Fall 2025 Molloy Literacy Conference
Back to the Basics of Literacy:
Engaging and Equitable Practices to Bring Joy and
Excitement Back into Learning, PreK-20
Public Square, Molloy University
Learning Objectives: After this program, you will be able to:
- Attendees will name three new strategies they will incorporate into their clinical plans to facilitate language and literacy skills in children.
- Attendees will understand and describe the evidence-base for at least one of the strategies presented.
Timed agenda:
7:00-8:00 am: Registration/Breakfast
8:00-8:15: Introductions
8:15-8:40: Keynote; Q & A, New York State Education Department (NYSED) Representative will speak to NYSED literacy initiative, the Science of Reading, and regulations regarding graduation requirements: Erik Sweet, Executive Director, NYSED Office of Early Learning
8:40-9:30: Panel Discussion: Research-Based, High-Impact Literacy Practices (Reading & Writing)
- Dyslexia/Language-Based Challenges (P-20): Tim Castanza, Principal of the Bridge Preparatory Charter School in Staten Island
- Science of Reading (P-12): Michelle Peterson-Davis, Director of English, Uniondale School District
- ELLs/MLLs: Dr. Andrea Honigsfeld (P-20), Molloy TESOL Faculty
- Disciplinary Literacy (7-12): Amy Benjamin, Consultant
9:30-9:45: Break
9:45-10:35: Session 1 (10 concurrent workshops- Click here for the workshop and poster descriptions)
10:35-10:45: Break
10:45-11:15: Poster Sessions (Click here for the workshop and poster descriptions)
11:15-11:25: Break
11:25-12:15: Session 2 (10 concurrent workshops- Click here for the workshop and poster descriptions)
12:15-1 pm: Session 3: Lunch and Learn (Networking Session with Panelists and Book Authors), Concluding Remarks/Raffle
About the Presenters
Lori McGill has been teaching for 43 years in the Levittown School District. My interest is in promoting literacy skills to my students via the use of engaging texts which allow me to present and assess language skills in an engaging manner. I have worked closely with pre-service teachers for over 40 years helping them to gain the instructional foundations which will allow them to apply these strategies to their own teaching.
Lauren Kaufman is passionate about empowering teachers to lead and cultivate lifelong literacy practices in all learners. She currently serves as the Director of Literacy K–12 in Garden City Public Schools and has previously held roles as an assistant principal, classroom teacher, literacy specialist, instructional coach, and K–12 mentor coordinator. Lauren leads with a coaching mindset, guiding teams in developing a comprehensive approach to literacy and delivering job-embedded professional learning. She is the author of The Leader Inside: Stories of Mentorship to Inspire the Leader Within, maintains a reflective blog, and contributes to educational publications including Edutopia, Education Week, Defined Learning, as well as George Couros’ book Because of a Teacher and Lainie Rowell’s book Evolving With Gratitude. Lauren deeply believes in the power of professional learning communities and networks to foster meaningful and relevant growth for both educators and students.
Destiny Braddick is a dedicated educator with over two decades of experience, currently serving as a Literacy Coach. For much of her career, she has been a Fifth Grade Teacher in Garden City, NY. She holds a master's degree in education–Literacy from St. John’s University and a BS in Early Childhood Education from the University of Maryland. Destiny brings strong expertise in curriculum development, technology integration, and inquiry-based lesson planning. She is especially skilled in the workshop model, small group instruction, personalized learning, and evidence-based literacy practices. Over the years, she has mentored colleagues, led schoolwide literacy initiatives, and created engaging, rigorous, and supportive learning environments for students and families. In addition to her work in schools, Destiny has served as an adjunct professor and reading specialist, designing individualized literacy programs and sharing her knowledge with future educators. Passionate about advancing educational practices, she builds strong collaborative relationships and fosters shared ownership to support literacy success across the district.
Kristin Rochford is a reading specialist in the Garden City School District! She is a proud Molloy graduate who is passionate about bringing literacy to life in classrooms for both teachers and students. Kristin has experience in primary and upper-elementary classroom settings, as both a classroom teacher and a reading specialist. In addition, she has her administrative degree from Molloy, and is proud adjunct! She was recently hired to teach a literacy summer institute course on implementing the Science of Reading in elementary classrooms. She is passionate about educating teachers on how the Science of Reading can impact learners in the most positive ways.
Emma Annonio is a Reading Teacher in the Oceanside School District. She earned her undergraduate degree in General and Special Education from SUNY Geneseo and went on to complete her Master’s in Literacy Education at SUNY Cortland. Emma is passionate about fostering a lifelong love of reading in her students and is committed to helping them rebuild their reading confidence. She is dedicated to engaging striving readers through kinesthetic activities, games, and structured repetition, making phonics instruction both fun and effective.
Andrea Marzano is a dedicated Teacher Learning Coach with the Oceanside School District, bringing 31 years of rich teaching experience to her role. She spent 23 years as a classroom teacher and 8 years specializing as a reading teacher. Holding a Master’s degree in Literacy from Queens College and an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Adelphi University, Andrea is deeply passionate about advancing student literacy. As she concludes her career as a coach, she is committed to giving back the knowledge she has gained over the years through collaboration with colleagues and ongoing research. Andrea believes that small group instruction and targeted support are essential components in effectively guiding students on their literacy journeys.
Todd Henao and Lauren Blum teach English (grades 10-12) at The Wheatley School in Old Westbury, NY. Lauren Blum has been teaching English for 17 years. She enjoys teaching both classic and contemporary literature, and especially loves exploring existentialist philosophy, novels, and plays with her 10th grade and AP Literature students. A theater nerd, she loves teaching plays ranging from Shakespeare to Ionesco to Tennessee Williams, and is always searching for opportunities to take her students to experience live theater. Todd Henao has taught English for 10 years and has a particular passion for graphic literature and comics in the classroom. He completed his masters thesis on the relationship between trauma and memory as represented in graphic memoirs. Between his work as an adjunct professor with Syracuse University Project Advance and as the faculty advisor for the School Within a School (SWS) program, he is always looking for ways to bring his nerdy passions into the classroom.
Joseph LaTorre is a Middle English Teacher, Team Coordinator, Union Rep, and founder of Bridges. He has won the NYSEC award twice, most recently as a Distinguished Educator for English in New York State in 2024. As the founder of Bridges, a groundbreaking partnership between two Long Island school districts, Joe has championed initiatives that empower teenagers with leadership and communication skills to shape their futures. A two-time New York State Teaching Award winner and recognized thought leader in education, he has led district-wide initiatives, presented at regional and national forums, and been featured across multiple media platforms over the past decade. Joe is known for bringing people together, building cultures of success, and inspiring joy in the process. Whether collaborating with educators, students, or organizations, his message remains clear: together, we can create transformative educational experiences that ignite change.
Dr. Kerin Slattery is currently the Director of English Language Arts, Secondary Reading, and Library Media Services in the Levittown Public Schools. She received her Doctoral degree at Molloy University in the area of Educational Leadership for the Diverse Learning Community. She received her Advanced Certification in School District Leadership from Dowling College and holds a Masters of Science degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from Hofstra University. Dr. Slattery has experience in the areas of professional development, curriculum and instructional leadership, and gifted and talented education. Her passion for English Language Arts education comes from her 32 years of experience as a literacy educator for grades Pre-K-12.
Randi Roschnotti is a literacy consultant who provides professional development services for multiple districts across Long Island. She supports schools in designing and implementing effective, strategic literacy instruction aligned with the New York State Next Generation Standards. With a Master’s of Arts Degree in Inclusive Elementary Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and an additional credential in the Science of Reading Fundamentals from SUNY New Paltz, Randi brings a research-based, student-centered approach to her work with primary, intermediate, and middle school grades. Randi partners with teachers, school leaders, and administrators to develop and modify existing curriculum, with continued support through whole-group trainings, one-on-one coaching cycles, and classroom demonstration lab-sites. She believes in a hands-on, collaborative approach and is committed to helping educators deliver tailored literacy instruction that meets the diverse needs of each school community. Randi started her career as a classroom teacher working for the New York City Department of Education. She also worked independently to research and coauthor several reading units of study. This dual perspective—as both practitioner and consultant—informs her current work and fuels her passion for creating literacy experiences that are relevant, rigorous, and meaningful for today’s learners.
Mr. Jović is an educator who teaches 8th-grade English & Writing as well as students in grades 9-12 with limited English proficiency. He is pursuing his doctorate in Educational Leadership & Administration at Molloy University with a focus on social justice and high-quality, equitable education for all learners. In addition, he serves as a collaborator at the Cognition and Learning Laboratory at Molloy University. In this role he works with his colleagues to conduct basic and applied research on the cognitive factors that influence cultural, developmental, and social perspectives in learning. Exploring theoretical issues in cognitive science and social psychology and their practical implications for the field of education are at the forefront of the lab's research. Lastly, Mr. Jović also serves as a KDP representative to the United Nations in New York City, meeting with delegates and leaders from across the globe
Jacqueline Nenchin is a professor at Molloy University in New York, where she teaches graduate courses in linguistics and grammar and undergraduate courses in composition, linguistics, and Russian literature. She received a BA in Russian and German from SUNY Oswego, an MA in Russian from Vanderbilt University, an MS in TESOL from Molloy College, and a PhD in Linguistics from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. Her research interests include second language writing, linguistic profiling, and the application of Systemic Functional Linguistics to pedagogy.
Amy Eckelmann, Ed.D is an adjunct professor at Molloy University in the TESOL Pathways program. Dr. Eckelmann is also an educator in the Rockville Centre School District, as well as a publisher for the Journal of Leadership and Instruction. Dr. Eckelmann has a background in theater from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. A proud member of the Molloy community, she received both her Masters and Doctorate from Molloy University, with a dissertation titled The Effects of Drama Therapy Programs on the Self-Efficacy of English Language Learners. Dr. Eckelmann's passion for theater and her ELL students drive her motivation to concentrate on self-efficacy theory in order to enhance her students' growth and shape them into lifelong learners.
Ivy Cibrano is an educator with more than 30 years of experience teaching grades 3-6 during her career in the Oceanside Public School District. Ms. Cibrano has spent most of her career as a 6th grade Language Arts teacher with a passion for teaching reading and writing. In addition, she created and facilitated a Mentor Academy Program for new teachers and TAs in her district. She often provides professional learning for upper-grade ELA teachers.
Jaclyn Graham is the principal of School #4 in the Oceanside School District. With a background as a reading teacher, she brings a deep understanding of literacy and student development to her leadership role.
Jillian Gallagher serves as the Teaching and Learning Coach (TLC) at School #4 in Oceanside. In this role, she supports instructional staff in enhancing teaching practices and curriculum implementation.
Lorie Beard, Principal of Academy Street Elementary School, is a passionate educator whose previous roles include middle school principal, instructional coach, and classroom teacher. Lorie is committed to fostering a positive school culture and her leadership is grounded in collaboration, along with the belief that the power of literacy can transform lives.
Erin Reilly is an Assistant Professor in the Communication Sciences and Disorders department at Molloy University. She is also an ASHA certified and NYS licensed Speech Language Pathologist. She has experience researching and working with neurodivergent children and young adults. An additional research focus in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SOTL) in higher education.
Maria G. Dove, EdD, is a professor in the School of Education and Human Services at Molloy University in Rockville Centre, New York. She specializes in preparing preservice and in-service teachers with research-based best practices for effective instruction of multilingual learners. With over 30 years of experience as an English-as-a-second-language teacher in K–12 public schools and adult education programs across the greater New York City area, Dr. Dove brings a wealth of practical expertise to her work. She is a consultant and professional development provider, supporting educators nationwide in enhancing instructional approaches for multilingual learners. She has co-authored multiple best-selling books published by Corwin Press.
Speaker Disclosures
Please click here for the speaker disclosures.
Date, Times and Location
The program will take place on Friday, October 17, 2025; 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. In-person only in the Public Square on the grounds of Molloy's Rockville Centre campus located at 1000 Hempstead Avenue, Rockville Centre, NY.
Continuing Education Credit: ASHA CEUs
Each program is offered for .4 ASHA CEUs (Intermediate level; Professional area). Participants will be contacted if they wish to earn ASHA CEUs. If you do, your information will be sent to ASHA CE.
Tuition
$35 registration fee will go toward a college scholarship fund.
Molloy students attend for free; $10 fee for Non-Molloy students.
Breakfast and lunch are included.
Registration
Click here to register online. If you have a problem please email literacyconference@molloy.edu
or call 516-323-3125.
Refund Policy
A full refund will be granted as long as you contact us one week prior to the start the program. However, substitutions can be made until the day of the program at no charge.
Questions?
If you should have any questions concerning registration or the program, please email literacyconference@molloy.edu or call 516-323-3125.
Communication Sciences and Disorders Department
Molloy's Communication Sciences and Disorders Department continues to offer a comprehensive undergraduate program in Speech-Language Pathology/Audiology and also offers an M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology. The M.S. program in speech-language pathology at Molloy University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Additionally, our Speech, Language and Hearing Center is located off campus in a new facility and continues to serve the community by providing an array of evaluation and treatment services.
The Speech, Language and Hearing Center at Molloy University is located at 30 Hempstead Avenue, Rockville Centre and continues to serve the community by providing an array of evaluation and treatment services.