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Edna Brown is a veteran English Language Arts teacher, essayist, poet and social justice advocate residing in St. Louis. She began her career with a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Maryville University and teaching adults with disabilities in one of the first community-based group homes in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Edna went on to study social work at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University. Finally, she earned master’s degrees in both Secondary Education (Curriculum and Instruction) and English (Composition) from the University of Missouri, St. Louis

Thomas Bean is a professor in literacy/reading. Dr. Bean is considered a leading scholar in content area literacy. He is the co-author of 15 books, 21 book chapters, and 88 journal articles. He currently serves as co-editor of the International Reading Association Literacy Studies Series centering on the publication of high quality research monographs. He was recently honored with the UNLV College of Education Distinguished Research Award for his studies of reader responses to multicultural young adult literature in content area classrooms. He is the co-author of the International Reading

Eileen Mattingly has been a classroom teacher (middle school through college) in the Philippines, Massachusetts, New York and Maryland for over 30 years. She has a B.A. in International Studies from Georgetown University, M.A. degrees from St. John’s University and the Johns Hopkins University. Eileen has been a curriculum consultant for PBS, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Center for Learning. She served as Director of World Wise Schools, the National Peace Corps’ K-12 program on cross-cultural education, and was founding principal of an independent high school focusing on

Louise Rocha-McCarthy is an interpreter for the Portland (Maine) public schools and area agencies. She translates legal documents for attorneys and has worked as an interpreter for the courts, hospitals and social service agencies in Portland.

Vanessa D'Egidio is a seventh-grade humanities teacher in New York City. This is her eighth year of teaching but her first year as a middle school educator, having moved into a new role after teaching second grade for the past five years. Vanessa brings to the classroom a passion for education that empowers, validates, connects and inspires critical thinking and positive social action. She is a former member of the Teaching Tolerance advisory board and contributor to TT's Perspectives for a Diverse America curriculum. Vanessa enjoys designing and leading workshops around issues related to