Literacy

Mary K. Gove, PhD, is professor emeritus at Cleveland State University and specializes in promoting a balanced approach to literacy education. Dr. Gove formerly taught grades K–6 and worked in an urban district as a full-time professional developer.

Jen Cullerton Johnson is an award-winning children’s author, educator, and environmental advocate. With nearly two decades of teaching experience, she’s worked with incarcerated youth and urban classrooms; taught abroad in Japan, Ecuador, and Argentina; and led nature-writing workshops in outdoor settings.

Jennifer McCarty Plucker, EdD, is the director of learning and development and a literacy consultant at Mackin Educational Resources in Burnsville, Minnesota. Her current work with educators is grounded in an inquiry approach that puts students in the driver’s seat for learning.

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.

Attendees will learn practical ways to involve multiple stakeholders in developing a productive and celebratory reading culture in schools and classrooms.

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.

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.

Brianna Bamber, EdD, is an assistant principal at a priority high school in Sacramento with more than 20 years of classroom experience. Her focus is on literacy instruction, best grading practices, feedback strategies, teacher clarity, and classroom culture.

Lyndsi Smith, PhD, has served the education community for over 20 years in a variety of capacities. Throughout her career, Dr. Smith has delivered professional learning workshops, provided in-classroom instructional support, and presented at local, state, and national conferences.

Sheila Mulder, EdD, is an assistant professor at Dakota State University in South Dakota. She is passionate about employing high-impact, evidence-based instructional strategies, along with feedback and differentiation practices, to ensure learning for all students.