About the Experts
Fenice Boyd
Fenice Boyd, PhD, is an associate professor of Literacy Education in the Department of Learning and Instruction at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York. Dr. Boyd's research centers on issues of diversity as they relate to adolescents' ethnic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds, academic abilities, instructional approaches, and curriculum materials. She teaches graduate-level courses focused on adolescent-literacy instructional methods, reading comprehension research, politics in literacy education, and young adult literature.
Raymond Jones
Raymond C. Jones, PhD, is a teacher educator, consultant, and developer of the ReadingQuest.org website. A former middle and high school social studies teacher, he now teaches content-area reading courses for the University of Virginia. He also works extensively with schools and districts training teachers in reading and comprehension strategies, and training administrators in instructional leadership.
Susan Lafond
Susan Lafond has been a teacher for 20 years and is currently an ESL teacher at Guilderland High School in New York State. She also teaches graduate courses for NYSUT's Effective Learning Trust and is the Regional Chair for NYS TESOL Capital District. She serves as a reviewer for numerous assessments and as an evaluator for teacher certification exams. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in English as a New Language, Early Adolescence Through Young Adulthood, and serves on the American Federation of Teachers' ELL cadre.
Joanne Meier
Joanne Meier, PhD, has more than 15 years of experience in the field of education. Dr. Meier served on the faculty at the University of Virginia for six years where she trained reading specialists and future classroom teachers. In addition to her teaching, Dr. Meier co-authored three Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening (PALS) instruments, used today by over 14,000 PreK-grade 3 teachers in Virginia. Dr. Meier has conducted research and published in several professional journals. Her research has been published in journals as diverse as Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, Reading Writing Quarterly, Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, and Teaching and Change. Dr. Meier is a co-author of the Phonics Friends series, published by Child's World. Before pursuing her PhD, she taught elementary school in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Joan Sedita
Joan Sedita is the founding partner of Keys to Literacy, a teacher training company based in Danvers, MA specializing in grades 4-12 literacy. She has been an educator and nationally recognized teacher trainer for over 30 years. Joan worked at the Landmark School in Massachusetts for 23 years as a teacher, supervisor and principal. She was also founder of the Landmark College Preparation Program, and director of the Landmark Outreach Program. Joan was one of three Lead Trainers in MA for the NCLB Reading First Program. She is also a National LETRS author and trainer, a member of the Praxis National Reading Advisory Board, and an adjunct instructor at Fitchburg State College. Joan received her M.Ed. in Reading from Harvard University and her B.A. from Boston College. Joan has authored the following books: "The Key Three Routine: Comprehension Strategies"; LETRS Module 11 "Writing: A Road to Reading Comprehension" (co-author with Louisa Moats); "Active Learning and Study Strategies Using Kurzweil 3000"; "The Landmark Study Skills Guide". Additional information about Joan's publications, training, and resources can be found by visiting www.keystoliteracy.net.
Jamie Watson
Jamie Watson is AdLit.org's consultant for young adult literature and author of "The MashUp", AdLit.org's blog about books for teens.
Jamie is a reviewer for School Library Journal and she is active in the Young Adult Library Services Association, serving on several of its committees, including Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers and Selected Audiobooks for Young Adults. Jamie was named a "2008 Mover and Shaker" by Library Journal magazine.
