ALTA Leadership
Officers & Board of Directors
Officers

Linda Gladden, LDT, CALT
Board Position: President
Term: 2022-2024
ALTA Member Since: 1992
Company / School Name: Private Practice / TX ALTA Past President
What I Love About ALTA: ALTA members share a passion for helping individuals with dyslexia and are committed to maintaining the highest level of professional training and practice. ALTA members represent the gold standard for providing effective intervention for those with dyslexia.

Michelle Qazi, M.Ed., CALT-QI
Board Position: President-Elect
Term: 2022-2024
ALTA Member Since: 2012
Company / School Name: Boulder Valley School District
What I Love About ALTA: The focus of ALTA is on children. Everything ALTA does has children at its center.

Cherie Howell, M.Ed., LDT, CALT
Board Position: Secretary
Term: 2022-2024
ALTA Member Since: 2005
Company / School Name: Texas ESC Dyslexia Network
What I Love About ALTA: ALTA is dedicated to changing the lives of individuals with dyslexia. I love being part of an organization committed to the highest standards of excellence in the science of teaching reading. ALTA members share a common bond and work together toward a goal of continuous improvement.

Kayla Reggio, M.Ed.,CALT-QI
Board Position: Treasurer
Term: 2023-2025
ALTA Member Since: 2012
Company / School Name: Dyslexia Resource Center and Louisiana Key Academy
What I Love About ALTA: ALTA is comprised of an amazing group of professionals that uphold the highest standards in regards to educating individuals with dyslexia. I love being a part of a community that encourages me to continue to learn and grow professionally, values collaborative input and puts the interests of dyslexia education first. I value the opportunity ALTA provides to its members to continue their education and connect with other dyslexia professionals in our unified mission of serving our bright and intelligent students.
Vice Presidents

Rhonda Smith, CALT-QI
Board Position: VP Academic Affairs
Term: 2023-2025
ALTA Member Since: 2018
Company / School Name: Dyslexia Resource Center
What I Love About ALTA: What I love about ALTA is that it is a network/organization of like-minded individuals concerning dyslexia that seeks to stay informed in the latest research and practices. All while holding the members of the organization to high expectations for training and providing therapy to students. Whenever asked by parents, “Who can help my child with dyslexia,” I always refer to the ALTA website or someone with CALP/CALT certification because I know that they have received intensive training to help their child be successful in their educational and life goals.

Megan Pinchback, MBA, LDT, CALT
Board Position: VP Outreach
Term: 2023-2025
ALTA Member Since: 2011
Company / School Name: Dyslexia on Demand
What I Love About ALTA: The ALTA board is a unique voice for the certifying standards of those who are equipped to best serve students with dyslexia. In a nation of large variability in qualifications, it is a cohesive gold standard ensuring the highest grade of dyslexia credentialing. Every member is passionate about changing the lives of students.

Missy Schraeder, Ph.D., CALT-QI
Board Position: VP Standards
Term: 2023-2025
ALTA Member Since: 2010
Company / School Name: The Dubard School for Language Disorders
What I Love About ALTA: ALTA provides an outstanding resource for people looking for quality services for individuals with dyslexia. ALTA allows me, as a professional, to network with other like-minded people to share ideas. ALTA provides opportunities for continuing education which leads to professional growth.

Patricia Elkins, M.S.Ed., LDT, CALT
Board Position: VP Practice
Term: 2022-2024
ALTA Member Since: 2017
Company / School Name: Little Rock Christian Academy
What I Love About ALTA: As a therapist, I appreciate the standards that are in place to ensure that each Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) has completed a rigorous training program, and completed supervised clinical teaching hours that consisted of detailed observations from their qualified instructor, as well as passing a qualifying exam. The members of ALTA care deeply about the remediation of written language issues in individuals and never stop improving their therapy practices. ALTA members network and consult with each other to provide the best services for their clients. If your loved one struggles with dyslexia, I recommend that you seek remediation from a member of ALTA.

Lynne Fitzhugh, Ph.D., CALT-QI
Board Position: Past President
Term: 2022-2024
ALTA Member Since: 1993
Company / School Name: Colorado Literacy and Learning Center/Colorado College
What I Love About ALTA: ALTA represents the highest standards in the intersection of the fields of dyslexia, reading, linguistics, psychology, and literacy. ALTA members share a common bond in their commitment to excellence in their own education, and to making a difference in the lives of those who struggle with reading.
Board of Directors

Karmyn Reimer, M.Ed., CALT-QI
Term: 2023-2025
ALTA Member Since: 2012
Company / School Name: Little Axe Public School
What I Love About ALTA: I love that I have support from colleagues who are passionate about teaching kids to read. I love that I have a place to collaborate with leaders from across the states. The benefits of membership far outweigh what other organizations have to offer.

Cyndi Meeks, M.Ed., CALT-QI
Term: 2023-2025
ALTA Member Since: 2019
Company / School Name: Smithville Middle School
What I Love About ALTA: I love the level of professionalism this organization has! I love the networking and the endless possibilities for change in the lives of all students.

Margie B. Gillis, Ed.D., CALT
Term: 2023-2025
ALTA Member Since: 1988
Company / School Name: Literacy How, Inc.
What I Love About ALTA: I love ALTA because of its rich history and the diversity of its members. As my primary professional organization, I have stayed connected with many members and value collaborating with them.

Mary Gilroy, M.Ed., CALT-QI
Term: 2022-2024
ALTA Member Since: 1992
Company / School Name: Multisensory Language Training Institute of New Mexico
What I Love About ALTA: I love and honor the wisdom and foresight of those who established ALTA in the 1980s. Through the efforts of these pioneers, today we have a network of highly-skilled academic language practitioners and therapists throughout the country, serving individuals with dyslexia in all types of settings, and impacting the teaching of reading and spelling at all levels.

Candi Sellers, M.Ed., F/AOGPE, CALT-QI
Term: 2022-2024
ALTA Member Since: 2011
Company / School Name: The Instruction Hub
What I Love About ALTA: What I love about ALTA is the community of like-minded professionals committed to the highest standard of training and therapy. The shared camaraderie within ALTA and with other experts in our field only advances the mission of supporting bright learners who need specialized intervention. I value the dedication of ALTA members to furthering their practice and knowledge to provide effective intervention.

Dawn Vaughn, M.Ed., CALT-QI
Term: 2022-2024
ALTA Member Since: 2009
Company / School Name: Payne Education Center
What I Love About ALTA: We are supporting and training Certified Academic Language Therapists and Qualified Instructors with the best scientific based curriculums in dyslexia therapy. As an ALTA member, I can recommend an ALTA therapist and know that they will ascertain the best possible educational outcomes for students with reading difficulties. Instructional excellence is maintained through rigorous standards.

Noel Leif, BSE, CALT-ICALP
Term: 2022-2024
ALTA Member Since: 2013
Company / School Name: Springfield Center for Dyslexia and Learning
What I Love About ALTA: I love know that ALTA has a deep history of helping struggling students all while creating a specialized group of educators who hold the same high standard for themselves and those within the organization.

Tammy Kofford, M.S.Ed., C-SLDS, CALT-QI
Term: 2022-2024
ALTA Member Since: 1999
Company / School Name:Fundamental Learning Center
What I Love About ALTA: I love getting to know other CALPs, CALTs, and Qualified Instructors from all over the nation who have the same mission and passion for helping students who struggle with dyslexia become successful readers. I love sharing ideas and hearing about what is happening in higher education and legislation in other states. It is empowering to know that you are not alone in your mission when you belong to an organization like ALTA.

Robin Meyen, CALT-QI
Term: 2023-2025
ALTA Member Since: 2009
Company / School Name:Phillips Fundamental Learning Center
What I Love About ALTA: I love that ALTA is a professional organization supportive of its members. I appreciate the rich history that ALTA brings to its members and the networking available at the annual conference.

Kristina Stockton, CALT-QI
Term: 2023-2025
ALTA Member Since: 2019
Company / School Name:Legacy Christian Academy
What I Love About ALTA: I love that ALTA is an organization that strives to push its members forward in the areas of professional growth and advocacy. I appreciate the way ALTA creates a cohesive path forward as we work for the good of all learners.

Shellie Burrow, CALT-QI
Term: 2023-2025
ALTA Member Since: 2012
Company / School Name:SensaLearn
What I Love About ALTA: ALTA is a remarkable resource nationally and locally, providing a proven and sustainable framework for standards in training and certification mechanisms. It is an excellent and well-respected resource for committed professionals, ensuring that all stakeholders receive the maximum benefit and support. Alta members share a common commitment in improving the outcomes for struggling readers. I am honored to be a part of this dynamic organization.

Casey Harrison, CALT
Term: 2023-2025
ALTA Member Since: 2010
Company / School Name:The Dyslexia Classroom®
What I Love About ALTA: One of the things that I love about ALTA is its dedication to excellence in maintaining high standards for professionals seeking training in rigorous multisensory structured language teaching. With the current wave of change in reading instruction, those with deep knowledge need to step into a leadership role to provide the proper training, tools, and resources to make lasting changes for all children. I believe that ALTA is a leader in this wave of change, and I am honored to be a member of this organization.
Past Presidents
Lynne Fitzhugh | 2020-2022 |
Jean Colner | 2018-2020 |
Janna Curry-Dobbs | 2016-2018 |
Marilyn Mathis | 2014-2016 |
Karen Avrit | 2012-2014 |
Helen Macik | 2010-2012 |
Michelle Bufkin | 2008-2010 |
Nancy Coffman | 2006-2008 |
Melanie Royal | 2005-2006 |
Kay Peterson | 2002-2004 |
Martha Sibley | 2001-2002 |
Elizabeth Cantrill | 1999-2001 |
Barbara Fox | 1997-1999 |
Nell Carvell | 1995-1997 |
Peggy Thornton | 1993-1995 |
Avril Greenberg | 1991-1993 |
Sherry Malphurs | 1990-1991 |
Corinne Tycher | 1988-1990 |
Jamie Williams | 1986-1988 |