Experience

YALSA

• Morocco
• Retail

• Member

  • 1999 - Present

  I have served on the Teen Read Work group, 2005 Michael L Printz Committee (how i live now), BBYA (2006-2008), the William C. Morris Committee (2012, Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley), and the 2013 Margaret A Edwards Committee (Tamora Pierce). I have also served as a Galley Group Coordinator for my high school teen reading group and as a facilitator for the Best of the Best (BOB) pre conference.



Allegan Public Schools/Michigan Reading Journal

• Educator/Reviewer

  • Aug 1998 - Present

  Reading specialist, with emphasis on diagnosing early reading and writing problems. I teach first grade scholars how to think for themselves and how to solve their own problems. I do presentations on the best new books to use in classrooms (K-12). I review young adult literature for the Michigan Reading Journal. I have taught the graduate young adult literature class for Grand Valley State (adjunct).

• Educator/Reviewer

  • Aug 1998 - Present

  Currently I teach first grade and review for the Michigan Reading Journal. I run a teen book group and coordinate a high school writing contest. I have served on many national committees through the American Library Association. I have served on the the Teen Read Week Committee (ALA/Young Adult Library Services Association), the Michael L. Printz Committee (2005-YALSA), Best Books for Young Adults (2006-2008-YALSA), the Randolph Caldecott Committee (2009-ALSC), Notable Children's Books (ALSC, 2010-2011), the William C. Morris Award Committee (YALSA-2012), and the Margaret Edwards Award Committee (2013). I coordinate our high school's annual writing contest (for the past 10 years), which involves printing and publishing a book for the school. I do presentations for colleges, schools, and other organizations on my experiences on committees and the best new books for students of all ages.



Spicyreads

• Non-profit Organization Management

• Owner

  • Jan 1997 - Present

  I do presentations for library groups, schools, and other organizations (Head Start, American Chemical Society, Kids Hope, etc). These presentations are on a variety of topics. Building resiliency in young students, visual literacy, how to work on reading and math skills with young learners, best new books, and more. In 2011 I did a President's Program for the Texas Library Association on how libraries can meet the needs of homeless teens.