Reading With Pictures Members
Connie Elder
Connie Elder has spent 29 years working for the Carmi-White County School District in a variety of roles, During that same time, she has also been privileged to serve on governing boards and fundraising committees for various worthy causes with a special focus on literacy owing to her lengthy tenure as a middle school librarian. Connie was a founding Board member of Friends of the Carmi Public Library, serving as President for 7 consecutive years and remaining an active member to this day. After serving several years on the Board of Directors of the Shawnee Library System (a large regional […] Read More
Tim Sarrantonio
Tim Sarrantonio has over ten years of experience working for and volunteering with nonprofits. After obtaining degrees from Plattsburgh State University, the National University of Ireland at Galway, and Teachers College – Columbia University he moved to Chicago and began his journey to joining Reading With Pictures by picking up The Walking Dead on a whim. He has raised over $1 million for various causes, created and oversaw exciting events like the Half Acre Charitable Chili Cook Off for The Arts of Life, engaged and enhanced databases of all sizes, procured multiple successful grants, and formulated engaging communications and fundraising campaigns for […] Read More
Tracy Edmunds
Tracy Edmunds is an educational author, teacher, curriculum developer, editor, and comics enthusiast. Tracy has been devoted to children and education her entire career, beginning with a bachelor’s degree from USC and an M.A. Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from UCLA, followed by nine years of classroom teaching in grades preK–5 and five years as a reading intervention specialist, during which she experienced first-hand the power of comics in teaching and learning. She has edited and authored educational materials for many clients, including Educational Development Specialists, Junior Achievement, Teacher Created Resources, and Shell Education. With the help of her daughters, […] Read More
Katharine Kan
Kat Kan has been reading comics for more than 50 years (she started VERY young!), and has been working with comics in libraries since 1983. She’s worked in public libraries in Hawaii and Indiana, and currently works (from home in Florida) for Brodart Books & Library Services as the Collection Development Librarian/Graphic Novel Specialist and as a part-time school librarian for St. John Catholic School in Panama City, Florida. She has been writing the “Graphically Speaking” column for Voice of Youth Advocates since 1994, and she reviews children’s graphic novels for Booklist, the review journal for the American Library Association. […] Read More
Professor David Rapp
David N. Rapp is Professor at Northwestern University in the Learning Sciences in the School of Education and Social Policy, and in Cognitive Psychology in the Department of Psychology. His research focuses on the cognitive mechanisms underlying successful and unsuccessful learning. This work investigates the ways in which prior knowledge, unfolding text and spatial experiences, and learner goals interactively influence the processes and products of comprehension. Recent projects funded by the National Science Foundation and National Institute of Aging examine how visualizations can support STEM learning. He is associate editor at the Journal of Educational Psychology and Discourse Processes.
Chris Wilson
Chris Wilson is the Editor-in-Geek of The Graphic Classroom, a nationally eMINTS certified instructor, a K-6 computer science instructor and a national speaker on comics. He is certified to teach both early childhood (birth to grade 3) and elementary (grades 1-6). Wilson’s work in comics-in-education has been published in several literacy textbooks including: Teaching New Literacies in Grades K-3: Resources for 21st Century Students, Teaching New Literacies in Grades 4-6: Resources for 21st Century Students, as well as Rationales for Teaching Graphic Novels. Wilson also co-sponsors the Hall of Heroes comic book club at his school. Wilson donned his RWP cape in December 2011 and is the Educator […] Read More
Ian Chipman
After graduating from Northwestern with a degree in Comparative LIterature, Ian Chipman odd-jobbed as a writer, bartender, and traveling salesman until he joined Booklist magazine, the review journal of the American Library Association. As a Senior Editor of the Books for Youth section, he transformed the magazine’s graphic novel coverage, was the consultant for YALSA’s Great Graphic Novels for Teens committee, and moderated panels and webinars to spread the comics gospel to the nation’s librarians and educators. Ian has been dedicated to getting as many comics into the hands of as many children as possible ever since he realized just […] Read More
Trevor Mueller
Trevor Mueller works at an advertising agency by day, and writes comics by night. He is the writer / artist / creator of several popular webcomic series, which can be found on his website, www.trevoramueller.com.Trevor has also written and self-published several other works including the all-ages stories ALBERT THE ALIEN and JUNKYARD CHASE. He has also contributed stories to several anthologies, including HOPE: THE HERO INITIATIVE from Ronin Studios and READING WITH PICTURES from the non-profit of the same name. In 2009 Trevor joined Reading With Pictures as their Marketing Director, combining his love of comics, education, and advertising. Trevor gives […] Read More
Rob Valois
Rob Valois is a Senior Editor with Penguin Young Readers Group where he has edited multiple New York Times best-selling titles, most recently Vampire Academy: The Graphic Novel, which also won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Graphic Novel of 2011.He entered the publishing world as a graphic novel editor at TOKYOPOP where he helped to launch their original publishing program. As a freelance writer, he has written children’s books for Harper Collins; Simon & Schuster; Little, Brown; Scholastic; and Penguin.Prior to his career in children’s publishing, Rob worked for ten years in feature film development in Los Angeles, most notably as Director […] Read More
Jeff Barbanell, M.Ed.
Jeff Barbanell, M.Ed., CLU, CLTC, LUTCF brings his professional working advisory board, business, and academic experience to CAPE (Comics Association of Professionals and Educators) and RWP (Reading with Pictures). A regular presenter at New York Comic Con, WonderCon and San Diego Comic-Con International, he continues to refine his work on “Comics as a Transitional Medium to Teach English Language Learners” to develop a range of lesson plans addressing content areas that integrate sequential art. Jeff also contributed “Shooter’s Marvelesque” to Teenagers from the Future: Essays on the Legion of Super-Heroes published by Sequart Literacy & Research Organization. In pursuit of his Masters […] Read More
David Culter
David Cutler attended Brandeis University, where he went on to earn a masters in history. He taught history and journalism for six years at Palmer Trinity School in Miami, Florida, before returning to teach at his alma mater. David also serves as a Teacher of the Future for the National Association of Independent Schools, as well as writes education stories for The Atlantic and Edutopia. David is also passionate about promoting the use of comics in the classroom to enhance learning. He blogs at spinedu.com.
Kerry Freedman
Kerry Freedman is Professor of Art and Education at Northern Illinois University and Coordinator of Doctoral Programs in Art Education. She is past Head of the Art + Design Education Division. Professor Freedman’s research focuses on questions concerning the relationship of curriculum to art, culture, and technology. Recently, she has particularly focused on inquiries into student engagement with visual culture, creativity, and community. Dr. Freedman is author of the book Teaching Visual Culture. She co-authored the books Postmodern Art Education: An Approach to Curriculum and Transforming Computer Technology. She edited the book Looking Back and co-edited the book Curriculum, Culture, […] Read More