We are so pleased to announce that Dr. Kay Wijekumar is our keynote speaker!

Dr. Kausalai (Kay) Wijekumar

Dr. Kausalai (Kay) Wijekumar is the Leader of http://Literacy.IO/, a site dedicated to achieving reading and writing success for 100% of students and adults. Her research and development have led to transformational success in reading comprehension in English and Spanish for monolingual, bilingual, special education, dyslexic, and children adversely affected by socioeconomic conditions. Her work has also transformed adult learners.

She is an esteemed researcher and scholar who holds the Houston Endowment Chair, Chancellor’s EDGES Fellow, and Director for the Center for Urban School Partnerships at Texas A&M University. She is a passionate advocate for all children, dedicating her research, development, and dissemination efforts to eradicating illiteracy. She has developed web-based intelligent tutoring systems for reading and writing in English and Spanish. Her ITSS web-based intelligent tutoring system is featured on the What Works Clearinghouse as an evidence-based system. She has further developed and integrated teacher professional development systems using the web-based tools. To support the development, deployment, and research of these evidence-based practices in schools, she has secured over 80 million dollars in competitive grant funding from national agencies. Her work has been featured in the What Works Clearinghouse, Johns Hopkins University, and US News and World Report. She has mentored and supported over 30 advanced degree candidates for literacy through her grants. She has served two terms as an elected member of the Quaker Valley Board of School Directors in Pennsylvania to serve her community and ensure high-quality education for all children. Her recent work brings evidence-based reading instruction to families with the ACE podcasts. These podcasts are now available in English and Spanish on all platforms. She is a musician, avid gardener, world traveler, and loves animals.

2026 Reading in the City Session Speakers

Sara Carney, Senior Literacy Consultant at the CDE	Sara Carney is a Senior Literacy Consultant at the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), working within the Elementary Literacy and School Readiness Office (ELSR). Before joining the department, she served as an elementary literacy curriculum facilitator in the Poudre School District, where she supported curriculum implementation, instructional design, and professional development for educators across grade levels. With a career spanning two decades, Sara has worked as a classroom teacher, reading interventionist, and English Language Development teacher/coordinator in public, charter, laboratory, and online school settings. She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education with an endorsement in gifted education and an M.A. in Linguistically Diverse Education. Sara’s diverse teaching background fuels her commitment to supporting educators in implementing evidence-based practices that elevate student learning and create inclusive, equitable classrooms where all learners thrive.
Josiah Colombo-Espinoza, Senior Literacy Consultant at the CDE	Josiah Colombo-Espinoza serves as a Senior Literacy Consultant for the Colorado Department of Education. Before relocating to Colorado, he served as a Senior Dyslexia Specialist in the Literacy Center at the Indiana Department of Education. Over the past 17 years, Josiah has worked in the private, public, and charter school settings as a classroom teacher, special educator and administrator. His various experiences have increased his passion for working with students from diverse abilities, academic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. He has served on the executive board of directors for the Indiana and Washington branches of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and the Chicago Area Reading Association (CARA). He is Orton-Gillingham, LETRS, and Wired for Reading, and Keys to Literacy trained and holds a B.S. in Elementary Education with an ESL Endorsement, an M.Ed. in administration, a Learning Behavior Specialist certification, and is working on a doctorate in reading science at Mount St. Joseph University.
Kristin Duncan, Ph.D., C-SLDS	Experienced special education leader and instructional coach with extensive expertise in district-wide program development, literacy intervention, and inclusive practices. Doctoral-level educator specializing in special education, structured literacy, and dyslexia-informed instruction, including designation as an IDA Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist. Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams, support teachers through targeted professional development, and improve student outcomes across K–12 settings. National presenter, graduate-level instructor, and IMSE Level 4 Instructor committed to data-driven decision-making, equitable access to instruction, and strong advocacy for students with diverse learning needs.
Andrew Gitner, M.Ed.	Andrew is a Colorado educator and instructional designer (M.Ed) with over a decade of classroom experience. Formerly an instructional leader in Jeffco, he has shaped district-wide feedback practices and advised state boards on AI policy. A Google Certified Champion, Andrew recently presented to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) on leveraging AI and feedback to support 2e learners. At CoGrader, he ensures AI tools remain grounded in pedagogy to authentically serve teachers and students.
Janine Henley, MS.Ed.	Janine Henley, MS.Ed. is the Lead Literacy Specialist at Heggerty, where she oversees the development of writing content and professional development. Janine is a Certified Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator and Reading Specialist with a degree from the University of Virginia. As a former classroom teacher, reading specialist, and literacy coach, she brings a robust background in K-5 reading science and literacy education. Her focus on foundational skills and effective writing instruction supports educators through targeted, research-based professional development.
Sheri Hight	Sheri Hight is a Literacy Tutor and advocate that guides and supports students in developing literacy skills through all components of the science of reading using structured literacy and the Orton-Gillingham approach to ensure students master literacy skills from foundational to an advanced level of understanding. Ms. Hight provides research-based strategies for all students, including those with learning differences and difficulties, through open communication and collaboration with administrators, teachers and parents to improve learners’ literacy outcomes. Sheri Hight is a founding member of the Decoding Dyslexia Virginia, Hampton Roads chapter. Additionally, she volunteers on the Virginia Beach City Public Schools Special Education Advisory Committee. Ms. Hight has had speaking engagements at local and state reading and education conferences on dyslexia and intervention strategies. Sheri Hight holds a Bachelor of Art in Psychology from Texas Tech University and Master of Science in Reading with a Dyslexia Interventionist certificate from the University of Central Arkansas.
Melody Ilk, M.A.	Melody Ilk, M.A., is a national literacy consultant with extensive experience in schools and districts across the country. She holds degrees and teaching licenses in special and regular education as well as in administration. She has in-depth experience in Title 1 schools as a classroom educator, special educator, interventionist, coach, literacy coordinator, and consultant. Melody has a strong history of involvement in the implementation of scientifically based literacy practices, school improvement systems, and the infrastructures necessary for increased literacy performance. Melody is an approved consultant for the state of Colorado and guides schools through the construction of scientifically based literacy systems and infrastructures through assessment, data analysis, differentiated tiers of instruction, and shared leadership. This work with educators, administrators, and superintendents has led to significant gains in literacy achievement and instructional effectiveness in all tiers of instruction. Melody has been a LETRS facilitator since the release of the first edition and is the lead author and facilitator for LETRS for Administrators. She is also a coauthor and trainer for A Principal’s Primer for Raising Reading Achievement.
Erica Keen, M.Ed.	Erica Keen, M.Ed, has been in the education field since 2010 first as a researcher and then a kindergarten teacher. Over the years, Erica has worked with students from Pre-K through 12th grade in various roles, cultivating a deep passion for literacy and teaching students to read. Currently, Erica is training to become a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) and works as a Dyslexia Specialist in Arkansas, where she evaluates students and provides high-quality, evidence-based interventions. She enjoys working one-on-one with students and parents, celebrating each student’s progress and their discovery of a love for reading they once thought impossible. Erica owns her own business as an Educational Consultant and private contractor. She also teaches adjunct graduate courses at the University of Central Arkansas. Erica lives in Arkansas with her husband and two young sons.
Erin Perez, Ph.D.	Erin Perez: Ph.D. in School Psychology, Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP), Licensed Psychologist in FL, Special Education Instructional Special (SEIS) for DPS, expertise in SLD & ADHD evals, MTSS, and reading interventions
Chelsea Reinhard	Chelsea Reinhard was born and raised in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where an early love for the outdoors grew alongside her passion for education. Over the past decade, Chelsea has dedicated herself to shaping young minds, with hands-on experience teaching kindergarten, 3rd grade, and 4th grade. She has also served as a high-impact tutoring coach, supporting students’ growth in foundational reading skills. In her newest role as a building-level instructional coach, Chelsea partners with teachers to strengthen instruction, analyze student data, and foster meaningful academic growth across the school community.
Laura Spruce	Laura Spruce is a district literacy leader and former classroom teacher with over 15 years of experience advancing structured literacy and evidence-based reading systems. She currently serves as Coordinator of Literacy Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in a diverse Colorado district, where she leads large-scale literacy systems transformation grounded in implementation science. Laura has overseen more than $4 million in state and federal literacy grants and created a district-based Certified Academic Language Therapist program to expand dyslexia support. She partners with educators and leaders to build sustainable systems that improve outcomes for all learners.
Amy Thompson, PhD, CALT, C-SLDS	Amy Thompson is an Associate Professor and Director of the Graduate Literacy and Dyslexia program at the University of Central Arkansas and a private dyslexia therapist. She holds certifications in Arkansas in Elementary Education, Reading Specialist, and Dyslexia. She earned her PhD in Leadership with a concentration in Literacy and Dyslexia from the University of Central Arkansas in 2017. Previously, she earned an MSE in Reading from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2001 and a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Central Arkansas in 1999. Amy is a passionate advocate for students with reading difficulties, particularly dyslexia, and has based her career on the belief that all students can learn, regardless of their circumstances, if we meet them where they are. Amy has been a teacher educator since 2013, teaching courses in assessment, intervention, multisensory approaches to learning, and the foundations of literacy. She has published one book and numerous articles and has presented at regional, national, and international conferences. Before beginning her current journey as a teacher educator, Amy worked as an elementary teacher in the Little Rock School District.
Megan Turner, M.Ed	Megan Turner, M.Ed is a certified Reading Specialist and Social Science teacher who is passionate about ensuring that all students,no matter their background or learning difference, have access to evidence-based instruction. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a focus on Secondary Education and an M.Ed. in Reading. As a teacher, curriculum developer and education consultant, she has dedicated her career to championing culturally responsive, accessible, and instructive learning experiences that empower young people of all ages and backgrounds. Megan lives in Central Ohio and is the proud mom of 3 wonderful neurodiverse kids.
Angela Williams, MAT, CALT, QI in Training	Angela Williams is the owner and founder of Away with Words Dyslexia and Learning Center in Castle Rock, Colorado. She is a Certified Academic Language Therapist and is currently training to become a Qualified Instructor. Angela brings more than twenty years of teaching experience and ten years of providing dyslexia therapy to students ranging from PreK through young adulthood. She also serves on the board of the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA) Charitable Foundation. Angela earned her bachelor’s degree from Concordia University in Canada and a Postgraduate Certificate in Elementary Education from the University of Plymouth in England. She completed her Master of Arts in Teaching as a Dyslexia Specialist at Colorado College. Angela is committed to providing individualized, multisensory instruction for all children, including those with dyslexia. Her work focuses on empowering students, supporting families, and equipping educators with practical tools that help all learners thrive.