Meet the Sherpas

Dr. Andrew Maxey is the founder and sole proprietor of Sherpa, LLC.

Dr. Andrew Maxey has been a professional educator since 1999, teaching Language Arts in rural Indiana, San Diego and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He has also held a litany of leadership positions: department chair, grant administrator, assistant principal, Principal, Curriculum Director, etc. His work has been recognized for excellence at every level, including a number of state and national awards.

Andrew is also a prolific writer and presenter. He is published in AMLE Magazine, Principal, Principal Leadership, School Administrator, and School Library Journal. He presents regularly at state and national conferences including AASA, AMLE, NSLA, and Making Schools Work.

Most of his writing and speaking is about big ideas in education: effective grading practices, prioritizing the middle level, and professionalizing teaching. His work with schools and district focus exclusively on those three areas and on building organizations that become preferred destinations for employment.

Schools and districts that chose to work with Andrew will find that his supports are highly customized to the needs and priorities of each client. He is available for keynotes, topical presentations, or consultative services including single-day or serial partnerships.

Andrea Markham, NBCT is a Sherpa specializing in strategic planning within the College & Career Readiness domain. Andrea’s career in education has spanned over 16 years during which time she’s been a secondary science teacher and school counselor at a Title I high school. She currently serves as the Coordinator of Post-Secondary Engagement for Tuscaloosa City Schools. Her mission? To help EACH and EVERY student find their fit and plan their path.

Andrea excels at building systems and structures that support schools and districts in surpassing organizational goals. She speaks fluent PowerSchool and possesses expertise in comprehensive data analysis and individual student tracking. Her developed strategies can be adapted to meet the needs of educators who want to leverage data to boost student achievement and attainment of College & Career Readiness Indicators (CCRIs).

Lesley Bruinton is a Sherpa specializing in summer learning engagement with families and staff.

Lesley Bruinton inspires others through her leadership in school communications. She is an Accredited in Public Relations practitioner with nearly 20 years of professional experience. The former television journalist now serves as the Executive Vice President of Nichols Strategies, a public relations firm specializing in work with school superintendents and school districts.

Lesley is a past president of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) and a two-time past president of the Alabama School Public Relations Association. She is a 2020 AASA Women in School Leadership Award winner and a three-time NSPRA Gold Medallion winner.

A hallmark of her work is the understanding that the strategic use of communication and creativity can assist in solving organizational challenges.

Kelly Norstrom knows first-hand the demands and rewards of working as an educator. A seasoned educator, Ms. Norstrom has taught special and regular education in elementary, middle, and high school classrooms and served as a Principal, a Director of Career and TechnicalEducation, a Director of College and Career Readiness and consultant for secondary and post-secondary institutions. These experiences shaped her commitment to learning for all students, emphasizing industry partnerships for successful transitions. Ms. Norstrom has earned 2 educational specialist degrees in School psychology and Education Administration and is pursuing her doctorate in Educational and Organizational Leadership. Ms. Norstrom is the Vice President of the Region 3 Workforce Development Council, acting ACT regional council representative, acting member of region 9 West Alabama Works Committee, and an acting member of SREB (Southern Regional Education Board) Technical Workforce Committee. As a valued partner with our post-secondary institutions, Ms. Norstrom works as acting member of the Shelton State Community College Advisory Board, an acting member of ACCS (Alabama Community College System) and SSCC (Shelton State Community College) Teaching and Learning Subcommittee. She is a Nationally recognized mentor for the National Association of Elementary School Principals and presents nationally in the areas of CTE (Career and Technical Education) and College and Career Readiness several times a year. Ms. Norstrom is also an alum of the City of Tuscaloosa Leadership program. She has 5 children aged 26-19.

Lindsey Blevins is a Sherpa specializing in after-school and summer program design and leadership.

Lindsey currently serves as a school counselor, 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) Director, and a member of the district summer learning team for the Tuscaloosa City Schools. She is a two-time graduate from the University of Alabama (UA) and holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a master’s degree in Counselor Education. Currently, she is completing coursework at UA to obtain certification in Educational Leadership.

Lindsey has been working in the out-of-school space for ten years and has extensive experience with grant writing, site-level & district-wide budget planning, program development, and program implementation. She has mentored countless new directors in both the after school and summer space with developing and managing successful programs. She excels in identifying, developing, and maintaining community partnerships that contribute to student success during the out-of-school space. She was awarded the 2021 Charles Stewart Mott Award by the Alabama Community Education Association to recognize her services and impact made at both the local and state level.

Rev. Lori Maxey grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and met her husband, Andrew, in the college choir at Indiana Wesleyan University. They lived in San Diego for several years before moving back home. Lori has twenty years of experience in local church ministry and five in compliance management in the health-care sector. Since 2019, she has focused her professional attention on establishing and leading The House Tuscaloosa, a literacy center and used bookstore on the Stillman College Campus. Lori finds joy in helping other people discover their unique gifting and learn to use their individuality to make a positive difference in their community. Her extensive experience with planning, organization, budgeting, and personnel management equip her for excellence in areas very often beyond the expertise and/or patience of others on her team. She’s usually tackling a new project like helping with music at churches, writing Battle of the Books questions, or serving with the Peoples’ Loan Program. Lori also spends a lot of time listening to Audible while driving their three kids to school and activities.