Beyond Decoding: How Purposeful Practice Builds Fluency

About the Presenters

Dr. Carolyn Brown has devoted her career to developing tools and testing solutions that optimize language and literacy development for all students. She and her colleagues have received support from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, and the State of Iowa. Dr. Brown received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in speech pathology and audiology from Eastern New Mexico University and her Ph.D. in the same field at University of Iowa. Her areas of specialization are child development, language acquisition, and the Science of Reading.

She has co-founded three companies: Breakthrough to Literacy, the Iowa Language and Literacy Institute, and Foundations in Learning. Each was organized to advance current science and create solutions to help all children learn to read. She is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Iowa.

Angelia Hoyer is a veteran educator and instructional leader with more than 34 years of experience in elementary education. Throughout her career, she has helped hundreds of teachers across Iowa strengthen literacy instruction and improve student outcomes. After beginning her career as an elementary classroom teacher, Angelia served as an Instructional Coach and Elementary Principal in the Cedar Rapids Community School District, where she coached teachers through instructional observation, professional learning, data analysis, and collaborative learning to improve student achievement.

She later became the Curriculum Director for the Clear Creek Amana Community School District, providing leadership and overseeing curriculum adoption, assessment, and districtwide instructional initiatives. Most recently, Angelia served as the Partner Success and Professional Development Lead for WordFlight, a literacy assessment and intervention solution for students in grades 2–12. In that role, she partnered with educators nationwide to provide professional learning and coaching that helped teachers strengthen literacy instruction and accelerate student reading success.

About the Moderator

Before taking the helm as CEO, Allison Zimmermann previously served as the Chief Strategy Officer for Foundations in Learning. She brings over 15 years of experience working in the education sector creating equity and opportunity for students. She has worked as a teacher, administrator, and consultant, providing strategic support to schools, non-profits, start-ups, and Fortune 500 companies across the country.

Previously, Allison launched NewView, a non-profit focused on creating tri-sector solutions for society’s largest challenges. She continues to serve on the board of the organization. Allison began her career as a special education middle school teacher in New York City and a Teach For America Corps member. Allison graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in international relations and political science. She received an M.S.Ed. in middle school general and special education from Bank Street College and M.P.P. and M.B.A. degrees from the University of Michigan.