About Us
Carly Muetterties, Ph.D., is co-founder of CommonGood, a learning design company that creates curriculum for, and with, diverse communities.
A former high school social studies teacher and Managing Editor for C3Teachers, Carly collaborates with teachers, schools/districts, and educational organizations in designing inquiry learning experiences to create a culture of inquiry in their classrooms.
She earned her doctorate in education sciences from the University of Kentucky (2020), focusing on social studies curriculum and instruction. Her research interests are on integrating civic education across all subjects. Before beginning her doctoral studies, Carly was a high school social studies teacher at Tates Creek High School in Lexington, Kentucky. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in social studies education and three master’s degrees (history, German, and education).
Carly has led teams and/or collaborated with organizations including: C3Teachers, iCivics, the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, the Southern Poverty Law Center, National Boards for Professional Teaching Standards, the Korean War Legacy Project, the Frazier History Museum, ThinkCERCA, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Gradient Learning, and Newsela.
To further community connections and grassroots engagement, Carly founded the Kentucky Civic Education Coalition, whose executive committee has included elected officials, nonprofits, educators, and students. Through that work, she has partnered with Kentucky’s Secretary of State to create a Kentucky Civic Seal program. Recognizing that civic engagement varies from student-to-student, and across the diverse regions of Kentucky, the program was designed to allow for diverse forms of authentic civic engagement for Kentucky’s young people.
Bluegrass Bold is her first children’s book.
Maddie Shepard is a deeper learning resource teacher in the Curriculum Design and Learning Innovation Department of Jefferson County Public Schools. Maddie coaches teachers and leaders on deeper learning, shifting educators toward more learner-centered and learner-driven pedagogies and practices. These include project-based learning, personalized learning, student choice, building democratic classrooms, inquiry, and blended and self-paced models.
Maddie previously taught at the elementary level in Shelby County. She holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Kentucky, and a master’s degree in education leadership and certification in education law from Indiana University.
Maddie is president of the Kentucky Council for the Social Studies, helping to keep teachers informed and engaged in the social studies, especially civic education. She is also treasurer of the Jefferson County Teachers Association (JCTA) and has served on the JCTA Board of Directors and the Kentucky Educators Association Board of Directors.
Maddie is an alumnus of the Emerge Kentucky program, which empowers women to run for public office, and a member of the Ignite Louisville class of 2020, a leadership program for young professionals.
Bluegrass Bold is her first children’s book.