Speakers
Sheila Brookes
Technical Assistance Specialist
Region 8 Comprehensive Center – AEM Corp
Dr. Brookes has been a Training and Technical Assistance Specialist for numerous federal early childhood grants, including Head Start and Early Head Start and Regional Comprehensive Centers, and has over 25 years of experience in the field of early childhood. She has an extensive background in early childhood as a former preschool teacher, program director, Executive Director, Professor of Child and Family Studies, and Senior Research and Policy Analyst with rigorous training in policy analysis and research and evaluation methods. Her experience includes qualitative and quantitative research and evaluation in early childhood and related fields. Dr. Brookes’ specialties include: early literacy and early math, early childhood teacher preparation, study design; data collection via interview, survey, and focus groups; qualitative data analysis; using data for improvement; program evaluation and improvement recommendations; report writing; and providing technical assistance and interactive presentations. Her research interests include: adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), child care quality, families with young children experiencing poverty, child maltreatment, and the military child care system.
Dr. Patricia Edwards
Professor of Language and Literacy
Michigan State University
Dr. Patricia A. Edwards, a member of the Reading Hall of Fame is a Professor of Language and Literacy in the Teacher Education Department at Michigan State University. She is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in family engagement and have written several books on the topic. She is the immediate past chair of the American Educational Research Association’s Family, School, Community Partnerships Special Interest Group and was recently appointed by the Governor to serve on the PreK-12 Literacy Commission. She is co-editor of The Reading Teacher and won the 2020 LRA Oscar S. Causey Award for Reading Research. She is past president of the Literacy Research Association as well as the International Literacy Association.
Lorena Mancilla
Director of WIDA Early Years
WIDA
Lorena Mancilla serves as the director of WIDA Early Years. Her research and development work is informed by her professional experience as an educator, her commitment to social justice, and her passion for serving bilingual/multilingual children and families. She brings to her work knowledge and expertise in family engagement, language development, multicultural education, and professional learning. Lorena joined WIDA in 2010 as a professional learning specialist for WIDA K-12 standards and assessments. Since then, she has held various positions including serving as the lead developer of family engagement resources and a core member of the WIDA Spanish language development standards team. She joined the WIDA Early Years team in 2016. In this role, she leads the development of WIDA Early Years resources and services available to Early Years member states. Lorena completed her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focuses on the intersection of family engagement and language education.
Leah Porter
2021-2022 Michigan Teacher of the Year
Holt Public Schools
Leah Porter is a 3rd grade teacher and the 2021-2022 Michigan Teacher of the Year. Previous to this school year she has been a Kindergarten, Reading Recovery, and Intervention teacher in Holt Public Schools. Rooted in a passion for literacy and learning, she has stood as a leader and advocate for the youngest learners. With a drive for community outreach and support, she has developed and led an annual summer outreach program for historically underserved youth, providing enrichment and literacy experiences within the community. As leader of the Wilcox Elementary Student Council, she provides leadership and volunteer opportunities for 2nd-4th grade students in projects and fundraisers for the school and community at large that support local students and families. She has recently become a co-chair on the Student Committee of her district Equity and Access team, leading and supporting projects in mentorship, student leadership, and developing character and leadership curriculum which strives to provide equitable experiences for all students.
Darreth Rice
Assistant Professor of Literacy Studies
Western Michigan University
Darreth R. Rice is an instructor of literacy in the Special Education and Literacy Studies department at Western Michigan University. Darreth previously worked as a literacy and reading specialist in several states within urban K-8 schools. In addition, she has served as a middle school English language arts teacher for nearly a decade. Darreth holds two M.Ed. degrees, one from Aquinas College in Elementary Education and one from Grand Valley State University in Literacy Studies. She is also a doctoral candidate at Michigan State University in the Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education program focusing on Language and Literacy. Her research interests revolve around state-level reading policies, state-created resources to support schools in literacy instruction and policy implementation, and family engagement within the context of implementing reading policies in rural settings.
Alan Thomas
Education Consultant
MDE
Al Thomas is a Regional Education Consultant in the Office of Educational Supports at MDE. He also serves on the Michigan Department of Education’s Family Engagement Leadership Team, which developed and released MiFamily: Michigan’s Prenatal through Post Secondary Family Engagement Framework in the spring of 2019 and the other resources found on the MDE Family Engagement website. Prior to coming to MDE in 2014, Al has served as a principal, teacher, athletic director, and coach. Al resides in rural Northern Michigan with his wife and four children.