LAC Staff Workshop Presenters
Cynthia Bell
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In 2016, she co-authored the teacher resource book Teaching Adults: A HiSET Exam Resource Book. Cynthia has presented at international, national, state, and regional conferences, and is an active board member of the National Coalition for Literacy (NCL), an affiliate delegate of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and a national LINCS numeracy trainer and resource reviewer.
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Kevin Dotson
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Kevin Dotson is the Adolescent Literacy Specialist at the Literacy Assistance Center. He has taught ESOL at the Queens Public Library, and Math, Science, ELA, and History in pre-HSE and HSE courses at Brooklyn Public Library and the RiseBoro Community Partnership. Before joining the LAC staff, he was Director of Youth Services at RiseBoro, where he oversaw the content and development of afterschool, summer, and Summer Youth Employment programs. Kevin has taught Humanities at the high school and middle school level, including at The School for Human Rights in Brooklyn, a public school he founded as principal in 2004.
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Currently, Kevin provides training and coaching for adult and youth educators, with a focus upon literacy development through interdisciplinary and project-based approaches. An independent photographer and photojournalist with a background in journalism, he incorporates visual and digital literacy into his instruction of students and coaching of teachers.
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Nell Eckersley
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Nell Eckersley is the Director of Digital Equity Projects & Data and Digital Literacy Specialist for the New York City Support and Technical Assistance Center (STAC) at the Literacy Assistance Center. Nell has been working on ways to integrate digital literacy skills into adult education ever since she developed a project on how to teach basic computer skills in a classroom without computers in 2001.
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Nell’s current work on digital literacy and adult education includes a number of national projects including being a member of the US Adult Digital Learning Advisory Group for the Ed Tech Center at World Ed, a Subject Matter Expert for the Digital Resilience in the American Workforce (DRAW) project, a technology advisor for the CILIA-T project (part of the CREATE Adult Skills Network), and a resource developer for LINCS. Her particular areas of interest are strengthening digital literacy skills for adult education practitioners and learners, integrating technology into the adult education classroom via mobile devices, and digital inclusion for all.
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Lizelena Iglesias
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She has presented at national, state, and regional conferences and is an active member of the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) and the International Literacy Association (ILA). Lizelena is also a national trainer and the science community moderator for the national LINCS project.
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William Linn
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William Linn is the ESOL Specialist & Coordinator of ESOL Certificate Programs at the Literacy Assistance Center. In courses, workshops, and one-on-one coaching, Will’s focus is on practical and theoretical insights that can make ESOL teaching and learning easier. In keeping with this goal, Will has brought an experiential approach to several of the LAC’s courses as a course-designer and facilitator of Teaching English as a Second Language to Adults (TESLA), Teaching English to Adults with Limited Literacy (TEALL), and Foundations of Adult Education (FAE).
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He has also taught Applied Linguistics in the MATESOL program at the SIT Graduate Institute and he has presented at local, state and national conferences. Will received his MA in TESOL from the SIT Graduate Institute in 2011, and has been a licensed SIT Teacher Trainer since 2015. Will also holds a certificate in Compassionate Communication for Language Teachers from the Institute for Collaborative Learning in Costa Rica. He started teaching ESOL at community organizations in 2008.
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Sierra Stoneman-Bell |
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Sierra Stoneman-Bell is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Literacy Assistance Center, where she leads the Literacy & Justice Initiative to advance adult literacy education as part of a broader vision for racial, social, and economic justice. Sierra joined the LAC in 2016 to lead the Investing in Quality Report, bringing her experience in education, youth development, workforce connections, and community organizing and advocacy. Before this, Sierra directed the adult education and workforce programs at Make the Road New York as part of a larger strategy to build the power of working class and immigrant communities.
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She has also led advocacy campaigns for public investment in adult education and youth services and worked to directly support first generation college students and out-of-school youth. She is excited to collaborate with educators and organizers to center social justice themes in the classroom.
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Kate Tornese
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Kate Tornese is the Associate Director of ASISTS and Data Services at the Literacy Assistance Center. With almost 25 years of training experience in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, in addition to customer service and adult education program management experience, Kate has a broad range of skills uniquely suited to the ASISTS Associate Director/Training Specialist role.
Kate is the lead statewide trainer for ASISTS, conducting both ASISTS Basics and ASISTS Reports training in partnership with the Regional Adult Education Networks (RAENs) across NYS. |
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Kate also conducts webinars with individual program staff to address specific issues and topics of concern, providing both verbal and visual guidance for unique support situations.
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Judy Trupin
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Judy Trupin, Senior ESOL Fellow, was previously the director of ESOL certificate programs at the Literacy Assistance Center. She continues to work with the LAC, sharing her expertise on curriculum development and research-based strategies for teaching ESOL. Judy has been an ESOL adult educator for 30 years, and has worked as a teacher, curriculum developer, trainer, and administrator. She has taught all levels of ESOL from basic literacy through advanced. Judy is a nationally certified trainer for the BEST Plus assessment, holds New York State K-12 ESOL certification and an M.S. in Teaching ESOL, and is a certified yoga instructor.
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Ira Yankwitt
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Ira Yankwitt is the Executive Director of the Literacy Assistance Center. Ira began his career in adult literacy education in 1993. He has taught high school equivalency, managed a community-based adult literacy program, and spent many years training teachers and program administrators. Ira served as the Director of the New York City Regional Adult Education Network from 2004 through 2007. From 2007-2012, Ira oversaw curriculum, instruction, and professional development for the NYC Department of Education’s Office of Adult and Continuing Education. He has served in his current position since December 2012.
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