About Us

Melissa is a non-profit consultant specializing in organizational development. She is also a fiber artist focused on starting Spindle and Spade, – a business that will combine her love of fiber artistry and urban farming in Indianapolis, IN. As a mom of four, and with children that have both dyslexia and dysgraphia, Melissa realized early on that there needs to be significant advocacy for students with learning differences. As an advocate within the public school system, she continues to fight for access to services and support for all students, especially for early identification and intervention, an increase of proven and effective science-based literacy strategies and making the current IEP process less traumatic and more accessible to families.

Andrea is a nationally certified school psychologist. She received her BA from Huntington University and her Master’s degree from Northern Illinois University. She lives in Indianapolis with her husband, Adam, and their three children. Andrea previously served as a school psychologist for the MSD Decatur Township, where she assisted in district-wide planning to roll out the requirements of the 2019 Indiana dyslexia legislation and provided training on dyslexia and the science of reading. Andrea was the founding President of the Indiana chapter of The Reading League; initiating the chapter in 2021. Currently, Andrea serves as the National Chapter Coordinator for The Reading League.

Stefany Bragg is a professional development specialist for The Reading League and currently a reading specialist at St. Mary of the Knobs Catholic School in Floyd Knobs. She has been teaching for over 14 years with her bachelor degree in elementary education. Stefany is currently enrolled in Mount Saint Joseph’s Science of Reading master’s program and will complete the Dyslexia certificate as well.

Stefany is very passionate about bringing the knowledge of research based reading instruction to educators across the country but even more so in Indiana. Her first person experience of aligning instruction and seeing the results of this instruction is her reason behind her passion. Stefany is committed to the mission of bringing awareness, understanding, and use of scientific based instruction to all stakeholders.

Jamey Peavler is a full-time instructor in the Reading Science Graduate program at Mount St. Joseph’s University, where she is also a student in the first doctoral Reading Science program cohort. Jamey is also a National LETRS Trainer and textbook reviewer for post-secondary programs for the National Council for Teacher Quality.

Prior to joining the MSJ team, Jamey served as the Director of Training at the M.A. Rooney Foundation (MARF) in Indianapolis, Indiana. While at MARF she trained teachers in using the
Orton-Gillingham approach in a classroom setting.

Jamey also has more than twenty years of experience as an elementary teacher and literacy coach for Indianapolis Public Schools. While working within Indianapolis Public Schools, she developed a pilot program utilizing Orton-Gillingham as a Tier 1 whole-class preventative approach in K-2 classrooms. The result of the pilot was a drastic reduction in students needing Tier 2 and 3 interventions, reduction in reported behavior incidents, and an increase in the number of students reaching end-of-year universal screening benchmarks.

Jamey’s certifications include: Fellow-in-Training with the Orton-Gillingham Academy, Structured Language Dyslexia Specialist with the Center for Effective Reading Instruction, Master’s Degree in Reading Science at Mount St. Joseph University, and Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education. Jamey has also served as a board member on the International Dyslexia Association Indiana Branch since 2008.

Jennifer is a nationally certified school psychologist with an independent practice endorsement. Jennifer lives in Fort Wayne, with her husband and three children. Jennifer graduated from the University of Dayton with MSE and EdS degrees. She completed a Dyslexia Certificate Program Level 1 in 2019. Specialized training in dyslexia and Orton-Gillingham have prepared her to serve as the Dyslexia Coordinator for her school district, Northwest Allen County Schools. Jennifer has served as a Region Co-Leader for IDOE Dyslexia Community of Practice for Region 8 as well. Jennifer’s interest in dyslexia, providing evidence-aligned reading instruction and interventions for at-risk readers developed from her own experiences as a parent and school psychologist.

Christa is a member of The National Reading League and is on the board of directors for The Reading League – Indiana. She has been in education for over 13 years and has taught 1st thru 4th grade. Christa did her undergraduate work at Ball State University and completed her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Coppin State College. Currently, Christa devotes her time as a reading specialist in Title 1 and instructing multi-language learners. She is an avid supporter of The Reading League and considers herself “A Little Leaguer” among a group of consummate professionals. Christa is passionate about public education and works diligently towards promoting systematic changes.

Eddie began his teaching career in Southern California, teaching 4th and 5th Grade music. He moved to Indianapolis in 2012 where he taught instrumental music, 1st Grade, and 5th Grade for Indianapolis Public Schools. In 2015, Eddie became the founding assistant principal of Tindley Genesis Academy, a K-5 public charter school. Eddie then served as the principal of Tindley
Renaissance, before transitioning back to Tindley Genesis as principal. While at Tindley Genesis, 100% of 3rd graders passed the Indiana state promotional reading exam and ranked as the second-highest performing public school in the greater-Indianapolis area. Student achievement results also grew 19 points in math and 14 points in English/Language Arts proficiency.

In July of 2019, Eddie was accepted as an Innovation School Fellow at Indianapolis’s education non-profit, The Mind Trust, where he co-founded Adelante Schools as the founding Executive Director. Adelante Schools is an Indianapolis-based non-profit school management organization that operates Emma Donnan Elementary and Middle School on the southside of Indianapolis.

Joe Risch is currently in his 15th year of education. For 9 years he has served as a special education teacher in the K-6 setting. He then worked with special education programs throughout the state as an instruction coach at Indiana University School of Medicine. In the late Spring of 2018 Joe started his role at the Indiana Department of Education serving as the state’s first reading specialist trained in dyslexia and shepherded the implementation of Senate Enrolled Act 217, or “the dyslexia law”. Currently Joe serves as an assistant principal at a central Indiana elementary school.

Joe received his bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education from Butler University, he later earned his master’s degree in autism and applied behavior analysis and licensure in school administration through Ball State University. In the summer of 2010 Joe received Orton-Gillingham training to find the best way to help his students learn to read. At that time, he found his passion for teaching struggling readers. Joe has spent the past 11 years teaching students how to learn to read and helping educators deliver evidence-based reading instruction. Joe is excited for the opportunities to continue to move reading instruction forward for all Indiana students.

Kelly Williams is an Assistant Professor of Special Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Indiana University. Her research focuses on improving academic and post-secondary outcomes for students at-risk for and identified with high incidence disabilities. She is particularly interested in reading interventions for adolescents with reading difficulties and disabilities, including students who are English Learners, and preventing dropout with at-risk populations.

Previously, Kelly was a high school special education teacher and reading specialist in resource and inclusion settings for students with high-incidence disabilities. She also has extensive experience tutoring elementary and middle school students with reading disabilities and ADHD. Dr. Williams co-authored the IDOE’s Dyslexia Toolkit and has participated in conversations on literacy at the state level.

Danielle is a nationally board certified adult nurse practitioner with a practice focus in geriatrics for over 12 years. She received her bachelor of science in nursing degree in 2005 and her master of science in nursing degree in 2010, both from Purdue University. Danielle lives in Noblesville with her husband and two daughters. She became deeply invested in evidence aligned literacy instruction when her oldest daughter started struggling to learn to read in first grade. As a parent of two children with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia, she understands how complex it can be to navigate the educational system. In order to better advocate for her own children and all children, Danielle completed her Certified Dyslexia Practitioner Level 1 training through IMSLEC in 2022. She currently tutors children at the Children’s Dyslexia Center of Indianapolis. Danielle is passionate about literacy for all and ensuring Indiana educators are equipped with proven tools for literacy success.

As a member of The Reading League Indiana, I have enjoyed growing as a professional and connecting with like-minded educators through the book studies, coffee chats, webinars and the in-person event that I attended this fall. I have been able to implement teaching practices that I’ve learned with my students right away and share them with my colleagues. It can be challenging to navigate through a Science of Reading journey in addition to the demands of being a public school educator, but it’s important and the outcomes are worth it. I have seen the benefits with my own students and in my school. I want to be on The Reading League board to be part of empowering educators with the knowledge and tools to effectively teach all of their students how to read.

Catherine McBride is a Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at Purdue University. She has worked on research on literacy learning and impairment (e.g., dyslexia) in children for about 30 years. Catherine is passionate about the science of reading. She is also fortunate enough to have been educated in the public schools in Lafayette, Indiana. It is important that all children learn to read, and Catherine has knowledge from her own research as well as the work of others that can help in connecting research and practice for literacy learning.

Dr. McBride has written two books: Handbook of literacy in diglossia and in dialectical contexts and Coping with dyslexia, dysgraphia and ADHD: A global perspective.

Natalie Shaw is currently a Kindergarten teacher and School Dyslexia Coordinator in
her 14th year of education in the Indianapolis Public School System. She was lead coach of 1st and 2nd grade classrooms for 7 years before she transitioned to an
Instructional Coach with a primary focus on literacy. Natalie spent two years as a
Lower Elementary Learning Team facilitator through Teach For America and regularly led professional development sessions for early career teachers. In 2014, she was selected as a policy fellow with Teach Plus and later served as a group facilitator. From 2019-2020, she was an adjunct professor teaching the course Best Practices in Literacy at Marian University. Natalie is excited to work alongside other community leaders who are passionate about ensuring equitable access to high-quality literacy instruction for all Indiana students.

Joellan’s path to The Reading League – Indiana came by way of being a parent, as well as a guest teacher and volunteer in her children’s schools. With a family history of reading struggle that was never
properly diagnosed, Joellan is attune to the lifelong implications of low
literacy achievement on a person’s ability to fully participate in society,
their socialization, behavior, employability, self-esteem and overall self-concept.

Joellan has always had a curiosity for how people learn. That curiosity led her to the body of research we now refer to as the science of reading. Joellan has become a passionate advocate for evidence-based
reading and writing instruction within her local district and at the state level, and she hopes to draw on her professional experiences fostering partnerships, organizing programs and events, and using data to drive
decision-making as she promotes the mission of TRL-IN as a member of the board.

Joellan holds a BA in psychology from Wichita State University and a MS in exercise psychology and physiology from Purdue University.

Anne Elsener is the Director of Literacy Programs for the Marian University Center for Vibrant Schools. She oversees professional development programs and mentoring for educators, with a dedicated focus on evidence-aligned reading instruction training. Dr. Elsener has spent the most recent part of her career as the Director of Curriculum & Instruction at
Chicago Jesuit Academy. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education and Special Education at Marian University, a Master of Education degree at the University of Notre Dame with a focus on secondary reading and Language Arts instruction, and a Doctorate degree in literacy, culture, and language education at Indiana University