Authors & Presenters

LeAnn Nickelsen, an author and a former teacher, is an expert on brain research strategies, best practices in literacy, and other high-impact tools that close and prevent gaps in high-poverty schools.

Emily R. Peluso is a school-based speech-language pathologist (SLP) at Mildred B. Moss Elementary School of Metuchen School District. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and maintains the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence.

Eric Saunders, EdD, serves as state assistant superintendent for district support with the Arkansas Department of Education. Previously, he was an assistant superintendent for Benton Public Schools in Benton, Arkansas.

David A. Sousa, EdD, is an author and international consultant. He has received numerous awards from professional associations, school districts, and educational foundations for his commitment to research, staff development, and science education.

Susan Olsen Stevens is an educator with experience that spans private, public, and international schools. Her mission is to inspire joy in reading and writing as a way to communicate important ideas.

Katie Upshaw is a preschool special education teacher in the Metuchen School District in New Jersey. Additionally, she also serves as a union representative, chairs the school leadership team, and engages in district committees.

Kelsee G. Young has been a special education preschool teacher at Moss School in Metuchen, New Jersey since 2020. Her educational philosophy is to create a warm and nurturing environment for her students to play, grow, and thrive, upholding compassion over compliance.