About the Presenters

Tricia A. Zucker, Ph.D. is an education researcher, former teacher, and mom of three girls who enjoy extended conversations. She is a Professor of Pediatrics and Co-Director of the Children’s Learning Institute at University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston with the mission of increasing access to high-quality education opportunities and understanding of how early education opportunities determine later school and health outcomes. Dr. Zucker’s research interests include early identification and prevention of reading disabilities, evidence-based curriculum and instruction, and aligned family- and school-based interventions. Her research focuses on children who are at risk for learning disabilities. She has authored over 60 scholarly publications and routinely serves as a thought partner with teachers, schools, and organizations that want to improve learning outcomes for children. She has been recognized for her work with various awards from organizations such as the International Literacy Association as well as the highest honor the U.S. government bestows on early researchers, the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE).

Sonia Cabell, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Reading Education in the School of Teacher Education and the Florida Center for Reading Research at Florida State University. Before receiving her Ph.D. at the University of Virginia, she worked as a second-grade teacher and literacy coach in Oklahoma and Virginia. Dr. Cabell’s research focuses on early language and literacy instruction, with a particular interest in preventing reading difficulties in young children. She has authored over 70 publications, including peer-reviewed articles, books, book chapters, and literacy curricula. She is the lead editor of the Handbook on the Science of Early Literacy from Guilford Press, and co-authored Literacy Learning for Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers: Key Practices for Educators from the National Association for the Education of Young Children. In 2021, Dr. Cabell, with her colleague Dr. Tricia Zucker, was awarded International Literacy Association’s Diane Lapp and James Flood Professional Collaborator Award. She has served as principal investigator or co-principal investigator on federally funded research projects, and has been an advisor or consultant for a variety of national organizations and state departments of education.

Dr. Amanda Alexander serves as Scholastic’s Chief Academic Officer. In this role, she leads research and validation efforts to ensure the efficacy of products, the delivery of professional learning services, and the company’s partnership with the Yale Child Study Center, focusing on the intersection of literacy and health. Prior to joining Scholastic, Dr. Alexander served as the Vice President of Policy and Partnership Development at Teachstone. With more than 20 years of progressive leadership experience, the majority of Dr. Alexander’s service has been as a practitioner in the public sector. She has a B.A. in English and an M.Ed. in curriculum and instruction from Howard University, an M.S.Ed. in educational leadership from Baruch College, and a Ph.D. in education from American University.