Certified Facilitators

Heather was a classroom teacher, interventionist, and instructional coach for twenty years in elementary education, teaching every grade level K–5. She was introduced to Reading Horizons as an interventionist and had the opportunity to teach it in her class for six years before coming on staff two years ago. She is one of the Lead Facilitators in her current role and is truly passionate about empowering teachers to teach students to read. She is also really enjoying mentoring new facilitators on training and coaching. Heather has coached hundreds of teachers in their classroom on teaching the Reading Horizons method. She believes it is the best thing that happened to her in her career. 

She is married with three daughters and a precious Yorkie-poo named Princess. They enjoy living on the lake and spending lazy family days on the water. 

Karen was in public education for thirty-four years. She has served as a reading specialist for the past 18 years in a Title I school in Alabama, working with students and teachers in grades K–3 and mentoring coaches in her district. Before that position, Karen served as a classroom teacher in grades 2–6. During those years, Karen’s passion for metacognitive literacy learning developed. She loves it when children become aware of their thinking. One of her favorite successes as a reading specialist is helping students and teachers identify their strengths and supporting them as they grow in other areas of teaching and learning. She is trained in the science of reading in both LETRS and Neuhaus-Reading Readiness and Language Enrichment. She was a National Board Certified Teacher for the last twenty years of her career.  

Karen enjoys outdoor activities with her family and friends.

Vicki resides in Pell City, Alabama. She is happily married and is the mother of two beautiful children and two children by marriage; she has also raised her sister’s children for the past five years. She began her educational career in Talladega, Alabama, teaching first grade in 1992. In 2007, she moved to Pell City, Alabama, taught for one year, and then was selected to be the ARI Reading Specialist for her school and later for multiple elementary schools. Vicki retired in 2019 with 27 years of teaching experience. Teaching has always been her first love, so when the opportunity presented itself to work with Reading Horizons, it was like a dream come true. She has specialized in reading instruction, collecting data, coaching teachers, and providing professional development. She is passionate about literacy education and helping students “break the code” to our English language while making it fun and engaging for all learning abilities. Touching the lives of so many children and watching their excitement for learning has always been such an inspiration. 

Vicki loves to read, cook, and enjoy the great outdoors. Now that her children are grown, she loves it when they all get together and remember the great times they had growing up together.

Chrestie began her career in education as a Title 1 paraprofessional in 1989, where she continued working while obtaining her degree in elementary education. While teaching first grade in 2014, she realized that the current materials were not sufficient to meet the needs of her students. Many students were identified as having dyslexia characteristics. Her journey to find a phonics program that would help fill in the gaps led her to Reading Horizons. After implementing the method in her classroom and seeing improvements, she approached her principal with the idea of adopting the program for the school system. Thankfully, her principal and the school system agreed. Chrestie was certified as a Reading Horizons instructor in 2017. She is certified to teach Experience Dyslexia and obtained 35 hours of Orton-Gillingham training. She recently retired after serving 31 years in education as a classroom and Title 1 teacher. Her grandson received a dyslexia diagnosis in 2017. Due to her grandson’s and other students’ struggles, she is passionate about multisensory literacy education that empowers the teacher and student.

She loves to read, spend time with her family on the water or at the pool, and sing.

Luanne Tubbs began her career teaching second grade in Scottsboro, AL. During her four years in this position, she obtained her master’s degree in early childhood education. She spent the next 20 years teaching kindergarten and first grade. She spent her 25th year of teaching as the media specialist. In 2022, Luanne was named Teacher of the Year by her colleagues. While teaching in the Scottsboro City School System, she helped plan and implement a system-wide pacing guide for K–2 teachers, and helped plan and implement Tier 2 instruction to be used in the kindergarten classrooms. Luanne is committed to sharing her passion for literacy and learning. 

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, shopping, and exercising.

Sofia Borron began her career in education nine years ago in Miami-Dade County. She received her Master of Science in Special Education and transitioned to work with students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She then worked as a Reading Clinician and Specialist, working specifically with students with Dyslexia. Sofia is extremely passionate about her students having the knowledge to become strong readers, as she knows it is possible with explicit, systematic instruction! More recently, Sofia has worked as an Implementation Advisor for Reading Horizons, supporting Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Her favorite hobbies include riding her Peleton bike (Camila’s classes), swimming, and trying new restaurants.

As a child, Rhonda knew she would be a teacher. In addition to spending 22 years in middle and high school science classrooms in Indiana and Florida, Rhonda is a published author. She wrote course guides for the Florida DOE for Forensic Sciences I and Forensic Sciences II, eventually writing a textbook (Forensic Science: Advanced Investigations). She served as an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow at the National Science Foundation and became even more passionate about literacy during that year. She attended think tank discussions in the DC area and presented at conferences around the United States and Canada. She was selected to participate in the ECO Classroom in Costa Rica, where her team of four teachers studied frogs with three other teams from across the United States. In 2015, she retired from the classroom to work as a professional learning consultant.

Amy Carroll is a lifetime learner. She shares her love of dance in public art programs using her performing arts degree. Amy was inspired to build her literacy knowledge with the birth of her two children. Since attending Florida Atlantic University, Amy has been an educator for 21 years and is currently a reading coach at the elementary level. Most of all, her passion resides in meeting the needs of dyslexic students. Earning her Orton Gillingham Associate’s certification in 2022 gave her a new focus on helping students achieve their literacy goals. She has loved seeing how Reading Horizons builds confidence in students. In her spare time, you can find Amy tap dancing, playing pickleball with her husband, or taking her Yorkie for walks. A fun fact about Amy is that she loves to travel to New York City to see her daughter as a Radio City Rockette!

As an educator of 13 years, Melinda has found her passion in teaching reading. She was introduced to Reading Horizons at the beginning of her career and has seen countless children learn and love to learn to read. Her career spans teaching 2nd, 1st, 4th, and MTSS K-5 in a Title 1 school where she also has been the Reading Coach for 6+ years. Equipping teachers and students becomes a daily endeavor to ignite in others the love for teaching and for teaching reading.

Her hobbies include singing, knitting, cooking, and football. A wife and mom of 3 boys and 1 grandson, her favorite time is spent around the dinner table with her family making and sharing memories!

Dana Garth is an educator, educational mentor, and professional development facilitator who values rigor and engagement amongst students. With over 10 years of experience in education, Ms. Garth encourages energy and student engagement in the classroom! She is a soon-to-be published contributor for McGraw Hill and ELA enthusiast . She was voted 2013’s and 2020’s”Distinguished Minority Educator of the Year” for her current district, as well as a three-time “Teacher of the Year” nominee. Her passion is not only to educate students to be independent and critical thinkers, but to encourage teachers to utilize best practices!

Being surrounded by children was a lifelong goal for Taryn. Straight out of high school, she started her journey working with children. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in educational leadership. Over ten years, she advanced from a middle school English teacher to the role of an assistant principal. Her years with CSUSA were filled with milestones and memories, which helped her identify the importance of early literacy. 

Now you can find her running two self-starter businesses. As a copywriter and education consultant at Taryn J Writes LLC., she has founded a business that ignites two of her greatest passions: writing and supporting educators. Tails and Toddlers Inc. is her other business venture that she runs alongside her husband and fellow animal enthusiast. They build custom furniture for pets and children.

Francine is a native Floridian, and has served the community in several capacities over the last twenty years: classroom teacher, interventionist, teacher mentor, and instructional coach. She has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and a master’s degree in K-12 educational leadership.. She began her career as a first-grade teacher and currently serves as a district literacy coach for the Transformation Network. She has taught students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade and is deeply invested in developing lifelong learners, both in adults and children. As a teacher leader, she has impacted the professional growth of hundreds in the area of literacy through coaching, mentorship, and collegial partnership. Her passion for equipping learners drives her to continue growing her own craft as an instructional leader and teacher developer. A quirky fun fact about Francine, she has a “healthy” love/hate relationship with the dentist…she hates going, but loves the results after a visit!

Laurie is a professional facilitator and instructional coach for K–12 schools. After graduating from the University of North Florida with a degree in elementary education, she taught first grade for over 12 years. Her passion for building confident readers in a digital world ignited her desire to create lessons that infused reading literacy and technology. As a STEM leader in her school, she inspired students to weave reading and computer literacy skills into their daily lives. Her passion is providing researched-based strategies that allow all students an opportunity to build self-confidence so they may succeed in reading and pursue their dreams. 

Her hobbies include cooking, reading, listening to podcasts, and spending time with her family.

Chloe began her career as an elementary school teacher in Florida, working to instill an excitement for literacy in her students through engaging, interdisciplinary learning experiences. In her more recent role as an education consultant, Chloe has facilitated professional learning and coached teachers in many school districts across the country. Chloe specializes in educational technology and 21st-century skills, which she believes are vital to a student’s future success. Chloe is passionate about literacy education because it is the foundation of all learning and unlocks a student’s ability to recognize their fullest potential. 

In her free time, Chloe enjoys being in nature, exploring new biking or hiking paths, and relaxing on the beach.

Yasmeen Blankenship graduated with a master’s degree in education from the University of La Verne in 2008. She has served as an educator for over 14 years. In that time, she has been fortunate enough to serve as a kindergarten teacher, 2nd grade teacher, K/1 lead teacher, 4/5 interventionist, and a K-6 reading interventionist.  Yasmeen has always had a deep love for learning and reading. She loves having a front row seat for when students transition from being reluctant readers to confident readers. She knows that literacy is a crucial component for a child’s success in their educational journey as well as life. It is for these reasons that she is excited to be a member of the Reading Horizons family.

When Yasmeen is not learning alongside her students she enjoys being a certified yoga instructor and health coach.

Chanirika Davidson comes from a bloodline of educators. She became passionate about education as a young child from seeing her parents, grandparents, and other family members in the field. Chanirika earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Tuskegee University and her Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with a Reading Specialization from NOVA Southeastern University. She taught elementary students in Atlanta Public schools for 11 years. Chanirika’s educational philosophy is that ALL students can be successful with the proper tools and skills. When she is not spending quality time with her family, Chanirika is busy brightening spaces for events and occasions. In 2020, she started her own Event Styling company, Sincerely Sunshine.

Julie comes from a family of educators who sparked her interest in child development from a young age. She is a seasoned teacher leader with a passion for literacy. She spent a decade teaching first, third, and fifth grades, primarily at Title I schools in Maryland and Georgia. Julie earned her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with Reading Specialist Specialization from The University of Maryland.

Julie spent the past few years raising her two young daughters; however, a true educator at heart, she immersed herself in content related to the science of reading, leading her to Reading Horizons. She leveraged her time away from the classroom to complete the Associate Level Coursework in Orton-Gillingham, building her knowledge of Structured Literacy.

Julie enjoys staying active (not just by chasing toddlers) and perpetually searching for great pizza with her husband (to satisfy her NJ roots)!

Sandra’s dream of becoming a teacher began as a first grader when she read a book to her class. She never even considered another job! After being a classroom teacher for 20 years and an ESOL teacher for 10 years, she served as a Title I Parent Facilitator and an RTI Support Specialist. Most recently, she started her own company with a focus on empowering schools to engage families. In this role, Sandra developed and facilitated workshops for teachers and parents. While Zoom meetings have been a necessary format, she is really looking forward to being with people face to face. She believes that literacy skills are the foundation of most learning, and when we teach children to read, we are enabling them to be successful in life. 

Sandra enjoys running, biking, hiking, spending time with family, and playing with her dogs in her free time.

Amanda began her career as a classroom teacher in Minnesota. She spent 13 years teaching students in second, third, and fifth grades. A move to Atlanta, GA pushed her to pursue a new area of interest—supporting teachers. As an Instructional Coach and Curriculum Implementation Specialist with Better Lesson, she has worked with thousands of teachers in Pre-K through eighth as they make student-centered shifts in their classrooms. She is passionate about supporting educators with best practices in literacy instruction, watching their enthusiasm as they try to meet the needs of their students, and celebrating growth when students learn to read.  

When not working, Amanda enjoys traveling and gardening.  

In 1992, Kristi began her career as a Title 1 inclusion teacher at an elementary school in Pampa, TX. That year laid the foundation for a lifelong passion of literacy learning. Since then, Kristi has taught grades K–3, reading recovery, and fourth grade ELAR. In addition, she was trained as a collaborative early literacy coach through Ohio State University and served as a certified literacy coach for over 16 years. Her most recent role has been as a reading academy cohort leader for the state of Texas, specializing in the science of reading. 

Kristi enjoys spending time with her family and traveling. She loves to learn with her peers and enjoys helping teachers grow in their craft.

Erin knew she wanted to teach at a very early age. Her career choice began when she started babysitting at age 9; then began working in a daycare setting where she taught preschool. She went on to teach Pre-K to 1st grade for 15 years in a few different elementary schools. Moving from Minnesota to Texas, she accepted a first grade position where she currently teaches.  

Erin loves to teach literacy because she loves to see the growth and wonderment of her students. Erin believes that literacy is the foundation to all learning. Once students have a strong foundation of literacy, they will connect it to all other academic areas.

Erin loves to dance, read, play pickleball, golf, travel, and especially spend time with family and friends.

Jeni Cox-Howard has been an educator and teacher trainer for 18 years, working for the past 15 years in Title I schools in Maryland, Virginia, and Texas. Jeni believes strongly in the equity and inclusion of ALL students. Working with many ESL students and students with dyslexia sparked her love and tireless dedication to literacy instruction. Trained in LETRS and The Science of Teaching Reading (Texas Reading Academies), Jeni is excited to help others deepen their understanding of literacy so all students receive the instruction they deserve. In her free time, Jeni loves to hop on her Peloton, takes Pilates classes, and dabbles in the world of gardening!

Deborah De Hoyos is a professional learning facilitator and instructional coach for Reading Horizons. At an early age, Deborah felt drawn to education. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in cultural anthropology. With an interest in education and culture, she went on to earn her master’s in teaching English to speakers of other languages. Upon completion of her graduate degree, Deborah joined the administrative council of an intensive English program. As an administrator, she mentored graduate students, conducted teacher training, and taught international students with novice, intermediate, and advanced English skills. Outside of the classroom, Deborah has worked in curriculum and assessment development. As part of Reading Horizons’ non-profit efforts, Deborah helped develop a literacy program designed for pre-literate learners and refugee populations.

Deborah usually stays up too late because she cannot resist the lure of one more chapter. She enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Emilie has served in education since 2008 and has experience in a variety of roles in districts across Texas K-12, including teacher, athletic coach, interventionist and Reading Specialist. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership from The University of Texas at Tyler. She is currently pursuing her Ed.D. in School Improvement at UT Tyler.

Emilie has always had a love for literature and enjoys teaching students how to read.

Morgan is a dedicated reading interventionist and classroom teacher who has been working in a Title I school for the past four years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (EC-6) from Texas A&M University and a Master of Education in Curriculum Design and Instruction. Morgan is certified in the Science of Teaching Reading and has successfully implemented the Reading Horizons program in her classroom. Witnessing significant growth in her students’ reading proficiency and achievement with the help of Reading Horizons has made her a passionate advocate for teacher training in literacy instruction. Morgan met her husband at Texas A&M. They are loyal A&M fans and can be found at almost all Aggie sporting events. Morgan has two black labs named Duke and Duchess.

Over the last thirty years through her career in education,Tonia has served as a classroom teacher, literacy interventionist, and literacy coach. After graduating from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communications, she obtained her Elementary General and Secondary English Language Arts Teaching Certificate and a National Board Certification in Early and Middle Childhood Literacy. In 2015, she was named her district’s Elementary Teacher of the Year. Tonia is passionate about supporting young readers and writers and believes in the power of teacher collaboration to maximize student growth and achievement.

She spends her free time with family and friends. She also enjoys cooking and trying new recipes.

Lei Ann Stovall serves as her district’s literacy coordinator for grades PK–12. She has taught kindergarten, first, second, and third. Most of her career has been as an intervention teacher working with small groups of students struggling to read and comprehend. Lei Ann previously served as an instructional coach and dyslexia coordinator. She has led the local implementation of the Texas Reading Academy in her district for the last three years. Her specialty areas include the science of reading, foundational literacy, research-based reading practices, and small-group instruction. Lei Ann is passionate about literacy instruction and believes it is critical to students’ success in all other content areas. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her black lab, Sadie, working in her flower beds and garden, decorating, and reading!

Melanie graduated with undergraduate degrees in both special education and elementary education. She has spent the last 20 plus years teaching and specializing in reading intervention. She is trained and certified in various Orton-Gillingham-based approaches such as Susan Barton, Phonics First, and Handwriting without Tears. She also has experience teaching the Wilson Fundations and Lindamood-Bell’s LIPS programs. This training and experience have led to her favorite moments in teaching when the reading code becomes unlocked! Melanie’s passion for literacy education was sparked by her mother, a professional storyteller. Making literature accessible to all students through the science of reading is her goal. She is excited to partner with classroom teachers and Reading Horizons and work together to make every student a reader. 

Melanie is married with four wonderful children. In her spare time, she loves to go hiking, spend time with her family and friends, or curl up with a good book.

Belen majored in early childhood and elementary education. She began teaching in 2005, starting her career in the kindergarten classroom. She taught kindergarten for 11 years, first grade for five years, and is currently a sixth-grade teacher. She has spent her whole teaching career in the same school, a Title I school in Ogden, Utah. She has been using Reading Horizons in the classroom for four years and has been a big advocate for grades K–3 using it at her school. She feels strongly that reading is something everyone should feel like they can do and do well! Belen has been a facilitator for Reading Horizons for two years and loves the opportunities she gets to meet and help teachers all over the country.

When she isn’t teaching or working for Reading Horizons, she loves to spend time with her two daughters and husband in the beautiful mountains and lakes of Utah. 

Laura is a recently retired first-grade teacher. She completed her degree in early childhood education from Utah State University and began her teaching career in 1990 at Woodruff Elementary in Logan, Utah. After dedicating 33 years of service to teaching first grade, she is excited about the opportunity to continue her passion for literacy instruction with Reading Horizons. Throughout her career, Laura received an ESL endorsement, a Reading Endorsement, and was honored to receive the Teacher of the Year award in 2022–23. Laura has eight years of experience teaching the Reading Horizons Discovery® program. She specializes in phonics instruction and believes there is nothing more gratifying than teaching children the skills necessary to become successful readers.

Laura has two adult children who live in Oregon. She lives in Logan, Utah with her husband and their two dogs and two cats. Laura enjoys skiing, hiking, yoga, reading, traveling, and taking their dogs on long walks.

Jenna has spent the last few years teaching reading in an adult ed setting, working primarily with English language newcomers. She has also tutored elementary students with dyslexia using Reading Horizons and is a passionate advocate for quality literacy instruction at all levels. She loves how Reading Horizons empowers students and educators to be successful in the classroom and hopes to share her experience with the program to help other teachers/students succeed.  

If you can’t find Jenna behind a book, then you will most certainly find her baby-wearing her six-month-old little boy, Grant, as she and her pup, Ranger, go out to explore the hiking trails local to her in Utah.