Meet the Board of Directors

I grew up a hemisphere and many time zones away from Massachusetts.  I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and while you may hear me complain about the winter weather, I count myself as extremely fortunate to have studied, worked and raised my family in the United States.

No matter where I have worked, or the formal job description, literacy has been the focus of my work, whether it is teaching students or working as an administrator or consultant. 

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Literacy has filled my volunteer hours too.  I spent 17 years with the Massachusetts Reading Association (MRA) and was a member of the Executive Board for the last 7 years. 

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Realizing the importance of evidence-based literacy teaching, and knowing that there were many educators who embrace it, I founded The Reading Circuit with the support of colleagues like Lisa Rice, Kristin Parone, Isha Sanghvi and Sue Hucul.

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Our vision is clear

All children should have an equitable opportunity to learn literacy through effective evidence-based practices built on knowledge from science and research.  I am honored that Lisa, Kristin, Isha and Sue are Founding Board members to help translate the vision into action!

After spending years in business and time off to be home with my children, I decided to go back to school to become a teacher. My hope was to become a grade 1 teacher, but immediately fell in love with teaching reading. I pursued a reading specialist license and an EdS in literacy. After working for several years as a reading specialist I moved into the role of literacy coordinator. In this position I have the opportunity to work with educators across the state and DESE to set the path for evidence based practices to be implemented to support struggling readers.  

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Most recently I was the treasurer for MRA. I enjoyed that work and the people I worked with on the board. In early 2022 I left MRA to work with The Reading Circuit! I believe in the mission of The Reading Circuit and the importance of evidence-based practice. I look forward to working with educators across the state as we support students to become readers.

In my 12 years as an educator, 7 years in India and last 5 years in the United States, I have worked with students in a variety of K- 8 settings. I earned my M.S in Moderate Disabilities from Lesley University, Cambridge, MA, and I am in the process of becoming an Associate Level Orton Gillingham Practitioner. Currently, I am working as a special educator at one of the Cambridge Public Schools, supporting students in an elementary school, ranging from first to third grade. My passion for literacy instruction was fueled when I first learned about evidence-based practices  based on knowledge from science and research. I implemented them for my students to provide effective intervention to enable them to learn to read and my students with dyslexia showed significant progress in their ability to read.  I continued  to deepen my understanding  through professional development and training in multisensory reading practices. I am thrilled to be a part of the Reading Circuit and  contribute to its effort to enable all children to learn to read through research-based practices that best fit their learning needs. I believe that one of the ways that the students can be best supported  is by equipping teachers with resources and knowledge about the evidence-based effective literacy instructions. 

From the very beginning of my career in education, I have seen the widening gap in reading achievement, particularly for students of color or for those who are at a socioeconomic disadvantage.  The challenges we now face have heightened the need for more teachers of reading to join together and share what we now know to be true:  teaching reading is scientifically based.  We have the resources and tools to ensure that ALL students can and should have access to high quality structured literacy instruction. I am excited and honored to be a member of The Reading Circuit. Being part of this organization will increase the opportunities for conversation and professional learning that our teachers and students need and deserve.

I am excited to be a member of The Reading Circuit. It is an honor to collaborate with colleagues and specialists who support the knowledge and practice of evidence-based literacy.

I am a dedicated reading specialist with 19 years of experience in education, currently serving in Western Massachusetts. I hold a B.S. in Business from Florida International University, an M.Ed. in Reading from Saint Leo University, and a Graduate Certification in Dyslexia from the University of Florida. Additionally, I am a certified Dyslexia Reading Interventionist through the Center for Effective Reading Instruction (CERI), an affiliate of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA).

I am passionate about literacy as both an educational and social justice issue. I advocate for evidence-based literacy instruction to ensure that all students have the skills and opportunities they need to succeed.

I have been a bookworm all my life. Growing up in Springfield, Massachusetts, I spent many afternoons in my local library, choosing stacks of books that I couldn’t wait to devour.  This early love of reading became the cornerstone of my own teaching and learning.  After college, I worked for an adult literacy program on the South Side of Chicago, eventually becoming the program’s director.  I returned to Massachusetts to pursue a Masters of Education from Boston University, specializing in Literacy, Language, and Cultural Studies. Since then, I have worked as a Reading Specialist or English as a Second Language teacher for almost 20 years.  Currently, I am a Reading Specialist for a small, rural elementary school in Colrain, Massachusetts, specializing in individualized instruction and intervention strategies for developing readers in grades K-6.  I live in beautiful Shelburne Falls with my husband and two young adult daughters.  I am passionate about helping children become confident, successful readers so that they too can experience the wonders that reading can open up for them.

Details coming soon. 

I come from a long line of educators - both of my grandmothers, my father, and two of my aunts have all been in the education field. You could say that it's in my blood! I have been an educator for 24 years. Currently, I am a Reading Specialist in Boxborough, MA. Prior to becoming a Reading Specialist, I taught second and fifth grade and was also a Special Educator. My passion truly comes through when teaching our youngest learners how to read and then giving them the support to access that learning in different ways. I embody the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy approaches throughout my days - sharing with teachers, families and then in my goal oriented instruction. What is great is how the Science of Learning ties into those approaches with our students! I thoroughly enjoy leading Professional Learning experiences in my district and beyond. I am currently a Goyen Literacy Fellow where I share like minded approaches to supporting children along their literacy journey with a spectacular cohort of educators from across the United States. 

Being a Director for the Reading Circuit is such an honor! Its vision and goals are what I fully believe in. Forming a partnership with educators to support effective evidence based literacy instruction for our students is essential for our young learners. Until all children can read!