Fostering Emotional Wellness: Practical Strategies for Parents, Caregivers & Children

Dr. Anderson is a family scientist, family therapist, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Family & Consumer Sciences at Morgan State University. She is also research faculty at Morgan’s National Center for the Elimination of Educational Disparities (NCEED). Her research interests lie at the intersection of Black American families, race and racism, and psychological well-being. She has over a decade of clinical experience providing community, school, and home-based mental/behavioral health services to children and families.

Parents as Partners: What to Know about Reading Instruction

Heather Blackwell is the Director of Literacy for Baltimore City Public Schools. Her thought leadership and focus on reading has been a catalyst for literacy improvement in City Schools. As a mother to two current City Schools students, one City Schools graduate and a graduate of City Schools herself, she is dedicated to preparing the children of Baltimore for success in Baltimore and beyond. Heather is a lifelong learner and attributes her passion for brain based learning to watching the development of her three sons. She also holds positions in several Baltimore area organizations. Heather is a graduate of Georgetown University, the University of Maryland Baltimore County and is currently pursuing an advanced degree at Morgan State University.

Where the Money Resides: A Blueprint Budget Workshop

Riya Gupta (she/her) is the Interim Executive Director of Strong Schools Maryland, with a deep commitment to education, advocacy, and youth development. Based in Baltimore for the past six years, Riya earned her Master’s of Science in Public Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where her work focuses on analyzing equity within educational funding formulas. Riya’s vision is centered around both public health and data — she aims to create change through data and engagement that is accessible and equitable.

Darren Franklin (He/Him) is a Field Organizer with Strong Schools Maryland. Originally from Fort Washington, Maryland, Darren moved to Baltimore in 2004 to study Business Administration at Morgan State University, where he co-founded an initiative to improve student retention. Since 2006, Darren has been a strong advocate for youth development and educational equity as he mentors young adults in real estate, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship and partners with nonprofits and schools to make a lasting impact.

Strategies for Immigrant Families: Supporting Language & Literacy Success

Sandra Gutíerrez is an Experienced Instructional Leader, Professional Developer, Curriculum Designer, and Instructional Coach. As of September 2024, she serves as a Graduate Assistant for MILE’s Professional Development Pillar.

Amanda Cataneo is MILE’s Program Manager for Professional Development and a proud DLBE enthusiast.

Language Matters: Embracing Diversity and Promoting Literacy

Megan-Brette Hamilton, PhD, CCC-SLP; Chief Staff Officer for Multicultural Affairs at ASHA, has been an ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist for over 20 years. In her current role, she oversees ASHA’s Office of Multicultural Affairs, ASHA Professional Development, and the Continuing Education and Convention and Meetings teams. Previously, she worked as a qualitative researcher and academic professor where she taught courses on child and adolescent language disorders, clinical problem solving, and communication disorders in society. Dr. Hamilton also worked 10 years as a school-based clinician working collaboratively with families and other professionals in New York City K-12 schools. She has published, presented, and trained on the topics of African American English, culturally responsive practices, and effective communication across a variety of settings and audiences. Dr. Hamilton sits on the advisory boards for the Maryland Initiative for Literacy Equity (MILE) and the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education. She is the former host and producer of the Honeybee Connection podcast by MB, and owner of www.meganbrettehamilton.com.

Baltimore County Public Schools ELA Curriculum: Supporting Literacy at Home

Bridging the Digital Gap: Parents and Gen Alpha

Speech-Language Pathologists: Who We Are & What We Do

Esther Ward has worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist for 22 years providing individual, group, and classroom-based services for preschool through high school students. She provides prevention, intervention, and assessment services to improve the speech/language skills of students. She has facilitated workshops for the professional growth and development of educators along with educating families about speech/language disorders. She has supervised and mentored graduate student clinicians and newly employed Speech-Language Pathologists. She currently facilitates a cohort of teachers pursuing National Board Certification through a partnership with Morgan State University, and she is pursuing a doctoral degree in Educational Policy and Leadership at American University.

Building Resilience in Our Children

“Rebecca began work with TDP as a consultant in 2014 and became the Director in 2017. Rebecca has a BA in English from Goucher College and a master’s degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Education. Prior to TDP, Rebecca was the founder and director of a youth-driven, social justice, media organization called New Lens.  At TDP, Rebecca works to provide leadership and direction for staff and fellows, to support TDP’s vision of creating an education movement that is driven by teachers and parents and to create more equity in the system.”

Navigating Support: How to Know When Your Child Needs More

Koryne C. Nnoli, PhD, is an assistant professor of exceptional education at Morgan State University. She is also the founder of Patient Learning Education Support Services LLC. Dr. Nnoli started her career in education as a general education teacher with Baltimore City Public Schools. Then, she transitioned into special education working as a clinical assistant at Kennedy Krieger Institute and later as an instructional assistant in nonpublic schools in Maryland. After obtaining her master’s degree in Special Education, she worked as a special education teacher from 2009 until 2022.

Dr. Nnoli is passionate about teaching others effective strategies for serving students with exceptional needs in inclusive settings. Her research focuses on inclusive education and leadership, collaboration and assessments, and home-school partnerships.

Dr. Nnoli combines her experience as a special education teacher with her background in human services to support individuals across the lifespan who have diverse needs.

Raising a Reader: Supporting Literacy at Home

“I have over 1,000 hours of experience providing reading intervention to children with mild to severe reading difficulties and an additional 500+ hours of training in structured literacy and dyslexia with leading literacy experts. In addition to working directly with children, I train and coach teachers and aid schools in meeting the needs of children in grades K-2 most vulnerable to reading difficulties.