As we begin preparations for the next school year, we’d like to introduce you to our 2026-27 educational services team. Even though you've made your district service plans, don't hesitate to reach out to us as you plan for next school year!
Valery Fuhrman
School Improvement Facilitator
Valery is a School Improvement Facilitator (SIF), a role she began in August 2025. Valery partners with school and district teams to strengthen instruction and systems through professional learning, MTSS implementation, and strategic coaching. She specializes in working alongside district teams to apply the Continuous Improvement Process and principles of Implementation Science to drive sustainable, systemic change and improve student outcomes. She is known for building strong partnerships with schools and tailoring support to meet each school’s unique context.
With 26 years of experience in education, Valery brings a deep understanding of both classroom instruction and system-level leadership. She has served as a classroom teacher, curriculum director, building principal, and educational consultant. Her teaching experience spans talented and gifted programming, Title reading and math and content areas including math, science, and social studies. This breadth allows her to translate research, policy, and evidence-based practices into practical, high-impact actions.
Valery holds a specialist degree in education in educational administration, with endorsements as a PK–12 principal and special education supervisor, as well as a master of arts degree in teaching and a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education and psychology.
Sara Ahlers
School Improvement Facilitator
We are pleased to have Sara join our staff as a School Improvement Facilitator. She is originally from Goldfield and has recently relocated back to the Prairie Lakes AEA service area. She will work out of our Algona office.
Sara’s teaching experience includes K-12 ESL, secondary modern language, and secondary life science. In addition to a variety of classroom roles, she has also served as a preschool-8th grade principal, an instructional coach, and a district curriculum director. Sara has worked in both public and non-public schools and is passionate about rural education and educational equity for underserved populations.
Sara looks forward to working with individuals, teams, buildings, and districts to support school improvement efforts, especially coaching implementation of initiatives.
Abbey Green
English Learner Consultant
Abbey Green will be joining the Prairie Lakes AEA team as an English Learner (EL) Consultant. Abbey is deeply committed to centering the talents and needs of multilingual learners across the PK-12 spectrum. She works to create multilingual, inclusive environments where all students can thrive through equitable access to grade-level skills and content, grounded in asset-based pedagogy that engages all stakeholders as learners and co-creators of the future.
Abbey holds degrees from the University of Northern Iowa and Northwestern College in Spanish, English, TESOL, and educational administration. She is currently completing her Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction from UNI.
Tabitha DeMey
Educational & Media Services Facilitator
Tabitha has been with Prairie Lakes AEA since 2013. Her experience includes roles as an elementary teacher and mentor, C4K Coach, Literacy Coach, School Improvement Consultant/Facilitator, and district Curriculum Director. She has also served on multiple state-level teams, including the Statewide School Improvement Team. She is especially passionate about working alongside leadership teams to identify strengths, address needs, and ensure plans are implemented in ways that lead to lasting impact.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education with concentrations in social work and Spanish, along with a reading endorsement, from Buena Vista University. She also holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Southwest Minnesota State University and an administrative license from the Iowa Principal Leadership Academy.