About Van Soelen & Associates
Our Mission
Van Soelen & Associates grew out of the dire need for educators to be engaged in the highest-quality professional development possible. Educational leaders are busy - often not making space to craft meaningful professional development experiences that prompt participants to model back in their school district, school, grade level, department, or classroom.
Expertise Areas
Team Development and Growth
I first partnered with Thomas in Texas and intentionally continued that partnership when I moved to lead a rural, remote district in Alaska. His ability to tailor professional learning to our context—whether a large urban district or a small, geographically isolated one—has been exceptional. Through focused work on team development, practical protocols, and leading hard conversations, he has expanded our leadership team’s capacity, allowing them to better support strong instructional systems across our schools.
Cyndy, superintendent, Alaska and Texas
Executive and Leadership Coaching
I strongly recommend executive coaching with Thomas because it gives you a space to think and grow as a leader. It helped me stay focused, make better decisions, and be more intentional in how I lead. At this level, that kind of support really matters and is invaluable to success.
Rod, deputy superintendent, Georgia
Organizational Health
Thomas has been a trusted partner for over 15 years in strengthening both the culture and effectiveness of many of our schools as well as district level teams. He is a master facilitator who guides authentic collaboration, builds our capacity to give and receive meaningful feedback, and keeps teams focused on our shared goals for improved student outcomes. His positive impact on how we work together as educators and grow as leaders has been significant and lasting.
Shannon, assistant superintendent, Georgia
Coaching Coaches
Thomas’s coaching was pivotal in shaping my leadership. While I brought a strong background in instruction and systems, he guided me to confront my own unconscious competence and better understand its influence on my leadership. His reflective, inquiry-driven approach strengthened my ability to lead with authenticity, heart, and integrity—focusing on coaching the individual, not just solving the problem.
Amber, instructional coach, Georgia
Teacher Evaluation and Observation
Working with Thomas Van Soelen has been one of the biggest game changers in my professional practice and is something I reference daily. While our school system absolutely saw improvement in the effectiveness of the written feedback our campus leaders gave teachers, I cannot emphasize enough the benefits of working with Thomas. He pushes your thinking, causing you to question why you've been doing what you've been doing. He does so through gentle humor and firm purpose. I highly recommend school systems tap into this resource to transform adult practices that will benefit student learning.
Lacye, director, Texas