2024 - 2025 ISLA Executive Cabinet

Picture
Dr. Ryan Eckart
Chair of the Board
​
      * Principal of Timothy Ball Elementary School                                              
​        Crown Point Community School Corporation
      * Former Elementary teacher,
         Reading Intervention
         Coordinator, Assistant Principal 
         and Director of Elementary 
​         Education.
      * Passionate about literacy and
         school climate.     
      * Married and proud dad to four
         amazing daughters who are very
         active in school, sports and clubs.
      * Love inspiring kids to love school,
         reading and creating to tell their
​         own story!​

Picture
ILA Coordinator
Julie McCoy
​
  • I teach 31! fifth graders at Haley Elementary in FWCS.
  • I co-lead our cheer team
  • Social Committee Carry-In Coordinator
  • I work as a Communication Director for FW’s ILA
  • Committee Chair of our  Literacy Committee at Haley​
  • I LOVE to do all things in DTFW (walks, eating, Tincaps games, shopping, seeing the street art
  • I also LOVE to travel to any big city or small town to get to know different areas better.  I am always sucker for a fun restaurant.
  • In the summers I work at an all girls, sleep-away camp in PA ...Seen Parent Trap? It’s really like that!!!!
  • In the summers, on my days off, I enjoy  exploring the PA, NJ, NY area
  • I used to be an Au pair in France so I also love to go back and visit
  • I am the proud aunt of two little boys, Van and Max

​
Picture
Matthew Barenie
Treasurer

  • Ph.D. Student in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at the Illinois Institute of Technology
  • Assistant Project Manager of the Chicago Public Schools Testing Project in Illinois Tech's Center for Research and Service
  • Licensed as an Elementary Generalist K-6 and Special Education Mild Interventionist
  • Former LRE Facilitator at the secondary level and ED Teacher at the elementary level
  • Experienced in literacy training, social-emotional learning, and academic and behavioral interventions
  • Enjoys spending time with his many family members and friends
  • Co-founder (ca. 2013) of a 17-piece big band and co-leader of a 600-member video gaming clan
Dr. Erin McNeill​
Communications Chair
  • ​Professional Learning Specialist of Literacy, Project-Based Learning, and English Learners at Keep Indiana Learning 
  • Adjunct Assistant Professor of English Education at Indiana University. 
  • Former clinical assistant professor of literacy, middle and high school Language Arts teacher, and ELL coordinator and teacher. 
  • Enjoys all books!
  • Hobbies include boating with my husband, running, hiking, and traveling.​
Ryan Towner
Member-at-Large

  • Director of Literacy and Title I for Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation
  • Former elementary school principal and fifth grade teacher
  • Passionate about helping teachers to use the best instructional practices so that all students reach reading proficiency
  • Married and proud father of two boys
  • Coach my sons' tee-ball and soccer teams
  • Love the climate and pace of schools and helping our students
  • Indiana recipient of the Milken Educator Award, 21'
Kathleen Schuckel
Member-at-Large

Kathleen Schuckel is an English language arts and literacy specialist with the Indiana Department of Education. Since joining the department in October 2021, her work has involved the science of reading, dyslexia, ILEARN assessments, scholastic journalism, and authentic literacy.
 
Previously, Kathleen taught English and journalism at Indianapolis area middle and high schools.  She’s also taught at Ball State, IUPUI, Ivy Tech, and the University of Indianapolis.
 
Most of her career has been devoted to reporting, writing, and research as a daily newspaper reporter and freelance journalist. She and her husband, Greg Andrews, an editor for law.com, are empty nesters, married 32 years, parents of two grown sons. Despite their absence, choice spots on the couch stay filled – thanks to the family’s pesky two rescue dogs.
 
Kathleen continues as a part-time freelancer. Her long-time specialty is in narrative journalism. She is a contributor to the recently published book, A Place Called WriterL: Where the Conversation Was Always About Literary Journalism , edited by Stuart Warner, and Jon and Lynn Franklin.
Dr. Nicole Martin
Membership Chair
​

​I am an assistant professor at Ball State University. My passion is for working with pre- and in-service teachers to create equitable literacy learning opportunities in the K-8 classroom and to help K-8 students learn to read and write in a range of genres, develop digital literacy and 21st century learning skills, and engage in and benefit from project-based learning.  My prior achievements include “Teacher of the Year;” books and book chapters such as Reading and Writing Genre with Purpose in K-8 Classrooms and “Best Practices for Informational Text Comprehension Instruction” (in Best Practices in Literacy Instruction); and journal articles such as “10 Things Every Literacy Educator Should Know about Research” (in The Reading Teacher) and “Science-literacy integration: Equity and learning in first-grade, urban instructional contexts” (in Journal of Educational Research and Practice).  For more information, please click here. 
Picture
Melissa Gill
Secretary

* WVEC Instructional Outreach Director
* Adjunct Faculty for IUK School of Education
* Former Administrator, Instructional Coach, and Classroom Teacher
* Love all things literacy focused and keeping educators in the loop!
* Enjoy traveling with my family, watching the next Netflix series, and laughing with friends!


Picture
Dr. Tracy Johnson
Member-at-Large

* Assistant Professor of K-6 Literacy at the University of Indianapolis
* Former elementary teacher, intervention specialist, literacy specialist and literacy coach
* Has a love of all things reading! 
* Passionate about supporting the literacy learning of all kids
* Married with two boys who are active in many sports including football and ninja (think American Ninja Warrior)
Picture


Dr. Jennifer Pearson 
Member-at-Large
  • Current Director of Elementary Education with MSD of Decatur Township
  • Former principal, assistant principal, instructional coach, and elementary teacher
  • Passionate about literacy, leadership, and equitable practices
  • I have been married for 27 years. We have three wonderful daughters and six grandchildren.
  • My free time is spent reading, gardening, and enjoying time with my family.
Picture
Paul Hankins 
Member-at-large