Speaker Biographies
Our Speakers
Dr. Molly Ness
Literacy Advocate • Podcaster • Former University Professor • Author • Reading Clinician • Reading Researcher
Dr. Molly Ness is a former classroom teacher, a reading researcher, and a teacher educator. She earned a doctorate in reading education at the University of Virginia, and spent 16 years as an associate professor at Fordham University in New York City. The author of six books, Molly served on the Board of Directors for the International Literacy Association and is a New York state chapter founder of the Reading League. Dr. Ness has extensive experience in reading clinics, consulting with school districts, leading professional development, and advising school systems on research-based reading instruction. She provided literacy leadership for nationally recognized literacy non-profits, as well as major educational publishers. She is the founder of Dirigo Literacy, a literacy consulting firm.
When she is not reading and writing about reading and writing, Dr. Ness is driving her ice-hockey obsessed teenage daughter to the rink, learning how to fly fish, or hiking with her poorly behaved goldendoodle.
Check out her newest work, Making Words Stick, available wherever books are sold. A copy of this latest release will be given away at the conference!
Dr. Pam Kastner
Literacy consultant • University professor • President of the pa Reading league
Pam Kastner, Ed.D., is an educational consultant and the former state lead for literacy in Pennsylvania at the Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network (PaTTAN) Harrisburg. Currently, Dr. Kastner is honored to serve as a contributing faculty member at Mount Saint Joseph University in the Reading Science Program where she teaches in the Masters’ and Doctoral Program and was honored as the Adjunct Professor of the Year in 2023.
Dr. Kastner has presented widely across the United States and Internationally. She partners with State Departments of Education and school districts throughout the nation to provide on-site technical assistance, consultation and coaching.
Dr. Kastner serves on the Pennsylvania Literacy Coalition and has the honor of serving as the President of The Reading League Pennsylvania, The Reading League Journal’s Practitioner Editorial Board, and is a member of The Science of Reading: A Defining Movement coalition.
Heather brown
Children's dyslexia center of Lancaster Director • Multisensory tutor
Mark Weakland
Literacy consultant • Learning Support Teacher • Author
Mark Weakland is an author, teacher, national presenter and speaker, and literacy coach and consultant. Keeping his feet firmly in the classroom by regularly teaching in schools, Mark works with teachers, administrators, and parents to make literacy programs and instruction more engaging and successful. He also loves to explore and make connections between the arts, nature, science, and education.
Check out his newest work, On My Bike, available wherever books are sold.
Jacquelyn Taylor
Learning disability advocate • Influencer • "minds like mine" creator
Jacquelyn Taylor is 18 years old and has been formally diagnosed with dyslexia and dyscalculia. She is the creator of the “MindsLikeMine” website, a place to bring awareness and information to anyone struggling with a learning diability. As a young child, she wanted to have people in her life who had "minds like mine" so that she could relate to them. However, many people don’t discuss their learning disabilities openly, and Jacqueline hopes that her website and videos are relatable and can make people feel seen, heard, and included.
Dr. Eric C. Macdonald
Head of middle school, the benchmark school • teacher • classroom technology advocate
Experienced School Teacher with a demonstrated history of working in the education management industry. Skilled in Classroom Management, Lesson Planning, Educational Technology, Instructional Design, and Curriculum Development. Strong education professional with a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) focused in Reading/Language Arts from Widener University.
Dr. Stacey Irwin
communications professsor • author • researcher • Filmmaker
Michelle Trostle
MTSS and literacy consultant • reading specialist • teacher • the reading league board member
Heather Strunk
Head of the janus school • literacy advocate
Erin Eighmy
Educational consultant in Literacy, training and Consultation (TaC) • letrs facilitator • reading mentor • the reading league
