Gretchen Weber

Overview

As Director of Learning and Development, Gretchen Weber leads organization wide learning and talent development initiatives that build and support the capacity of and commitment to WestEd’s staff. The L&D work of WestEd is focused on advanced learning, career development, career advancement, and career mobility to achieve WestEd’s goals and objectives. A skilled trainer and facilitator of adult learning and engagement experiences that drive organizational improvement, her goal is to give people the power to improve by learning vital knowledge, skills, and competencies. 

Weber partners with organization leaders and staff to provide the learning structure that builds new skills for staff that are aligned with WestEd strategic priorities and to provide professional learning for WestEd staff that develops personal capability, professional capability, and/or organizational capability. This includes developing professional learning programs for leaders, creating microlearning “stacks,” conducting courses with digital and virtual tools, and delivering in-person training. 

Prior to this role, Weber was Senior Managing Director at WestEd and previously Vice President at the American Institutes for Research, where her work focused on elevating and strengthening the teaching profession. She led policy, research, and technical assistance projects for state education agencies and school districts. As a skilled presenter (virtual and in person), she has led trainings for educators in multiple states and has given national webinars for EdWeek and the Council of Chief State School Officers. She presented her work at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Teaching and Learning Conference, National Governors Association Policy Academy, ASCD Annual Conference, and Learning Forward (NSDC) Annual Conference and at many other national, regional, and state events.  

Education

• M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction, National Louis-University

Select Publications

Rasberry, M., Weber, G., & Wilson, J. (2022). From clock-based to competency: How microcredentials can revolutionize teacher learning. In C. Mouza et al. (Eds.), Professional development for in-service teachers: Research and practices in computing education (pp. 361–383). Information Age Publishing. 

Jacques, C., Weber, G., Bosso, D., Olson, D., & Bassett, K. (2016). Great to influential: Teacher leaders’ roles in supporting instruction. American Institutes for Research.  

Honors and Awards

Weber is a National Board Certified Teacher. 

She has served on boards or in advisory roles for nonprofits such as Boundless Readers, the Morton Arboretum, and Chicago’s Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum. 

Recent Media Appearances

• With a new school year in view, many districts struggle to find enough teachers, NPR Marketplace, July 2022.
• American Teacher documentary, Gravitas Documentaries, 2011.