New Hampshire Chapter

ALTA-NH is made up of therapists and practitioners dedicated to providing rigorous evidence-based multisensory structured language educational (MSLE) therapy to individuals with dyslexia and related conditions. Our goal is to raise awareness of dyslexia in our state, and to assist in legislative and advocacy efforts to advance the mission of access to literacy for everyone.

ALTA Calendar

Chapter Events

We are dedicated to providing continuing education opportunities that promote the professional growth of our members. Events are worth continuing education hours (CE) to use towards ALTA membership requirements. 

ALTA Directory

 

Find a New Hampshire Professional

Our members are made up of individuals with the CALP, CALT, ICALP, or CALT-QI distinction. Find an ALTA-certified professional in your area that represents the highest quality services to those individuals with dyslexia. 

Chapter Resources

Screening and Intervention for Dyslexia and Related Disorders Section 200:62

Dyslexia Resource Guide. – No later than June 30, 2017, the reading specialist shall develop and publish on the department of education’s Internet website a reading support resource guide to be used by school districts as a resource. The reading specialist shall solicit the advice of experts in the fields of dyslexia and related disorders, and dysgraphia in the development of the guide. The reading specialist shall update the guide as necessary.

Source. 2016, 262:1, eff. Aug. 14, 2016.

Leadership

ALTA-NH is made up of therapists and practitioners dedicated to providing rigorous evidence-based multisensory structured language education (MSLE) therapy to individuals with dyslexia. Meet the leadership team. 

Holly LaVine, ICALP

Holly LaVine, ICALP

President

Holly LaVine has 20 years of experience in individualized remediation, multisensory teaching, and diagnostic evaluations, both privately and in public schools. She also has engaged in advocacy, teacher education, and designing remedial materials. Apart from earning a Master’s Degree in Learning Disabilities from Rivier University in 2001, she also completed several levels of the Scottish Rite Orton-Gillingham training program between 2003 and 2016. She is an avid and lifelong learner and teacher.

Holly taught at the elementary school level as a special educator for five years, specializing in Learning Disabilities as a reading/writing specialist for two years, specializing in literacy coaching, and as a regular classroom teacher for nine years at the third grade and Kindergarten levels. She is a certified educator in the State of New Hampshire in Elementary Education, General Special Education, Learning Disabilities, Reading/Writing Specialist, and English Language Learners. Her most recent assignment has been working with high school students in an English Language Learner setting for the past four years.

For 12 years, she worked as a tutor with dyslexic students of all ages for a non-profit corporation. She completed accredited training programs under the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC) and training programs in Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing® (LiPS®) and Visualizing and Verbalizing. Holly is recognized by the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA) as a Certified Academic Language Therapist and as an Instructor of Certified Academic Language Practitioners. Additionally, she received an English Language Learners (ELL) certification from the University of New Hampshire in 2015.

Holly is also a contracted dyslexia/educational diagnostician for The Counseling Center of Nashua, NH. She performs psycho-educational evaluations and provides feedback to families both through her own practice and through this Neuropsychology unit.

In her spare time, she is an exercise enthusiast, and she teaches cycling and Pilates/Yoga classes at the Nashua YMCA. She also teaches an introductory special education course at Manchester Community College in the Teacher Education department, which addresses Learner Exceptionality. She is the proud mother of three grown children.

 

Tara MacDonald, CALP

Tara MacDonald, CALP

Vice President

Tara received her bachelor’s degree in Human Development from Rivier College, with a concentration in Elementary Education and General/Special Education. She then received her master’s degree in Learning Disabilities from Rivier College. Tara worked as a special educator for 13 years in the Nashua School District. She was also the Extended School Year Coordinator for the Preschool
and Elementary levels for two years for the Nashua School District. She then went on to work as a District Special Education Coordinator in the Manchester School District. More recently, she was the Out of District Coordinator for the Nashua School District. While working in the role of OOD Coordinator, she received her Principal Certification through Upper Valley Educators Institute. She is currently an Assistant Principal in the Nashua School District. Tara received her CALP certification while in her tenure as a Special Education Case Manager/Teacher. When she is not at her school, fulfilling her AP responsibilities, she tutors students with the OG methodology. She is also on the board of directors for the NH Parent Information Center, as well as a volunteer advocate through NHPIC.

 

 

Lisa Cyr, ICALP

Lisa Cyr, ICALP

Treasurer

Lisa received her BA in English from the University of New Hampshire and a MA in mental health counseling from Rivier University. After practicing as a mental health therapist for ten years, her youngest son was diagnosed with dyslexia. She trained with the Children’s Dyslexia Center of Nashua, NH, receiving OG certification at the initial, advanced, supervisor, and trainer of initial and advanced level therapists. She is currently tutoring high school students in a local school district. She also co-facilitates an adult bereavement group and serves as a spiritual assistant within the Secular Franciscan Order. When spare time allows, she enjoys quilting and creating art or spending time at the beach.

Angelica Rodriguez, ICALP

Angelica Rodriguez, ICALP

Secretary

Angelica is an ASHA-certified and licensed speech-language pathologist. She graduated with a master’s degree in
Speech-Language Pathology from Worcester State University in December 2016. Angelica also completed her certification program in the Orton-Gillingham methodology in 2018. She has received additional training in the Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing (LiPS), Visualizing and Verbalizing, and Lively Letters programs. Angelica is passionate about testing and prescribing the proper language and literacy therapy based on evaluation results. She is a skilled and reflective clinician who greatly enjoys working with students of all ages.

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