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Evidence Advisory Panel

Evidence Advisory Panel

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Dr. Susan Brady
University of Rhode Island, Professor Emeritus

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Dr. Matthew K. Burns
University of Florida, Fein Professor of Special Education

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David J. Chard, Ph.D.
Boston University, Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, Professor of Special Education

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Donald D. Deshler, Ph.D.
Williamson Family Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Special Education
University of Kansas

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Hank Fien, Ph.D.
NCIL, Director
Wheelock College of Education and Human Development of Boston University, Professor

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Tiffany P. Hogan, Ph.D.
MGH Institute of Health Professions, Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders; Director, Speech and Language (SAiL) Literacy Lab

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Dr. Leslie Laud
thinkSRSD Director
MGH-IHP WELL Team

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Louisa Moats, Ed.D.
Moats Associates Consultants, Resident
LETRS Professional Development, Author

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Dr. Yaacov Petscher
Florida State University, Associate Dean for Research, Professor

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Lacey Robinson
UnboundEd, President and CEO
Justice Seekers: Pursuing Equity in the Details of Teaching and Learning, Author

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Dr. Louise Spear-Swerling
Southern Connecticut State University, Department of Special Education, Professor Emerita

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Dr. Anna Stokke
University of Winnipeg, Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Professor

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Dr. Sharon Vaughn
The University of Texas at Austin, Manuel J. Justiz Endowed Chair in Education
The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, Executive Director

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Susan Brady received her Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Connecticut in 1975. She presently is a Professor Emerita at the University of Rhode Island where she was a faculty member in the Psychology Department for 35 years. She has had additional positions at the University of Sussex (England), St. Andrews University (Scotland), and Haskins Laboratories (Connecticut). Concentrating on topics in the field of literacy, her research has focused on language factors in reading development and in reading difficulties: in 2009, she was the recipient of the Samuel T. Orton Award, IDA’s Research Award. In addition, Dr. Brady has been committed to translating the implications of the large body of reading research for practice and has conducted multiple grant-funded professional development projects.  She served on the Board of Directors for the International Dyslexia Association for 8 years and is in her 13th year serving on the Board of Directors for Haskins Laboratories.  

Dr. Burns is a prolific researcher (e.g., published over 200 articles and book chapters and 15 books), but is dedicated to positively influencing practice in K–12 schools and mentoring the next generation of thought leaders in education. As one of the leading researchers regarding the use of assessment data to determine individual or small-group interventions, Dr. Burns works closely with schools to study and implement multitiered systems of support, intensive reading and math interventions, school-based teams, and generally supporting students with and without disabilities whose needs are not being met. He is a Past Editor of School Psychology Review and Assessment for Effective Intervention. Dr. Burns was also a first-generation college student who was born in Flint, Michigan and served on the faculty of the University of Missouri for nine years, University of Minnesota for 10 years and Central Michigan University for five years.

David J. Chard, PhD, is dean of Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Chard was previously president of Wheelock College and founding dean of the Simmons School at SMU in Dallas, TX. Prior to becoming an academic leader, Dr. Chard was an active researcher focused on studying instructional practices that are most effective at meeting the needs of students with learning disabilities. He has held faculty positions at Boston University, the University of Texas at Austin and at the University of Oregon. Dr. Chard is a member of the International Academy for Research in Learning Disabilities, and has served in leadership roles at the National Center for Learning Disabilities and the International Dyslexia Association in addition to Deans for Impact. He also served for two terms on the National Board for Education Sciences and chaired the board for five years (nominated by President Barack Obama).

Don Deshler, Ph.D.

Don Deshler, Ph.D. is the Williamson Family Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Special Education and founder and former Director of the Center for Research on Learning at the University of Kansas. Deshler received a presidential appointment to the National Institute for Literacy and has served on the board of directors for the National Center for Learning Disabilities and an advisor on adolescent literary and achievement to the U. S. State Department, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the National Governor’s Association, and the Council on Families and Literacy. He was named as one of the top 50 special education researchers in the 20th century. Currently, he is a Fellow for the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University.

Hank Fien, Ph.D., is the Director of NCIL and is a Professor in the Wheelock College of Education and Human Development at Boston University (BU). He also directs the BU TEACH research center at BU. His research is focused on the areas of early reading and early mathematics interventions for diverse learners in school settings. Dr. Fien’s most recent work is focused on scaling up evidence based practices in schools and to better understand the ecological factors that support or hinder the use of evidence.

Tiffany P. Hogan, PhD, CCC-SLP is a Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston, Director of the Speech and Language (SAiL) Literacy Lab and the Center for Translational Research: Implementation science, and Dissemination for Equity, (cTIDE), and Research Associate at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Hogan has published over 100 papers on the genetic, neurologic, and behavioral links between oral and written language development, with a focus on improving assessment and intervention in schools, especially for neurodiverse children with Developmental Language Disorder, Dyslexia, and/or Speech Sound Disorders. Her advocacy for children with language, speech, and literacy differences has led her to co-found a DLD informational website: www.dldandme.org, host a podcast (www.seehearspeakpodcast.com), organize an annual conference on implementation science, and contribute information for articles in numerous news outlets including the New York Times and the Boston Globe.

Dr. Leslie Laud supports districts and states nationally with strengthening writing instruction. She has taught in both general and special education, and worked as a principal. She holds a doctorate from Columbia University, where she was mentored by Dr. Judith Birsh in explicit reading instruction, Dr. Lyn Corno in self-regulated learning and Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond in school change. She has served as co-PI and lead PI on federally-funded large research studies of writing instruction, publishes empirical studies in peer-reviewed journals and presents frequently at national conferences.

Louisa Moats, Ed.D., has been a teacher, psychologist, researcher, graduate school faculty member, and author of many influential scientific journal articles, books, and policy papers on the topics of reading, spelling, language, and teacher preparation. Dr. Moats is the lead author of LETRS Professional Development and the textbook, Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers. Dr. Moats is also author of LANGUAGE!Live, a blended instructional program for middle and high school students, and co-author of Spellography, a structured language word study program for intermediate poor spellers.

Dr. Moats’ awards include the prestigious Samuel T. and June L. Orton award from the International Dyslexia Association for outstanding contributions to the field; the Eminent Researcher Award from Learning Disabilities Australia; and the Benita Blachman award from the Reading League.

Dr. Yaacov Petscher is Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Social Work at Florida State University, an Associate Director of the Florida Center for Reading Research, and the Deputy Director of the National Center on Improving Literacy. Yaacov’s work is focused on measurement, causal modeling, the study of individual differences in reading using complex methodologies, and the development of screening assessments and computer adaptive tests. His work in collaboration with colleagues has been recognized by 25 research and technology awards from state, national, and international organizations and societies. He has co-authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and technical reports; co-edited The Fluency Construct and Applied Quantitative Analysis in Education and the Social Sciences books; and is the co-creator of The Kayla Chronicles graphic novel.

Lacey Robinson is the president and CEO of UnboundEd, and the chair of the Board of CORE Learning. As CEO, Robinson sets the organization’s vision for transforming instruction for students at the margins. She is a former teacher, principal, and professional development specialist who has focused on literacy, equity, and school leadership for more than 25 years. Her life’s work aims to enable educators to disrupt systemic inequities in their school districts and classrooms.

As CEO of UnboundEd, Robinson is responsible for overseeing UnboundEd’s health, sustainability, and vision for how engaging, affirming and meaningful grade-level teaching can transform teachers’ experiences and student learning. In 2022, she also led the merger of UnboundEd, Pivot Learning, and CORE Learning under the UnboundEd banner — creating the nation’s largest K–12 educator development organization focused on improving teaching and learning for underserved students.

Robinson is a leading national voice on disrupting the predictability of students’ educational outcomes, and was named to 2023’s Forbes 50 Over 50 list in recognition of her innovative leadership. Her new book, Justice Seekers: Pursuing Equity in the Details of Teaching and Learning, released in July 2023, is a love letter to teachers inspiring us all to recognize that “justice is found in the details of teaching and learning®.” She frequently serves as a keynote speaker and is featured on Emily Hanford’s 2022 “Sold a Story” podcast.

She is a proud graduate of Florida A&M University and Teachers College, Columbia University.

Dr. Louise Spear-Swerling is Professor Emerita in the Department of Special Education at Southern Connecticut State University. Her research interests focus on preparing teachers to teach both reading and math effectively to all students. At SCSU, she prepared general and special education teacher candidates to teach using explicit, systematic teaching approaches, in both reading and math, for many years. She also developed and supervised tutoring programs that paired teacher candidates with struggling readers and math students in local schools.

Dr. Spear-Swerling received her Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Yale University. In addition to a long record of peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations, she is the author or editor of several books, including Structured Literacy interventions: Teaching students with reading difficulties, K-6, and The Structured Literacy planner: Designing interventions for common reading difficulties, Grades 1 – 9 (both published by Guilford Press). She was centrally involved in writing Connecticut’s guidelines for implementation of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) as well as its guidelines for identification of learning disabilities. Dr. Spear-Swerling continues to consult often for K-12 schools, mostly on how to improve the achievement of students with persistent academic difficulties, including those with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.

Dr. Anna Stokke is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Winnipeg. She is a mathematician and a math education advocate. She has received several awards for teaching excellence, educational leadership and community service, including a 3M National Teaching Award, which is Canada’s most prestigious award for teaching excellence and educational leadership. She is co-founder and president of Archimedes Math Schools, which delivers after-school math classes for children. She has served in a number of administrative roles, including Department Chair, as a board member of the Canadian Mathematics Society and on the Board of Regents for the University of Winnipeg. She is also a member of the Mathematics & Statistics evaluation group for the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). She hosts the popular education podcast, Chalk & Talk, which focuses on teaching math using evidence-informed practices.

Dr. Sharon Vaughn is the Manuel J. Justiz Endowed Chair in Education and the Executive Director of The Meadows Center for Preventing Educational Risk, an organized research unit that she founded with a “make a wish” gift from the Meadows Foundation family. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the first woman in the history of The University of Texas to receive the Distinguished Faculty and Research Award, the CEC research award, the AERA SIG distinguished researcher award, and the Jeannette E. Fleischner Award for Outstanding Contributions in the Field of LD from CEC. She is the author of more than 40 books and 350 research articles, six of which have met the What Works Clearing House Criteria for their intervention reports. She has conducted technical assistance in literacy to more than 10 countries and 30 State Departments of Education and has worked as a literacy consultant to more than 50 technical assistance projects.