Governance
The Council
The Council is comprised of one designated representative from each accredited training course. Representatives from training courses in the process of accreditation (Formal Candidates) are not members of the Council but are encouraged to attend meetings of the Council to become familiar with the work of IMSLEC.
The Board of Directors
The Board determines the policies and procedures of IMSLEC and directs and supervises its affairs. There are 15 Board members elected from the Council membership. The immediate past president and representatives from IDA and ALTA sit on the Board as non-voting members. One public member for every six Board members is elected by the Board from nominees submitted by accredited training courses.
The Executive Committee
The Executive Committee of the Board is elected by the Board from its members. The committee includes the President, the Vice President / President-Elect, the Vice President / Accreditation, the Secretary, and the Treasurer. The President, assisted by the officers, manages the day-to-day business of IMSLEC, advises, and presents recommendations to the Board.
The Executive Director
The Executive Director is employed to administer and manage the affairs of the Council under the direction of the Executive Committee.
2025-2026 Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Sandra Donah, Ed.D., I-CALP, CDP
Board Position: PresidentTerm: 2024 - 2027
Organization: Western Massachusetts Learning Centers for Children
What IMSLEC Means to Me: IMSLEC upholds the highest standards in the field and has been instrumental in ensuring that WMLCC's training program aligns with the latest reading research. Their support strengthens the quality of our program, fostering excellence in educator preparation. Our partnership with IMSLEC elevates WMLCC, enhancing the quality and effectiveness of our training program.
Carin Illig, Ed.D, M.Ed., CIT, C-SLDS, CALT-QI
Board Position: Vice President / President-ElectTerm: 2024 - 2027
Organization: Children's Dyslexia Centers, Inc.
What IMSLEC Means to Me: IMSLEC provides a set of training standards and core content that ensure the quality of the training provided by the accredited courses. IMSLEC supports its members through a professional community. Together, we work on a shared goal by providing the highest quality training to educators and interventionists so they can effectively support children and adults who struggle with reading and writing skills.
Kay F. Peterson, M.S., LDT, CALT-QI
Board Position: Vice President / AccreditationTerm: 2020 - 2028
Organization: LEAD/Literacy Education & Academic Development, Inc.
What IMSLEC Means to Me: IMSLEC has been valuable to me because its membership includes course directors who value quality training. All IMSLEC courses are led by highly trained staff who provide intensive course instruction and supervise a practicum experience for each course participant.
Christine K. Bedenbaugh, M.Ed., LDT, CALT-QI
Board Position: TreasurerTerm: 2023 - 2026
Organization: Shelton School-SALA
What IMSLEC Means to Me: What I love about IMSLEC is that it delineates the gold standard for the accreditation of training centers providing instruction to dyslexia specialists. One of my proudest moments was earning IMSLEC accreditation.
Nancy Cushen White, Ed.D., BCET, CALT-QI, CDT, LDT
Board Position: SecretaryTerm: 2021 - 2025
Organization: Slingerland Institute for Literacy
Directors
Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, CALT-QI, LDT, C-SLDS
Term: 2025 - 2028Organization: Esperanza
What IMSLEC Means to Me: IMSLEC is the leader in accreditation for Structured Multiliteracy. IMSLEC supports evidence-based and differentiated instruction for multilingual learners and has made a commitment to expand its reach and ensure all students have access to a highly trained professional.
Deb A. Dwyer, M.Ed., OG-CTT, CDP
Term: 2024 - 2027Organization: Orton Gillingham of Minnesota
What IMSLEC Means to Me: IMSLEC supports the teaching of reading by setting high standards and creating a community of like-minded people and organizations worldwide. It promotes the best practices of explicit instruction when students need us to elevate our teacher's knowledge and practice while providing a place for collaboration.
Mary L. Farrell, Ph.D., OG-THT
Term: 2024 - 2027Organization: Fairleigh Dickinson University
What IMSLEC Means to Me: We have been accredited by IMSLEC since 1999! I like IMSLEC because its accreditation criteria are the gold standard for effective structured literacy training. Also, our IMSLEC accreditation provides assurance about the value of our program to the University, school districts with whom we work, teachers that we train, and parents.
Meredith Hutchings, M.Ed., B.Ed., B.A.
Term: 2025 - 2028Organization: Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation of Canada
What IMSLEC Means to Me: We have been accredited with IMSLEC since 2023. Our Learning Centre values meeting the rigorous standards of the IMSLEC criteria as we aim to recruit high calibre volunteer tutors to support our deserving children and families. Receiving recognition as an Orton-Gillingham intervention centre of high quality means so much to everyone involved in our growing learning centre community.
Tammy Kofford, M.Ed., CALT-QI
Term: 2025 - 2028Organization: Phillips Fundamental Learning Center, Inc.
What IMSLEC Means to Me: IMSLEC is valuable to me because it establishes rigorous training standards that uphold the quality and consistency of structured literacy programs nationwide. These standards ensure that participants receive comprehensive, research-based instruction that supports excellence in teaching and learning outcomes.
Noel Leif, M.Ed., CALT-QI
Term: 2025 - 2028Organization: Springfield Center for Dyslexia and Learning
What IMSLEC Means to Me: To me, IMSLEC represents excellence and integrity in structured literacy education. It sets a clear and dependable standard for how teachers should be prepared to support students with dyslexia. Even as the field continues to evolve, IMSLEC remains steady — ensuring that training is grounded in strong research and delivered with quality and care. Being connected to IMSLEC means being part of a professional community that prioritizes students, honors evidence-based teaching, and is committed to meaningful, lasting outcomes.
Deborah Lynam, M.A.
Term: 2025 - 2028Organization: Public Member
What IMSLEC Means to Me: As a professional certified through an IMSLEC-accredited program, I value the organization's role in ensuring that structured literacy practitioners receive rigorous, research-aligned preparation and continuing education. In a field where the science of reading, writing, and learning continues to evolve, IMSLEC provides a trusted standard of quality, one that holds programs and practitioners alike accountable to evidence-based practices and lifelong professional growth.
Jamie Nettles, M.Ed, LDT, CALT-QI
Term: 2019 - 2025Organization: Rawson Saunders School
What IMSLEC Means to Me: IMSLEC remains the gold standard of structured literacy training for educators. The commitment to maintaining high expectations for top-tier content and instructional delivery is unshakable. Regardless of shifts and changes in the field, IMSLEC stands as a guiding beacon.
Ellen O'Neill, M.A.
Term: 2025 - 2028Organization: Atlantic Seaboard Dyslexia Education Center
What IMSLEC Means to Me: IMSLEC accreditation represents a distinguished standard of excellence, recognizing members who uphold rigorous structured literacy training and intensive clinical supervision. This seal of excellence is increasingly vital for educators seeking guidance in an otherwise unregulated educational landscape. Our language therapists and practitioners value IMSLEC's unwavering commitment to maintaining the highest standards of practice in educator preparation programs — widely regarded as the gold standard in multisensory education.
Toni Parrish, M.Ed., LDT, CALT-QI
Term: 2025 - 2028Organization: Scottish Rite Learning Center of West Texas
What IMSLEC Means to Me: IMSLEC embodies a steadfast commitment to excellence, affirming that accredited programs provide the highest quality and consistency in comprehensive, evidence-based preparation for those serving students with dyslexia. IMSLEC is an empowering community united in navigating the ever-evolving nuances of the science of teaching children to read and write utilizing a multisensory, structured language program. Its commitment, collaboration, and shared purpose make it an invaluable resource.
Kathleen N. Rose, M.A.
Term: 2024 - 2027Organization: Public Member
What IMSLEC Means to Me: Teacher training programs that have earned IMSLEC accreditation yield the most effective teachers and therapists, fully equipping them with not only the science of reading, but with the practical aspects of teaching/improving reading skills from square one through adulthood. I consider IMSLEC accreditation to be the "Cadillac".
Alison Webster, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, CALT-QI
Term: 2025 - 2028Organization: DuBard School for Language Disorders
What IMSLEC Means to Me: I love IMSLEC because it represents the highest standard of excellence in multisensory structured language education. Through its rigorous accreditation process and commitment to research-based practices, IMSLEC ensures that educators are well-prepared to make a meaningful difference in the lives of students with language-based learning challenges. The organization fosters collaboration, professional growth, and support among educators, allowing us to learn from one another and continually refine our practice.