Summit Speakers
Internationally-renowned experts join with system-level leadership to advance effective MTSS in action
Distinguished Global Leaders
Russell Skiba, PhD
Professor Emeritus, Indiana University | Leader in School Discipline & Equity
Dr. Skiba is a nationally recognized authority on school discipline and disproportionality. His research has shaped equitable, data-informed approaches to improving school climate and student outcomes.
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Russ Skiba, Ph.D. is Professor Emeritus in the School Psychology program at Indiana University, and former director of the Equity Project at Indiana University. He has worked with states and school districts across the country, and published extensively on school violence, school discipline, and equity in education. He was lead author of the American Psychological Association’s Task Force Report on Zero Tolerance, served as Project Director of the Discipline Disparities Research to Practice Collaborative, a national collaboration of educators, researchers, advocates, and policymakers addressing disciplinary disparities, and has testified before both houses of Congress and the US Commission on Civil Rights.
He has been identified for a number of years by Education Week as one of the top 200 scholars in the nation influencing educational policy and was recently listed by Stanford University as being among the top 2% of researchers in the world. Most recently, he co-founded of the University Alliance for Racial Justice, a network of university-based educators dedicated to supporting the struggle against discrimination and disadvantage, and helped establish the Indiana Educational Equity network, a statewide coalition that was instrumental in Indiana becoming the first red state in the nation to turn back an “anti-CRT” bill two years running.
Anita Archer, PhD
Professor Emerita, San Diego State University | Pioneer in Explicit Instruction
Dr. Archer is a leading voice in explicit instruction and effective teaching practices. Her work has strengthened core instruction in schools nationwide through clear, research-based strategies.
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Anita Archer, Ph.D. is an educational consultant and leading expert in explicit instruction, instructional design and delivery, behavior management, and literacy instruction. Over a distinguished 40-year career, she has taught elementary and middle school students and served on the faculties of San Diego State University, the University of Washington, and the University of Oregon.
Dr. Archer has presented professional development workshops in every U.S. state and many countries, earning more than ten awards in recognition of her contributions to education. She is co-author of numerous curriculum materials addressing reading, writing, and study skills, and is best known for the influential textbook Explicit Instruction: Effective and Efficient Teaching and related professional development resources that have shaped instruction across grade levels and content areas.
Linda Diamond
Author & Literacy Leader | Executive Director of the Evidence Advocacy Center
Linda Diamond is a nationally respected literacy expert and author whose work advances evidence-based reading instruction and assessment. She supports schools in building coherent literacy systems that improve outcomes for all learners.
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Linda Diamond, M.ED, is best known for her nationally recognized professional books, Teaching Reading Sourcebook, used by many teacher preparation programs, Assessing Reading: Multiple Measures, and the Vocabulary Handbook. Linda was a teacher, principal, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, and a Senior Policy Analyst in an education think tank. In 1995, Linda Diamond founded and became president of the Consortium on Reaching Excellence in Education (CORE Learning), an organization committed to improving literacy and math outcomes for all children.
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.
Sharon Vaughn, PhD
Manuel J. Justiz Endowed Chair in Education, University of Texas at Austin | Expert in Reading Intervention
Dr. Sharon Vaughn is the Executive Director of the Meadows Center at UT Austin, and one of the world’s most influential scholars in reading intervention and outcomes for students with learning difficulties.
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Dr. Sharon Vaughn is the Manuel J. Justiz Endowed Chair in Education and executive director of The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk at The University of Texas at Austin. Sharon Vaughn was the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Learning Disabilities and the co-editor of Learning Disabilities Research and Practice. She is the recipient of the AERA SIG distinguished researcher award and The University of Texas Distinguished Faculty Award. She is the 2025 Recipient of the University of Texas Presidential Impact Award. She is the author of numerous books and research articles that address the reading and social outcomes of students with learning difficulties.
She is currently the principal investigator or co-principal investigator on several Institute for Education Sciences, National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, and U.S. Department of Education research grants investigating effective interventions for students with reading difficulties and students who are English language learners.
She is the author of more than 35 books, 250 peer-reviewed research articles and 65 chapters that address issues related to research and practice with learning problems. She has worked nationally and internationally with educators from Japan, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Portugal, Australia and Singapore.
Charles Hulme, PhD
Emeritus Professor of Psychology & Education | University of Oxford
Dr. Hulme is an internationally renowned researcher in reading and language development. His work has significantly shaped the evidence base for literacy instruction and educational practice worldwide.
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Dr. Charles Hulme is Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Education at the University of Oxford and an internationally renowned researcher in reading, language, and cognitive development. His work has significantly advanced understanding of the foundations of literacy, particularly the role of language and memory processes in reading acquisition. He is widely recognized for leading rigorous randomized controlled trials in education, helping to establish a strong evidence base for effective instructional practices.
Dr. Hulme has published extensively and is ranked among the top 2% of most-cited researchers in the field of education worldwide. He is a Fellow of the British Academy, a member of Academia Europaea, and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. He was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Oslo in recognition of his contributions to research and education.
Throughout his career, Dr. Hulme has worked internationally with researchers and educators to translate scientific findings into practical approaches that improve language and literacy outcomes for learners across diverse contexts.
Featured Speakers
Erin Chaparro, PhD
MTSS and PBIS researcher advancing integrated systems, coaching, and data-driven practices to improve outcomes for diverse and underserved learners
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Dr. Erin A. Chaparro is a Research Associate Professor at the research center Educational and Community supports, housed in the University of Oregon’s College of Education. She is a nationally recognized expert in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and systems coaching. Her research, inspired by her years as a school psychologist and high school counselor, focuses on improving instruction for English learners, strengthening data-based decision making among school teams, and expanding professional development and coaching opportunities for educators in rural and underserved communities. Dr. Chaparro has served as principal investigator or co-investigator on multiple Institute of Education Sciences grants totaling more than $10 million. She led Oregon’s MTSS statewide professional development initiative for five years and published findings demonstrating statistically significant improvements in elementary literacy outcomes across the 22 participating school districts. She was a featured speaker at the U.S. Department of Education’s MTSS Forum and spoke about the Oregon MTSS work. She is also co-author of Assessment in Special and Inclusive Education, a widely adopted educator preparation textbook. Dr. Chaparro’s current work bridges research, practice, and technology to help schools design sustainable systems that support both academic and behavioral wellness for all students.
Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, PhD
Nationally recognized expert in bilingual literacy advancing evidence-based instruction for multilingual learners
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Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan is the President of the Valley Academic Language and Education Center in Brownsville, Texas, and a Research Associate at the Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistics at the University of Houston. For more than 25 years, Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan has contributed to national research projects sponsored by the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, the Institute of Education Sciences, and the Office of Special Education Programs for the United States Department of Education. Her research focuses on the development of language and literacy skills among Spanish- and English-speaking students. She has collaborated with research teams to design assessments and interventions tailored to this linguistically diverse population.
Dr. Cárdenas-Hagan currently serves as Chairperson of the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities and is a member of the Professional Advisory Board for the Learning Disabilities Association of America. She is also a former Vice-Chairperson of the International Dyslexia Association. Her contributions to the field have been recognized with several honors, including the Margaret Byrd Rawson Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Dyslexia Association, the Luke Waites Award of Service from the Academic Language Therapy Association, and the Learning Disabilities Award from the Learning Disabilities Association of America.
Additionally, she is a recipient of the Bronze Telly Award for Education and the author of Literacy Foundations for English Learners: A Comprehensive Guide to Evidence-Based Instruction and Esperanza a Spanish language intervention program.
Michael Solis, PhD
Researcher advancing evidence-based reading and math interventions for secondary school learners
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Dr. Michael Solis is an associate professor of special education at the University of California, Riverside. His research focuses on academic interventions for students in grades 4-12. His areas of research focus on vocabulary, reading comprehension, and mathematics. He has received over $6.6 million in federal funding from the Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences to support doctoral training, mathematics interventions, and a series of studies designed to support the development and testing of evidence-based reading practices for students with autism spectrum disorder. Dr. Solis has conducted randomized controlled trials (RCTs), single-case design studies, and systematic reviews. He has published articles in peer-reviewed journals including Annals of Dyslexia, Journal of Learning Disabilities, Research on Educational Effectiveness, and Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Solis has expertise in K-12 reading interventions, multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), positive behavior interventions, and collaboration. Prior to his work in higher education, he was a special educator, reading specialist, and literacy coach for 10 year in the public schools. Dr. Solis work with state agencies, advocacy groups, and school districts across the United States on supporting the implementation of evidenced-based instructional practices.
Matt Burns, PhD
Leading MTSS researcher advancing data-based decision making and intervention design to improve outcomes for underserved learners across diverse educational systems
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Dr. Matthew K. Burns is a Fien Endowed Professor of Special Education at the University of Florida and an Assistant Director of the University of Florida Literacy Institute. Dr. Burns was a first-generation college student from Flint, Michigan who has dedicated his career to improving the lives of the most vulnerable children, including those with disabilities, from high-poverty backgrounds, for whom English was not their native language, and children from other groups of underserved populations. He has published over 200 articles and book chapters in national publications, and has co-authored or co-edited 15 books. He is the current Co-Editor of Remedial and Special Education and the Journal of Multitiered Systems of Support, and a Past Editor of School Psychology Review and Assessment for Effective Intervention.
Dr. Burns is one of the leading researchers regarding the use of assessment data to determine individual or small-group interventions, multitiered systems of support, and facilitating problem-solving teams. His research has been featured in popular podcasts such as Sold a Story and documentary films such as The Truth About Reading, and his YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@matthewburns6803) has been viewed over 131,000 times and has 3,150 subscribers. He received the 2020 Senior Scientist Award from Division 16 (School Psychology) of the American Psychological Association.
Sarah Powell, PhD
Professor at The University of Texas at Austin and Associate Director of the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk
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Dr. Sarah R. Powell is a professor in the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin and Associate Director of the Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk. Her research, teaching, and service focus on mathematics, particularly for students who experience mathematics differently.
Powell is principal investigator (PI) of RAAMPS, an IES efficacy grant on Grade 4 word-problem solving, and of SPIRAL, which collaborates with Grades 4–5 teachers of students with mathematics difficulties. She is Co-PI of STAIR 2.0 and SCALE/SCALE-UP, replicating fraction interventions in Grades 4–8, and collaborates on Math Words, an IES development grant about mathematics vocabulary. To develop the next generation of math researchers, she is PI of LIME, a doctoral leadership grant funded by the Office of Special Education Programs. Powell received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in 2019 and acknowledges the contributions of her team, research collaborators, teachers, and students.
Senior Scientist and Director of the Juniper Gardens Children’s Project and Professor at the University of Kansas
Trina Spencer, PhD, BCBA-D
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Dr. Trina Spencer is a Senior Scientist and Director of the Juniper Gardens Children’s Project and a Professor in the Department of Applied Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas. A school psychologist and behavior analyst with interdisciplinary expertise in speech-language pathology and applied linguistics, her work focuses on oral academic language as a critical foundation for reading comprehension and writing development in young learners.
Dr. Spencer is a national leader in early childhood Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), with a focus on integrating language development into tiered frameworks. She has developed widely used assessment tools, interventions, and implementation strategies that support the installation and sustainability of MTSS in early learning settings. Her research has resulted in more than 75 peer-reviewed publications, extensive external funding, and international impact.
She is committed to researcher–practitioner partnerships, community engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration to advance equitable and effective early learning systems.
Rachel Brown-Chidsey, PhD
MTSS researcher and author advancing practical frameworks for implementation, progress monitoring, and effective reading instruction across school systems
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Dr. Brown-Chidsey started her career as a classroom teacher and special educator before earning a Ph.D. in School Psychology and Special Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She is Associate Professor of School Psychology at the University of Alaska Anchorage and her research focuses on MTSS implementation, including effective reading instruction, progress monitoring, and leadership support. Dr. Brown-Chidsey has authored numerous articles and books, including a recently revised edition of the Practical Handbook of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support.
Christopher J. Lemons, PhD
Stanford researcher advancing intensive intervention and data-based individualization to improve outcomes for students with disabilities
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Christopher J. Lemons, Ph.D. is a Professor of Education at Stanford University, specializing in improving academic outcomes for children and adolescents with intellectual, developmental, and learning disabilities. His research focuses on reading interventions, data-based individualization, and intervention-related assessment and professional development.
Dr. Lemons serves as Senior Advisor for the National Center on Intensive Intervention and the Progress Center at AIR, chairs the Executive Committee of the Pacific Coast Research Conference, and is President-Elect of the Council for Exceptional Children’s Division of Research. He has received numerous honors, including the Distinguished Early Career Research Award from CEC, and the Pueschel-Tjossem Research Award from the National Down Syndrome Congress. In 2016, Lemons received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government, from President Obama.Prior to academia, he taught in multiple special education settings, including preschool autism, elementary inclusion, and middle school life skills classrooms.
Chris Borgmeier, PhD
Behavior expert advancing functional behavior assessment and PBIS implementation to support students with challenging behavior
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Dr. Chris Borgmeier is a Professor and the Doctoral Program Director in the College of Education at Portland State University. He is co-author of the Basic FBA to BIP training series and developed the Basic FBA to BIP e-learning series available at www.BasicFBA.com. His research focuses on supporting students with challenging behavior in schools through MTSS. He has been a trainer and consultant for MTSS for Behavior implementation across the North America and internationally.
Dr. Borgmeier earned his PhD at the University of Oregon and worked as the PBIS Coordinator for a school district in the California Bay Area before going to Portland State University. He is a co-founder of the NorthWest PBIS Network, a not-for-profit organization promoting implementation of School-wide PBIS across the Pacific NorthWest. He and his wife were also a founding family of the Hope Chinese Charter School, a public mandarin immersion charter school in Beaverton, Oregon.
Stephanie Stollar, PhD
MTSS and literacy leader advancing evidence-based systems, supporting educators in translating research into effective, scalable practices
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Dr. Stephanie Stollar is passionate about using MTSS as the framework for helping all students become skilled readers. She is the co-author of the books MTSS for Reading Improvement, Promoting Effective MTSS Implementation, and Reading Assessment Done Right. Stephanie is creator of the Reading Science Academy and co-creator of MTSS Collective, two online communities for improving student outcomes by contextualizing research in the MTSS framework. She supports effective educator preparation through her work with the national alliance, STARS in Higher Education, and as co-lead of the higher education team at the Evidence Advocacy Center. Her past roles include Assistant Professor, Vice President at Acadience Learning, and School Psychologist. Stephanie believes that by supporting all educators, high achievement is possible for every student.
John Hosp, PhD
MTSS researcher and assessment expert advancing curriculum-based measurement and data-driven decision making
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Dr. John L. Hosp is a Professor of Special Education in the Department of Student Development in the College of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His research focuses on aspects of implementing Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), including aligning assessment and instruction to improve the outcomes of students with disabilities, particularly in the areas of reading and science. In this area, his expertise includes curriculum-based measurement (CBM) and curriculum-based evaluation (CBE). Dr. Hosp also conducts research on the disproportionate representation of students of color in special education. He (along with Michelle Hosp and Janice Dole) served as an evaluator of Utah’s Reading First program helping to implement and evaluate evidence based reading instruction across the state. He has received over $10 million in funding for research and student training. His publications (over 50) include the books The ABCs of CBM: A Practical Guide to Curriculum-Based Measurement, Designing and Conducting Research in Education, and The ABCs of Curriculum-Based Evaluation: A Practical Guide to Effective Decision Making.
Amanda VanDerHeyden, PhD
Nationally recognized researcher in academic screening , advancing data-driven approaches to improve identification and mathematics outcomes
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Dr. Amanda VanDerHeyden is a policy adviser, researcher, and thought leader focused on improving learning outcomes for students. She is credited with developing models of academic screening widely used in schools, conducting innovative research in mathematics screening and progress monitoring using mastery measurement, and creating SpringMath. Dr. VanDerHeyden has published ten books and over 100 scholarly articles and chapters. She regularly delivers webinars, panel sessions, and keynotes, including addresses to state school psychology associations and departments of education in 36 U.S. states as well as internationally in Singapore, China, Portugal, and Australia.
She has served as a panel member for NIH, a standing panel member for IES at the U.S. Department of Education, and as an adviser and reviewer for NCII, USAID, the IRIS Center, the Dyslexia Foundation, and numerous state departments of education. Dr. VanDerHeyden has also served on boards, including the RTI Advisory Board for the National Center for Learning Disabilities and SEDL, one of 10 regional laboratories funded by the U.S. Department of Education. She has authored multiple policy guides and position statements and delivered testimony on the use of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and Response to Intervention (RTI) in identifying students for special education. Dr. VanDerHeyden is President of Education Research & Consulting in Daphne, Alabama, and holds a faculty affiliation with the Wheelock College of Education at Boston University.
Stephen Kilgus, PhD
International researcher advancing data-based decision making and evidence-based practices to support inclusive, effective learning environments
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Dr. Steve Kilgus is an Associate Professor in the School Psychology Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received his doctorate from the University of Connecticut in 2011 and completed his pre-doctoral internship at the May Institute in Randolph, MA. Prior to coming to UW-Madison, Dr. Kilgus worked at both the University of Missouri and East Carolina University. He has received multiple awards from Division 16 of the American Psychology Association for his work, including the Outstanding Dissertation Award (2012) and the Lightner Witmer Award for early career scholarship (2016). He is currently an associate editor for the Journal of School Psychology.
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Patricia A. Graczyk, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Illinois Chicago and a nationally and internationally recognized expert in school attendance, school mental health, and multi-tiered systems of support. With over 35 years of experience across preschool through graduate settings, she co-developed the Response to Intervention (RtI)/Multi-Dimensional Multi-Tiered System of Support (MD‑MTSS) framework for improving school attendance and has co-authored multiple foundational publications on this framework. Dr. Graczyk provides professional development and policy consultation in the United States, Ireland, the Netherlands, Australia, and Sweden, and is involved in several U.S. and international studies focused on school attendance and school attendance problems. Her additional research interests include school-based mental health services, educator well-being, and social-emotional learning.
Patricia A. Graczyk, PhD
International researcher advancing MTSS for attendance, focusing on engagement and reduce chronic absenteeism
Kelly A. Powell-Smith, PhD
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Dr. Kelly A. Powell-Smith is a Professor in the Reading Science Program at Mount St. Joseph University. She specializes in reading development, effective instruction, assessment, data-based decision-making within MTSS, and single-case research designs.Dr. Powell-Smith earned her doctorate in school psychology from the University of Oregon and has served as Associate Professor at the University of South Florida, faculty associate at the Florida Center for Reading Research, and Chief Science Officer at Acadience Learning, where she helped develop tools including Acadience RAN, Reading Diagnostic, and Spelling.
She contributes to the field through editorial work for journals including School Psychology Review and The Elementary School Journal, co-leads the special education team at the Evidence Advocacy Center, and serves on a workgroup for teaching single-case designs. Her research has been cited in over 216 peer-reviewed publications.
Over her 33-year career, she has conducted more than 290 workshops across 23 states and Canada, training educators and promoting equity and excellence in literacy and education.
School psychology researcher advancing assessment and early identification practices to support student behavioral and mental health within MTSS frameworks
Farah El Zein, PhD
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Farah El Zein, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at Emirates College for Advanced Education (United Arab Emirates). She has over ten years of experience as a Special Education Teacher and has held faculty positions in the U.S., Canada, and Lebanon. Her research focuses on developing evidence-based interventions to improve academic performance and promote prosocial behavior in students with disabilities, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), in inclusive settings. Dr. El Zein collaborates on multiple research and development projects with schools in the UAE, and is currently leading a large-scale reading intervention study for students with ASD in inclusive classrooms, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education in the UAE.
She serves as Associate Editor for Frontiers in Education and as a peer reviewer for several international journals, including Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders and Exceptional Children. She holds Texas State certificates in PBIS, EBD, SLD, ASD, ABA, and Inclusive Education, and received the 2011 CARES Researcher of the Year Award. Dr. El Zein earned her Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of Texas at Austin, her M.Ed. from Texas State University, and her B.A. in Early Childhood Education from the Lebanese University.
International researcher advancing evidence-based interventions and inclusive practices to improve academic and behavioral outcomes
Nicole Hollins-Mosley, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA
Researcher advancing MTSS and inclusive practices through applied behavior analysis and community-engaged systems work
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Dr. Nicole Hollins-Mosley holds a M.A. and Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis from Western Michigan University. Dr. Hollins completed her Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the University of Kansas, Juniper Gardens Children’s Project. Currently, Dr. Hollins-Mosley is the Assistant Director of Multi-Tiered Systems of Support at Virginia Commonwealth University Research Implementation Center. Her research focuses on assessing multitiered systems of support, training pre-or in-service teachers on evidence-based practices, and examining techniques to enhance adaptive behaviors among students with diverse abilities.
Dr. Hollins-Mosley has published her research in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters and sits on the Board of Editors for the Journal of Education and Treatment of Children. She has presented her research at conferences and workshops both locally and nationally. Dr. Hollins-Mosley prioritizes community-engaged research to ensure her research directly addresses the needs of the stakeholders and community members. Through these efforts, Dr. Hollins-Mosley has coordinated several NIH and community grants that focused on evaluating instructional practices and educational inclusion across public schools, private schools, universities, autism treatment centers, Head Start programs. Dr. Hollins-Mosley consulting agency, EdBee Consultations, provides evidence-based, individualized, and transparent services with a mission to support school districts and school-based Behavior Analysts.
Lisa McKay-Brown, PhD
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Dr. Lisa McKay-Brown is the Associate Dean Diversity and Inclusion at the Faculty of Education, University of Melbourne. Lisa has over 25 years of teaching and leadership experience in a wide range of education settings with a specific focus on the inclusion of students with disability. Internationally recognised for her research in the field of school attendance, she also serves on the Executive Board of the International Network for School Attendance. Lisa is involved in research projects that impact both the education and health sectors, and leads the Faculty of Education Disability Research Collaboration, overseeing projects such as the In2School programs for chronic school absenteeism and Pathways2Participation aimed at enhancing school attendance using Multi-tiered Systems of Support. Lisa is involved in international collaborations centred in inclusive education in India and Latin America. She is particularly interested in how young people with disability are marginalised by education settings and how this can be challenged.
Australian scholar advancing evidence-based approaches to student attendance, wellbeing, and mental health to strengthen engagement and improve outcomes at scale
Marcia Davidson, PhD
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Dr. Marcia Davidson is an independent consultant and education researcher specializing in foundational literacy, assessment, and evidence-based programming in low- and middle-income countries. With over 18 years of experience across sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, she has designed, implemented, and evaluated early grade reading interventions that have reached millions of students and demonstrably improved learning outcomes at scale.
Dr. Davidson previously led the Goal One Reading Team at USAID, where she oversaw literacy programming across multiple countries, and served as Senior Advisor in USAID's Africa Bureau, providing technical leadership on education strategy and investment. Her work has advanced national multilingual reading programs, evidence-based teacher professional development models, and cost-effective assessment systems. She has successfully supported governments in scaling literacy interventions from pilot to national implementation, with measurable gains in student reading comprehension and fluency. A recognized contributor to the evidence base on what works in early literacy, Dr. Davidson has co-authored influential research on education impact evaluations, remediation approaches, and effective pedagogical practices in resource-constrained settings. Her expertise spans program design, rigorous evaluation methodologies, education policy, and translating research into actionable programming.
Steve Goodman, PhD
Global literacy expert driving large-scale, evidence-based implementation across low- and middle-income countries
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Dr. Steve Goodman is a research specialist at the University of Connecticut. He is a partner with the Center on PBIS and a co-investigator with the Integrated MTSS Research Network. Steve was the previous director of Michigan’s MTSS Technical Assistance Center. Steve serves on state, national, and international advisory boards for the implementation of MTSS. He has contributed to over 65 publications. Steve has presented and worked with educators across the nation and in ten other countries on topics of PBIS and MTSS.
Architect of integrated MTSS frameworks, leading national efforts to align academic and behavioral systems at scale
Young-Suk Kim, EdD
Leading researcher bridging language, cognition, and literacy to deepen understanding of how reading develops across diverse learners
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Dr. Young-Suk Grace Kim (Harvard University) is a professor at the School of Education, University of California at Irvine. She was a former classroom teacher in San Francisco. Her scholarship focuses on understanding language and literacy development and effective instruction for children from diverse backgrounds. Her areas of research include reading comprehension, reading fluency, listening comprehension and oral language, dyslexia, higher-order cognitive skills, written composition, and reading-writing relations. She has worked extensively with monolingual children and multilingual children from various linguistic backgrounds (e.g., English, Korean, Chinese, Spanish, Kiswahili).
Young’s research has been supported by over $65 million in grants from the Institute of Education Sciences, the U. S. Department of Education, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the National Science Foundation. Her work was recognized by several awards, including the 2012 Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) by President Barack Obama, and Developing Scholar Award and Robert M. Gagne Research Award. She is an AERA (American Educational Research Association) Fellow, and serves as the Editor for the journals, Scientific Studies of Reading, and Journal of Educational Psychology. She served as the Chair of the California Reading Difficulties Risk Screener Selection Panel (RDRSSP) appointed by the California State Board of Education.
Director of the Michigan MTSS Center, leading statewide implementation of integrated MTSS systems through data-driven practices to improve student outcomes
Kim St. Martin, PhD
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Dr. Kim St. Martin is a leader in advancing large-scale MTSS implementation, with a focus on building regional and district infrastructure to support effective and sustainable systems. In her role with the TA Center, she works to scale the successful use of MTSS frameworks across diverse educational contexts, ensuring alignment between policy, practice, and outcomes. She also provides literacy expertise for the Office of Special Education, supporting efforts to strengthen evidence-based instruction for all learners.
Kim brings extensive experience from both urban and rural school systems, where she has served as a teacher and school administrator. Her work centers on bridging systems-level planning with instructional practice, helping districts and schools implement coherent, data-driven approaches that improve outcomes for students.
Ben Solomon, PhD
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Dr. Benjamin Solomon is an Associate Professor of School Psychology at the University at Albany, SUNY. His research examines evidence-based academic instruction, progress monitoring, research methods and statistics for education, and decision-making accuracy within MTSS, with a particular focus on math. He has published extensively in leading school psychology journals, advised state and federal education initiatives, and served as an external evaluator on large-scale education grants. His work bridges research, policy, and classroom practice and has been featured in national media outlets.
Innovator in oral language and MTSS, translating research into widely used tools that strengthen language and literacy outcomes in schools
Douglas Peterson, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL
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Douglas B. Petersen, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-CL is the Vance Masteller Endowed Research Chair of Child Language Disorders and Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Baylor University. His research focuses on multi-tiered systems of language support, dynamic assessment, and structured literacy intervention for all children, including those with developmental language disorder and dyslexia, with a commitment to bridging research and real-world school-based practice.
Dr. Petersen has led large-scale randomized controlled trials examining the effects of MTSS frameworks on oral language, reading comprehension, and writing from preschool through high school. His work has produced widely adopted assessment and instructional tools including Story Champs, the CUBED, the PEARL, and the DYMOND now implemented in schools across the United States and internationally. He has delivered more than 300 professional presentations worldwide, served as editor of Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, and held membership on state literacy cabinets and professional teaching standards boards. He is a Board Certified Specialist in Child Language (BCS-CL) and a member of the International MTSS Association.
Leading scholar in mathematics and MTSS, advancing research on decision-making accuracy and effective instructional systems
Kim Gibbons, PhD
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Dr. Kim Gibbons is Director of the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) at the University of Minnesota. She oversees research, evaluation, literacy and MTSS services, professional learning, and statewide partnerships that support data-based decision making and system improvement. Dr. Gibbons has led numerous federal and state technical assistance initiatives and focuses on building capacity within State and Local Education Agencies. CAREI currently partners with the Minnesota Department of Education to implement the MnMTSS framework and previously supported implementation of the Minnesota Read Act.
Prior to joining the University of Minnesota, Dr. Gibbons worked for 20 years at the St. Croix River Education District (SCRED), where she served as Executive Director, Director of Special Education, Staff Development Coordinator, and School Psychologist. During this time, SCRED gained state and national recognition for its implementation of the MTSS/RtI framework and resulting literacy outcomes.
Dr. Gibbons’ work centers on MTSS, the science of reading, improvement science, and evidence-based instruction. She is the author or co-author of four books, including Effective Universal Instruction: An Action-Oriented Approach to Improving Tier 1. A nationally recognized consultant, she has worked with educators in more than 30 states and received multiple awards for her contributions to education leadership and research.
Architect of the Canon of Reading, advancing a unified, evidence-based foundation for instructional clarity and system-wide literacy improvement
Paige Pullen, PhD
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Dr. Paige C. Pullen is a nationally recognized literacy expert and leader in the Science of Reading, with more than two decades of experience in research, teacher preparation, and large-scale implementation. She is Co-Founder and Chief Learning Officer of Mindset CoPilot. A former Chief Academic Officer at the University of Florida Lastinger Center, Dr. Pullen has led statewide initiatives impacting over 40,000 educators. Her work integrates literacy science, learning science, and instructional science through her Three Sciences Framework, guiding evidence-based teaching and coaching. She is Editor-in-Chief of Exceptionality and serves on multiple national boards dedicated to improving outcomes for students with reading difficulties.
Joan Sedita, MEd
National leader in MTSS implementation, building systems that connect research, practice, and policy to drive improvement
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Joan is an experienced educator who has served as a teacher, school administrator, teacher trainer, and literacy consultant since 1975. She has provided literacy professional development to thousands of educators across schools, colleges, clinics, and professional conferences. Joan earned her M.Ed. in Reading Education from Harvard University and her B.A. from Boston College.
She began her career at the Landmark School in Massachusetts, a pioneer in reading and writing intervention, where she held roles including teacher, department chair, and high school principal. She also founded the Landmark College Preparation Program and directed its Outreach Teacher Training Program. During this time, she conducted psycho-educational evaluations and helped advance intervention practices.
From 1998 to 2007, Joan worked nationally as a literacy consultant and trainer. She was a Lead Trainer for Massachusetts’ Reading First Initiative, contributed to the state’s Secondary Reading Initiative, and served as a national LETRS author and trainer. She also helped develop the comprehension and vocabulary routines that became the foundation of Keys to Literacy’s programs.
In 2007, Joan founded Keys to Literacy, where she currently serves as CEO. She continues to develop professional learning, mentor literacy leaders, and consult with state departments and districts nationwide.
Joan is the creator of The Writing Rope framework and lead author of numerous professional learning programs and books, including The Key Comprehension Routine, The Key Vocabulary Routine, and The Writing Rope (2022), along with multiple publications on reading, writing, and adolescent literacy.
Literacy expert advancing evidence-based writing and language instruction, helping educators strengthen the link between reading, writing, and student success
Invited Summit Speakers
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Sarah Brown, PhD
President of System Impact Consulting, advancing data-driven MTSS systems to improve reading outcomes through effective implementation and decision making
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Brian Poncy, PhD
Professor at Oklahoma State University, advancing precision instruction and data-based decision making to improve student outcomes in mathematics
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Terrie Noland, CALT
Literacy leader who challenges the status quo and pushes educators to rethink what it truly takes to change reading outcomes
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Erika L. McDowell, EdD
Master Teacher, Founder, and Cultural Midwife, advancing equity-centered MTSS and PBIS practices to transform discipline, culture, and student outcomes
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Jason Harlacher, PhD
Director of an MTSS Center, advancing implementation science and system design to strengthen MTSS effectiveness and improve student outcomes
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Kathleen Jackson, PhD
Specialist at the National Implementation Research Network (NIRN), advancing implementation science to support effective and system-level improvement
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Marisa Ramirez Stukey, PhD
Chief Academic Officer at The Reading League, advancing Science of Reading–aligned systems to build educator capacity and improve literacy outcomes nationwide
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Fredi Merhatsidk Mekonnen
Director of Programs at Partners in Education Ethiopia, advancing equitable access to quality education through system-level implementation and community-centered practices
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Monika Skura, PhD
Professor at the University of Warsaw (Poland), advancing research and educator development to strengthen inclusive and evidence-based practices
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Sandra Morán Pulles, PhD
Chief Impact Officer at ServeMinnesota, advancing data-driven strategies and cross-sector partnerships to improve educational and community outcomes at scale
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Lori Boll
Executive Director of SENIA International, advancing inclusive education across international school systems through advocacy and global collaboration
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Kellian Hughes, EdD
Regional Coordinator and MTSS Project Lead (Texas), supporting regional implementation of MTSS to strengthen data-driven systems
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Nicole M. McKevett, PhD, NCSP
MTSS Implementation Specialist at CAREI, supporting schools and systems in aligning data, instruction, and practice
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Jessica Lament
Inclusion consultant in Paris, France, supporting schools in implementing inclusive practices and strengthening systems
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Sarah Wilkinson, PhD
Faculty at the University of Southern Maine and MTSS leader, advancing integrated behavior and academic systems
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Victoria (Tori) Rollins Ballew
Program Manager at WestEd, advancing evidence-based practices and system-level implementation
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Daniel G. Russell, Jr.
Co-Director of Advocates for Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness for Underserved Students, advancing equity-centered MTSS
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Lori Lynass, PhD
Founder of Advanced Behavior and Inclusion Supports, advancing inclusive practices to strengthen equitable systems
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Sarah Arden, PhD
American Institutes for Research (AIR), advancing research and large-scale evaluation to strengthen MTSS implementation
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Jennifer Pierce, PhD
American Institutes for Research (AIR), advancing research and technical assistance to support effective MTSS implementation
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Kira Mauseth, PhD
Advancing educator and student mental health through evidence-based practices, crisis response, and system-level support
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Danielle 'Nell' Thompson, PhD CCC-SLP CHPC
President and Founder of The Transformative Reading Teacher Group and Big Sky Literacy Summit
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Amanda Nickerson, EdD
Ohio K–12 Literacy Technical Assistance Specialist, supporting statewide implementation of evidence-based literacy practices
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Saashya Rodrigo, PhD
Associate Director of Research, National Center for Learning Disabilities advancing policy to improve outcomes for students with learning disabilities
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Meaghan Devlin, PhD, BCBA-D
Lecturer at Monash University, advancing early childhood MTSS through research on universal practices that support inclusive, effective learning environments
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Darci Burns, PhD
Executive Director of Hill for Literacy, advancing evidence-based literacy systems through professional learning, coaching, and large-scale implementation
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Tessie Bailey, PhD
Director of the PROGRESS Center at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), advancing data-based individualization and intensive intervention
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Donna Sacco, PhD
Technical Assistance Specialist at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), supporting implementation of MTSS and data-driven practices
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Alisa Konishi-Therkildsen, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Advancing language and literacy development through her work as SLP Program Director and Assistant Professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage
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Allison Caldwell, MEd, C-SLDS
Advancing evidence-based literacy practices as Coaching Success Lead at the Institute of Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE)
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Allison Gruner Gandhi, PhD
Advancing research and system-level improvement as Vice President at the American Institutes for Research (AIR)
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Amber Schmidt, NCSP
Supporting inclusive practices as a School Consultant with Pathways to Inclusive Education
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Brad Mendenhall
Leading literacy improvement as Superintendent of Evergreen Union School District, a rural district in Northern California
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Carrie Townley-Flores, PhD
Director of Research & Partnerships for ROAR at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education
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Amy Peterson
Advancing intensive intervention as Deputy Director and Universal Technical Assistance Coordinator at the National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII)
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AmyK Conley, EdD
Advancing educator preparation and inclusive practices as LSEE Program Leader and Lecturer at Cal Poly Humboldt
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Ashley Lee
Supporting implementation of evidence-based literacy practices with the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI)
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Brita Bookser, PhD
Assistant Professor of Child Studies at Santa Clara University, advancing antiracist, community-engaged early childhood research
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Cheryl Fogg, EdD
Principal in Wyoming, advancing MTSS systems that align academics, behavior, and mental health to support the whole child
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David Fainstein, PhD, NCSP
Assistant Professor at Seattle University, advancing evidence-based MTSS and school psychology practices
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Diana Malkin, MEd, CAGS
Advancing literacy and MTSS implementation through systems design, professional learning, and sustained school improvement
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Cynthia Pirani-McGurl, PhD
Supporting districts in building effective screening, intervention, and decision-making systems across K–12
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Erica Ritter, PhD
Executive Director of the Texas A&M Children’s Centers, advancing early childhood education and educator development
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Joyce A. Debrah, PhD
Founder of E3 Consulting Solutions, advancing MTSS and adult SEL by helping leaders build coherent, sustainable systems
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Ginny Simank
Consultancy Success Lead at IMSE, supporting districts in building sustainable systems aligned with the science of reading
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Heather Silvia
Accomplished principal from New York, advancing MTSS and literacy improvement through collaborative leadership and data-driven school-wide systems
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Kari Heide, MSEd
State Math Specialist for Kansas MTSS & Alignment, advancing evidence-based math systems through statewide coaching
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Kim Bane
International education consultant and founder of Pathways to Inclusive Education
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Krista McGowan
Middle school teacher in Washington’s Meridian District, advancing adolescent literacy through evidence-based instruction
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Samantha Mullins, EdD
Founder of MTSS By Design, advancing data-driven MTSS systems through leadership support and implementation
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William Rasplica, MSEd
Educational administrator and advisor to major research centers, helping bridge research and practice at the systems level.
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Courtney E. Wheeler, PhD
Assistant Director of MTSS at the University of Minnesota’s CAREI, advancing MTSS through research, assessment development, and data-based decision making to improve equitable student outcomes.
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Jordan Marion
Instructional coach and professional learning specialist, advancing evidence-based literacy and MTSS practices through coaching, leadership, and cross-teaching experience.
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Jodie Soracco, PhD
Director of the Virginia Tiered System of Supports (VTSS), leading statewide MTSS implementation through capacity building, research, and integrated academic, behavioral, and mental health systems.
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Lisa Baltierra
District Instructional Literacy Coach and IMSE Master Instructor, advancing structured literacy and MTSS through coaching, professional learning, and data-driven instructional practices.
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Megan Gruis
Nationally recognized MTSS leader advancing integrated, sustainable systems that support whole-child outcomes through implementation, coaching, and systems alignment.
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Jen Adams, Ed.S.
Advancing data-based decision making and evidence-based literacy, math, and systems implementation across school, district, and state levels.
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Krish Mohip
Nationally recognized superintendent advancing instructional coherence, MTSS, and equitable student outcomes through transformative systems leadership.
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Andrea Heck
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Eileen Colling
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Carrie Reece
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