Literacy

Whitney K. Freije is an elementary school principal at A.F. Palmer Elementary, a Model PLC at Work® school in the Windsor Central School District, located in upstate New York. She specializes in empowering teachers with effective instructional practices to promote high levels of literacy and mathematics.

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.

Billy Eastman is a curriculum coordinator for secondary English language arts at Clear Creek Independent School District in Texas where he leads efforts to implement student-centered authentic literacy practices.

Mary Mazariegos has worked in a variety of education roles, including English teacher, instructional coach, ELL facilitator, secondary English curriculum coordinator, and principal. She was integral in the work at U.S. Grant High School in Oklahoma City.

Joanna Newton, PhD, is a professor of education at Notre Dame of Maryland University, where she specializes in literacy instruction. She has been an elementary classroom teacher, literacy coach, reading intervention specialist, and curriculum developer.

Kimberly Almanza serves as a reading specialist in North Texas. With more than 15 years of experience, she has worked as an instructional literacy coach as well as a classroom dual language teacher.

Gloria L. Canada, EdD, is the founder of Circles of Purpose, an educational consulting company whose work focuses primarily on school leadership, family engagement, and poverty awareness.

Brad Cawn is a teacher educator, author, researcher, and trainer who specializes in helping schools and teachers integrate ambitious teaching and learning—inquiry-based instruction, disciplinary literacy, project-based learning, etc.—across the content areas.

Lisa May is an award-winning literacy coach at Kildeer Countryside School District 96, a Model PLC School District. With more than twenty years in the field of education, she has classroom experience ranging from kindergarten through fourth grade.

Paige Timmerman is a high school English teacher at Salem Community High School in Salem, Illinois and a National Board Certified Teacher member since 2019. She strives to provide authentic, real-world writing opportunities that meet her students’ skills and interests.