About The Together Group
Get to know Maia, meet the incredible team behind The Together Group, and learn more about why teacher organization and time management is so meaningful to us.
The Together Team
Maia Heyck-Merlin
Founder
Maia Heyck-Merlin, AKA The Together Lady, cares about results for the greater good and rejuvenation for those who do the work. For the past two decades, she has dedicated her life to supporting teachers, school leaders, central offices, and nonprofits to prioritize, plan, and execute toward their missions, and The Together Group's classes teach these skills with joy, humor, empathy, and rigor. Maia's five publications, popular monthly newsletter, and frequent blogs have helped hundreds of educators, school leaders, operations team members, and nonprofit staffers across the country.
Prior to founding The Together Group, she served as Chief Talent Officer and Chief Operating Officer for Achievement First. Previously, she worked at Teach For America in a variety of capacities, including Executive Director and Institute Director. Maia began her career as a TFA corps member in South Louisiana where she taught fourth grade and was named Teacher of the Year at Delmont Elementary and selected as a Fulbright Memorial Fund recipient and then was a founding fifth-grade teacher at Children’s Charter School.
Maia holds a B.A. in Child Development from Tufts University and served as President of the Leonard Carmichael Society, the largest student body organization on campus. She is a proud graduate of a rural Maine public school system. Maia currently resides in the Washington, DC, area with her partner, their four medium-sized children, four unruly cats, and a lot of houseplants. In her spare time, she finds joy in hosting large (organized) gatherings, being a lazy triathlete and open water swimmer, and cooking for her family with as few pots and pans as possible.
Kendra Rowe Salas
Senior Director of Instructional Operations & Design
Kendra holds a BA in psychology from Winthrop University and an MA in international peace and conflict resolution from American University. She’s taught English in Guatemala, worked in various university settings, and directed the children’s programs for the Washington, DC metro area’s largest hunger relief organization.
Kendra currently lives outside of Nashville, TN with her husband, two children, and family dog, where she enjoys gardening, reading, and perusing Pinterest for project ideas. She helps The Together Group with project management, coaching, and overall logistics. Kendra’s favorite Together Tool is the Weekly Worksheet to keep everything on track.
Ana Gutierrez-Dooley
Director, Design and Participant Experience
Ana has spent her career working in the field of education with a focus on effective process and quality outcomes. She holds a B.A. from Franklin & Marshall College and an M. Ed. from the University of St. Thomas. Over 20 years, three states, and one very old car she has led as a classroom teacher with Houston Independent Schools; as a Deputy Institute Director, Institute Director, and Managing Director with Teach For America; and a Principal, Academic and Assessment Coordinator, and Special Projects Coordinator with charter schools in the Greater Sacramento region.
Ana lives in the Sacramento area with her engineer husband, their resident tween, two cats, and a tank full of fish and shrimp (a fish tank for which she takes no responsibility). In her free time, she enjoys trying new recipes she finds on the internet, reading chapter books appropriate for young children with her daughter, and finding creative ways to connect with family and friends near and far. Ana’s favorite Together Tool is the Later List; it helps keep her mental energy focused on the present.
Lauren Fryer-Lewis
Manager, Public Sessions and Operations
Lauren supports all things related to The Together Group’s public sessions, as well as managing communications and other operations tasks. She is a former middle school teacher and administrator, and spent several years working at the central office of a large school district. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Duke University and a M.A. in Minority and Urban Education from the University of Maryland, College Park.