Amy Burke is an associate professor in the Department of Literacy and Learning at Texas Woman's  University. She holds a PhD from The University of Texas at Austin in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Language and Literacy Studies and is a teacher consultant with the National Writing Project (Heart of Texas Writing Project). Dr. Burke regularly presents her scholarly work at conferences including the Literacy Research Association (LRA), AERA, and NCTE. Her work has been published in journals such as Language Arts and Literacy Research and Instruction. 

Connie Briggs is professor and chair of the Department of Reading at Texas Woman’s University. She has 13 years of public school experience and has worked as a reading consultant and professor of reading in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. She has post-doctoral training in early literacy intervention and continues to teach at-risk children to keep current and inform her teaching of undergraduate and graduate students. Dr. Briggs is past president of the Kansas Reading Association, Reading Recovery Council of North America, North American Trainers’ Group, and currently serves as the United States representative to the International Reading Recovery Trainers Organization Executive Board of Directors and president of the Association of Literacy Educators and Researchers organization. She holds a PhD in Reading Education from the University of North Texas.

Elizabeth L. (Betsy) Kaye is an associate professor in the Department of Literacy and Learning at Texas Woman’s University. She has 18 years of public school experience, serving as a special education teacher, classroom teacher, reading interventionist and district literacy staff developer. She holds a PhD in Reading Education and is actively involved as a Reading Recovery trainer in addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate students.  Dr. Kaye regularly collaborates with teachers and district leaders to support literacy learners in elementary schools.

 Mary Amanda (Mandy) Stewart is an associate professor in the Department of Literacy and Learning at Texas Woman’s University. Through the National Writing Project and the federally-funded ELLevate! grant, she  regularly learns with/from multilingual high school students while supporting their teachers.  She has authored two books about teaching adolescents acquiring English and leveraging their strengths.