Cohort 1
Elizabeth Tierney Calnin
EDUCATION • M.S. in Educational Leadership Cardinal Stritch University • B.S. in Biology and Natural Science UW-Stevens Point
ENROLLED • Cohort 1
LOCATION • Montello, Wis.
Elizabeth Tierney Calnin brings two decades of experience in PK-12 public education to her role as District Administrator of the Montello School District in south-central Wisconsin. Throughout her career, she has remained committed to the belief that every student deserves access to high-quality learning opportunities and that meaningful school improvement is rooted in strong relationships, intentional leadership, and a shared commitment to continuous growth. Her professional experience spans a variety of leadership roles, including Director of Teaching and Learning, Director of Instruction, principal, and district Title I coordinator. In each position, she has worked to support educators, strengthen instructional practices, and create conditions that promote positive academic and social-emotional outcomes for students. Elizabeth holds a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Cardinal Stritch University and has completed post-graduate licensure programs in Superintendent Leadership through eduCATE Wisconsin and Director of Special Education and Pupil Services through the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Her leadership has been recognized through numerous honors, including the 2017 Wisconsin Title I Principal of the Year Award and a nomination for the 2025 Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance (WiSRA) Administrator of the Year. She is also an active presenter at state conferences, collaborating with educators on topics including literacy leadership, continuous school improvement, and the development of strong school-community partnerships that support student social-emotional well-being and mental health. As a doctoral student, Elizabeth’s research interests focus on how school leaders can effectively implement evidence-based literacy practices in response to evolving educational policies while cultivating organizational conditions that enable educators to thrive. She is particularly interested in the intersection of leadership, professional learning, and organizational systems, and how these elements work together to sustain improvements in literacy instruction, especially within rural school settings. Through her research, Elizabeth seeks to bridge the gap between research and practice by developing actionable knowledge that supports rural school leaders in creating equitable, inclusive, and effective learning environments where all students can grow, learn, and achieve.
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Ed.D. in Language and Literacy
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