MEET OUR SPEAKERS

LITERACY COACH, Sandra Dunagan Deal Center

Amy Reddick is a national literacy consultant who supports schools and districts in implementing evidence-based practices aligned with the science of reading. With expertise in implementation science, she partners with educators and leaders to advance structured literacy. Amy works with teams to assess and strengthen systems, connecting research to classroom practice to improve reading outcomes and expand access to high-quality literacy instruction for all students.

LITERACY COACH, Sandra Dunagan Deal Center

As an education expert for the past 28 years, along with being the mother of a child with dyslexia, Kelly is passionate about empowering parents, teachers, and administrators to help improve educational outcomes for all students. She holds certifications as a PreK-12 reading specialist, instructional coach, media specialist, and Structured Literacy Classroom Teacher through the Center for Effective Reading Instruction; P-12 special education teacher, PreK-5 elementary teacher, and 4-8 middle grades teacher; and LETRS and AIM facilitator.

CHILD & FAMILY DEVELOPMENT SUPERVISOR, Georgia Department of Early Care & Learning

Bridget Ratajczak is the CDC’s Act Early Ambassador for Georgia. She provides support for early childhood professionals and families on the topics of developmental monitoring, child development, and family engagement. She has a M.A. in early childhood special education from the University of Georgia. Her experience includes being an instructor in a teacher preparation program, early intervention specialist, and a pre-school, special-education teacher. Her areas of expertise include early identification of developmental delays and family engagement in early learning settings.

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST, Georgia Department of Early Care & Learning

Kristen Arnold, M.Ed., brings more than 25 years of experience in early childhood education. Most of her career was spent in classrooms serving children from birth to five in private childcare and Head Start programs, with a special passion for two‑year‑olds. Kristen holds a Master of Education in Early Childhood Education from Arizona State University. She is dedicated to researching innovative practices, analyzing data, and developing impactful trainings that inspire and elevate the birth‑to‑five workforce.

INSTRUCTIONAL LEARNING MANAGER, Georgia Department of Early Care & Learning

Jan Duke coordinates training and develops instructional learning resources for Georgia’s Pre-K teachers and directors across the state. Jan holds a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Georgia, a master’s degree in psychology and counseling from Troy University, and a specialist’s degree in educational leadership and supervision from Albany State University. During her early career, she was a reading specialist and taught most of the elementary grades and special needs preschool in both rural and urban settings before joining the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.

STRATEGIC INNOVATION MANAGER, Georgia Family Connection Partnership; DIRECTOR, Get Georgia Reading Campaign

Arianne Weldon is an innovator in population health and systems change. She brings nearly 30 years of expertise in maternal and child health, early childhood development, and community engagement to help leaders apply data and research toward new—often unexpected—solutions. Arianne coined “language nutrition” to describe the vital role of language-rich social interactions in nurturing brain growth and language development. This concept has since gained national and international recognition and is widely applied in education and healthcare research and practice.

Garry McGiboney earned his Ph.D. in psychology from Georgia State University. He is a nationally board-certified school psychologist and a nationally recognized expert in school climate and school-based behavioral health. He is on the Department of Juvenile Justice State Board and the Georgia Supreme Court’s Justice for Children Committee. He chairs the Council on Alcohol and Drugs Board and co-chairs the Subcommittee on Children and Adolescents of the Behavioral Health Reform Commission. He is a member of the Get Georgia Reading Campaign and an ex-officio member of the Governing Board of the Deal Center for Literacy and Language. He has authored 40 professional publications and seven books.

IMPLEMENTATION SCIENTIST, Deal Center United Literacy Coaching Project

Dr. Stephanie Snidarich has decades of experience teaching diverse learners and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, Special Education. She possesses deep expertise in the science of reading, learning, and behavior. Dr. Snidarich has served educators as a master literacy coach and pre-service course instructor. She designs and implements professional learning programs and conducts research on reading interventions, technology-supported instruction, and educator decision-making. Dr. Snidarich strives to bridge research and practice to support educators in implementing effective literacy instruction that produces equitable outcomes for all students.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DISTRICT EFFECTIVENESS, Greene County School System

With a career spanning nearly 30 years as a dedicated educator, Dr. Jody Worth’s professional journey is a testament to the power of resilience and "changing the things one cannot accept," a philosophy she lived while navigating a cancer diagnosis in 2017. Throughout her tenure, she has been a driving force in fostering innovative implementations that modernize classroom instruction with the mantra "be risking not reckless.” By championing forward-thinking strategies, she ensures that educators have the tools necessary to meet the evolving needs of every learner. She continues to champion continuous improvement and student success, proving that personal adversity can be a catalyst for profound professional leadership.

PHYSICAL THERAPIST & HOME VISITOR

Kathi Frankel is a physical therapist, mentor, educator, and home visitor. She has extensive background working with families and babies in critical care units throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe. Her interests are in the development of shared attention and social engagement as it pertains to developmental progression for infants, especially those that have been hospitalized. She has received funding through the Deal Center to provide education and implementation science for home visitors involved in supporting families in Georgia as well as promoting shared reading as an everyday activity in hospitalized settings.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR, Brightpaths

Jennifer Henderson leads a suite of family-strengthening and prevention-focused initiatives. With over 23 years of experience in child abuse prevention and home visiting, Jennifer has been instrumental in scaling programs to expand their community reach and impact. She is a dually credentialed professional, endorsed as an Infant Mental Health Specialist with a focus on Reflective Supervision.

NATIONAL DYSLEXIA ADVOCATE & FORMER PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER

Missy Purcell is a national advocate for inclusive and equitable education for students with dyslexia and other learning differences. A former educator, she brings classroom experience and systems-level insight to her work supporting families and schools. She holds advocacy certification through Vanderbilt University and leads parent and educator empowerment initiatives focused on improving support systems and outcomes for students. Missy collaborates with state and national organizations to drive policy and practice improvements and supports improved literacy outcomes across multiple states and internationally. Her work bridges research, policy, and real-world implementation to ensure students receive effective, evidence-based instruction.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, College of Public Health,
University of Georgia

Dr. Grace Bagwell Adams is a policy expert, evaluator, teacher, and researcher with two decades of experience in her field of community-focused wellbeing work. She is on faculty at the University of Georgia and is an associate professor with tenure. Dr. Adams holds expertise in literacy, food security, housing, behavioral health, children in the welfare system, and the social determinants of health. Her professional mission is to walk with stakeholders to get timely, relevant, and action-oriented information into their hands so that they can move the needle to improve wellbeing for all in their communities.

FOUNDER, SOR for More

Justin Browning is the founder of SoR for More and an implementation specialist who helps schools turn literacy research into classroom practice. A former balanced literacy teacher who experienced a total shift to structured literacy, Justin now works with districts across the country to build aligned systems, courageous leadership, and sustainable instructional change. He is passionate about moving schools from compliance-driven reform to real transformation — because the work isn’t done until all kids can read.