Get To Know KSRA Officers

2015-2016 KSRA Officers

President - Michael Williams

Michael is a second grade teacher at Mountain View Elementary School in the Central Dauphin School District in Harrisburg, PA. He has been teaching for 12 years. Michael graduated from Lebanon Valley College in 2003 with a degree in Elementary Education and Special Education certifications. He earned his Master's Degree in Educational Development and Strategies from Wilkes University in 2009. In addition to being KSRA President, Michael is the Co-Chair of the Exemplary Reading Program Award Committee. In his free time, Michael loves to watch football and cheer on his favorite college team, Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Michael is honored to be the President of KSRA and is excited to “Lead Like A Champion.”

President-Elect - Rose Cappelli

Rose worked as a classroom teacher and reading specialist for over 30 years. She is a fellow of the PA Writing and Literature Project, as well as past president and current president of Chester County Reading Association. Rose served KSRA as a Region VI Director and is co-chair of the Keystone to Reading Elementary Book Award Committee. She also served on several conference committees and is looking forward to the 2015 KSRA Conference in Lancaster, PA. to “Reimagine, Explore, And Discover” literacy practice.

Vice President - Anna Landers

Anna was a stay at home mom of 4 children for 10 years before returning to graduate school at Edinboro University for an additional degree in Elementary Education and a M.Ed. in Reading. She has worked for the past 7 years as a Reading Specialist for the Corry Area School District. For the past two years, Anna has taught workshops for WQLN Families Turn on to Literacy. Anna has served as the President of Erie Reading Council for the past 5 years. She has served kSRA as the chairperson for IRA Awards for the past 3 years and is currently the KSRA Secretary. Anna has also been part of several KSRA conference committees. She enjoys the environment of professionalism, learning, and friendship that makes the people of KSRA a welcome part of her life.

Past President - Julie B. Wise

Julie B. Wise has been in education for 20 years where she served as a third grade teacher, reading specialist, and K-12 literacy consultant. She is currently a third year doctoral student at the University of Delaware. Julie's research interest is on inquiry-based argumentative writing tasks through student-created documentary production. She has been a member of KSRA since 1999 and has served as South Central Reading Council President, Celebrate Literacy Chair, Program Chair for the 2012 Conference, 2013 Conference Chair, and will be KSRA President for 2014-2015. Julie always looks forward to KSRA events because she is surrounded by other professionals who share the same passion for literacy.

Secretary - Kathy Sagl

Kathy has been in education for more than 20 years. Currently she is employed with the Nazareth Area School District in the high school Library. Kathy is also a member of the Pennsylvania School Library Association (PSLA). She has been a member of KSRA for many years, and currently is President of the Colonial Association of Reading Educators.

Treasurer - Virginia Williams

Virginia is retired from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. After her 35 year tenure at Revenue, she assumed a new role as a resident volunteer at the elementary school where her son, Michael, teaches. In addition to being the KSRA Treasurer, she also serves as the Treasurer for Capital Reading Council. Virginia's favorite thing to do is READ!

ILA Coordinator - Eric C. MacDonald

Eric is a middle school teacher and Asst. Middle School Head at Benchmark School in Media, PA, where he just finished his 30th year. He has served as President of KSRA (1999-2000), among numerous other positions. Delaware Valley Reading Association is his local council where he continues to serve on the Advisory Board as Bylaws Chair and DVRA's website coordinator. What he loves most about KSRA is the people he has gotten to know and with which he has served.

Membership Director - Emily Reed

Emily is a Reading Specialist at Dillsburg Elementary School in the Northern York County School District. She has served in this position for 16 years. She graduated from Millersville University with an undergraduate degree in Elementary, Early Childhood, and Physical Education. She later earned her Master's degree in Reading from there as well. She continued her education while receiving a principal and supervisory certificate from Shippensburg University. In her free time she loves to sing, watch Hershey Bears ice hockey, and play disc golf. And of course, you will always find Emily reading. Being a part of KSRA gives her the opportunity to share her love of literacy to other teachers and to the community.

Regional Directors

Region I - Pamela Brandon

Pam taught first, second, fourth, and fifth grades in her 37 years in education. She enjoyed all aspects of classroom teaching, but especially loved helping children explore the world through the love of reading. She received degrees in elementary education and counseling from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Pam is a past president as well as the current President of Seneca Reading Council. Pam has served as Council Awards Chair for KSRA and as Region I Director. She also served on several conference committees. Coming to KSRA meetings has allowed Pam to gain colleagues and more importantly friends from all areas in Pennsylvania.

Region II - Jenny Gadd

Jenny has been in education for 29 years. She was a self-contained 3rd grade teacher for the majority of the time but has also taught 1st thru 6th grades. She has been a K-8 literacy coach in recent years and is currently a K-8 reading specialist focusing on Act 82 Teacher Evaluation. She is a certified Framework for Teaching (Danielson) observer and a National Board Certified Teacher--Middle Generalist. She is involved with the PDE/DRC Text Dependent Analysis study group, range finding, and new item committees. Jenny has been a member of Three Rivers Reading Council and KSRA for over 20 years. She is the long-time Treasurer and Membership Chair for 3RRC. Of course, she LOVES reading!

Region III - Bethann McCain

Bethann is a native of Pennsylvania - born in Philadelphia, raised in the Poconos and currently resides in Clearfield and believes that individuals need to be literate to be effective in any career. Children become literate through the work of dedicated and effective educators. Bethann has a B.S. in Psychology with a social work concentration, Elementary Education and Reading Specialist Certifications, M.Ed. in Reading and ABD for her Doctorate in Curriculum, Instruction and Supervision. She is also earning her ESL Certification. Her biggest accomplishments, though, are her two beautiful children, Dannielle, aged 17 and Megan, aged 14.

Region IV - Aileen Hower

Aileen is a K-12 Reading/English/Language Arts Supervisor/ESL Coordinator for South Western School District, in Hanover, PA. She will be starting her 21st year in education this August. Aileen graduated with her doctorate in Reading/Language Arts Leadership from Widener University in 2013. She will obtain her ESL certification in the summer of 2015, and was just accepted to the Capital Area Writing Project at Penn State Harrisburg. She is an adjunct graduate reading professor for Penn State University, York campus where she is also the coordinator of the Penn State York Summer Literacy Institute (since 2013), and for Cabrini College (since 2010). Aileen will be coordinating two more literacy institutes in the summer of 2015 for Eduspire. She was the co-president and president of South Central Reading Council over the past two years. Aileen just finished her second year as a KSRA Regional Director. She also serves as KSRA’s Social Media Coordinator.

Region V - Joan Lengel

Joan Pelesh Lengel is a forty-year retiree in education who taught high school English, was the Reading Specialist in 7th and 8th grades, elementary Reading Specialist/Reading Supervisor, former adjunct at Marywood University Grad School; was selected by Oxford University as member of the Round Table to address World Literacy; lived a year in New Delhi on sabbatical and lectured in eighteen major cities of the sub-continent. Also was on a Literacy Task Force to Thailand. Designed conference signs for 25 KSRA past Conferences, and was Region V Director for three terms. Was president of NPRA and a Board Member for for 30 years. Created and chaired an Oral Reading Contest for twenty -two school districts that ran for 25 years. Is the widow of Jack Lengel and proud mother of son, Gregory. Received NPRA and KSRA Celebrate Literacy Awards. She lives with British lab, Bodhi in Moscow, PA.

Region VI

Eleanor Gensemer

Eleanor is Head of Middle School at Benchmark School in Media, PA and an adjunct for the Literacy Department of West Chester University. She is a past president of Delaware Valley Reading Association and is currently Membership Chair for that council. Eleanor is a past Membership Director for KSRA and has chaired the Young Adult Book Award Committee and the Scholarship Committee. She is currently Chair of the By-Laws Committee and a regional director.

Jane Schultz

Jane worked as a classroom teacher, reading specialist, ISTeacher, DASD communications curriculum leader, and director of the district's summer academic camp for over 38 years. She is a past president and current treasurer of Chester County Reading Association. Jane also serves as chairperson for CCRA's Council Awards Committee, Bylaws/Policies Committee, and Preschool Literacy Project. Jane previously served KSRA as a Region VI Director. Jane is currently serving on the 2015 Conference Committee as registrar. Her favorite pasttimes are reading, entertaining, traveling, and spoiling her granddaughter, Olivia. Don and Jane have two daughters.

Region VII - Frani Thomas

Frani Thomas is a Title 1 Reading Specialist and Title 1 Coordinator in Southern Huntingdon County School District. She just completed her 29th year of teaching. Most of those years have been spent in Reading, however she has taught kindergarten, second and fifth grade. Frani is a charter member and past president of Raystown Reading Council. She has served KSRA as secretary from 2005-2012, as Council Awards chairperson and was on several conference committees. Frani enjoys KSRA because being around others who are passionate for literacy validates, motivates and encourages her to be the best reading teacher she can be. Frani just completed her first year as regional director.