Our Team
Justin Silverstein
Co-CEO
Justin Silverstein, BS, is co-CEO of APA, originally joining the firm as an intern, he has over 25 years of experience working with policymakers to help them better serve students. Mr. Silverstein is a national expert in school finance having led statewide studies in many states including supporting reforms in Maryland and Nevada. In addition to his work for states, he has supported school districts to understand how to strategically allocate resources through budget reviews, provided facilities task force support, and conducted teacher compensation studies. Justin attended the University of Colorado, where he studied accounting. He loves to be outdoors with his family skiing, biking, and hiking, or on the sidelines of his daughter's lacrosse games.
Dale DeCesare
Co-CEO
Dale DeCesare, JD, is co-CEO at APA, having joined the company in 2005. He has 24 years of education policy experience. Dale leads APA’s program evaluation work, conducting qualitative and quantitative analyses to help inform local, state, and federal education leaders about the implementation and impacts of a variety of early childhood education, K-12, and higher education programs. He has led research and evaluation projects at all levels of rigor, including a randomized controlled trial study for the U.S. Department of Education designed for publication in the federal What Works Clearinghouse, as well as a variety of quasi-experimental design studies, case studies, qualitative research and a variety of other study designs. Prior to joining APA, Dale served as a writer and policy analyst at the Education Commission of the States. He was trained in cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness, and return on investment analyses, through an Institute of Education Sciences program at Columbia University, and has incorporated these analysis into numerous evaluation studies for clients. Dale holds a bachelor’s degree from Trinity University in Texas and a law degree from the University of Denver. Dale enjoys playing the drums, writing, and running.
Amanda Brown
Vice President
Amanda Brown, MPA, is Vice President at APA. Having joined the company in 2005, she has nearly 20 years of experience in the field. Her primary focus areas are school finance and evaluation. At the state level, she has worked on and led large-scale adequacy studies, structural reviews of finance systems, studies of the resource implications of specific education reform legislation and implementation of instructional best practices, and stakeholder engagement efforts. Recently, she has supported state school finance commissions to implement new funding formulas based on APA’s work. At the local level, Amanda has assisted local school districts on topics including student-based budgeting, salary competitiveness, declining enrollment, and efficiency of facilities usage, and evaluations of the implementation costs and effectiveness of programs. She holds bachelor’s degrees from the University of Colorado, Boulder, a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado, Denver, and is currently pursuing a doctorate of education in leadership for educational equity also from the University of Colorado, Denver. Amanda also serves on a local charter school board and enjoys spending time with friends and family taking advantage of all Colorado has to offer.
Dr. Robert Reichardt
Senior Associate
Robert Reichardt, PhD, is a Senior Associate at APA having joined the company in 2013. He has over 25 years of experience supporting education policy development and program improvement with a focus on equitable outcomes for all students. He contributes to APA’s evaluation, policy analysis and school finance portfolios. He has expertise in program evaluations, cost modeling, qualitative and quantitative analysis, instrument design, and teacher labor market analysis. Prior to working at APA, Robert ran his own firm, directed a non-profit, and lead a university research center. He served on the Littleton Public Schools Board of Education and is currently a Littleton City Council Member. He has a PhD in policy analysis from the RAND Graduate School, master’s in public policy from the University of Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Colorado. His hobbies include hiking and serving as an elected official.
Jennifer Piscatelli
Senior Associate
Jennifer Piscatelli, MA, is Senior Associate at APA, having joined the company in 2012. She has 25 years of education policy experience. She contributes to APA’s evaluation and school finance portfolios. She has participated in multiple state school funding and adequacy studies, and has participated in APA projects on assessment, program evaluation, teacher compensation, and early childhood education. Prior to joining APA, Jennifer spent over 8 years as a researcher and policy analyst at the Education Commission of the States, staffed New Hampshire Governor Jeanne Shaheen’s Kids Cabinet, and served as a Legislative Aide to the New Hampshire State Senate. As a trained Critical Friends Group coach, she is experienced in facilitating professional learning communities. Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s degree in political science with an emphasis in public policy from the University of Colorado, Denver.
Michaela Tonking
Senior Associate
Michaela Tonking, MA, is a senior Associate at APA, and was with the company from 2016-2018, then re-joined in March 2020. Michaela has ten years of experience in education. She contributes primarily on APA’s evaluation and school finance portfolios. She has participated in multiple state school funding and adequacy studies and has participated in APA projects on cost modeling, program evaluation, district technical assistance, and early childhood education. She previously worked as Director of Policy and Data for Educate Nevada Now, as a research assistant for Rhode Island’s School Funding Formula Working Group, and for Deloitte in the audit department. Michaela holds a master’s degree in urban education policy from Brown University and a master’s and bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Colorado, Boulder. In her free time, she serves on her community council as an elected official, snowboard and wakeboards, and has taken up horseback riding.
Brianna McGagin
Associate
Brianna McGagin, MA, is an Associate at APA, having joined the company in 2020. She has 7 years of experience in education. She contributes primarily to APA’s program evaluation portfolios. She has participated in multiple federal, state, and local program evaluations that include complex quantitative and qualitative analyses. Examples of topic areas addressed in these evaluations include teacher workforce, early childhood education, gifted education, early literacy, curriculum implementation, community schools, higher education, and tutoring and mentorship programs. Prior to joining APA, Brianna was a high school math teacher and track and field coach for Atlanta Public Schools and was a policy and research analyst for the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement in Atlanta Georgia. Brianna holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from San Diego State University and a master’s degree in urban education policy from Brown University. Brianna enjoys playing tennis, creating new espresso drinks, and attending music concerts.