building.

Educational Consultant | Fractional Chief Learning Officer (CLO)

Boertzel Media

Top Teacher Transition & Career Coach

Designed and scaled a K–6 enrichment model rooted in structured literacy, STEM, and student-centered learning, with a focus on state-aligned innovation and Title I access.

* Implemented across six districts and 20+ schools, reaching 3,000+ students through OST, summer, and school-day delivery
* Developed standards-based curriculum aligned to Common Core, WIDA, and district instructional priorities
* Led instructor training, fidelity monitoring, and continuous improvement systems using program data and stakeholder feedback
* Managed all aspects of program operations, including compliance, scheduling, staffing, and budgeting
* Informed policy-aligned replication by demonstrating high-impact models for academic intervention and enrichment
* Learn more at https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EMRXE9ojtOU

Founder, CEO, Program Director

Various School Districts

School-Based Instructional Leadership (2000–2025)
MTSS Specialist (formerly RtI) | Trainer | Principal | Instructional Coach | Interventionist
Jeffco, Westminster, Aurora, and Denver Public Schools (CO) | Washoe County (NV) | Fairfax County (VA) | Clarke School for the Deaf (FL) | Prince George’s & Charles County Public Schools (MD)

* Led MTSS implementation and aligned tiered intervention systems to state frameworks across multiple * Title I schools, ensuring academic equity and instructional coherence.
* Supported districtwide rollouts of literacy interventions and instructional coaching initiatives in alignment with school improvement and compliance goals.
* Provided strategic coaching and facilitation for teacher teams, principal pipelines, and building-wide instructional leadership.
* Served as principal in a high-need setting, overseeing school turnaround aligned to federal and state accountability models.

K- 12 School-Based Instructional Leadership: MTSS Specialist | Principal | Instructional Coach

Colorado Department of Education

• Co-authored Colorado’s Student Learning Outcomes guidance for the State Model Evaluation System per Senate Bill (SB) 10-191, Co-authored Early Childhood Educator Competencies aligning with NAEYC standards, Colorado Teacher Quality Standards, and Early Learning and Development Guidelines
• State trainer for 178 Colorado districts on the new State Educator Evaluation Model per SB 10-191
• Provided district with state-level guidance on teacher evaluation systems
• Worked in tandem with high-profile national and state agencies (Colorado Department of
Education, Colorado Education Association, Colorado Association of School Boards, Colorado Association of School Executives, Colorado Legacy Foundation, Bill Gates Foundation, National Governors Association, Colorado Department of Higher Education, state education
agencies- RI, TN, NY, IN and NC)
• Crafted and delivered high-stakes presentations for educators and stakeholders
• Member of Lt. Gov. Task Force for Early Childhood
• Led Early Childhood Education workgroup at Educator Effectiveness Unit
• Cross-departmental collaboration on education legislation and subsequent training for
educators in Colorado
• Evaluated Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) for schools that were deemed “Priority
Improvement” or “Needs Improvement”

Senior Consultant- Educator Effectiveness

eXL Learning LLC

•  Effectively managed extensive technology distributed to 20 tutoring locations 
•  Coached instructors on best practices for blended instruction & the flipped classroom model
•  Researched emergent technologies and presented recommendations to the director

Curriculum Designer

Top Career Transition & Business Coach | Earned $250K in 9 months after resigning from school district | Digital Courses | 1:1 Coaching

Visionary education leader with 20+ years of experience across P–12 systems — from classroom to central office to state policy. Proven success leading school transformation, launching equity-centered literacy initiatives, and building scalable instructional systems.

Co-authored Colorado’s Early Childhood Educator Competencies, led statewide educator evaluation rollouts, and served as principal and instructional coach in high-needs Title I schools. 

Known for strategic thinking, systems leadership, and deep commitment to student success.

Now seeking leadership roles in school districts, charters, or mission-driven organizations where I can lead with purpose and impact.

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The Battle

Lenn Pryor

Tara Boertzel-Schuenemann, M.Ed, MBA

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