Authors & Presenters

Sarah Gord is a reading specialist and literacy coach at Kildeer Countryside School District 96 in suburban Chicago. Her work focuses on the implementation of standards-aligned teaching and assessment practices.

Marge Christensen Gould is a high school English teacher with 31 years of classroom experience. She also coordinated a program for students at risk funded by the Arizona Supreme Court and the Tucson Unified School District.

Peg Grafwallner is an instructional coach and reading specialist at Ronald Reagan College Preparatory High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With over 25 years of experience in the field of education, Peg has also served as an English teacher and an alternative education teacher.

Yvonna Graham, MEd, is a literacy advocate and founder of Mumbling Marmot Tutoring in Durango, Colorado. Specializing in dyslexia intervention and research-based reading instruction, she authored Dyslexia Tool Kit: What to Do When Phonics Isn’t Enough, Expanded Edition.

Maria C. Grant, EdD, is a professor in secondary education at California State University, Fullerton. She has authored numerous publications centered on science literacy, formative assessment, and reading.

Floyd Gómez-Starnes is an educational speaker providing training in literacy, dual language education, and school improvement. His career spans over 30 years and includes classroom teaching, developmental coaching, and literacy.

Kourtney Hake is an English teacher at Sparta Lincoln School in Sparta, Illinois. She is also a member of the National Council for Teachers of English (NCTE), the Illinois Reading Council (IRC), and the Illinois Association of Teachers of English (IATE) since 2014.

Angela Hanlin is a passionate leader committed to driving change in schools and classrooms. Under her guidance, Matthews Elementary achieved remarkable success, reaching a 100 percent proficiency level.

Peter Hayes is the former director of Solution Tree Australia and the Asia Pacific Region. Previously he was the national director of education for the Australian Council for Education.

Jacqueline Heller focuses on building capacity and collective efficacy with teachers, to ensure all students learn at high levels. As a literacy teacher and coach at Mason Crest Elementary, she helped the school become the first National Model Professional Learning Community to receive the DuFour Award.