Influential Woman · Educational Consulting / Educational Psychology/Science of Learning
Dr. Layne Kalbfleisch, M.Ed., Ph.D.
Principal & CEO, 2E Consults (R) LLC
Española, NM, Los Alamos, NM & Reston, VA, NM 87532
Her Story
About Layne
Dr. Layne Kalbfleisch, Ph.D. is a doctor of educational psychology, cognitive neuroscientist, and thought leader specializing in learning, assessment translation, and twice-exceptional (2E) development. She is the Principal and CEO of 2E Consults® LLC, where she leverages over two decades of experience in educational psychology and neuroscience to help individuals, families, and organizations translate complex psycho-educational and clinical assessment data into actionable strategies that improve learning outcomes and quality of life. Her work spans adults, parents, children, and systems serving diverse learners, with a strong emphasis on equity, neurodiversity, and strengths-based development. Dr. Kalbfleisch holds a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Neuroscience from the University of Virginia and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric neuroimaging at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Summer Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at Dartmouth College. She was a tenured associate professor at George Mason University and has served as adjunct faculty at Georgetown University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Neurology, Northern New Mexico College School of Education, the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Pediatrics, and as Co-Principal Investigator on the National Science Foundation-funded Group Brain Dynamics in Learning Project. Her professional contributions include motivational speaking, grant writing, parent education, and consulting with schools, health systems, tribes and community organizations across the United States, particularly in New Mexico and the Mid-Atlantic region. Deeply committed to community engagement, Dr. Kalbfleisch has held numerous leadership and board roles with organizations focused on early childhood, behavioral health, Indigenous communities, education, and trauma informed care. She is an active volunteer with groups such as the Rio Arriba County Early Childhood Committee, the NM Local Collaborative 18 behavioral health committee where she currently serves as Chair, the Indigenous Social Determinants of Health Collaborative and UNESCO. She is the author of, 'Teaching to Every Kid's Potential: Simple Neuroscience Lessons to Liberate Learners' (W.W. Norton, 2021). Grounded in faith, land-based practices, creativity, and lifelong learning, Dr. Kalbfleisch brings transparency, compassion, and humanity to her work—bridging science and lived experience to help individuals and communities thrive during times of change. She is a member of the Sault Tribe of Ojibway, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Layne
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to grounding my work in, pursuing, and contributing to evidence-based research and cultural sensitivity while staying solution-focused and adaptable. Lifelong learning and mentorship at pivotal moments in my career development have also played a key role in helping me grow professionally and personally.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
All questions are good questions. The University of Virginia allowed me to attend doctoral studies without a prescribed program. I wanted to combine psychology, medicine and education, and my advisors and mentors encouraged me to create my own program. I challenged the silos to engage with me in my education to create a program that had never been done before and hasn't been done since. That laid the foundation for me to pursue cognitive neuroscience as a post-doctoral fellow and faculty member among several institutions. I not only learned how to navigate and understand scientific information, but had opportunities to create my lab from groundbreaking to a state-of-the-art neuroimaging facility.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Lead with your values and enter any new endeavor with a clear sense of the desired outcome and collaboratively negotiated processes.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Media outlets are awash with self-help information and new science findings. Being curious and mindful about recommendations and looking more deeply into the data and/or lived experience they are based in protects against misinformation and having to unlearn things that didn't prove helpful and outcomes or generalizations that were assumed instead of proven.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value equity, kindness, and processes of co-creation to foster meaningful connections with others, whether that takes place across my table or in community with larger audiences. I value transparency and integrity in the translation of science. Good outcomes always involve more than one person! Being mindful of community, environment, cultural context and family dynamics while using my technical expertise to empower others with meaningful ways to animate information is central to how I work.
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