Reading in the City – Our Speakers

Her most recent book on dyslexia is Essentials of Dyslexia: Assessment and Intervention, 2nd ed. (Mather & Wendling, 2024). She is a co-author of several widely used tests, including the Woodcock-Johnson IV and the Test of Orthographic Competence  (2nd ed.). In addition, Dr. Mather and her co-authors have recently completed the Tests of Dyslexia (Mather, McCallum, Bell, & Wendling, 2024), a comprehensive assessment that is designed to help identify dyslexia in individuals of all ages. Dr. Mather recently received the 2023 Samuel Torrey Orton Award from the International Dyslexia Association for her contributions to the field of dyslexia.

Click Here to listen to this interview: The Latest Advances in Dyslexia Assessment and Intervention: Interview with Nancy Mather, PhD.

Dr. Tridas served as President of IDA from 2014 through 2016. He is coauthor of the Learning Disability Chapter of the fifth edition of the Textbook of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics and the book Assessing Dyslexia: A Teacher’s Guide to Understanding and Evaluating Their Pupils’ Needs. He also edited and co-authored From ABC to ADHD: What Every Parent Should Know About Dyslexia and Attention Problems.

Learn a little bit of Dr. Tridas through this Plain Talk interview!

Hector Simoudis is a visionary entrepreneur and the Co-Founder of eLearning Partners, a renowned training video production company. A proud Greek, born and raised in Saudi Arabia, Hector’s journey to the United States at the age of 15 was driven by his pursuit of specialized education to overcome severe dyslexia, leading him to Landmark High School in Massachusetts as a sophomore. Facing several academic challenges, Hector struggled with reading at a 3rd-grade level, was a C student, and did not like learning. However, within one year at Landmark, he transformed. Through the school’s specialized methods and supportive environment, Hector soared to a 10th-grade reading level, achieved straight-A grades, and fell in love with learning that would shape his future endeavors.

Driven by his newfound passion for education and determination to overcome obstacles, his journey at Landmark not only reshaped his academic career, but also instilled in him a deep appreciation for the power of personalized learning and innovative teaching methods. Most importantly, he discovered that dyslexia is his greatest strength, not his greatest weakness. Empowered by his experiences, Hector went on to excel academically, earning his bachelor’s degrees in International Business & Marketing with honors, graduating Summa Cum Laude from the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver.

Alongside his Co-Founder Jonny, Hector has created a worldwide reputation as eLearning experts. Their commitment to accessibility and engagement is evident through their blog attracting over 30,000+ monthly views, their YouTube channel, @e-learningpartners, with a subscriber base of 2,700+, and their clients, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), CoStar, DISH Network, WeWork, and Merritt Aluminum Products to name a few.

Hector’s dedication to empowering individuals through education, combined with his entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to excellence, continues to fuel the accomplishment of his personal life-long mission, ‘to create a world where people discover their greatest strengths lie within their perceived weaknesses.’