The Strategic Literacy Initiative Home | About SLI What's New Professional Development Publications & Presentations Resources for Teachers Evaluation & Assessment Related Research & Resources Contact Information: Ruth Schoenbach Co-Director (510) 302-4255 rschoen@wested.org Cyndy Greenleaf Co-Director (510) 302-4222 cgreenl@wested.org Jana Bouc Program Coordinator (510) 302-4245 jbouc@wested.org

Strategic Literacy Initiative Staff Management Team Ruth Schoenbach, Co-Director Since 1988, Ruth Schoenbach has led the SLI (formerly the Humanities Education Research and Language Development Project) to successfully develop, sustain and expand a multi-level research and development program focused on supporting increased literacy learning for adolescents through teacher professional development. She co-authored Reading for Understanding: A Guide to Improving Reading in Middle and High School Classrooms, published by Jossey-Bass, which describes the Reading Apprenticeship™ framework and the impact of the SLI's work in urban, secondary classrooms. As a leader in literacy-based education reform, Ms. Schoenbach has served in an advisory capacity to various local and national reform projects, most notably as a member of the National Research Council Committee on a Feasibility Study for a Strategic Education Research Program. She is a frequent presenter at regional and national professional conferences including AERA, NCTE and IRA. Over the past 25 years, Ms. Schoenbach has designed and managed numerous innovative arts and literacy-based programs, as well as taught language arts and English as a Second Language at the elementary, secondary and adult education levels. After earning numerous teaching credentials for multiple subjects and grade levels as well as an Elementary Principal Certificate, Ms. Schoenbach received her Ed.M from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Teaching, Curriculum and Learning Environments in 1987. Cynthia Greenleaf, Co-Director Dr. Cynthia Greenleaf has lead the SLI's research efforts since 1991. Her studies combine original research, field-based practice and collaboration with secondary teachers. Dr. Greenleaf's research is designed to study the impact of innovative, inquiry-based models of classroom teaching and teacher professional development on student and teacher learning. Her scholarly work has been integral to the development of the Reading Apprenticeship™ framework, the central organizing principle of the Strategic Literacy Initiative. Dr. Greenleaf's program of research has won several prestigious awards for its promise to translate theory into practice, to incorporate teachers' expert knowledge into theories of literacy teaching and learning, and to improve students' opportunities to learn as well as their literacy achievement. These awards include the National Council of Teachers of English Promising Researcher Award and the American Education Research Association's Best Dissertation Award for Social Contexts of Education Division. Her work is published in scholarly journals such as the Harvard Education Review, Written Communication and Teaching and Teacher Education. In addition, she co-authored Reading for Understanding: A Guide to Improving Reading in Middle and High School Classrooms. Dr. Greenleaf is a frequent presenter at national professional conferences including AERA, NCTE and IRA. She received her Ph.D. in Language and Literacy Education in 1990 from the Graduate School of Education at the University of California at Berkeley. Jane Braunger, Senior Research Associate Dr. Braunger conducts research on professional development in literacy among middle and high school teachers; collaborates in the ongoing development of theory and practice in Reading Apprenticeship™; and establishes new networks and contexts for SLI's work, especially in preservice settings. Prior to joining WestEd in 1999, Dr. Braunger spent seven years as a senior associate at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory in Portland, Oregon. While there, her research, writing, and consultation focused on classroom implications of literacy research, curriculum reform, and the impact of professional development on teacher practice and student outcomes in reading. Dr. Braunger has extensive experience as a high school and college teacher, K-12 language arts curriculum specialist, teacher educator, researcher, and writer with expertise in literacy instruction, assessment, teacher development, standards-based reform, and developmental education. She is a frequent presenter at national professional conferences including NCTE and IRA. Her publication topics include curriculum development, literacy education, integrative curriculum, adult learning, and school reform. She is co-author of a nationally recognized synthesis of the research on learning to read, Building a Knowledge Base in Reading. She also co-authored a companion volume, Using the Knowledge Base in Reading: Teachers at Work which was published in 1999 by the International Reading Association and Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory. Dr. Braunger currently serves on the National Council of Teachers of English Commission on Reading and is past-president of the Oregon Reading Association. She holds an Ed.D. from Portland State University, the University of Oregon, and Oregon State University. Marean Jordan, Director of Professional Development Under Ms. Jordan's leadership, SLI has expanded its professional development team and services, offering yearlong professional development opportunities focused on improved literacy learning for adolescents and content area teachers. Before joining the SLI in 1999, Ms. Jordan was instrumental in the program and evaluation design and development of resources and training materials for several important literacy projects. Most recently, she co-directed the Alliance for Collaborative Change in School Systems (ACCESS). This UC Berkeley partnership program provided professional development for secondary teachers and administrators focusing on curriculum, technical support and instructional improvement in mathematics, English and social studies. It was designed to prepare students from historically underrepresented groups for academic success and admission to four-year colleges and universities. Ms. Jordan has taught English/language arts, literature, and writing at the secondary and university levels. She has provided coaching and a wide range of professional development opportunities to both pre-service and inservice teachers. She is a frequent presenter at regional and national professional conferences including NCTE and IRA. She was advanced to Candidacy for Ph.D. in English Literature, University of California, Davis in 1983 and received her Masters degree in English from San Francisco State University. This information can be found at http://www.wested.org /stratlit/about/staff.shtml Last modified December 2, 2002 ©2009 WestEd® || (415) 565-3000 || www.WestEd.org All rights reserved. No portion may be reproduced without permission of WestEd.