Irina McGrath, PhD and Michelle Shory, EdD are Google Certified trainers who share ideas for fusing pedagogy & andragogy with innovative & engaging methods that often include technology.

Irina V. McGrath, PhD 

Irina McGrath, PhD is an Assistant Principal at Newcomer Academy and an adjunct professor at the University of Louisville, Indiana University Southeast, and Bellarmine University, teaching graduate courses for the ESL/ENL and Literacy Endorsement programs as well as Master of Education in Teacher Leadership. She was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Russia and has an M.A. in English as a Second Language (ESL), M.A. in Literacy Education, Ed.S. in Educational Administration, and a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction. 

Additionally, Irina is the President of KYTESOL and a co-director of the Louisville Writing Project (LWP). She believes in the power of cultural and linguistic diversity and is passionate about literacy and English Learners. In her free time, she loves to write, learn new tech tools, and play tennis. She is the captain of a USTA team.

 Michelle Makus Shory, EdD

Michelle is a language educator with 27 years of experience, having taught in five different states. Currently, she works as an ML teacher and instructional coach at Seneca High School in Louisville, Kentucky. Michelle also teaches ESL/ML/ENL courses for Eastern Kentucky University and Indiana University Southeast. She holds a Bachelor's degree in French, a Master's degree in world language education, an Educational Specialist degree in ESL Education, and a Doctorate in educational leadership. Her quantitative dissertation work focused on andragogy and online learning. 

Michelle is passionate about literacy and high-quality professional learning; she also helped establish Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Louisville. Michelle grew up in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where she loved school and her public library. In her free time, Michelle enjoys reading, running, weight training, and instructional design. Dr. Shory is proud to be a first-generation college graduate and has recently been appointed an ML reviewer for Ed Reports.