Staff and Faculty

Sandra Jones, HILL Director, was a school educator for 30 years, serving as a teacher, professional development coordinator, principal, and academic dean. In addition to her operational responsibilities as Director of the Hanson Initiative for Language & Literacy (HILL) for the past 8 years, Dr. Jones is an Associate Professor in the Graduate Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston. Dr. Jones and her colleagues train reading specialists, literacy coaches, principals, district administrators including assistant superintendents and superintendents how to lead school-wide literacy initiatives throughout Massachusetts and the nation. Recognized for her work in the area of leading literacy change, she and her colleagues were invited to present at the National Reading First Conference for 3 successive years. Dr. Jones served as the Professional Development Coordinator for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Massachusetts Reading First Plan for six years. She was responsible for training the statewide regional Implementation Facilitators, consulted to the Office of Reading and provided statewide professional development to the 120 Reading First and John Silber schools’ leaders. Dr. Jones was also a member of the Massachusetts Reading Leadership Team and the Statewide Adolescent Task Force. Dr. Jones has also provided professional development to New York, Arkansas and New Hampshire Reading First literacy leaders. Before co-founding the HILL, Dr. Jones was the Academic Dean at The Carroll School, a nationally recognized school for children with language-based learning disabilities and the founding Director of The Carroll Center for Teaching and Learning in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Dr. Jones received the Partners in Excellence Award for her work at the Hanson Initiative for Language & Literacy and the MGH Institute of Health Professions.

Linda Camp, HILL Early Reading First Professional Development Director, received an A.B. with distinction in Psychology from Mount Holyoke College and her M.A. in Special Education at the University of Connecticut where she became a Ph. D. candidate in Special Education. Ms. Camp is a senior lecturer at Curry College, where she teaches students with learning disabilities and “Reading Assessment and Intervention" in the Master of Education program. Ms. Camp served as Director of Programs at ReadBoston, an early literacy initiative where she designed and implemented a language and literacy professional development project for early childhood teachers. Prior to that she managed several research projects at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the University of Massachusetts and directed a reading and study skills center at Emerson College. Ms. Camp has also been an educational diagnostician on multi-disciplinary evaluation teams at two hospitals and a teacher of children with learning disabilities in two urban school systems

Dawn Carusi, HILL Facilitator, holds certifications as a Reading Specialist, Special Educator, Elementary Educator and Early Childhood Educator. She earned a BA in Psychology from Rhode Island College, an M.Ed in Special Education from Simmons College and an Ed.S in Language and Literacy, also from Simmons College. Dawn is certified in the Wilson Reading System and is a certified Fundations Trainer. She also has specialized training in Project Read and Read Naturally. Prior to joining the Hill, Dawn was a special educator in Barrington RI Public Schools. While there, she assisted the district in developing a school within a school model to meet the needs of students with language based learning differences. Dawn has also held teaching positions in MA and also served as a Program Director, Director of Professional Development and Director of Educational Enhancement for South Coast Educational Collaborative. She has provided services to families and school districts in RI and MA as a private educational consultant. Areas of expertise include Dyslexia, assessment and multi sensory instructional practices.

Carol Darcy, Early Literacy Facilitator, received an Ed.D. in Education Leadership and Curriculum Theory from Boston University, a Professional Diploma in Supervision and Administration from Bank Street College of Education, a M.S. in Early Childhood Education from Wheelock College and a B.S. in Elementary Education from Boston State Teachers College. Currently, Dr. Darcy is the liaison for the World Organization for Early Childhood Education (OMEP) at the United Nations and is Vice-President for the US National Committee and is a Cape Cod Association for the Education of Young Children (CCAEYC) Board member. In addition to consulting to schools, both public and private, for many years, Dr. Darcy has been an adjunct instructor, teaching undergraduate and graduate level students. She has been a Director/Principal for several schools and a kindergarten teacher. She has coordinated several research projects, including T-LEEP the interactive television version of the Language Environment Enrichment Program (LEEP), developed at EDC, Inc. Newton, MA. Designed as a continuing education course for early childhood teachers and their supervisors, the course content included information about language and early literacy development and appropriate classroom practices that strengthen and improve young children's language and literacy learning.

Mary McDonald, Grants/Finance Manager, joined the HILL staff in February 2008. As the Financial Coordinator, Mary oversees and coordinates the fiscal activity of the department. Before joining the staff at the HILL, Mary was primarily employed in executive positions of hospital business office management, financial analysis, and systems implementation and management at HCA and Tenet Healthcare in Texas. She also spent several years in municipal treasury operations and as a grants financial coordinator with the Town of Winthrop where she tracked, analyzed and reported all financial information on a $24M grant from the MWRA for mitigation due to Boston Harbor clean-up. Ms. McDonald earned a BS in Education with a K-P Specialization and minor in Art from the University of Massachusetts.

Mary McManus, HILL Facilitator, is a Certified Reading Specialist and elementary teacher. She received her B.A. in Political Science from Regis College, a M.Ed. in Elementary Education from Lesley College, and a Certificate of Advanced Study from MGH Institute of Health Professions, an academic affiliate of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Mary has worked in the field of education for 9 years. She worked as a Reading Specialist in the East Bridgewater Public School system where she trained teachers in Dibels, and provided intensive reading instruction to students in kindergarten through third grade. Mary was recently honored by the Plymouth Country Teachers Association with an Honor Award for her service to the East Bridgewater Public Schools. In addition to being trained in DIBELS, Mary has completed basic training in Lexia Creative Reading and the Wilson Reading System. Prior to entering the field of education, Mary worked for Fleet Financial Services, as a Vice President in their Private Client Group.

Catherine Pirri, Asst Director, Professional Development, received her BS in Psychology from Union College in Schenectady, NY, her MS in Educational Psychology and Certificate of Advance Graduate Study (C.A.G.S.) in School Psychology from the State University of New York at Albany. Ms. Pirri worked in Massachusetts and New York as a certified school psychologist (all levels) since 1985. She has worked extensively in designing and implementing literacy reforms aimed at preventing reading failure and improving literacy outcomes for all students. Prior to joining the HILL, she served as an Implementation Facilitator and Professional Development Provider for the Department of Education Reading First Program where she provided ongoing training and support for teachers, reading specialists, and administrators in the implementation of scientifically based reading curriculum and assessments. She has developed and conducted training workshops for Department of Education Office of Reading, Title One Institutes, and Department of Education staff as well as school administrators and teachers.

Etta Rosen, Early Reading First Literacy Facilitator, received an A.B. in Psychology from Mount Holyoke College, a M.Ed. in Counseling from Northeastern University and a Sixth Year Professional Diploma in School Psychology from Southern Connecticut State College. Her work in education includes fourteen years as a Guidance Counselor and School Psychologist in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Missouri public school systems working with and evaluating students from K to 12, and facilitating in-service training for professional staff. Her special skills in early childhood led her to create and oversee a system-wide early identification program. In addition, Ms Rosen has worked as a Reading Specialist in a residential treatment center for adolescents, has co-directed a child care resource and referral agency where she provided professional development for day care providers, and has sourced educational books and toys for a Japanese retailer. As part of her responsibilities during thirteen years with an international au pair agency Ms Rosen has developed on-line educational materials with an emphasis on child development, age-appropriate learning activities, and safety. She also designed and conducted regional and national workshop and conference sessions for the au pair supervisors, and provided direct supervision for young women from more than thirty different countries.

Karen Sheaffer, Early Literacy Facilitator, received her BA from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio; M.Ed in Child Study from Tufts University and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (C.A.G.S.). Ms. Sheaffer comes to this position with a variety of experiences in early education and care, including Head Start teacher & director, clinical work at a community mental health center, director of quality development at the state child care regulatory agency, Boston program director for Jumpstart, and adjunct faculty in Early Childhood Education at Urban College of Boston and Wheelock College. Ms. Sheaffer is frequently consulted on program evaluation and has served as validator for the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs and reviewer for Head Start triennial quality studies (PRISM). She has served as President of Boston Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC), founding member and first vice-president of Mass. AEYC, Co-Chair of the Mass. Family Literacy Consortium, and Chairperson of the Early Childhood Advisory Council to the Mass. Dept of Education.

Eleni Steadman, HILL Facilitator, is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Certified Reading Specialist. She earned a B.S. in Communication Disorders from Boston University and an M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the MGH Institute of Health Professions, an academic affiliate of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Eleni also a earned Certification in Reading from the MGH Institute of Health Professions. She worked in the North Andover Public Schools for five years, where she serviced a variety of students with oral and written language disabilities. She co-taught during literacy blocks, providing explicit instruction to students and modeling reading lessons for teachers. She has been trained in several multi-sensory reading programs including LiPS, LETRS, and Project Read. Eleni worked for four years as a consultant for the Massachusetts Department of Education providing professional development for teachers and administrators through the BayState Reading Initiative and Reading First. Eleni has also worked on a variety of projects for Lexia Learning Systems and for the HILL, prior to becoming an employee. Eleni stays involved with children¹s diverse learning needs by tutoring children in their homes.

Shirley Carr, Staff Assistant, joined the HILL staff in July 2001. Ms. Carr oversees data entry and provides administrative support for the daily operations of the HILL. Prior to coming to the HILL, Shirley spent 10 years at Blue Cross Blue Shield, six of which were in the community relations department where she coordinated the company-wide volunteer program and supported the daily operations of the charitable contributions program. Before working at Blue Cross, Ms. Carr served as systems administrator at the Boston Bar Association and the City of Boston's Housing Improvement Program. She also has 10 plus years in the accounting field.

HILL Faculty from the MGH Institute of Health Professions Graduate Program in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Gregory L. Lof, Program Director and an Associate Professor in the Graduate Program in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Charles Winthrop Haynes, EdD, CCC SLP, Associate Professor

Pam Hook PhD, Associate Professor

Lesley Maxwell, MS, CCC SLP, Coordinator of Clinical Education, Director of the Speech, Language and Literacy Clinic

Richard Paul Santeusanio , Clinical Associate Professor - Reading Certificate Program Coordinator