Tell us about yourself!
I am the owner and Director of the Hampton Roads Dyslexia Center (HRDC) in Newport News, VA. I opened the center in 2020 after nearly 20 years of teaching and tutoring as a Special Education teacher in York County, VA. HRDC provides testing and evidenced based interventions for students with dyslexia and dysgraphia. I also serve as a consultant with the Virginia Center for Autism and Related Developmental Disabilities (VCARDD), testing for dyslexia, dysgraphia, and autism spectrum disorders. Additionally, we offer assistance with special education advocacy and professional development.
For my formal education, I graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Education degree in Special Education Curriculum and Instruction from the College of William and Mary. I am a Wilson Language Dyslexia Therapist and a certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist with the Center for Effective Reading Interventions (CERI) a subsidiary of the International Dyslexia Association (IDA).
In addition to testing and teaching, my staff and I contribute to the community and fellow educators through speaking engagements on the science of reading at the local, state, and national level, most recently at the Virginia State Literacy Association (VSLA) Conference and as a featured speaker at the Tutoring Success Academy Summit. I also serve as a guest lecturer at Christopher Newport University and for The College of William and Mary’s Law School students with the PELE Advocacy Clinic.
Why did you become a member of LDA?
I joined LDA because I believe in maintaining professional memberships to keep up with the most current research and best practices for ourselves as educators and our students. Membership is also a great way to network and get to know our colleagues and their work. I appreciate the webinars and discounts to great conferences. In addition to my membership with LDA, I am also a member of the IDA, CERI, and the Council for Exceptional Children.
What’s a fun fact about you?
While I absolutely love my work, my greatest joy is my family. I’ve been happily married to my high school sweetheart for the past 34 years and we’ve raised three beautiful children who give us immeasurable pride and happiness. Fun Fact: prior to teaching, I used to do singing telegrams!
