Projects and Professional Experience

Key Words

Senior Consultant and Owner, 1998–2005, 2016–present

Provide subject matter expertise, technical assistance, professional development, course design and instruction, and technical editing in adult education, language learning and assessment, language skills development for professional and life skills purposes, and advocacy for adult literacy.

• Provide subject matter expertise in adult communication skills development and the U.S.-based adult education system.
• Develop online courses, course curricula, and resource materials in English for occupational, professional, and academic purposes.
• Develop and maintain resource website for language teaching professionals worldwide.
• Facilitate online professional development courses and webinars for practitioners teaching English as an additional language worldwide.
• Develop and teach online courses in writing for the U.S. workplace.
• Provide editorial services in language education and related fields for associations, publishers, and research institutions.

Consulting Projects

Stakeholder leader, CREATE Adult Skills Network

• Participate in discussions and document development for Equity in Research on Technology Use Working Group and Research Design and Methods Working Group.

Trainer and mentor, Luminary Labs

• Developed and provided boot camp training on the adult education funding ecosystem in the United States for finalists in the Department of Education’s Future Finder competition.

Resource reviewer, Literacy Information and Communication System (LINCS)

• Review instructional resources in financial literacy, health literacy, and adult English as a second language for inclusion in online resource repository.

Editor, ACTFL

• Editor, the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines for Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing (2024). Edited for clarity, consistency, relevance, and appropriate content. Gave particular attention to the elimination of antiquated terms and terms of art that impeded comprehensibility.
• Editor, Adair-Houck, B., Troyan, F., & Glisan, E. (2023). The Integrated Performance Assessment: Twenty Years and Counting.
• Editor, Ritz, C., & Toro, C. (2022). Proficiency-based instruction: Input & interaction in world language education.
• Editor, Davin, K. J., & Heineke, A. J. (2022). Promoting multilingualism in schools: A framework for implementing the Seal of Biliteracy.
• Editor, Glisan, E. W., & Donato, R. (2021). Enacting the work of language instruction: High-leverage teaching practices, Vol. 2.

Online course designer, National Association for Gifted Children

• Developed online structure and format for six-module professional development series on Curriculum Design for Teachers of Gifted and High-Potential Students.

Course developer, instructor, and editor, TESOL International Association

• Redeveloped and taught fully online six-week course in Teaching Adult Learners as part of the TESOL Core Certificate Program for practitioners teaching English as a second or foreign language (three course offerings per year).
• Taught fully online one-year Advanced Practitioner certification course.
• Redeveloped online self-study course in Teaching and Assessing Adult Learners.
• Developed course syllabus and curriculum for online course based on The 6 Principles for Effective Teaching of English Learners: Adult Education and Workforce Development.
• Edited Blok, S., Brinks Lockwood, R., & Frendo, E. (2020). The 6 Principles for exemplary teaching of English learners: Academic and other specific purposes.
• Edited Crandall, J., & Kaufman, D. (2002). Content-based instruction in higher education settings.

Course developer and instructor, Center for Advanced Proficiency in English

• Designed, developed and taught fully online six-week course in summary writing for federal personnel.
• Directed provision of entry/exit writing skills assessment and overall program evaluation for an online writing proficiency course for federal personnel.

Trainer, mentor, subject matter expert Consumer.gov Website for Low Literacy Readers, Federal Trade Commission

• Subject matter expert for usability study:
  Advised on recruiting and working with readers with limited literacy as study participants.
• Designed, developed, and provided training for FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection staff on creating web-based materials for native and non-native speakers of English with low levels of reading proficiency (www.consumer.gov).

Developer/writer, The Essentials of Language Teaching, National Capital Language Resource Center

• Developed and wrote content for website on communicative, task-based language teaching for university level language instructors and teaching assistants.

Professional Positions

National Coalition for Literacy, Washington, DC

Executive Director, 2020–2024
President, 2016–2020

• Led federal-level advocacy initiatives promoting adult education nationwide.
• Worked with staff on Capitol Hill to provide briefings and information on return on investment for WIOA and related federal funding streams.
• Developed and provided webinars and conference presentations on advocacy as a key responsibility of adult education practitioners.
• Worked collaboratively with member organizations to maintain connections and ensure consistency in presentation of information.

Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington, DC

Associate Vice President, Adult English Language Education, 2012–2016
Led all aspects of the organization’s activities in the area of adult English language education, including research, professional development, program design and evaluation, assessment, and curriculum and materials development.

• Program Director, English for Heritage Language Speakers Program, 2005–2016
  Oversaw all aspects of this program that enables adults who are native speakers of critical languages to develop the professional English language proficiency needed to obtain and retain federal employment.
• Co-director, program evaluation, Saudi Aramco English Language Training Program
  Managed design and implementation of full evaluation of Saudi Aramco’s workplace English language program for incoming employees; wrote evaluation report.
• Subject matter expert, Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies
  Advised on development of assessment items for use in the United States.
• Subject matter expert, Work Readiness Oral Language Test
  Advised on development of test items and overall test structure/content.
• Subject matter expert, National Work Readiness Credential
  Advised on development and refinement of math, reading, and on-the-job situational judgment assessment items.

Director of Development, 2009–2012
Oversaw and coordinated responses to RFPs and RFAs; coordinated identification of new funding opportunities; promoted programmatic growth in alignment with organization’s mission and external funding priorities.

Episcopal Diocese of Washington, Washington, DC

Editor, Washington Diocese newspaper, 2000–2003
Developed overall look and feel of monthly newspaper; managed writing assignments and writers; reported and wrote articles; oversaw layout and production.

Program Officer, Ruth Gregory Soper Memorial Trust, 2000-2003
Served as program officer for diocesan grant program; coordinated funding cycles, interacted with applicant and grantee organizations, managed selection and grant administration processes, produced reports for oversight committee.

Language at Work, Washington, DC

Director of Operations, 1991–1998
Designed and developed training programs and training materials in interpersonal communication, business writing, presentation skills, workplace literacy, job skills, career development, and time management for native and nonnative speakers of English. Developed and provided English for specific purposes training for employees in federal government and in financial, retail, and hospitality industries. Supervised teachers/trainers; wrote proposals, reports, and marketing materials; managed contracts; managed accounts receivable and accounts payable.

• Coordinator, Workplace Literacy Programs, Office of the Architect of the Capitol and Office of the Sergeant at Arms, U.S. Senate
  Programs provided literacy and work readiness instruction for native and nonnative speakers of English from basic literacy through GED preparation.

International Language Institute, Washington, DC

Instructor, 1989–1991
Taught English as a second language to adult learners at all levels from basic literacy through university preparation; developed instructional materials; directed Summer Intensive English Program.

American University, Washington, DC

Assistant to Director, University Honors Program, 1988–1989
Developed honors course descriptions in conjunction with faculty; coordinated relationship of honors courses to core curriculum; managed all aspects of relations with program students and faculty; wrote and produced newsletter.

Graduate Fellow, Office of the Associate Dean of Faculties, 1987–1988
Facilitated development of undergraduate core curriculum; wrote course descriptions and other material pertaining to core curriculum.

Denison University, Granville, OH

Instructor, Department of Religion, 1986

Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA

Instructor, Department of Religion, 1985–1986