President - Aileen Hower

Aileen is an Assistant Professor of Literacy at Millersville University where she teaches both undergraduate and graduate level courses. She will be starting her 24th year in education this August. Aileen graduated with her doctorate in Reading/Language Arts Leadership from Widener University in 2013. She is also an adjunct graduate reading professor for Cabrini University (since 2010). Aileen was honored to be the conference chair for this past year’s KSRA 50th Annual Conference. She serves as KSRA’s Social Media Coordinator and is a co-chair of the Keystone to Reading Secondary book awards. She is the treasurer for South Central Reading Council.

President-elect - Kathy Sagl

Kathy has been in education for more than 20 years. She began her career as a library volunteer at Cathedral School located in Allentown. She received her degree in Library Technical Assistance. From 1996 to 2008, she held the position as Library Media Specialist at Cathedral School for students in Kindergarten through Grade 8, sharing stories and children’s literature, and teaching research skills and proper computer/internet citizenship and responsibility. In 2008, she accepted a position with Nazareth Area High School Library sharing young adult literature with students and providing faculty with materials to assist with their curriculum. Kathy recently retired from her position with Nazareth School District. As a member of the Colonial Association of Reading Educators, she held positions of Membership Chair, Vice President, and President. Kathy is also a member of Pennsylvania School Library Association (PSLA).

Vice President - Sondra Jones

Sondra Jones is entering her 20th year in education and her final year of teaching in September. During her career she has spanned the grade level from Kindergarten through 11th grade. Her current position is as a reading specialist and interventionist with the Blue Mt. school District in Orwigsburg, PA. Sondra received her Master of Education degree with a concentration in reading from Anna Maria College in Massachusetts. She completed all of her doctoral course work and comprehensives in Reading/Language Arts at Widener University. Sondra is a member of the Schuylkill County Reading council where she has served as Corresponding Secretary, Membership Chair, Vice President and President.

Past 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 11 years as a Reading Specialist for the Corry Area School District. For the past three 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 8 years. She has served KSRA as the chairperson for IRA Awards, and as the KSRA Secretary. Anna has also been part of several KSRA conference committees, and spent two years planning the 2016 Conference. She enjoys the environment of professionalism, learning, and friendship that makes the people of KSRA a welcome part of her life.

Treasurer - Virginia Williams

Virginia retired from the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue as the Chief of the Personal Income Tax Delinquent Tax Division. After her 35 year tenure at Revenue, she assumed a new role as a resident volunteer and part-time paraprofessional/clerical employee 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. She will also serve as the Treasurer for the 2018 KSRA Conference. Virginia's favorite thing to do is READ!

Secretary - Debbie Urso

Debbie is a Title I reading specialist in the Chambersburg Area School District. She has been in this role for 13 years, and, prior to that, taught 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd grades. In addition to serving as KSRA’s Secretary, she is the Families & Reading Committee Chair. Even though April is Families & Reading Month, Debbie promotes reading and family literacy events throughout the entire year in her school district and reading council. For the past few KSRA conferences, she has been the Hospitality Chair or Decorations Co-chair. She proudly serves as Franklin County Reading Council’s Secretary and Act 48 Chair. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, singing, gardening, and of course reading professional books and novels.

ILA Coordinator - Eric C. MacDonald

Eric is a middle school teacher and Asst. Middle School Head at Benchmark School in Media, PA, where he has taught for 33 years. 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 19 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. She has served as Membership Director for the past two year, as well as serving on the Keystone to Reading Book Award Elementary committee and acting as co-chair of the Secondary committee.This year she will again be President of her local council. In her free time she loves to sing, watch Hershey Bears ice hockey, play disc golf, and kayak with her husband. And of course, you will always find Emily reading. Being a part of KSRA gives her the opportunity to share her love of literacy with other teachers and the community.

Director of Literacy Advocacy -

Conference and Meeting Coordinator - Jane Helman

Jane is a retired reading specialist from the Tunkhannock Area School District. She taught in grades K through 8 and also coached the Girls’ Varsity Track Team for 32 years. Since 1997 she has taught at Marywood University and is currently an adjunct instructor in the graduate reading department. Jane has been involved with KSRA since attending a conference in 1990. She has served as: president in 2012-2013, conference chair in 2012, conference committee member for several conferences, conference advisory committee member and currently chair, and publications co-chair for many years. Jane has also served her local council, Northeastern PA Reading Association, as president, secretary, Reading Time at the Mall co-chair, and board representative from her district. She treasures the many friendships acquired through the KSRA and NPRA families! She likes visiting lighthouses and driving her pontoon boat!

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 32 years. She was a self-contained 3^rd grade teacher for the majority of the time but has also taught 1^st thru 6^th grades. For the last 5 years, she has been a K-8 reading specialist focusing on Act 82 Teacher Evaluation. She returned to a reading coach position this year at a new school. However, being at a new school still means seeing former students as parents of current students! She is a National Board Certified Teacher--Middle Generalist, and she has gone through the renewal process. She is involved with the PDE/DRC Text Dependent Analysis study group, range finding, data review, and new item committees. Jenny has been a member of Three Rivers Reading Council and KSRA for over 20 years. She is the current President and long-time Treasurer for 3RRC. Of course, she LOVES reading!

Region III - Janice Adair

Janice taught in North Carolina for 1 and a half years as an elementary learning support resource teacher. She and her husband moved to Pennsylvania, and she taught in the Shikellamy School District for 33 years as a middle school learning support teacher, Title 1 Reading Specialist, and an elementary literacy coach. Currently, Janice volunteers in the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way’s two early childhood education programs. Also, she has served on the Selinsgrove School District’s Literacy Council for the past 2 years. For the past several years, Janice has been the Co-President of the Susquehanna Valley Reading Council (SVRC), and in 2013 she received their Celebrate Literacy Award. She is starting her fourth year as the KSRA Council Awards Co-Chairperson and she is thrilled to continue her term as KSRA Region 3 Director. Janice feels that KSRA is an awesome organization that provides exceptional professional development and the opportunities to collaborate with passionate educators throughout Pennsylvania who want to make a difference in the lives of children and adults regarding literacy.

Region IV - Patti Sollenberger

Patti Sollenberger, Ph.D., worked as a classroom teacher and reading specialist for over ten years in Harrisburg and Lancaster County. In 1996, she founded Reading Matters, Inc. where she continues to work with educators and families in literacy support and initiatives.

Region V - Joan Lengel

Joan Pelesh Lengel is retired after forty years in education. She taught high school English, was the Reading Specialist in 7th and 8th grades, elementary Reading Specialist/Reading Supervisor, and former adjunct at Marywood University Graduate School. She was selected by Oxford University as a 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. She also was on a Literacy Task Force to Thailand. Joan designed conference signs for 25 KSRA past conferences, and was Region V Director for three terms. She was president of NPRA and a Board Member for 30 years. Joan created and chaired an Oral Reading Contest for twenty-two school districts that ran for 25 years. She is the widow of Jack Lengel and proud mother of son, Gregory. She has received NPRA and KSRA Celebrate Literacy Awards. She lives with a British lab, Wolfgang 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 Bylaws Committee and a regional director.

Glendia Kennedy

Glendia just retired from the Chester County Intermediate Unit after 18 years as a reading specialist for Nonpublic School Services. Her previous experiences include six years at Hill Top Prep in Rosemont, PA, five years in Michigan as a high school English and Journalism teacher, and three years in Georgia as a middle and high school reading specialist. Glendia stayed at home with her three children for twelve years supporting them at their schools and extracurricular activities. Glendia is a past president of Chester County Reading Association and presently co-chairs KSRA’s Keystone to Reading Elementary Book Awards.

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 30th 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 received her BS in Elementary Education from Juniata College and Reading Specialist certification from Penn State. She obtained her masters degree in Education Leadership and principal certification from Saint Francis University. 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.