Who we are · Founder & CEO

Shannon K. BuerkAn educator first.

A first-generation college student, an English teacher, an assistant superintendent, and the founder of engage2learn. Twenty-eight years in K-12, most of them spent on one question: what does it take for every educator to get better at the work?

The three rooms Recognition
Shannon K. Buerk, in a navy blazer over a red top, smiling with her arms folded against a light gray backdrop
Founder & CEOengage2learn, since 2011
My sister is the reason that I became a teacher... if I could be a teacher that could help students like my sister discover and use their gifts and really feel good about what they have to offer the world, my life and my career would have been worthwhile.
Shannon K. BuerkFounder and CEO, engage2learn
Meet Shannon

Why she built engage2learn, in her own words.

Shannon K. BuerkFounder & CEO, engage2learn
Three rooms

The classroom, the central office, and the company she built.

Each room taught her something the next one needed. Scroll through them in order.

  1. Room 01 · The classroom

    She started as an English teacher.

    A first-generation college student, Shannon went into teaching for a reason she still names first: her sister, and every student like her whose gifts a school can either find or miss. The classroom is where she learned what one good teacher changes.

  2. Room 02 · The central office

    Then she led from the district office.

    As an assistant superintendent, she saw the other side of the work: plans, budgets and professional learning decided for thousands of classrooms at once, and how rarely any of it reached a teacher in a form that helped.

  3. Room 03 · The company

    In 2011, she founded engage2learn.

    She built it to help public schools grow a coaching culture, so every educator gets the support to help every student succeed. engage2learn has partnered with hundreds of districts since, and in 2026 brought Education Elements and the Instructional Coaching Group into the family.

Recognition

Recognized as a leader, and still an educator.

Shannon has been named among the country’s top women executives, and in 2022 she put what she has learned about coaching cultures into a book.

  1. 2017 Female Executive of the Year Gold Stevie Awards 2017 Stevie Gold Winner
  2. 2018 Most Innovative Women in Education for Technology Gold Stevie Awards 2018 Stevie Gold Winner
  3. 2018 Female Executive of the Year Golden Bridge Awards, Silver 2018 Golden Bridge Awards Silver
  4. 2018 Texas Small Business Award Office of the Governor of Texas Seal of the Governor of the State of Texas
  5. 2022 Enterprising Women of the Year
  6. 2022 Top 50 Women CEOs
  7. 2024 Top 50 Women CEOs
The book Connect the Dots by Shannon K. Buerk, its white cover crossed by a magenta line joining blue dots
Connect the Dots (2022), by Shannon K. Buerk
Shannon in the news

Interviews, podcasts and recognition.

Shannon on what public schools need, in conversation with podcasts and magazines, and the honors she has received.

More from Shannon

Talks and conversations.

Shannon on professional learning, coaching and the work of public schools, from engage2learn’s channel and the Stevie Awards.

What the work has to prove

Coaching is an investment, and a leader should know it will pay off.

Shannon built engage2learn on the belief that educator growth leads to student growth, and that a district should be able to see it. That is why every engagement starts with an assessment and tracks classroom practice as it improves.

See how a partnership works.

The coaching effectiveness assessment gives leaders the assurance that the investment of time and money in coaching aligned to the research is going to create the desired outcomes.
Shannon K. BuerkFounder & CEO, engage2learn
Talk with us

Start where Shannon did: with the educators.

Whether you want to talk about your district’s next step or invite Shannon to speak to your leaders, start with a conversation.

Book a conversation Meet the team