Adolescent Literacy – Unlocked!

Joan Sedita is the founder of Keys to Literacy. She has been in the literacy field for over 45 years as a teacher, administrator, and literacy consultant. She is the author of The Writing Rope: A Framework for Explicit Writing Instruction in All Subjects, and the new book Essentials of Adolescent Literacy. Joan is also the lead author of Keys to Literacy’s courses, including The Key Comprehension Routine, The Key Vocabulary Routine, Keys to Beginning Reading, Keys to Content Writing, Keys to Early Writing, and Keys to Adolescent Literacy. Prior to starting Keys to Literacy in 2007,  Joan was the lead trainer in MA for Reading first, a LETRS author and trainer, and literacy consultant to school districts and state departments of education across the U.S. She received her M.Ed. in Reading from Harvard University and her B.A. from Boston College.

Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan is President of the Valley Literacy Center in Brownsville, Texas and a research associate with the Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation and Statistics at the University of Houston. Her research interests include the development of language and literacy skills among Spanish-and English speaking students. She has also worked with teams of researchers designing assessments and interventions for this diverse population of students. Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan serves as the Chairperson of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities, and is a Past-Vice-Chairperson of the International Dyslexia Association. Her book entitled: Literacy Foundations for English Learners: A Comprehensive Guide to Evidence-Based Instruction was published to help educators implement Structured Literacy among English learners.

Shauna serves as Vice President and Senior Director of Professional Development at Keys to Literacy and is an integral member of the senior management team. With over 20 years of experience, Shauna has dedicated her career to advancing literacy achievement for all students. Her journey began as a classroom teacher and literacy interventionist, where she developed a deep commitment to fostering student success.

Since joining Keys to Literacy in 2007, Shauna has played a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s professional development offerings and initiatives. She has held a variety of key positions, including national trainer, relationship manager for strategic accounts, contributing editor, and a principal contributor to the development of several professional development programs. In her current leadership role, Shauna oversees a team of national consultants who deliver professional development services to schools, districts, and state education departments nationwide. Additionally, Shauna directs and manages the Certified Facilitator program, guiding educators and education leaders through the implementation of Keys to Literacy’s hybrid online learning model. 

As a frequent speaker at state and national literacy conferences, Shauna shares her expertise and passion for literacy, delivering engaging content that inspires and empowers educators to elevate classroom instruction and improve student outcomes. She is also a contributing content creator for Reading Universe, an online, step-by-step professional development pathway for teachers, paraprofessionals, and reading coaches to learn more about evidence-based reading instruction — and then translate it into classroom practice that will complement any curriculum.

Linda Diamond, M.ED, is best known for her nationally recognized professional books, Teaching Reading Sourcebook, used by many teacher preparation programs and Assessing Reading: Multiple Measures. Linda was a teacher, principal, Director of Curriculum, and a Senior Policy Analyst in an education think tank. In 1995, Linda Diamond founded the Consortium on Reaching Excellence in Education (CORE Learning. After serving as CORE’s president for 26 years, Linda stepped down from that role and continues to serve on CORE’s Advisory Board, The Reading League-California Advisory Board, and advises publishers, state agencies, legislators, and other organizations as they work to improve literacy instruction. Linda is currently serving as the Executive Director for a newly launched organization, the Evidence Advocacy Center, committed to transforming education based on evidence.

Dr. Michelle Elia is an assistant professor at Marietta College, where she teaches graduate and undergraduate literacy courses. Michelle has worked at the school, regional, and state levels, teaching children in pre-kindergarten through high school. Elia is a national professional development provider, training educators in literacy instruction and assessment within an MTSS framework. She also serves as president of The Reading League – Ohio. A lifelong learner, Elia recently earned her doctorate in Reading Science at Mount St. Joseph University. Michelle is passionate about explicit instruction and applying the science of teaching, reading, and writing to the classroom, especially for struggling adolescent students. When she is not talking about literacy, her favorite job is being a mom to her three not-so-small children.

Lisa holds the position of Vice President, Senior Director of Relationship Management and is a member of the senior management team. Beginning in 2011 with Keys to Literacy, Lisa spent eight years as a trainer and three years as Senior Director of Account Management. An experienced educator with a passion for literacy and learning, she began teaching in 1995 at the Landmark School, a school renowned for the work they do with children and adolescents with language-based learning disabilities. Throughout her career in education, Lisa enjoyed being a classroom teacher, a special educator, and a reading specialist in both urban and suburban schools. As a Keys trainer, she was passionate about her work with students, teachers, and administrators from schools across the United States. In her current role, Lisa appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with district and school leadership to customize professional development plans that bring consistent literacy routines to students across all grade levels and subject areas. Lisa is a frequent presenter at literacy conferences.

Dr. St. Martin is the director of Michigan’s MTSS Technical Assistance Center. Her expertise is in integrating literacy and social-emotional behavior support within an MTSS framework for elementary and secondary learners. Dr. St. Martin’s research has focused on evaluating integrated academic and behavioral interventions within an MTSS framework and adolescent literacy. She was a panel member for the IES Practice Guide, Providing Reading Interventions for Students in Grades 4–9. Dr. St. Martin provides policy guidance on state-level literacy and dyslexia legislation.

Louisa Moats, Ed.D., has been a teacher, psychologist, researcher, graduate school faculty member, and author of many influential scientific journal articles, books, and policy papers on the topics of reading, spelling, language, and teacher preparation. Dr. Moats is the lead author of LETRS Professional Development and the textbook, Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers. Dr. Moats is also author of LANGUAGE!Live, a blended instructional program for middle and high school students, and co-author of Spellography, a structured language word study program for intermediate students. Dr. Moats’ awards include the prestigious Samuel T. and June L. Orton award from the International Dyslexia Association for outstanding contributions to the field; the Eminent Researcher Award from Learning Disabilities Australia; and the Benita Blachman award from the Reading League.

Ms. Montgomery has been recognized by the International Dyslexia Association, ARC, and ExcelEd for her outstanding leadership in the area of literacy. She is a national speaker in the area of leadership and literacy, specifically on the systems and structures that should be implemented in schools to increase literacy outcomes for students. She serves as an expert and advisor on several literacy panels for states and school districts. Pati is the lead author for the book, It’s Possible, A Leadership Plan for Implementing Quality Reading Instruction and Ensuring Literacy for All, as well as the lead author for A Principal’s Primer for Raising Reading Achievement, a Lexia LETRS for Administrators module (First Edition). She is currently in the position of Senior Education Officer at Keys to Literacy and founded Schools Cubed, a literacy leadership coaching firm that is now part of Keys to Literacy.