Arlene L. Barry, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the University of Kansas. Her research interests include disciplinary literacy and the history of literacy. Dr. Barry has received both teaching and research awards, been awarded grants, and has published numerous articles, monographs, State of Kansas reading and writing assessments, and book chapters. She spent more than 10 years teaching in the public-school system prior to her university work.

A. Susan Gay is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Curriculum and Teaching and Mathematics at the University of Kansas. Her focus is middle/secondary mathematics. Dr. Gay’s research interests include student knowledge of mathematical concepts, understanding of math vocabulary and literacy, and professional development.

Melissa M. Pelkey, Ph.D. is an adjunct faculty in the M.S.Ed. in Reading program at Northwest Missouri State University. Additionally, she travels the state of Kansas for the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center assisting multiple districts as part of the Literacy Network of Kansas (LiNK) grant. Her research interests include disciplinary literacy and equity through literacy. The recipient of numerous teaching awards, she spent more than 15 years in the public education system working with PreK-12 students. Dr. Pelkey has also co-authored several research articles.

Katrina S. Rothrock, PhD, is a Master Teacher in the UKanTeach program at the University of Kansas Center for STEM Learning.  Dr. Rothrock instructs pre-service secondary science and mathematics teachers and leads professional development programs for in-service teachers.  She began her professional career as an architectural engineer designing the electrical systems of buildings before transitioning to mathematics education, where she has taught high school and postsecondary mathematics. Her research interests include mathematical mindset, identity, and self-efficacy. 

Margaret Mnayer is a PhD student at the University of Kansas and adjunct literacy education instructor at the University of Northern Iowa. Her research interests include secondary literacy, disciplinary literacy, and writing instruction. She taught secondary English language arts and reading in the public school system for 14 years before pursuing her doctoral education.