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«Back to all edWebinarsLeading Literacy: Perspectives From the Field’s Most Influential Voices
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EDT
Presented by Marisa Ramirez Stukey, Ph.D., Chief Academic Officer, The Reading League; Danielle (Nell) Thompson, Ph.D., Chairperson, Big Sky, The Transformative Reading Teacher; and Dale Webster, Ph.D., President, CORE Learning
Sponsored by CORE Learning
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This first edWebinar of Structured Language & Literacy Week for Leaders will give district and school leaders a balcony view of how literacy professional learning is being built and sustained across the country. The panelists work directly with districts nationwide, giving them a rare vantage point on what is working and where systems are still catching up.
Key topics covered include:
- Teacher Knowledge in Practice: How strong professional learning builds and sustains deep content knowledge for teachers of reading and writing
- Coaching and Implementation: What effective, ongoing coaching looks like once initial training ends
- Leadership Development: Why training school and district leaders is just as critical as training teachers
By the conclusion of the session, attendees will be able to:
- Identify patterns in how districts nationally are building literacy professional learning systems, not just one-time trainings
- Connect teacher knowledge, coaching, and instructional materials into one coherent system
- Apply a broader, national perspective to their own professional learning planning
Attendees walk away with a wider view of what strong literacy professional learning looks like across the country, along with ideas they can bring directly into their own systems. This edWebinar will be of interest to K-12 school leaders, district leaders, and professional learning coordinators.
This edWebinar is part of Structured Language & Literacy Week for Leaders.
About the Presenters
Marisa Ramirez Stukey, Ph.D., is the Chief Academic Officer for The Reading League and the Content Editor for The Reading League Press. In these roles, she leads academic strategy and professional learning initiatives while overseeing the development of high-quality content aligned with the Science of Reading to advance evidence-based literacy instruction nationwide. Marisa brings more than 20 years of experience as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, higher education instructor, and national consultant.
Danielle “Nell” Thompson, Ph.D., is a leader, educator, researcher, and systems change agent committed to transforming how we understand and support language, literacy, and human potential. As founder of The Transformative Reading Teacher Group and creator of the Big Sky Literacy Summit, she works alongside educators, researchers, and leaders to move powerful knowledge beyond theory and into practice.
Nell’s career spans speech-language pathology, reading science, implementation, leadership, and large-scale educational change, but her work is anchored in a simple belief: when people know more, they can become more and do more.
Raised in rural North Dakota and now at home in the mountains of Montana, Nell brings curiosity, candor, and a deep respect for the people doing the work. She believes meaningful transformation begins when we challenge what we think we know, keep growing, make a decision to change, and create systems that allow both educators and students to thrive.
Dale Webster, Ph.D., is the President of CORE Learning (CORE), which provides professional learning and implementation support to schools and districts across the country. Dale brings over 30 years of experience in teaching, professional learning, research, state-level policy and administration work, and curriculum development to schools and districts across the country. Dale earned his Ph.D. in learning, cognition, and development at the University of California, Irvine in 2012, where his research focused on vocabulary development for English learners. He has presented nationally on various topics related to the Science of Reading. Dale most recently served as a member of the California State Literacy Plan Team and the SB 488 Panel that updated teacher preparation standards for reading instruction in California. Dale also served on the California Curriculum Commission, an advisory body to the California State Board of Education on curriculum frameworks and textbook adoptions. He currently is Secretary of the Board of Directors for the International Dyslexia Association and functions as the Senior Editor-in-Chief of IDA’s publications. As part of his IDA board work, Dale is an editor for the upcoming special publication entitled: The 2025 Definition of Dyslexia: Implications and Applications. Dale is also a board member for the International MTSS Association.
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For 25+ years, CORE has pioneered evidence-based and research-grounded professional learning experiences and school supports that equip educators with the tools they need to advance rigorous instruction, high-quality materials, and effective assessments. CORE partners with educators to strengthen the foundations of teaching and learning, ensuring all students experience a rigorous, relevant, and inclusive public education.