Meet Our Authors

Wendy Saul, formerly the Allen B. and Helen S. Shopmaker Chair of Education and International Studies at the University of Missouri-St Louis – is now retired but still spends countless hours thinking with her former students and colleagues about generalist literacy; connections between science, reading and writing; and active learning and critical thinking in under-resourced settings, both here and abroad.

Kara Dymond, Ph.D, has a brother with autism. She is an autism consultant, researcher, and educator teaching children with autism. She designs and delivers professional development on autism for teachers, based on their feedback about their classroom concerns.

Tonya B. Perry is a Professor of Secondary English Education and serves as the Executive Director for GEAR UP Alabama and the Red Mountain Writing Project at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In her roles, she works for equity, focusing on civically and justice-engaged teaching, service, and scholarship.

Heather Willms, B.A., B.Ed., M.A.Ed., is a district reading intervention teacher whose work includes mentoring, modeling, and supporting both teachers and students in grades K–7. Heather has twenty-three years of experience as a classroom, learning support, and district lead teacher. A respected literacy leader, she works as a reading consultant and coach for districts, schools, and teachers interested in shifting instruction to align with the Science of Reading.

For over thirty years, JEFF ANDERSON has inspired writers and teachers with the power and joy of writing and grammar. He has written ten books for Stenhouse Publishers, including the ground-breaking classic Mechanically Inclined. He lives near downtown San Antonio with his partner and their rescue pup.

Dr. Jan Burkins was an elementary classroom teacher for seven years and a literacy coach for seven years. She has worked as a part-time assistant professor, a district literacy leader, and is currently a fulltime writer and consultant.

Shawna Coppola has taught in public schools for almost two decades. She currently works as a national literacy consultant and speaker and is a volunteer teacher of 11-17 year-olds at a self-directed learning community in Dover, NH. When she is not teaching, she can be found dabbling with watercolors, writing comics, or exploring the beauty of her natural surroundings alongside her family.

Joan Dabrowski is the Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Prior to this, she worked across the country as an education consultant and curriculum writer. In this role she supported teachers, principals, and district leaders to develop and refine their literacy and leadership practices. In 2015, she coauthored a report with The Education Trust entitled, "Checking In: Do Classroom Assignments Reflect Today’s Higher Standards?" that summarized an analysis of over 1,800 middle school literacy assignments in English language arts, history, and science. She has taught grades K-2 and 4-5, has been a district literacy coach, and was the Director of Literacy for the Boston Public Schools. She earned a master’s degree at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Doctorate of Education in K-12 School Leadership at Vanderbilt University, Peabody College.

Debbie Diller, a national educational consultant and popular conference speaker, lives in Houston, Texas. Debbie uses her experience of over 40 years as a classroom teacher, Title I reading specialist, and literacy coach to teach others about sensible, realistic ways to meet the literacy needs of all students in the classroom.

Diane Esolen Dougherty lives with her husband in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of West Chester University and received a master's degree from Villanova University. While working on her degree at Villanova, she was a research scholar working with professors of English.

Jennifer Fletcher is a Professor of English at California State University, Monterey Bay and a former high school English teacher. She teaches courses for first-year college students and future teachers and leads workshops on rhetorical literacy skills throughout the country. Her books include Teaching Arguments, Teaching Literature Rhetorically, and Writing Rhetorically.

Matthew R. Kay is a proud product of Philadelphia’s public schools and a founding teacher at Science Leadership Academy (SLA). He is a graduate of West Chester University and holds a Masters in Educational Leadership with a Principals’ Certificate from California University of Pennsylvania.

Ruth Parker is a former classroom teacher and has spent over twenty years leading professional development for math teachers in grades K-12. She is currently the CEO of the Mathematics Education Collaborative, preparing the next generation of mathematics teacher leaders for Washington state.

Stacey Shubitz is an author, an independent literacy consultant, and an adjunct professor. A graduate of The Literacy Specialist Program at Teachers College, she has experience teaching fourth and fifth grades. She is also the Chief of Operations and Lead Writer for Two Writing Teachers, a popular blog about the teaching of writing. Visit the blog at twowritingteachers.org and follow Stacey on Twitter: @sshubitz.

Patty Vitale-Reilly’s career in education spans 30 years and varies from being a teacher, staff developer at the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, author, and founder of a literacy consulting group, to her current roles as consultant, author, and speaker. Patty is the coauthor of The Complete Year in Reading and Writing Grade 2 (Scholastic 2008), and the author of Engaging Every Learner (Heinemann, 2015) and Supporting Struggling Learners (Heinemann 2017).