CHILDREN'S AUTHOR. READING SPECIALIST. CONSULTANT. LITERACY CHEF.
From early childhood, my attraction to literacy was nurtured by my parents, who were educators. I have worked for over 20 years with elementary and high school students as a Reading Specialist and Consultant, having graduated from Providence College with a master’s degree in Literacy and an undergraduate degree in Special and Elementary Education.
An avid young reader, born and raised in North Providence, Rhode Island, which I refer to as the Italian culinary hub of the east coast. I became a reflective writer and thinker in my teens, processing and savoring cherished memories, feelings, and experiences.
Time spent with my paternal grandmother jump-started my other passion—cooking. How do Italians communicate? With food, of course! Food and literacy thus became intertwined early on, and reading was not just an independent activity, but also a social act that connected me with people and ignited the communication of ideas and interests. When not vetting young adult books for students, writing, working, or walking my boxer, Bruno, I can usually be found in the kitchen, preparing a delicious meal for family and friends.
I remain equally connected to my passion for education and the culinary arts. Hence my company’s name: Literacy Chef Publishing. I tell my students and colleagues that being an enthusiastic chef and a reading specialist are not so different. Experts in both areas need to combine the right ingredients and practices to create a successful recipe—one that reaches and resonates with many individual palettes and learners.
I strive to embrace best practices in literacy education, using the 21st century literacy skills that have cultivated my own growth and expanding upon them. Recognizing how personal a children’s story can be for the developing or struggling reader, I conduct read-alouds for youngsters and use children’s books as mentoring texts when working with adolescent readers.
EMBRACING A LIFETIME OF LITERACY. LIVING TO LEARN. LOVING MY PROCESS.