EMPOWERED LEARNING INC
Led by Hillary Woest, a third-generation educator with nearly 30 years of experience, Empowered Learning, Inc. partners with schools and districts to build systems of support that truly work—for students, teachers, and leaders. Rooted in the belief that real change begins with empowered educators, our work bridges practical strategy with deep relational understanding to create sustainable, student-centered growth.
We specialize in designing and delivering high-impact professional learning experiences that strengthen Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction, build collaborative leadership capacity, and align systems for continuous improvement. From whole-district strategy to campus-level transformation, Empowered Learning helps educators turn vision into action through practical tools, expert facilitation, and customized support. Our goal is simple: to help schools do what works—and make it last.
Hillary Woest is a third-generation educator, national presenter and staff developer, and the founder of Empowered Learning, Inc., an education consulting firm dedicated to helping schools and districts build systems of support that truly work—for students, teachers, and leaders. With over 26 years of experience in public education, Hillary partners with campuses and districts to strengthen Tier 1 instruction, align collaborative practices, and create sustainable supports that meet the needs of all learners, especially those who have been historically underserved.
In addition to her independent work, Hillary also serves as an Associate with Solution Tree, delivering professional learning grounded in their nationally recognized PLC at Work® and RTI at Work® models. Her approach blends practical strategies, deep relational understanding, and a passion for empowering educators to live their purpose, stay inspired, and do good.
Hillary Woest, Founder & CEO
Reviews
“Hillary has been fantastic in helping us incorporate a PLC design into our district CTE program. She is a ground-zero thinker who wants our guiding coalition team to be successful. Hillary is authentic in her design and support in implementing instructional concepts that fit our CTE classrooms. She has helped us craft a comprehensive PLC system that will serve our students at the highest level, and she is wonderful in leading our professional development. She knows how we function and where we should be going.”
- Jason Hudson, Executive Director of Academic/Career Connections, Wylie Independent School District, Wylie, Texas
“Hillary is a wonderful listener and provides meaningful feedback. She was able to quickly identify what is going well within our campus and how to narrow our goals.”
- Brandi Ray, Associate Principal, Tascosa High School, Amarillo, Texas
“Hillary really helped our team solidify and clarify our goal. She helped us gain clarity for our school-wide intervention process and grading/rubric issues. Hillary is very approachable and always helps us come up with a solution whenever issues arise. She is positive, encouraging, and willing to provide extra help when needed.”
- Monica Hunter, Educator, Health Careers Academy, Stockton, California
“Hilary did an excellent job at scaffolding our learning and guiding us through the PLC process then supplying support. It was by far the most useful PLC professional development I’ve had.”
- Ashley Heninger, Educator and PLC Lead, Leander ISD, Leander, Texas
“I felt that the most valuable aspect was hearing Hillary’s expertise and the way she worded our action steps and plans… I felt the way she leads people and talks with people makes you feel both heard and also that you are being educated at the same time with new ideas and material. I appreciate her holistic approach to the school. It was focused on the whole child, not solely academics which for me, as a counselor, made all the difference in buy-in and how to tie in SEL with academia in a way that allows all voices to be heard and the students to receive ALL of the teaching and learning they need.”
- Dezarae Washington, School Counselor, Britton Elementary, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Workshops and Presentations by Hillary Woest
Empowered Learning Inc Workshops and Presentations:
● From Industry to Impact: Helping CTE Teachers Transition from the Field to the Classroom
● Blueprints for Learning: Using Backward-Mapping to Design Unit Plans and Year-at-a-Glance (YAGs) Pacing Guides that Align with Essential Standards
● CFAs In Action: Building Assessments that Guide Prescriptive Instructional Decisions and How to ACT on the Data
● AI for Educators: Using AI to Amplify Instructional Impact, Reclaim Time, Refocus Energy, and Revive Joy
● Supports for Precision Teaching – Developing Proactive Tier 1 & 2 Systems of Support that Prescriptively Meet the Needs of ALL Learners
● Live Well, Teach Well: Prioritizing Educator Wellness and Sustainability
● Disability Awareness and Instructional Strategies to Support Access to the General Curriculum
● The Power of Two: Navigating Support Facilitation and Co-Teach Partnership Roles to Create Successful Outcomes
Workshops and Presentations as a Solution Tree Associate:
● Simplifying the Journey in a PLC at Work®
● Leadership in a PLC at Work®: Collaboration, Consistency, and Clarity
● 15-Day Challenge®: Going Deeper with Tier 1 and Tier 2 Instructional Planning
● PLC at Work® Through the Lens of CTE
● RTI at Work® and the Power of Data
● Creating a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum: A Blueprint for Effective Teaching
● PLC Questions 3 & 4: Developing Targeted Interventions & Planning for Differentiated Instruction