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BRIAN PETE
Brian Pete is co-founder of Robin Fogarty & Associates, an international consulting firm. Pete has a rich background in professional development and has worked exclusively with the adult learners for the past 10 years in schools throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. He has an eye for the “teachable moments” and the words to describe what he sees as skillful teaching. He is co-author of Data Driven Decisions; How to Teach Thinking in the Common Core; and numerous other books.
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KEN SLENTZ
Ken Slentz is the Deputy Commissioner, Office of P-12 Education, for the New York State Education Department and oversees offices dealing with curriculum, instruction, and field services; policy and strategic planning; school innovation; special education; accountability; assessment policy development and administration; school operations and management services; administrative support; and Race to the Top performance management. In his 18 years in public education, Slentz has also served as a teaching assistant, teacher, curriculum director, principal, and district superintendent.
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AMY BENJAMIN
Amy Benjamin is a nationally recognized consultant specializing in improving student performance through literacy in all subject areas. She has given workshops, courses, and keynotes throughout the United States and Canada. Amy is a member of the professional development network of the National Council of Teachers of English and an advisor to major educational publishers, including McDougal, McGraw Hill, and the College Board.
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OLIVIA WAHL
Olivia Wahl has been an educator for fourteen years. She provides PreK-5 staff development in reading and writing instruction, focusing much of her time in school districts in New York, New Jersey, Indiana, North Carolina and Washington. Olivia has participated in coaching groups with the Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University’s Teachers College in New York City.
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CINDY RIEDL
Cindy Riedl is an independent national consultant for Lead, Learn and Succeed (a Riedl Associates Company) and a former Instructional Specialist and national consultant with the educational company, Learning-Focused. She has authored and co-authored numerous books, including Vocabulary Instruction, Advanced Vocabulary Instruction, and Catching Kids Up with Acceleration, Scaffolding and Remediation. Cindy has worked as a K-6 special education teacher, an elementary teacher, a middle school special education teacher and as a Curriculum Designer for the College for Living, connected with Syracuse University.
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ELLEN ARNOLD
Dr. Ellen Arnold has been a reading specialist at the primary level, a social studies and reading teacher at the middle school level, and a special educator at the high school level. Ellen has spent years helping learners unlock their potential. She holds a bachelor's degree in secondary education and a master's degree in special education-credentials that prepared her to see each student for his or her greatest strengths. Ellen has taught hundreds of students and teachers the secrets to creating highly effective classrooms.
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ANN PANGBURN
Ann Pangburn has been a primary reading specialist, Reading Recovery® teacher, elementary classroom teacher, Literacy Coordinator and Early Childhood Coordinator for Rome CSD, and a staff developer in Alternative Education, Special Education, and P-K – 12th grade literacy and content area instruction. She has presented on RTI and Common Core for Pre-K at statewide meetings. Ann holds degrees from SUNY Potsdam, Syracuse University and SUNY Cortland. She has devoted her career to helping teachers increase the learning of all children.
