Lya R. Snell, Ph.D.

Dana Center Role

Lya oversees the Center’s professional learning, curricular resources, implementation innovation, early learning, artificial intelligence (AI), phenomenon-based and STEM advancement work. She works with all staff to ensure that educators and students have the tools and resources needed to succeed in the present and future.

Lya serves on various national committees and boards aimed at promoting high-quality mathematics and STEM teaching and learning. Since 2017, Lya has been a mathematics standing committee member for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). She has also served for many years as an Advanced Placement (AP) Reader for AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC for College Board.

Before Joining the Dana Center

As an Education Program Manager with the Georgia Department of Education, Lya supervised teams in STEM/STEAM, computer science, and mathematics. Among her many accomplishments, she led the development of the Georgia Numeracy Project in 2017 and Georgia’s K–12 Mathematics Standards in 2021, along with spearheading the modernization of mathematics pathways in 2023. These initiatives resulted in historic increases in student performance on state assessments and the state accountability system, showcasing Lya’s ability to drive meaningful change on a large scale.

Lya also held several other roles in Georgia: K–5 Mathematics Program Specialist at the Georgia Department of Education; Director of Curriculum and Instruction for all K–12 content areas in Butts County, Georgia; and School Effectiveness Specialist at the Georgia Department of Education, focusing on school transformation and continuous improvement. In addition, Lya taught pre-K and high school mathematics and gained expertise in K–12 mathematics, STEM programming, and ensuring coherence and effective implementation across grade levels.

Lya’s influence extends beyond Georgia. She was co-author of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) publication, High School Mathematics: Reimagined, Revitalized, and Relevant, and she serves on numerous national and state committees focused on improving mathematics and STEM education. Her work emphasizes phenomenon-based teaching and learning, integrating mathematics with science, engineering, technology, computer science, and literacy to make learning relevant and engaging for students.

Education

• Ph.D., Educational Leadership, Mercer University
• Specialist in Education, General Administration, Central Michigan University
• M.S., Mathematics, Alabama State University
• B.S., Mathematics, Alabama State University

Board Memberships

• Mathematics Standing Committee Member, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Grade 4, Grade 8, Grade 12, National Center for Education Statistics - U.S. Department of Education (2017–present)
• Member, Georgia Mathematics Advisory Council (2008–present)
• Launch Years Consensus Committee and State Lead for Georgia (2019–2025)
• NCTM High School Mathematics Pathways Task Force (2022–2024)

Presentations

• Critical Issues in Mathematics Education 2026: Mathematics Literacy for 21st-Century Citizenship - Part II. Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute, University of California, Berkeley (May 2026).
• Postsecondary Math Curriculum Design: Helping Students Become Stronger Through Research-Based Content and Pedagogy. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Committee on Modernizing Mathematics Education for Grades 9–14 (May 2026).
• Reimagining Teaching and Learning in the Secondary Mathematics Classroom. Wisconsin Mathematics Council 2026 Annual Conference: Curiosity Counts (May 2026).
• Advancing in Math Through Dual Enrollment. The Mathematics of Opportunity 2026: Meeting the Moment - Just Equations Virtual Conference (April 2026).
• Reimagining High School Mathematics. Launch Years Initiative Convening, Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin (February 2025).
• Middle School and High School Mathematics: Reimagined, Revitalized, and Relevant Through Data Science and Statistical Reasoning. NCTM Annual Meeting and Exposition - Chicago (2025), Atlanta (2025).
• High School Mathematics: Reimagined, Revitalized, and Relevant. National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM) Annual Conference - Chicago (2024), Atlanta (2025).
• High School Mathematics: Reimagined, Revitalized, and Relevant. NCTM Annual Meeting and Exposition - Chicago (2024), Kansas City (2025), Chicago (2025), Atlanta (2025).
• Elevating the Student Learning Experience Through PreK–12 Learning Progressions and Pathways. Invited Speaker at the 2023 Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Math Summit for the National Center for Education Statistics and the United States Department of Education (September 2023).
• Implementing Georgia’s K-12 Mathematics Standards Through Phenomenon-Based Teaching and Learning Experiences. Georgia Federal Programs Conference (2021–2025).
• Implementing Georgia’s K–12 Mathematics Standards With Fidelity. Various Conferences and Professional Learning Sessions in Georgia (2021–2025).
• Georgia Department of Education Mathematics Update. Georgia Council of Supervisors of Mathematics Annual Conference (2018–2025).
• Understanding the Georgia Numeracy Project. Various Conferences and Professional Learning Sessions in Georgia (2017–2025).
• High-Quality Mathematics Teaching and Learning for Continuous Improvement. Georgia Education Leadership Institute (2017–2023).
• K–5 Game Changer: The Power of Student Interviews and Mathematical Reasoning Inventories. NCSM Annual Conference, San Francisco, CA (2016).
• Making Mathematics Learning Fun and Engaging for Students: Resources and Tools to Support the Implementation of Georgia’s State Standards for Mathematics. Georgia Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Georgia Mathematics Conference at the Rock Eagle 4-H Center (annually, 2010–2025).

Publications and Products

• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2024). High school mathematics reimagined, revitalized, and relevant.

Professional Memberships

• Association of State Supervisors of Mathematics (ASSM)
• Georgia Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (GCSM)
• Georgia Council of Teachers of Mathematics (GCTM)
• Georgia Mathematics Advisory Council
• Just Equations Mathematics Pathways Champions Initiative
• Learn 4 Life Change Action Networks
• NCSM
• NCTM

Honors

• Just Equations National Mathematics Champion for K–12 Mathematics Pathways (2025, 2026)
• ASSM Program Committee Recognition and Special Interest Group Lead (2024, 2025, 2026)
• NCTM Pathways Committee Recognition (2024)
• Alabama State University 50 Under 50 Award (2023)
• Game Changers Phenomenal Woman Featured Edition (2023)
• U.S. Department of Education Math Professional Development Grant Recipient (2013)
• Teacher of the Year Finalist, Butts County Schools (2006, 2007)
• Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching Award Nominee and State Coordinator (2005, 2018–2025)