Principals of Literacy Institute

Stephanie Harvey is passionate about literacy and has spent the past forty-five years teaching and learning about reading and writing. After 15 years of public school teaching, both in regular education and special education classrooms, Steph worked for 12 years as a staff developer for the Denver based Public Education and Business Coalition (PEBC), a partnership of leaders from education and business who support innovation in public schools. Steph currently serves as a private literacy consultant to schools and school districts. With a focus on K-12 literacy, her specialties include comprehension instruction, inquiry-based learning, content area reading and writing, nonfiction literacy, and the role of passion, wonder and engagement in teaching and learning. Steph has written or co-written many articles, books and resources including From Striving to Thriving, Nonfiction Matters, Strategies That Work, The Comprehension Toolkit series, Comprehension and Collaboration, and her newest books Content Literacy: Lessons and Texts for both Primary and Intermediate Grades. She continues to be a teacher first and foremost. Her insatiable curiosity about kids thinking leads her to work in schools on a regular basis and to spend as much time as possible in the company of children.

Dr. Karen L. Mapp, Ed.D., is a senior lecturer on education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) and the faculty director of the Education Policy and Management Master’s Program. Over the past twenty years, Mapp’s research and practice has been on the cultivation of partnerships among families, community members and educators that support student achievement and school improvement. She is coauthor of several books including the seminal Beyond the Bake Sale and Powerful Partnerships.

Dr. Jacqueline Sanderlin has devoted over 20 years to education as a special education teacher, curriculum specialist, assistant principal, principal, and district office administrator. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications and Public Relations and a Master of Arts Degree in Special Education from Cal State University Dominguez Hills College. She earned her Doctorate in Education, Leadership, Administration and Policy from Pepperdine University and served as an adjunct professor at Argosy University, Grand Canyon University, and currently at Pepperdine University.

Dr. Mike Schmoker is a former administrator, English teacher and football coach. He has written several bestselling books and dozens of articles for educational journals, newspapers and for TIME magazine. His most recent book is the second edition of FOCUS: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning.

Dr. Schmoker is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award by the National Association of Secondary School Principals for his publications and presentations. In a recent Education Week survey of national school leaders, he was ranked among the best sources of “practical, nuts and bolts, advice, wisdom and insight” on effective school improvement.

Dr. Todd Whitaker has been fortunate to be able to blend his passion with his career. Recognized as a leading presenter in the field of education, his message about the importance of teaching has resonated with hundreds of thousands of educators around the world. Todd is a professor of educational leadership at the University of Missouri and professor emeritus at Indiana State University. He has spent his life pursuing his love of education by researching and studying effective teachers and principals. One of the nation’s leading authorities on staff motivation, teacher leadership, and principal effectiveness, Todd has written over 40 books including the national best seller, What Great Teachers Do Differently. Other titles include: Dealing With Difficult Teachers, Ten-Minute Inservice, Your First Year, What Great Principals Do Differently, Motivating & Inspiring Teachers, and Dealing With Difficult Parents.

Annie Ward has served as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction for the Mamaroneck Public Schools in Westchester County, New York since 2004. Prior to that, she was a Local Instructional Superintendent for the New York City Department of Education and the Supervisor of Curriculum and Instruction for the Ridgewood, NJ Public Schools. A long-time middle school English teacher, Annie is passionate about literacy and works to ensure that all children have abundant daily access to irresistible and compelling books. Annie’s office library includes lots of nonfiction books about dogs and unusual animal friendships which captivate striving readers.

Susan Szachowicz is the former principal of Brockton High School in Brockton Massachusetts and now serves as a Senior Fellow with the International Center for Leadership in Education. She is dedicated to ensuring all students achieve college and career readiness and firmly believes the ideology: “High expectations, high standards—no excuses.” She served students at Brockton High School, a large (4,300 student) comprehensive urban high school for her entire career and describes herself as Brockton High’s greatest cheerleader. Dr. Szachowicz continues to be committed to improving educational opportunities for all students and works with schools and districts across the country.